Skip to main content
Don Thompson headshot

Don Thompson

CEO, Cleveland AvenueCleveland AvenueChicago, IL

Current Firm

Cleveland Avenue

Investments

3+ companies

Focus

Agriculture, Consumer

About Don Thompson

Don Thompson brings an unusual combination to venture investing as the former CEO of McDonald's who started as an electrical engineer and grew up in Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing project, giving him both Fortune 500 operating experience and lived experience with underrepresented communities. He and his wife Liz co-founded Cleveland Avenue with an explicit focus on backing diverse founders through what he describes as a love-centered, multi-decade relationship approach rather than purely transactional investing.

Focus Areas

AgricultureConsumerRoboticsAI

Investment Stage

Pre-Seed
Seed
Series A
Series B+

Notable Investments

Randall Lewis
Mingu Lee
Beyond Meat