HispanicBusiness

Funds: Sandbox runs two funds that are fully invested, the Sandbox Venture Fund ($18.8 million, closed 2008) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Fund I ($116 million, closed 2008). It has two new funds, the Sandbox Advantage Fund ($50 million) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Fund II ($179 million).

Typical investment: $1 million-$2 million for the Sandbox Advantage Fund; $1 million-$10 million for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Fund II.

Strategy: The Blue Cross Blue Shield Fund II focuses primarily on health care information technology. The Sandbox Advantage Fund will co-invest with the health care fund and also back internally generated projects. Portfolio Companies:



CakeStyle

Founders: Cecelia Myers and Millie Tadewaldt

Founded: 2011

Funding: Undisclosed

Employees: 12

Description: CakeStyle is a personal shopping service for women. Customers complete an interview with a stylist, either virtually or in person, and receive a customized box of clothing and accessories every season. Outlook: We're bringing our CakeStylists to cities across the U.S. in the next year via our pop-up shops. We want women all over the country to be able to meet their stylist face-to-face and learn about CakeStyle. We're starting by offering more appointments than ever in Chicago, and our next stop is San Francisco.

Doggyloot

Founder: Ryan Schoop

Description: Doggyloot is a daily deal company for dog owners.



Alltuition

Founders: Sue Khim, Sam Solomon and Silas Hundt

Description: Alltuition makes online tools for families to manage educational debt and the financial aid process.



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APEX VENTURE PARTNERS



Founded: 1987

Founder: James Johnson

Current (6th) fund: $140 million (closed 2007)

Invested so far: Declined to answer.

Typical investment: $200,000 to $6 million

Strategy: Apex focuses on technology-enabled services, information technology and clean technology sectors.

Portfolio Companies:



Trunk Club

CEO: Brian Spaly

Founded: 2009 Funding: $11 million Series A

Employees: About 90

Description: Offers men a less time-consuming way to shop by shipping clothes to try-on and only charging them for what they keep.

Outlook: "We currently have 11,000-plus customers and hope that by the end of next year we have over 100,000," Spaly said.



Target Data

Founders: Ross Shelleman and Dr. Andrew Hamilton

Description: Data, analytics and direct mail for targeted marketing



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ARCH VENTURE PARTNERS



Founded: 1986

Founders: Steven Lazarus, Keith Crandell, Clinton Bybee and Robert Nelsen

Current (7th) fund: $400 million (closed 2007)

Invested so far: About $300 million

Typical investment: $100,000 through "several million"

Strategy: ARCH specializes in the so-called "hard sciences," including advanced semiconductors, biotech, instrumentation, chemicals, etc. They work with researchers at universities and national laboratories to commercialize their innovations. Portfolio Companies:



Univa

CEO: Gary Tyreman

Founded: 2004 with a major pivot in 2010