DFX Intelligence
Venture Capital Intelligence
Firms, funds, partners, companies and rounds from sworn filings, firm sites and announcements, kept as a graph with a date and a source on every edge. Facts, inferences and estimates are labelled as such. A fund target is never a close, GAV is never dry powder, and a round size is never an investor’s check.
Firms / Pondera Holdings LLC
Pondera Holdings LLC
Private equity with venture activity · probableChicago, ILponderaholdings.comSEC registered investment adviser
registered adviser; venture funds are 0% of 16 private funds
Importance
38
elevated
Active deployment
51
elevated
Emerging
0
low
Completeness
63
high
Freshness
100
high
Research priority
20
moderate
Identity and regulatory footprint
- Headquarters
- Chicago, ILadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Office address
- 156 NORTH JEFFERSON, SUITE 102, Chicago, IL, 60661adviserinfo.sec.gov
- Business phone
- 312-930-9050adviserinfo.sec.gov
- SEC adviser type
- registered investment adviseradviserinfo.sec.gov
- SEC exemption claimed
- unknown
- Latest Form ADV
- Jun 28, 2024
- Private funds reported
- 16 (0 venture capital funds)adviserinfo.sec.gov
- Private fund gross assets
- $535Madviserinfo.sec.govreported GAV of the funds, the adviser's own number; not fund size, not dry powder
- Regulatory AUM
- $268Mthe adviser's RAUM, a regulatory measure, never a fund size
- Employees
- 5
- Owners on Schedule A
- RDA Capital Advisors, LLC (Member), C; JDJ Capital Advisors, LLC (Member), C; CMT Investments LLC (Member), D
- business email
- sbarkett@ponderaholdings.componderaholdings.compublished by the subject
- business email
- connect@ponderaholdings.componderaholdings.compublished by the subject
- business email
- growth@ponderaholdings.componderaholdings.compublished by the subject
- business email
- jjohnson@ponderaholdings.componderaholdings.compublished by the subject
- business phone
- 312-930-9050adviserinfo.sec.govpublished by the subject
Stated thesis versus observed behaviour
7 observed deals
Stated (the firm’s website)
- Sectors
- not stated or not yet read
- Stages
- growth
- Geography
- canada, chicago, united states
- Check size
- not stated; DFX does not estimate checks from round sizes
- Self-described
- growth investor
Observed (from deals on record)
Stage at participation: no observed deals yet
Stage at first entry: no observed deals yet
Sectors
unknown 100%
lead rate n/afollow-on rate n/anew logos, 12 months 7
Funds and vehicles
8 reported, 3 no longer reported
| Vehicle | Type | Vintage | Lifecycle | Reported GAV | Owners | Form D sold | Latest Form D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund #8 | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2023 form d first sale | Active deployment | $15.4M Jun 28, 2024 | 38 | $15.4M | Dec 12, 2023 |
| Fund #7 | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2023 form d first sale | Active deployment | $8.5M Jun 28, 2024 | 29 | $8.6M | Jan 12, 2023 |
| Literacyed Acquisition Company, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2020 form d first sale | Mature | $25.3M Jun 28, 2024 | 17 | $4.9M | Jun 11, 2021 |
| Wtmc Acquisition Company, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2020 form d first sale | Mature | $21.0M Jun 28, 2024 | 27 | $9.0M | Jun 10, 2021 |
| Whisker Acquisition Company, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2019 form d first sale | Mature | $99.4M Jun 28, 2024 | 38 | $15.7M of $15.7M | Oct 11, 2019 |
| CK Acquisition Company, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | 2018 form d first sale | Harvest | $60.9M Jun 28, 2024 | 41 | $28.5M | Jun 10, 2021 |
| Whisker Acquisition Company Qp, LLC | Feeder or parallel · ADV: Private Equity Fund | unknown | Unknown | $23.5M Jun 28, 2024 | 1 | unknown | unknown |
| Whisker Acquisition Company II LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | unknown | Unknown | $13.7M Jun 28, 2024 | 4 | unknown | unknown |
| Tryon Fund I, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | unknown | Wound down | $18.7M Mar 31, 2023 | 8 | unknown | unknown |
| Tryon Fund II, LLC | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | unknown | Wound down | $6.1M Mar 31, 2023 | 10 | unknown | unknown |
| Literacyed Acquisition Company II, Inc. | Fund · ADV: Private Equity Fund | unknown | Wound down | $0 Mar 31, 2023 | 4 | unknown | unknown |
GAV is the gross asset value the adviser reported on Form ADV for the vehicle, never the fund’s committed size and never dry powder. Form D sold is the amount sold as of the latest filing, never a final close.
Investment team
5 current, 0 departed
Jan-Dirk Lueders
Managing partnerManaging Member · since Jul 1, 2016
Scott Allan Casto
Managing partnerManaging Member · since Jul 1, 2016
Joseph Dylan Johnson
PartnerMember · since Jul 1, 2016
Seth Gustav Barkett
PartnerMember · since Jul 1, 2016
Peter Jeremiah Kaye
Platform and operationsChief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer · since Apr 1, 2022
Investments on record
7 edges, 7 companies, 0 partner-attributed
“This investor” is the amount disclosed for this investor alone; it is unknown unless a source said it. The round size is the whole round.
Co-investors
0 relationships from shared deals, counted for the whole firm
No co-investor relationship yet: these are derived only from rounds and portfolio listings the graph has seen both investors on.
Limited partners
0 disclosed
No LP commitment on record. An LP edge needs a public disclosure with a quote: a pension report (see Limited partners for the plans read), a fund announcement naming the LP, or a Form ADV owner. The fund page carries the LP’s reported performance.
Timeline
16 dated events
- Mar 30, 2024Fund #8 first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $15,400,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactFund #8SEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2024Tryon Fund II, LLC no longer reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLCFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceTryon Fund II, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2024Tryon Fund I, LLC no longer reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLCFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceTryon Fund I, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2024Literacyed Acquisition Company II, Inc. no longer reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLCFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceLiteracyed Acquisition Company II, Inc.SEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2024Fund #7 first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $8,640,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactFund #7SEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Apr 1, 2022Peter Jeremiah Kaye joined Schedule A of Pondera Holdings LLC as Chief Financial Officer
- Jun 11, 2021Tryon Fund II, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $1,000,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactTryon Fund II, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Whisker Acquisition Company, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $42,568,120Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactWhisker Acquisition Company, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Pondera Holdings LLC first filed Form ADV (ERA)First SEC adviser filingOrganizationFactSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Tryon Fund I, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $9,366,361Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactTryon Fund I, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Literacyed Acquisition Company, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $4,920,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactLiteracyed Acquisition Company, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Whisker Acquisition Company Qp, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $10,055,462Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactWhisker Acquisition Company Qp, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021CK Acquisition Company, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $28,489,470Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactCK Acquisition Company, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Literacyed Acquisition Company II, Inc. first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $3,000,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactLiteracyed Acquisition Company II, Inc.SEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Whisker Acquisition Company II LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $5,865,686Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactWhisker Acquisition Company II LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 11, 2021Wtmc Acquisition Company, LLC first reported on Form ADV by Pondera Holdings LLC (Private Equity Fund), GAV $9,000,000Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactWtmc Acquisition Company, LLCSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
Classification history
- Sep 12, 2026Private equity with venture activity (probable, 75%, cls-1)registered adviser; venture funds are 0% of 16 private funds
Evidence
29 observations from 2 sources