Ben Buettell is a Co-founder and Managing Partner at R7 Partners, an early-stage technology venture firm based in Chicago, IL. He currently co-manages all day-to-day responsibilities at R7 Partners, including fundraising, sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities, and serving on the firm’s investment committee. Ben also serves on Airy3D’s board of directors, the boards of directors for 6fusion USA and Tanvas, and as a board observer at AEye and Carrot all from R7 Partners’ Fund I portfolio.
Prior to R7 Partners, Ben spent 24 years at Houlihan Lokey, where he helped grow the firm into one of the leading investment banks in the world. His primary responsibilities included originating and maintaining client relationships while leading teams in over 200 corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, equity reorganizations, and strategic alternative assessments to startups, private and public companies and their respective boards of directors. He also served in numerous senior management positions, including as co-head of Houlihan Lokey’s Fairness and Solvency Opinion Practices, co-chair of the Fairness Engagement Committee, and was a senior member of the Financial Advisory Services Management Committee.
Ben received a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA in Finance and Management Policy from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Ben resides in Evanston, IL.
