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. 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.