Direct Investments
Avinew
(fka Driav)
Avinew is a forward-thinking insurance company tackling issues surrounding liability claims involving autonomous vehicles. As autonomous cars become more prevalent on the roads, the question arises of who is liable for claims not involving human action.
Boka Sciences
(fka Hydradx)
Boka Sciences has developed an innovative, low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic for measuring saliva flow, an important indicator for a number of different diseases and conditions. The company has developed a “thermometer-like” device that can provide a fast, accurate, and inexpensive test for use by clinicians or patients in virtually any setting. The long-term plan is to become a standard of diagnostic care for dentists and other medical practitioners that can also be used to diagnose dehydration, a multi-billion dollar opportunity that currently does not have a viable, cost-effective diagnostic.
Boom! Entertainment, Inc.
BOOM! Entertainment owns and operates BOOM! Studios, a media company that bridges print publishing and filmed entertainment. The company creates and publishes new comic books and graphic novels, developing this library of intellectual property into projects for film, television and other media. This company has two strategies: license well-known properties to create graphic novels for the mass and direct markets and create original projects that can benefit from the shelf space and brand awareness driven by the licensing strategy. Original projects are developed into film and television properties, and the company is exploring additional opportunities in merchandising, video games and online content.
Dusty Robotics
Founded in 2018, Dusty develops robot-powered tools for the modern workforce, automating construction’s most painful manual workflows. The FieldPrinter™ solution automates the BIM-to-field workflow through a combination of hardware, software, and services that fit seamlessly into existing construction work processes. Founded by serial entrepreneurs and roboticists who have built several successful robotics companies, Dusty is backed by leading venture capital firms Scale Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, NextGen Venture Partners, Baseline Ventures, Root Ventures and Cantos Ventures.
Elteve
(fka Zadspace, Inc.)
Elteve has developed an innovative direct marketing technology platform that monetizes available space on “brown box” packages shipped to consumers with “4×6” ads affixed alongside the label. The ads are highly targetable and have shown superior response rates and cost effectiveness compared to package inserts and direct mail. By establishing long-term exclusiove relationships with direct to consumer goods companies, Elteve has taken the opportunity for a novel captive-media network based on the increasing number of packages being shipped.
GlycosBio, inc.
GlycosBio (“Glycos”) pivoted from a company that transformed bio waste into rubber to a leading innovator in the nutrition market. Glycos has become a food science company that develops and produces advanced nutritional products. Located in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center at the Texas Medical community to design new, highly functional medical foods and nutrition for the 60-70 million patients with digestive diseases.
Hippo
Hippo is an online insurance retailer that aims to simplify the process of buying insurance in the digital age. By transferring the process of buying insurance out of the hands of agents and into an online platform hippo is able to save customers money and gain valuable data. This allows them to offer lower rates then a traditional insurance company and better respond to claims. Rather than treat you as a “policyholder” hippo treats you as a customer through their seamless claims process and proactive actions.
Inspirato
Launched in 2011, Inspirato (NASDAQ: ISPO) is the innovative luxury hospitality brand that provides access to a managed and controlled portfolio of hand-selected vacation options, delivered through a subscription model to ensure the service and certainty that affluent customers demand. The Inspirato portfolio includes branded luxury vacation homes available exclusively to subscribers and guests, accommodations at five-star hotel and resort partners, and custom travel experiences, with five-star personalized service included on every trip. In 2019, Inspirato revolutionized travel by introducing Inspirato Pass, the world’s first luxury travel subscription that includes all nightly rates, taxes, and fees. In 2022, Inspirato introduced Inspirato for Good, an easy-to-use platform designed to support important causes by delivering high-value fundraising results for nonprofit organizations.
Metropolis
Metropolis is a smart parking operator that uses AI cameras to validate and operate gates at parking centers. By eliminating the standard parking gate, the company can save owners money compared to traditional parking operators and collect valuable data that can be used for validation, dynamic pricing, and evaluating the primary uses of the parking lot. The company’s long-term vision is to act as the logistics coordinator for the modern transportation economy, including last-mile delivery, ride-sharing, autonomous vehicle maintenance, and even VTOL (vertical take-off and landing or air taxis).
Morty
Morty is a one-stop online borrower application platform and marketplace for residential mortgages. Morty’s marketplace model combines a digital acquisition and conversion strategy with a flexible, low-cost, and scalable capital base. The company’s innovative tech platform allows consumers to comparatively shop for a mortgage more conveniently at a lower cost than traditional brokers. The company also offers a centralized application process eliminating the need for the endless compiling of documents that comes along with a traditional mortgage process.
Noteworth
Noteworth is a virtual care model connecting medical professionals and patients through IoT technology. Noteworth works with clinicians and executive stakeholders to conceptualize and plan a tailored remote care framework. This technology paired with human connection will improve care delivery goals, patient population information, quality initiatives, incentive and reimbursement models, payer relationships as well as provide competitive differentiation. The platform allows patients to stay connected with physicians leading to better care based on accurate patient information sent directly from linked devices, less readmission and higher patient confidence in daily life.
www.noteworth.com
Prolacta Biosciences, Inc.
Prolacta Bioscience is a life science company specializing in the science of human milk. The company provides specialized nutritional solutions for premature and critically ill infants. The company’s lead product, Prolacta-Plus, is a unique fortification product derived 100% from human milk. This product has been shown to significantly reduce the occurance of necrotizing entercolitis (NEC) in premature infants, a condition that frequently leads to lifelong health complications and even death in premature infants. They now have a family of products which include the Human Donor Milk and Fortifiers which add calories without requiring a higher volume of milk to be consumed and a Ready-to-Feed option.
Saltbox
Saltbox is a co-warehousing company that offers e-commerce entrepreneurs a place to store inventory and fulfill orders as well as fully furnished office space to take meetings and do front office work. The company also offers flexible labor to help these entrepreneurs fill orders and is currently building out a complete fulfillment network to provide these e-commerce entrepreneurs the services of a 3PL at a much higher quality. The company is the first fulfillment company that caters to the exploding Esty and Shopify entrepreneurs that have become a driving force in the small business economy.
SewerAI
SewerAI is a software and service provider that helps manage inspection for sewers. Their flagship product, AutoCode, automatically detects and labels sewer conditions to reduce costs, accelerate productivity and increase the accuracy of inspection data. Additionally, their follow-on product, Pioneer, allows for efficient data storage in a web-based infrastructure management platform that improves follow-up action by cutting down on the amount of time that managers spend sifting through data. The U.S. alone spends $60B on wastewater management per year, and by utilizing SewerAI’s platform, more of that money can go to repairs rather than inspection and data management.
Shotspotter
SST, Inc. (ShotSpotter, NASDAQ: SSTI) is the leader in gunshot detection solutions, which helps law enforcement officials and security personnel identify, locate and respond to gun violence. The company’s public safety solution, ShotSpotter Flex, is deployed in urban, high-crime areas to help deter gun violence by accurately detecting and locating gunshots and sending near real-time alerts to law enforcement. The security solutions, SST SecureCampus and SST SiteSecure are designed to help law enforcement and security personnel serving universities, corporate campuses, key infrastructure, and transportation centers mitigate risk and enhance security by notifying authorities and first responders of an active-shooter event occurring in their deployment area. The speed and accuracy of the solutions enable rapid response by law enforcement and security personnel, increase the chances of apprehending the shooter, aid in the evidentiary collection, and serve as an overall deterrent to crime.
Shotzoom, inc.
(fka Edufii)
Shotzoom provides a software platform for instruction and skills development that enables coaches, teachers and their students to connect in a way that was not previously possible. The Shotzoom app allows an instructor to easily capture key moments during a teaching session using a mobile phone or tablet through an intuitive interface that enables video, voice notes, photos or files to be automatically sent to the cloud in an Instagram-like stream. After the session, the student is able to access that stream at any time and invite in other key participants such as parents or other coaches. This provides an ongoing journal of the coaching session(s) and also provides a platform for ongoing real-time communication between the instructor and student between sessions. Shotzoom is now in used by thousands of top coaches and athletes in more that 50 sports in 110 countries.
Sonder
Sonder has revolutionized travel stays by combining the comfort of private apartments with the convenience of hotel services and amenities. They provide consistent standard of quality with comfortable beds, five-star cleanliness, and reliable concierge service.
VergeSense
VergeSense is an occupancy monitoring and space planning IoT device and software solution for large commercial real estate occupiers and operations. The company equips offices with inexpensive sensors that anonymously collect precise occupancy and foot traffic data, then uses AI and Software to analyze and provide curated insights into space usage both in real-time and over time. In addition to its client-facing software offering, VergeSense integrates with a host of third-party workplace applications to power agile workplace design and usage, enhance employee experience, enable real-time space booking and management, inform leasing and space planning decisions, and facilitate workplace re-entry.