OROS combines materials science and apparel design to create SOLARCORE®, an aerogel-based insulation technology invented through iterative engineering and patented starting in 2015. The company turned its material into a new lightweight insulated fabric that launched in 2022 and incorporates a suite of patents and exclusive rights to underlying NASA IP. OROS plans to debut the material in a new performance apparel collection and expand products built around the technology. The recent capital will fund further refinement of the material, development of new apparel products, and construction of a U.S. manufacturing facility. The planned manufacturing line outside Boston will convert recycled fiber into a novel thermal performance fiber and enable 3D engineered knitting, custom machinery, and a consolidated domestic supply chain. Founders Michael Markesbery and Rithvik Venna lead the company alongside a technical team including CTO Jeff Nash. OROS develops and integrates Aerogel-based Solarcore insulation—derived from NASA space-shuttle and Mars Rover technology—into consumer outerwear to enable delayering. Solarcore is breathable and maintains thermal performance under compression and when wet, allowing garments to be thinner and more flexible than traditional goose down. The company positions its products as technical performance apparel that outperforms traditional insulations. OROS launched a winter 2018 outerwear line and is using recent investment to accelerate demand for its products. The firm reports 300% year-over-year growth and has received several million dollars in venture-capital backing. It has also partnered with Silicon Valley Bank for inventory financing and was co-founded in 2013 by Michael Markesbery and Rithvik Venna. Oros Apparel builds aerogel-insulated outerwear using a patented form of aerogel called SolarCore™. The company expanded from a Kickstarter-launched parka into a broader product line including quarter-zips, beanies, fleeces, vests and a more extensive outerwear range. It has begun licensing and distributing SolarCore to other brands, including Cabela’s for use in footwear. Oros reports global sales in over 47 countries and has signed an international distribution deal with a South Korean distributor. To manage international logistics and supply chain it is working with FedEx. The company has also entered a financial relationship with Silicon Valley Bank. Oros closed a $2M seed round backed by investors in Beijing and the U.S.

Total raised

$22M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Jun 2021