Participated · Seed · Aug 2026

Grounded was founded in 2022 and develops modular, “Lego-like” interior systems and software (Grounded+) that convert van chassis into configurable workspaces for commercial customers. The company initially focused on electric vans but pivoted to a vehicle-agnostic approach after OEM shifts, embracing both electric and combustion-powered models. Grounded has won customers across commercial, medical, veterinary, food and beverage, and public safety sectors, including Colgate, Nokia, Wayne State University Medical, and the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii. It recently opened a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Detroit where production starts this month and capacity will ramp next year. The $5 million seed financing will support scaling manufacturing and expanding the company’s modular customization platform to service a broader set of fleet needs.

Participated · Seed · Apr 2025

Ponte Labor is a Miami-based hiring platform that matches legally authorized Hispanic immigrant hourly workers to employers via WhatsApp, using an in-house AI recruiter and voice-based AI interviews. The company was founded by Colombian immigrants Stephanie Murra and Lorenza Vélez in April 2023 and launched its platform in November 2023. Ponte pre-vets candidates for legal work authorization, pre-screens and onboards workers directly to employers (not through staffing agencies), and is currently focused on hospitality with plans to expand into construction and elder care. The startup has onboarded over 60,000 candidates, placed nearly 800 hospitality workers, and works with 14 employers including Omni Hotels & Resorts, Pyramid Global, Peachtree Hotel Group, and Atrium Hospitality. Annualized net revenue grew from $70,000 in February 2024 to $550,000 today; the company is not yet profitable but reports high contribution margins and says it has burned less than $1 million. Ponte charges employers a monthly fee equal to 10% of a worker's monthly salary for up to 12 months, with no fee if the worker leaves within the first month.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2025

Goose develops an enterprise-ready operating system for pet care providers that centralizes bookings, payments, and operations. Launched its full OS in September 2023, the platform includes real-time e-commerce, revenue management tools, unified workflows, and advanced analytics. It integrates multi-service facility needs—boarding, daycare, grooming—and recently shipped a grooming module, with plans to add training and retail functionality. Founders Drew Brinkoetter and Chris Tilson bring a combined 31 years in the pet services industry; Tilson previously founded Petbookings.com. Goose aims to expand its partnership ecosystem and accelerate product development to meet growing demand. The company is positioned to capture opportunity in a pet care industry projected to reach $280 billion by 2030.

Participated · Series A · Feb 2025

Cambium operates a supply‑chain technology platform that connects tree care services, sawmills, manufacturers, and logistics to transform salvaged wood into Carbon Smart™ Wood products, millwork, and now mass timber. The company digitizes and streamlines the traditionally fragmented wood industry with chain‑of‑custody tracking, inventory and logistics tools, POS, e‑commerce, and AI/LLM‑driven efficiency solutions. Cambium is manufacturing cross‑laminated timber (CLT) from salvaged wood through partnerships with CLT producers and is expanding mass timber offerings to substitute steel and concrete in buildings. It has moved over 8 million board feet of wood, sequestered more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2e, and built a network of 350+ tree care companies, sawmills, and trucking partners. Recent strategy includes scaling distribution of Carbon Smart™ Wood, broadening logistics via the Mill Market acquisition (July 2024), and pursuing additional M&A to bolster supply‑chain infrastructure. The company intends to use new capital to deploy AI across the $788B wood products industry, grow the team, and scale operations to meet rising demand for traceable, low‑carbon building materials. Cambium Carbon operates Traece, a SaaS platform that connects trees to local sawyers and millers to turn them into durable products that store carbon and fund community tree planting. The platform enables a supplier network through which real estate developers, tech companies, and furniture manufacturers purchase Carbon‑Smart Wood. Traece has moved $3.7M of wood to date. The company raised $3.2M in seed funding to scale operations. Cambium plans to use the funds to grow its team, expand platform user‑ship, divert 2,500 tons of wood waste, and plant 10,000 high‑impact trees in partnership with communities. It was founded by Ben Christensen, Marisa Repka and Theo Hooker.

Led · Equity · Oct 2024

Grounded builds modular electric vans (initially based on Ford Transit, later on GM BrightDrop) with a LEGO-style system that lets customers reconfigure interiors for campers, mobile clinics, grooming, food delivery and other commercial uses. The company was founded in 2022 by Sam Shapiro, a former SpaceX engineer. Grounded has begun testing vehicles with partners in Honolulu (for the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Children coalition) and with a logistics startup in Brooklyn. It operates out of a 1,200 m² warehouse adjacent to its office in a mobility startup incubator. Grounded has signed several contracts for vans priced at $200k each, which have generated roughly $3M in revenue to date. The founder emphasizes using the modular platform to serve both affluent recreational customers and small businesses seeking electrification.