Led · Equity · Jun 2017

Digital Global Systems develops a drone threat management solution that rapidly detects individual radio-frequency (RF) signals and classifies their unique attributes to produce near-real-time actionable intelligence for security and asset protection. Its products can operate in stand-alone mode or as nodal networks that can span entire continents. The company emphasizes superior RF knowledge to enhance asset security, a capability it markets as critical for national infrastructure protection. Over the past four years the firm has secured 34 patents related to its technology. The company announced an additional $7.5M in Series B-3 and B-4 financing, reflecting continued external investment in its RF detection platform. Financially, the new rounds brought total funding to date to more than $28M since inception. Digital Global Systems, based in Beltsville, Maryland and led by Chairman and CEO Fernando Murias, provides patented smart RF spectrum monitoring and management solutions. Its real-time RF analysis products monitor, analyze and manage RF spectrum for telecommunications, transportation, utilities, public safety, government and defense organizations. The solutions are used by communications organizations to manage and improve spectrum reliability and performance, and by defense and security organizations to identify hostile or illegal usage and locate threats. In June 2017 DGS raised $8.5M in funding led by Ancora Advisors, bringing total investment since its 2013 inception to $16.8M. As part of the financing, Ancora's chairman and CEO Frederick DiSanto joined DGS's board of directors. Digital Global Systems develops the SigBase™ platform, a broad‑spectrum data-capture and analytics suite delivered on portable, mobile, and fixed hardware that is remotely accessible and network enabled. SigBase uses Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) for signal analysis and classification (with selective I/Q data use), enabling faster processing and efficient transient-signal capture across wide spans. The software includes modulation detection, channel conflict detection with alarms/triggers, patented automatic signal detection, connect-anywhere functionality, FCC database analytics, and a spectral environment learning feature that builds signal inventories. DGS is rolling out SigDB, a cloud-based analytics platform to store, access, and analyze data from deployed SigBase devices. The company plans to use new capital to accelerate market expansion and further develop SigBase and related offerings. In its first two years DGS secured 20 issued U.S. patents and has market traction into four major tier‑1 carriers with a growing presence in transportation, public safety, and federal government markets.

Led · Equity · Mar 2012

Upclique is a free online college recruitment network that helps students, counselors and academic institutions find and engage with one another. The site lets students search and build lists of potential fits based on criteria like major, location, and campus life. It gives school counselors a central place to approve grades and build relationships with colleges for the students under their guidance. College recruiters can search for students by grades, athletics, extracurricular activities, interests or college preferences and send connection requests directly. The company intends to use the recently raised capital to continue building out its network and expand site features to better guide students through the search process. Upclique was founded in 2011 by Matt Benton and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.