Led · Grant · Feb 2024

AlgoFace develops Face AI and computer-vision solutions centered on a Face AI Enablement Engine that supports 2D facial landmark tracking, 3D face mesh, iris tracking, head pose estimation, and hair segmentation. Its core Face Analyzer/Semantic Search technology can locate facial attributes in photos via descriptive text searches without requiring a probe photo. The company emphasizes privacy-by-default and ethical AI frameworks to avoid traditional identification workflows and reduce legal and other risks. AlgoFace targets enterprise and government customers and applications including national security, law enforcement, building safety, video search, digital asset management, spatial analytics, and programmatic media. The technology is designed to operate on the edge across mobile, desktop, embedded systems, AR/VR, and the Metaverse. AlgoFace holds two patents related to the technology and is using grant funding to advance R&D. AlgoFace develops a Face AI Enablement Engine that provides 2D facial landmark tracking, 3D face mesh, iris tracking, head pose estimation, and hair segmentation with a focus on privacy-by-default and ethical AI frameworks. The company's engine targets edge deployment and is usable across mobile, desktop, embedded systems, AR/VR, and the Metaverse. AlgoFace positions its product for enterprise and government customers seeking trusted, low-power facial AI solutions. The company has participated in multiple accelerators and competitions, including the Fuel AI/ML Accelerator and Venture Madness, and has received local recognition such as Phoenix Business Journal’s "Startups to Watch." Financially, the firm was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Arizona Commerce Authority as an Arizona Innovation Challenge Awardee. AlgoFace intends to leverage the ACA Venture Ready Accelerator milestones to unlock the grant and accelerate growth. AlgoFace's Face AI enablement engine uses advances in computer vision and edge computing to power 2D and 3D facial analysis and landmark tracking for features, expressions, eye gaze, head pose and mouth-to-eye ratio. The platform includes data labeling and annotation tools, synthetic data generation, and deepfake detection with privacy and inclusivity prioritized. Its technology is positioned for deployments across mobile, desktop, embedded systems, AR/VR, the Metaverse and Web 3.0 via enterprise, commercial, and government relationships. The company reported rapid commercial traction—selling 2.5X its entire six-figure 2021 revenue in Q1 2022—has grown headcount from 14 to 30, and counts a Fortune 50 company as a client. AlgoFace expects to expand at a compounded annual growth rate of at least 40% and describes its plan as balancing revenue-funded growth with capital efficiency. Financially, the company has raised over $1.6 million toward its seed round and is pursuing government R&D opportunities such as an NSF Phase I SBIR/STTR submission.

Led · Equity · Jun 2013

Viomics is a molecular diagnostics company spun out of Arizona State University that discovers, develops and delivers blood‑based cancer detection technologies aimed at enabling early and targeted intervention. Its first commercial product, LungVantage, is described as detecting lung cancer with more than 90% accuracy and close to zero percent false positives at all stages, and is called the most accurate and least expensive test for non‑small cell lung cancer available. Viomics is also developing assays to screen for breast, liver, pancreatic and colon cancers. The company offers an ActiveTargeting test used to measure specific RNA levels in plasma during pharmaceutical clinical trials for ALK inhibitors. Viomics plans to use recent Arizona Innovation Challenge funding to finish a clinical trial of LungVantage, commercialize the test sooner, and accelerate its fundraising efforts. The team includes founders David Mallery (president and co‑founder) and Scott Morris (chief scientific officer) and other executives and advisors from ASU and oncology fields.

Led · Seed · Nov 2012

SiO2 Nanotech is a Tempe, Arizona provider of technology transfer focused on moving innovations from "Lab to Fab." It is developing VitreOx™, an anti-fog coating intended for intra-ocular lenses and lenses used in endoscopes and laparoscopes. VitreOx™ works by changing the condensation on lens surfaces to inhibit fogging. The company plans to apply VitreOx™ in vitro-retinal surgery and other procedures involving endoscopes and laparoscopes. SiO2 Nanotech will receive $25,000 in seed funding to support development of VitreOx™. The capital is being provided as part of the AZ Furnace Accelerator, a statewide public-private technology transfer program involving the Arizona Commerce Authority, BioAccel and several Arizona universities and organizations.

Led · Seed · Nov 2012

Rarus Innovations partners with GreenCave to deliver e-learning via Android and iOS apps. The company plans to build a comprehensive games-based education platform using gamification principles and social media. It is positioned as a games-based education edtech provider targeting mobile learners. The article notes a planned expansion of its platform features and social components. Financially, the company will receive seed funding to support its development. The company is identified as Arizona-based in the article.

Led · Seed · Nov 2012

DataWare Ventures is an Arizona-based software development firm serving the large data analytics and database management system (DBMS) optimization segment. The company will receive $25k in seed funding. The capital is being provided by the Arizona Commerce Authority and BioAccel. This funding comes through the AZ Furnace Accelerator, the state’s technology transfer startup program. AZ Furnace is a statewide public-private partnership among the Arizona Commerce Authority, BioAccel, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona Technology Enterprises, and Dignity Health Arizona. The article does not report revenue, users, or other operating metrics.