Participated · Series A · Jul 2026

Hephae Energy Technology develops ultrahigh-temperature robotics, including drilling systems designed to enable precise well positioning for geothermal projects by overcoming temperature and reliability limitations of conventional drilling tools. Its technology aims to access deeper, hotter rock to support expanded geothermal energy development and to increase drilling speed and reliability. The company is led by CEO Steve Krase and is based in Houston, TX. Financially, Hephae has now raised a total of $24.7M following its $17.8M Series A. The newly raised funds are intended to accelerate commercial deployment of its advanced drilling systems and move the company toward broader market commercialization.

Participated · Series A · May 2025

InventWood commercializes Superwood, a processed timber product created by chemically modifying lignin and compressing wood to increase cellulose bonding. The underlying technology was developed by University of Maryland materials scientist Liangbing Hu and licensed to InventWood after Hu reduced production time from more than a week to a few hours. The company says Superwood delivers roughly 50% more tensile strength than steel and a strength-to-weight ratio about ten-times better; it is Class A fire rated and resistant to rot and pests. With polymer impregnation it can be stabilized for outdoor use such as siding, decking, or roofing, and compression concentrates colors to resemble richer tropical hardwoods. InventWood plans to start initial production this summer from a smaller first-of-a-kind commercial plant focused on facade and other skin applications. Ultimately the company aims to produce structural beams from wood chips that could replace concrete and steel in building construction to reduce carbon impact. InventWood has developed a proprietary technology stack that transforms wood into high-performance, climate-resilient superwood building products. The company says its materials are stronger and lighter than steel while offering higher durability and improved aesthetics. InventWood raised $8M in funding from backers including the Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision, Echelon, John Rockwell, and an existing investor. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts ahead of a planned commercial launch in early 2025. Key priorities for the launch are establishing a scaled supply chain and commissioning a pilot production facility capable of profitably producing up to one million square feet of product annually.

Participated · Seed · Mar 2023

Windfall Bio sells methane-eating microbes to industries that produce large levels of methane—agriculture, oil and gas, and landfills—converting emissions into fertilizer that can be used or sold. The Menlo Park–based startup emerged from stealth in March 2023 and has seen strong inbound demand across continents and verticals. Windfall positions its solution as a low-cost, near-term methane-reduction technology that can generate revenue for customers rather than only delivering carbon credits. The company is focused on expanding commercialization efforts to meet this demand. Leadership argues methane mitigation offers a faster climate ROI than CO2-focused approaches because methane is shorter-lived and can be repurposed as an energy/fertilizer product. Windfall also notes a relatively sparse competitive landscape, which it believes gives it an early advantage. Windfall Bio is developing the first solution to capture dilute methane emissions and convert them into a living organic fertilizer using proprietary, nature‑based enrichment of methane‑eating microbes (MEMs). Its process enriches soil‑derived MEMs that consume methane and capture atmospheric nitrogen to produce fertilizer with improved bioavailability, reduced runoff, and lower downstream emissions versus synthetic ammonia. The company provides microbes, digestors, and associated services for on‑site methane capture and transformation, allowing farmers to apply the fertilizer on‑site or sell it to local organic farms. Windfall says the product will be available at the same price as current organic fertilizers and aims to improve soil health while creating new revenue streams for operators. Windfall Bio closed a $9 million seed round and will use the capital to begin pilot deployments on farms and accelerate R&D. Founded in 2022 and based in Menlo Park, CA, the company is backed by Mayfield, UNTITLED, B37 Ventures, Baruch Future Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Cavallo Ventures.

Participated · Seed · Sep 2022

Prolific Machines develops a photomolecular biology platform that leverages optogenetics, proprietary hardware, and AI to deliver precise, light-driven control of cellular processes across cell types. The company positions its technology for biomanufacturing applications ranging from nutritional proteins to lifesaving biologics and novel biosolutions. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Prolific will apply its platform to demonstrate lower-cost production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) aimed at preventing infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV, and RSV in low- and middle-income countries. The effort targets reduced cost per dose and improved product quality to expand access in regions where mAbs are currently unaffordable. Prolific says successful methods could be readily applied to other unmet medical needs and enable broad implementation in vulnerable populations. The company is based in Emeryville, Calif., and is supported by investors including The Ki Tua Fund (Fonterra’s corporate venture arm), Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield, SOSV, In-Q-Tel, and others. The Gates Foundation grant amount was not disclosed in the announcement. Prolific Machines builds a photomolecular/optogenetic platform that leverages light-sensitive proteins and genetic methods to manipulate cellular activity. The company targets biomanufacturing applications across pharmaceuticals and cultivated meat to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and product quality. Its approach uses precise light signals to steer cellular behavior, emphasizing precision engineering and scalability. Environmental sustainability is cited as a core goal of their platform and processes. The company announced a $55 million Series B1 round led by the Ki Tua Fund, reflecting investor backing for commercialization. The articles reference both California and Kirkland, Washington as locations and mention founding years of 2016 and 2020 in different places within the coverage. Prolific Machines is inventing scalable biomanufacturing technology to grow and differentiate stem cells at dramatically lower cost relative to conventional methods, with an initial focus on cultured meat. Unlike other cultured meat companies, Prolific prioritizes inventing the scalable manufacturing process first and aims to enable an assembly line for biology that could be made available to other meat companies. The company says its approach can grow and control cells without the need for recombinant proteins, reducing one of the most expensive inputs in cell production. The founding team includes CEO and co-founder Dr. Deniz Kent, co-founder Dr. Max Huisman, and machine‑learning engineer Declan Jones; Kent conceived the idea after witnessing the Syrian refugee crisis in Antioch, Turkey. Prolific is building a 25,000 square foot HQ in Emeryville and is ramping up hiring to expand its assembly line programs across fish, poultry, and beef. Financially, the company announced massively oversubscribed Seed and Series A financings totaling $42M, and was incubated and pre-seeded by IndieBio (SOSV).

Participated · Seed · Jul 2022

Pique Action is a Los Angeles-based climate solutions media company led by founder and CEO Kip Pastor that produces short-form videos to drive consumer behavior towards climate action. Launched last October, the company has released 30 micro-documentaries profiling diverse founders and technologies addressing climate change, covering topics from cellular agriculture to carbon capture to wave energy. In addition to original social media content, Pique Action provides production and agency services for climate-focused clients including Activate, Imagine H2O, and the Antenna Group. The company plans to use its new funding to increase content development, including future episodes of NextNow, launch a series highlighting climate nonprofits, and develop originals for streaming services. It also intends to add new talent to the team, which already includes industry veteran Hana Leshner, VP of Production & Development, and Tyler Steinhardt, VP of Business Development & Partnerships. Pique Action raised $1M in a Pre-Seed round led by climate venture firm Amasia with participation from Baruch Future Ventures and Fairbridge Park.