Participated · Equity · Apr 2025

BLNG builds generative-AI tools that convert jewelry sketches into photorealistic designs, substantially shortening the design and rendering process. Its suite of tools is aimed at jewelry professionals and creative teams, enabling faster visualization and iteration. The technology is already being piloted by major luxury brands and has earned recognition including the LVMH Innovation Award for Data and Artificial Intelligence at VivaTech and a spot on Vogue Business’s 2024 "100 Innovators" list. BLNG plans to accelerate commercialisation, launch a subscription-based app more broadly, and scale its team across Europe and the U.S. Financially, the company recently completed a $3M investment round to fund these efforts. Its product rollout comes as the jewelry market faces pressure to innovate amid declining diamond prices and rising AI adoption among luxury houses.

Participated · Series A · Mar 2025

Occuspace builds an occupancy intelligence platform for the built environment that uses plug-in WiFi and Bluetooth sensors and proprietary software to deliver real-time, AI-driven space utilization data. The sensors plug into wall outlets to avoid costly installations, and the company emphasizes a 100% anonymous, privacy-first approach. Occuspace serves dozens of Fortune 500 companies and more than 100 colleges and universities, and is expanding its service to higher education, corporate real estate, and government facilities in North America and Europe. Since launching from a university technology competition in 2017, the company has grown rapidly, reporting year-over-year growth of more than 100% since 2021. Occuspace says its data helps facility managers save thousands, if not millions, of dollars by reducing wasted space, improving efficiency, and lowering environmental footprints. The company has raised $14 million to date and positions its product as scalable for massive real estate portfolios. Occuspace is a Los Angeles-based developer of occupancy management technology led by CEO Nic Halverson. It provides an occupancy management solution that helps customers measure and optimize the use of their physical spaces to improve utilization, make informed operational decisions, reduce real estate costs, and enhance visitor experiences. The product features privacy-friendly IoT tracking technology and a consumer iOS and Android app, Waitz, which allow institutions, property owners, and patrons to monitor crowd levels in real time. Customers include UC San Diego, UCLA, Columbia University, Purdue University, Boston College, Baylor University, and others. The company raised $3.6M in Seed funding and plans to use the proceeds to enhance business development and further expand its business reach. Occuspace intends to continue expanding into corporate office, multifamily, travel, government, and retail verticals where it has established product-market fit.

Led · Seed · Aug 2023

GroGuru supplies precision soil and irrigation monitoring and management systems to the commercial agriculture industry. Its solutions enable farmers to increase crop yields while using water, energy, fertilizer and labor more efficiently and sustainably. The product combines a patented wireless underground system (WUGS) for soil monitoring, an AI-based recommendation engine in the cloud, and an intuitive farmer-friendly interface accessible on tablet, computer or mobile device. The company is led by president and CEO Patrick Henry and has participated in accelerator programs including OCTANE LaunchPad, EvoNexus, AgLaunch, the Yield Lab, SVG-Thrive and Plug & Play AgTech. GroGuru closed a $2.3M Seed A financing to support expansion and commercialization. The company intends to use the funds to expand sales, continue development and commercialization of its AI-enabled continuous farm monitoring and management solutions, and grow strategic partnerships. GroGuru develops a patented wireless underground system (WUGS) that enables permanent installation of soil sensors in annual field crops, removing the need for annual installation and removal. The sensors feed data to the cloud, where GroGuru uses machine learning and other data to deliver recommendations on when and how much to irrigate. Its technology targets crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and sorghum. The company says it will use the new capital to grow its team, scale operations and deploy critical sensor technologies connected to the cloud. Leadership includes president and CEO Patrick Henry and co‑founders CTO/VP engineering Farooq Anjum, PhD, and Chief Scientific Officer Jeff Campbell, PhD. GroGuru is a portfolio company at the EvoNexus technology incubator in Southern California. GroGuru develops irrigation automation technology and a precision soil and irrigation monitoring system for the agriculture industry. The company aims to improve on-farm efficiencies amid a severe labor shortage. It plans to advance its automation technology using proceeds from new funding. GroGuru secured $250,000 in seed funding from Western Growers and Radicle Growth. The financing was awarded as part of the Radicle Automation Challenge. GroGuru is part of the EvoNexus startup incubator, which operates locations in San Diego and Irvine, and is led by CEO Patrick Henry.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2023

ECFX is a Venice, CA–based provider of electronic court notice management solutions for law firms and corporate legal teams. Its core product, ECFX Notice, automates downloading, profiling, storing, and distribution of court documents from ECF notices for state and federal courts. The automation is said to save firms hundreds of hours a week while helping them gain control, mitigate risk, and improve visibility. Its solutions are used by firms of all sizes, including Am Law 100 firms such as DLA Piper LLP (US), Dentons US LLP, Cooley LLP, and Cole Scott & Kissane, P.A. The company plans to use the funds to expand its platform and further its leadership position in the market. ECFX was founded by Dan O’Day and Nelson Quintero.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2023

CARI Health is building what it describes as the world’s first wearable medication monitor to enable remote medication monitoring and improve treatment compliance. The company plans to use the newly awarded NIDA SBIR Fast Track grant to support product development and conduct human clinical studies. It is eligible to receive up to $2.8 million over three years as project milestones are completed across Phase I and Phase II. CARI Health has previously received investments and support from the San Diego Angel Conference, NuFund Venture Group, Cove Fund, Chemical Angel Fund, Device of Tomorrow Capital, and several individual angel investors. The company also secured investments and accelerator support from the Cedars Sinai Accelerator and the Rady Venture Fund (UCSD), and participated in programs including the Institute for the Global Entrepreneur MedTech Accelerator at UCSD, MedTech Innovator, and EvoNexus. Founder and CEO Patrik Schmidle launched CARI Health following a family member’s struggle with opioid use disorder, and the firm says the grant will enable it to move toward human trials and broader deployment. CARI Health is building a wearable remote medication monitoring device that provides clinicians with real-time medication levels to enable tailored dosing and verify adherence. The company’s first clinical application targets patients on medications for opioid use disorder to allow remote proof of treatment compliance. CARI’s device is entering first in-patient human clinical studies and the company is preparing for the FDA regulatory pathway. Earlier development was supported by non-dilutive SBIR grant funding and participation in accelerator programs including Qualcomm Institute Innovation Space, UC San Diego’s MedTech Accelerator, and MedTech Innovator. The company says it will expand its intellectual property portfolio as it readies the product for regulatory clearance and commercial launch. CARI Health is based in San Diego and anticipates a subsequent financing round in the second half of 2023 to support regulatory and commercialization efforts.