Participated · Series A · Jul 2025

Cooler Heads develops Amma™, which the company describes as the only FDA‑cleared portable scalp cooling system, designed to help chemotherapy patients keep their hair and preserve privacy. Amma provides infusion centers and patients flexibility to scalp cool where it is most convenient, using a continuous cooling system that eliminates the need for dry ice or frequent cap changes. By cooling the scalp before, during, and after chemotherapy, Amma reduces blood flow to hair follicles to shield them from chemotherapy drugs and prevent hair loss. The company was founded by breast cancer survivor Kate Dilligan, who serves as CEO. Cooler Heads positions Amma as a low‑friction therapy for infusion centers and notes the American Medical Association’s decision to elevate scalp cooling reimbursement codes to Category I starting January 2026 as creating momentum. The business also offers evidence‑based products, content, and services to help patients manage treatment side effects. Cooler Heads develops Amma, an FDA-cleared scalp-cooling medical device intended to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy preserve their hair. The company positions its product as dramatically less expensive and easier to use than existing scalp-cooling solutions. Founder and CEO Kate Dilligan, a cancer survivor, built an early prototype herself and pursued clinical relationships before raising institutional capital. Cooler Heads announced FDA clearance and said it has signed multiple commercial partnerships and will begin serving patients in Q1 2022. The company highlighted its mission-driven focus on patient dignity and plans to push commercialization to make scalp cooling broadly accessible. Cooler Heads has been backed by several venture investors and industry leaders and has participated in accelerators and medtech competitions.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2024

UpSmith is a technology company addressing labor shortages with an initial focus on serving skilled trades companies across the United States. Its core product, Boost, is a rewards software platform that empowers workers to prioritize a company’s most pressing needs by awarding points for business- and client-critical efforts. Boost integrates with an employer’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to automate productivity tracking and coaching with no app download and no logins. Through the platform, skilled trades companies deploying HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services can expand revenue, improve output, and lower costs. Led by founder and CEO Wyatt Smith and based in Dallas, TX, UpSmith recently raised $5M in Seed funding. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and broaden its business reach.

Participated · Equity · Nov 2023

Needed offers a system of science-backed perinatal nutritional supplements and educational content targeting egg and sperm quality, lactation, stress, sleep, and hydration. Since launching in 2021, the company has rapidly expanded its product offering to become what it calls the most complete perinatal nutrition system on the market. More than 4,000 women’s health experts recommend Needed, and its products and content are built around the latest research and clinical insights. The recent funding will accelerate product innovation, content creation, and the launch of Needed Labs, the company’s clinical insights and research arm, which plans to run a unique study on women’s nutritional status during pregnancy. Needed Labs aims to aggregate clinical insights and develop data to influence standard of care and power product development. Founded in 2017 and based in Los Angeles, Needed is a Certified B‑Corp, a 1% for the Planet member, and Climate Neutral‑Certified. Needed is a perinatal nutrition and education company offering nutrition advice, clinically backed products, and a community of women’s health practitioners and researchers. The company designs supplements validated through clinical research and third-party testing to help women identify and meet perinatal nutrition needs. Needed plans to launch new products targeting stress, sleep, and fertility, and to fund clinical research demonstrating that women’s nutritional needs are undermet during pregnancy. The company also aims to support overall growth and scale its community and product offerings. Needed was co-founded by Julie Sawaya and Ryan Woodbury at the end of 2020 and is based in Los Angeles, CA. The company recently completed a Seed financing round, providing initial capital to execute its plans. Needed PBC develops nature-first, clinically-validated nutritional supplements designed for superior absorption. Its flagship product is a liposomal Omega-3 (DHA and EPA) that leverages liposomes for nutrient protection and absorption and is mild-tasting for daily use. The company pairs supplements with fundamentals-focused nutritional education and a community of learners to help customers identify and meet nutritional gaps. Future product plans target lifecycle needs including fertility, postpartum, and early childhood development. Products are sold direct-to-consumer and through referrals from a community of health and wellness practitioners. Needed is led by co-CEOs and co-founders Julie Sawaya and Ryan Woodbury and is organized as a public-benefit corporation in Los Angeles.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2022

Walla provides an all-in-one studio management platform for boutique fitness studios, combining communication, built-in video-on-demand and Zoom integration, action-oriented dashboards, modernized point-of-sale, staff scheduling, sales reporting, MRR insights, and payment processing. The product includes a consumer-facing app, customizable credit-based plans, personality insights to nurture loyalty and community, and built-in livestream and VOD hosting. Since launching in 2020, Walla has signed studios nationwide, including The River, Salt Fitness, Seattle Yoga Arts, and 502 Power Yoga. The company plans to expand its software offering with an email and text automation platform and an appointments solution for private sessions. Financially, Walla has completed an $8M Series A on top of a prior $5M seed, providing additional capital to grow product and customer adoption.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2022

Sēkr offers a mobile app that aggregates public campground data and crowdsourced updates so users can search for campsites by amenities, save favorites, and connect with other outdoor travelers. The app’s listings are enhanced by a team of ambassadors who verify locations, take photos, and supplement government and legacy databases. Sēkr has expanded from a niche van‑life product (launched as The Vanlife App in March 2018) to address broader camping audiences. It is working to digitize and aggregate reservable inventory from private lands to traditional campgrounds and to add more bookable listings to the platform. Today about 200 properties are bookable in the app, and the company reports more than 10,000 user sessions per week. Sēkr monetizes by taking a 5% fee from guests and a 5% fee from property owners on transactions. The company also runs community initiatives such as Project Respect Outdoors to promote inclusion in the outdoor industry.