Participated · Series B · Nov 2024

SwiftConnect provides a platform to manage physical office access by letting employees add digital badges to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and use NFC-enabled door locks. The dashboard allows admins to issue room-level credentials and the company says its system is live in over 100 million square feet of office space. SwiftConnect positions itself as not requiring new reader hardware, which it says helped win enterprise clients such as Silverstein Properties. The company was founded in 2020 by Chris Kruger and Matt Kopel after they sold their prior startup, Waltz, to WeWork; Kopel conceived the idea while briefly at WeWork. SwiftConnect has a 135-person team and offices in Montreal and Stamford, and it has used prior funds for at least one acquisition (Detrios). Management plans to grow the team, expand into new geographies and pursue strategic acquisitions while emphasizing a privacy-by-design approach amid concerns about badge-based tracking and smartphone downtime. SwiftConnect provides a mobile-based NFC connected access platform that integrates with existing mobile platforms, credential technologies, and business systems to deliver centralized access management and a street-to-seat user experience. Its solution is live in over 80 million square feet across dozens of commercial real estate buildings and represents a potential opportunity of over 750 million square feet and more than one million users. Customers include Fortune 100 companies, major US and UK landlords, and leading advisory, investment, and legal firms; SwiftConnect was the first to deploy NFC mobile credentials at 7 World Trade Center. The company plans to extend its global footprint and expand customer experience teams to support a rapidly growing portfolio of enterprises and trophy buildings. SwiftConnect says its growth, including associated revenue and expense expectations, means it does not expect to need further capital unless additional strategic opportunities present themselves. The company emphasizes enterprise-grade security, operational efficiency gains, and strong product-market fit as drivers of adoption. SwiftConnect provides cloud services that tie together credential providers, reader terminals and business systems to automate identity, credentialing and permissioning for office spaces via mobile devices. Employees can add badges to Apple Wallet on iPhone or Apple Watch to gain NFC-enabled access without installing new reader hardware. The company also offers tools for space booking, visitor and meeting management and has a collaboration with Microsoft to build experiences on Microsoft Places. SwiftConnect has been deployed by large real estate clients such as Silverstein Properties at 7 World Trade Center. The startup was founded in 2020, has 70 employees and expected to reach 80 by the end of 2022. Management declined to disclose revenue or customer count; the company says it has product-market fit and significant inbound interest from new verticals and geographies. SwiftConnect offers a software-only platform that integrates with existing building- and suite-level access control systems to consolidate disparate providers into a single cloud-enabled network. Its product allows employees to use a single credential to access multiple locations and enables owners and enterprises to centrally provision and revoke access without ripping and replacing hardware. The company emphasizes rapid deployment—buildings can be networked in just a few hours—and claims partnerships and rollouts with large owners, including Silverstein Properties, targeting over 50 million square feet by year-end. SwiftConnect launched in June 2020 and is led by CEO Chip Kruger and President Matt Kopel, who previously partnered on Waltz (acquired by WeWork). The business will use new capital to hire, scale its software offerings, and bolster strategic partnerships with real estate firms and enterprises. The platform targets the shift to flexible space consumption that JLL research projects will affect at least 30% of the office market over the next decade.

Participated · Seed · May 2024

Orange purpose-built a reliable, scalable, and affordable EV charging solution aimed at multifamily properties to make EV charging accessible regardless of where residents live. The company reports over 2,000 Orange chargers installed at multifamily properties including Avalon Bay, Sares Regis, and Greystar. Orange announced a $6.5 million funding round led by Matt McElhattan at Munich Re Ventures and Raj Kapoor at Climactic, with participation from existing investors Matt Thoms at Baukunst, Thomas Byrne at Crow Holdings, Lincoln Property Company, and Spacecadet ventures. The raise is framed as a milestone to support continued deployment and growth as the company scales its operations. Team members named in the article include Nicholas Johnson, Neil Joseph, and Cinzia Pinamonti, and the company is actively recruiting for multiple open roles. Orange says it is just getting started as it works to transform the intersection of energy and transportation. Orange develops EV charging infrastructure aimed at multiunit residential properties. The company plans to scale up its charger network to serve those properties. TechCrunch+ ran a pitch-deck teardown after Orange raised a seed round. The pitch deck highlights the market opportunity, solution, product tech specs, and competitive positioning. It also includes go-to-market plans, a business model and cash flow slide, and appendices with product install photos, three-year financial projections, and a headcount slide. The article frames the fundraise as enabling execution of the technical and commercial plan laid out in the deck.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2024

Founded in 2020, Backflip offers an all-in-one platform that combines deal-analysis software, market data and purpose-built financing products for residential real-estate investors. The company originates and services residential transition loans through its subsidiary Double Backflip, LLC, and recently formed Backflip Asset Management, LLC to manage loan assets in-house. By controlling origination, servicing and asset management, Backflip claims superior data integrity and a differentiated borrower experience. Its vertically integrated model has enabled the firm to tap institutional capital markets, most recently through an inaugural securitization, to lower its cost of funds and expand lending capacity. The platform supports entrepreneurs investing in single-family homes, thereby aiming to refresh housing supply in local communities. The new securitization structure provides up to $300 million of revolving lending capacity, positioning Backflip to scale nationwide. Backflip’s mobile app is available on iOS and Android, further extending its reach to individual investors.

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 · Series A · Nov 2023

INGENIOUS.BUILD is a technology company that offers project management software tailored to real estate development and construction. Its platform emphasizes data, automation, end-to-end project management, and real-time insights to give all stakeholders greater visibility, accountability, and reduced risk. The company highlights that investors such as JLL Spark and Crow Holdings also participate as clients, and that existing investor Cushman & Wakefield remains involved. Nick Carter is CEO & Founder and is quoted about the company’s growth and industry disruption. INGENIOUS.BUILD plans to use the Series A proceeds to advance product features, expand market reach, and enhance client support infrastructure. The company positions itself to further transform how commercial construction projects are managed and executed.