Participated · Seed · Jun 2026

Picketa Systems develops a portable leaf-evaluated nutrient system (LENS) that uses optical spectroscopy and machine learning to estimate 13 key crop nutrients in minutes, coupled with a Fieldbook software platform to deliver recommendations to growers and agronomists. LENS has been validated against third-party laboratory chemical testing and the company works with institutions including the University of Guelph, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Cornell to build its calibration dataset. The technology has been validated on potatoes, corn and canola and is being expanded to soybeans and wheat, with cotton, onions and tomatoes in the pipeline. Picketa’s go-to-market has reached 45 agricultural retailers in North America and users include grower Chris Weaver; the company charges $10,000 (USD) per year for hardware, unlimited sampling, support and Fieldbook access, with 10% of that fee allocated to lab validation. Management says Fieldbook recommendations can help reduce fertilizer costs by up to 20% and enable more granular, region- and variety-specific nutrient guidance. The company plans to scale adoption across more crops and geographies as it commercializes the LENS technology.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2024

Retellio transforms customer call recordings into weekly 30-minute, insight-rich podcasts that combine real call snippets with AI-powered summarization to surface actionable feedback. The product targets founders and leaders at B2B companies who record large volumes of customer conversations but lack time to sift through them. Retellio says it can distill over 100 hours of conversations into a single 30-minute episode, preserving context and the customer voice. The company serves a range of customers from early-stage startups to established enterprises. Retellio positions its offering as a decision-making engine to help leaders make faster, customer-informed choices. The team includes co-founders Brent Pretty and Andrea King, who bring Verafin experience in AI automation and startup leadership.

Participated · Equity · Aug 2024

QuickFacts offers a software platform that consolidates insurance carrier information into a searchable database, enabling side-by-side underwriting comparisons and streamlining brokerage workflows. The product is designed to reduce underwriting calls and can save users up to two hours per day. The company reports a user base of 100 brokerage clients and 2,500 users. QuickFacts was founded by Christy Barsalou and Jeff Barsalou in late 2020 and is based in Halifax, Canada. The startup recently closed an oversubscribed $2.0M funding round to support geographic expansion and team growth. The company has expanded into Canada’s Western provinces and plans to launch into Quebec and the U.S. with this funding. It also plans to add four new staff members this year to support growth.

Participated · Seed · Oct 2022

Passiv builds software that makes it easier for retail investors to invest and manage wealth at retail brokerages and cryptocurrency exchanges. Its product lets users consolidate accounts and rebalance portfolios quickly, and the company recently launched SnapTrade, an API for developers. SnapTrade provides real-time account data, historical transactions, and live trading for stocks, options and cryptocurrencies. Over 20 investing apps are building on SnapTrade, and through those integrations Passiv enables reach to over 200 million investors worldwide. Led by CEO Brendan Lee Young, the company plans to use new funding to support growth and expand operations and business reach. The article does not disclose revenue or other financial metrics beyond the seed financing.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2021

Smart Skin Technologies develops Quantifeel™ solutions that fuse sensors, deep analytics and artificial intelligence to give manufacturers actionable data on forces containers experience during filling and packaging. Its technology is used globally and the company supports 18 of the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies and nearly every major bottling company. Smart Skin's systems identify previously undetectable adverse operating conditions to reduce breakage, improve yield, and prevent downtime. The company has earned industry recognition, including PharmaPack’s Best Manufacturing Innovation and supplier awards within Coca‑Cola’s bottling network. To accelerate growth in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, Smart Skin plans substantial hiring—up to 50 new employees over the next year, primarily in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The company raised capital in 2021 to fund that expansion and scale its manufacturing, engineering, software development, sales, marketing and field support efforts. Smart Skin Technologies is an award-winning manufacturer of pressure sensing container devices and analytics. Its solutions are used by global brands in the beverage, food production, and pharmaceutical industries. The company announced a Canadian $3.1 million strategic investment. The investment was led by SCHOTT AG. The deal was described as strategic in the announcement. Smart Skin Technologies offers a hardware and software solution that precisely and in real time measures pressure on bottling and packaging production lines using a patented touch-sensitive film. Its system has been adopted by top beer brands, food producers and packaging and container companies. The company plans to accelerate product development and expand its sales and marketing presence. Smart Skin was founded in 2009 by CEO Kumaran Thillainadarajah and is based in Fredericton, Canada. Financially, the company has completed multiple financings, most recently securing a Series A to support growth, having previously raised funds from New Brunswick investors.