Participated · Seed · Nov 2024

Algorized is building the intelligence layer for Physical AI, enabling robots and other machines to perceive human presence, sense intent, and adapt in real time. Its core product, the Predictive Safety Engine, is a ground-up edge-AI foundation model that interprets ultra-wideband, mmWave and Wi-Fi signals to provide through-wall, low-latency awareness—eliminating the traditional “safety vs. speed” trade-off in industrial automation. After a high-profile debut with KUKA and ASUS at CES 2026, the company is rolling out its technology with major automotive and industrial customers across Europe and the U.S. The new capital will fund commercial scale-up, continued R&D on intent-prediction models, and the expansion of engineering and support hubs in Switzerland and Silicon Valley. Backed by investors such as the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, Algorized positions its solution as a growth driver that unlocks latent capacity on factory floors. Although specific revenue or user numbers were not disclosed, the firm cites signed demand from Tier-1 manufacturing partners as evidence of early traction.

Participated · Series E · Jan 2014

Chromatin is a Chicago-based company that produces sorghum seed for food and as feedstock for animals and biofuels. Sorghum is native to the Old World, related to sugarcane, can be grown on 80% of the world’s arable land, and is known for rapid maturation, weather tolerance, and high yields. The company will use the Series F proceeds to set up manufacturing overseas and create an operating footprint in some regions for logistics reasons as it expands into international markets. Chromatin announced a $12 million Series F from Illinois Ventures and Wood Creek Capital Management. This follows a $36 million Series E in January 2014 and a $12.5 million debt financing in July, bringing total capital raised to $72.1 million. Previous investors include BP, GE Capital, the Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, Unilever, and Foragen Technology Ventures. Chromatin now employs over 150 people. Chromatin develops and sells sorghum seed varieties used in food, feed and renewable fuel and power applications. Its sorghum products are described as high‑yielding, rapidly maturing and tolerant of heat, cold and drought. Rising demand for water‑efficient crops has driven steady increases in Chromatin’s domestic and global sorghum market share over the past four years. The company says its products provide high‑performance feedstocks for multiple end markets. To support its rapidly expanding sorghum seed business, Chromatin secured a three‑year, $12.5 million credit facility that will be available for working capital and general corporate purposes. The company has also raised over $70 million in equity financing and reports predictable recurring revenue and a strong balance sheet. Chromatin develops and sells proprietary sorghum seed varieties for traditional agriculture and emerging bio-based industries such as liquid transportation fuels, chemicals, materials and biopower. Its products are optimized for rapid maturation, tolerance to heat, cold and drought, high yields, and nutrient efficiency. Chromatin's seed is sold in the U.S. and in more than 20 countries and is planted on over 4 million acres. Significant market demand for its proprietary sorghum products is driving the company's rapid growth. The company says it will use the newly raised capital to support expansion and accelerate product development and differentiation for sales in both U.S. and international markets. With the Series E first closing, Chromatin has now raised over $70 million of equity in aggregate. Chromatin is a Chicago-based developer of energy-crop feedstock solutions that has marketed gene-stacking technologies enabling the delivery of multiple genetic traits into plants. Founded in 2000 and venture-backed, the company is developing and commercializing a portfolio of proprietary sorghum feedstocks targeted at the renewable energy sector. Chromatin received a $5.7M award under the PETRO program of the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E. The award will fund a three-year program to develop new varieties of sweet sorghum for use as an energy-rich, low-cost feedstock for transportation fuels. The company’s core work combines its gene-stacking platform with crop development to produce tailored energy-crop feedstocks. The article does not disclose revenue, users, or other operating metrics. Chromatin supplies renewable biomass feedstocks for power, fuel and chemical producers of renewable energy. It develops high-value sorghum seeds using proprietary crop-breeding technology and biotechnology programs and licenses gene-stacking technologies to other agriculture companies. Chromatin applies its technology platforms to its subsidiary, Sorghum Partners LLC, which markets and supplies hybrid sorghum seeds to growers in the U.S. and more than 20 other countries. The company completed a $10m first closing of its Series D financing and intends to use the funds to advance supply chains of energy crop feedstocks. Backers in the round include BP Ventures and Unilever Technology Ventures alongside existing investors Quantitative Investment Holdings, the Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund and Illinois Ventures. Led by CEO Daphne Preuss, Chromatin combines seed development, licensing and feedstock supply to serve renewable energy markets.