Participated · Seed · Jun 2026

Skillmaker develops XR- and AI-powered immersive training programs aimed at shortening time-to-competency for skilled-trades workers. Its NAPA Autotech Xccelerator program, developed with NAPA Auto Care, has been commercially deployed in over 20 states and carries a five-year distribution agreement with Genuine Parts Company and NAPA. The company says its program can reduce training time for entry-level auto technicians from two years to 25 days. Skillmaker has also launched pilots with partners such as Black’s Tire & Auto Service and Southeastern Community College using AI-powered smart glasses. Founded in 2024 and based in Carolina Beach, Skillmaker has won regional awards including a Coastal Entrepreneur Award and a CED Venture Connect pitch contest in AI and machine learning. Following the seed round, the company plans to expand its platform into additional trades and grow its team.

Participated · Seed · Nov 2024

Described by its CEO as a "Fitbit but for work," SocialCrowd provides a platform that lets companies set measurable goals for employees and issue rewards when those expectations are met. The product has been used by restaurants — one example paid $1 for every five daily specials sold and reportedly drove a 490% sales increase in 90 days — and the company has expanded into retail, manufacturing and other hourly blue-collar workforces. SocialCrowd positions itself as performance-based rather than sentiment-based rewards and focuses exclusively on frontline and shift workers. The company reports average growth of 20% month-over-month, though the CEO declined to share revenue metrics. SocialCrowd plans to use new funding to expand engineering, customer success and sales teams and to broaden its vertical coverage. The company also has plans to expand into AI as part of future product development. Launched in 2022, SocialCrowd is a SaaS platform for performance management that lets companies set incentive campaigns, tracks employee performance in real time by connecting to existing productivity apps, and issues reminders to help staff hit targets. When goals are achieved, employees earn points they can redeem for gift cards or custom rewards such as time off. The product is positioned as a “Fitbit for work,” aiming to drive employee retention and productivity, particularly for large blue-collar shift teams that could not transition to remote work. The company has seen increased attention as customers seek tools to manage hybrid and frontline workforces. SocialCrowd plans to use new funding to expand its team and focus on customer acquisition. Co-founders Raphael Akinsipe and Paul Doran have prior startup experience together; Akinsipe has worked at Google and at Casetabs, which sold to Bain Capital. The founders envision evolving the platform into a broader tool for employee growth and business insight. SocialCrowd operates an automated employee incentive platform it calls the “digital Fitbit for work,” connecting to work applications such as Salesforce, Square and Jira to track employee progress toward goals. The platform sends periodic reminders and instantly rewards employees with points redeemable for gift cards, time off, and other rewards. Led by CEO Raphael Akinsipe, the company targets managers who want to boost worker performance through automated incentive programs. Early customers include Sonic Drive‑in franchise locations and Motorola Solutions. SocialCrowd is based in southern California and is currently a five‑person startup planning to double its headcount over the next year. The company says it will use the funding to scale the team, enhance its product offering, and continue its expansion.