• Agrivida

  Participated · Series D · Aug 2015

  Agrivida develops feed additives for poultry, swine, dairy and beef cattle and aquaculture, using plants as the core manufacturing and delivery system. Its GRAINZYME® Phytase technology expresses enzymes and proteins via plant-based production. The company is led by President and CEO Dan Meagher and is based in the Village of Four Seasons, Missouri. Agrivida plans to use new financing to expand its research and development platform. Management also intends to advance commercialization of GRAINZYME® Phytase into global poultry and swine markets. The article does not disclose revenue or other operating metrics. Agrivida is a Saint Louis-based agritech company focused on animal nutrition. It develops Grainzyme feed additive enzymes, including a Grainzyme Phytase technology that uses protein expression and storage in grain to simplify enzyme production. The company has been granted 33 patents and has more than 85 patents pending. Agrivida plans to commercialize its Grainzyme enzymes for use with poultry and swine and to advance regulatory and product development programs for dairy and beef cattle. Founded in 2004 by CEO Dan Meagher, the company has progressed through multiple development stages. In August 2016 it completed an initial close of a Series E financing to fund commercialization and development work. Agrivida is a Medford, Mass.-based animal nutrition company led by CEO Dan Meagher. The company develops integrated enzyme solutions, including its proprietary GraINzyme® feed additive enzymes and the INergy™ silage technology platform. Agrivida has entered into research and development agreements with the U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA–E, the USDA and other partner companies. It completed a $23M Series D financing to fund its next phase of growth. The company intends to use the funds to advance development and commercialization of GraINzyme® and INergy™, expand its capabilities and leadership team, advance regulatory and product development, and pursue strategic commercial partnerships. Agrivida develops biotechnologies and proprietary crops intended to transform the economics of producing renewable chemicals, fuels, and bioproducts from non-food cellulosic biomass. Its patented approach engineers feedstocks to contain cell wall–degrading enzymes and other valuable traits that are activated following harvest to provide low-cost sugars essential for industrial bioproducts. The company frames this as an integrated solution to deliver the lowest-cost sugars for industrial processing. Agrivida plans to commercialize its platform through alliances across the bioindustrial product supply chain. It is funded by venture capital firms including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Prairie Gold Ventures, DAG Ventures, Presidio Ventures, NorthGate Capital, and incTank Ventures. Its programs are supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy (including an ARPA-E grant), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The company announced a $15 million Series C in September 2012.

• Solexel

  Participated · Equity · Jul 2014

  Solexel produces high-performance, lightweight solar PV panels designed to deliver low-cost energy. The company is led by President & Chief Executive Officer Michael Wingert. It raised an equity investment from Riyadh Valley Company, the venture capital arm of King Saud University of Saudi Arabia, which will be used to help transition the company into revenue. The amount of the investment was not disclosed. Solexel is backed by venture investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, DAG Ventures, Technology Partners, Northgate Capital and GSV Capital Corp., and by GAF, the largest roofing materials manufacturer in North America. The company is based in Milpitas, California. Solexel manufactures high-performance, low-cost, lightweight thin-crystalline-silicon solar modules optimized for photovoltaic electricity generation. Its production-format thin-crystalline-silicon cell holds a world-record for efficiency. Solexel’s modules include integrated smart electronics that mitigate the effects of shading, soiling, and snow to enhance real-world performance. The modules’ low material usage and light weight reduce balance-of-system costs and enable installation on weight-constrained residential and commercial rooftops. The company is venture-backed and operates a production facility in Milpitas, California, which it planned to complete using recent financing. Solexel’s products are positioned to make solar-generated electricity more cost-competitive with conventional fossil-fuel electricity sources. Solexel is a Milpitas, Calif.-based manufacturer of lightweight, thin-crystalline-silicon solar modules. Its modules include integrated smart electronics designed to enhance performance by reducing the negative impact of shading, soiling and snow cover. The company is certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Solexel recently closed a $31M financing. The company intends to use the funds to begin commercial production of its solar modules. Backers in the financing included a mix of venture and strategic investors.

• Aquion Energy

  Participated · Series D · Jan 2014

  Aquion Energy manufactures proprietary Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) batteries and battery systems optimized for multi-hour (4–20 hour) solar applications, daily deep cycling, off-grid and microgrid use, energy management, and grid-scale deployments. The company's AHI batteries are positioned as high-performance, safe, sustainable and cost-effective solutions designed for daily deep cycling and to enable broader adoption of renewable energy. Aquion emphasizes modular, flexible systems that capture excess solar generation during daylight and provide consistent clean power overnight. The company recently unveiled its second-generation AHI battery technology at Solar Power International. Aquion closed a tactical $36.8 million Series E to support growing customer-facing resources, scale production, and deploy projects with partners worldwide. The financing reflects participation from both strategic corporate investors and prior financial backers, signaling continued investor confidence as the company scales operations. Aquion Energy manufactures proprietary Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) batteries and battery systems optimized for stationary energy storage. Its AHI batteries are described as highly scalable, safe, sustainable, cost-competitive and modular, targeting off-grid and microgrid systems, energy management, and grid-scale storage. The company has been commercializing its technology and seeking growth capital to scale production and deployment. In January 2014 Aquion closed a $55 million Series D equity round from new investors including Bill Gates, Yung’s Enterprise, Tao Invest, Bright Capital, and Gentry Venture Partners. That Series D plus prior funding and grants brought Aquion’s total invested capital and grants to more than $100 million. To complement the equity and manage cash flow during commercialization Aquion obtained a $20 million venture debt facility to refinance existing debt and provide working capital. Aquion Energy designs and manufactures proprietary Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) batteries and battery systems for stationary energy storage, targeting off-grid and microgrid systems, commercial and industrial storage, and grid-scale applications. Its AHI systems emphasize safety, sustainability, low cost, and reliability to enable broader adoption of renewable energy such as wind and solar. The company planned a commercial launch in 2014 and expected to begin shipping production units in the first half of 2014. Aquion operates a 350,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with an initial manufacturing line capable of producing over 200 megawatt hours per year and space sized for five lines to scale production. Management stated the company would focus on ramping manufacturing operations and developing commercial relationships with customers and partners globally. The business presented its technology as optimized for both small and large-scale stationary storage applications. Aquion Energy develops and manufactures a sodium‑ion aqueous electrolyte battery and energy storage systems based on Carnegie Mellon research. Its products are designed for grid-scale and small-scale energy storage, emphasizing long cycle and calendar life, efficiency, safety, and environmental benignity. Aquion plans to begin shipping pre-production systems in fall 2011 to testing facilities and strategic partners and is selecting a site for a high-volume U.S. factory expected to open in 2013. The company says the factory will create more than 500 jobs as it scales globally and launches its first products. Aquion highlights that its batteries contain no hazardous materials, corrosive acids, or noxious fumes, and touts advantages on capital and maintenance costs versus incumbents. The company is Pittsburgh-based and led by CEO Scott Pearson.

• Propel Fuels

  Participated · Series D · Dec 2012

  Propel Fuels operates a network of stations providing renewable fuels (Flex Fuel E85, biodiesel blends) alongside conventional gasoline. Led by CEO Matt Horton and based in Redwood City, California, the company runs stations throughout California and Washington State. Its retail network includes traditional Clean Fuel Points co-located with conventional stations and new Clean Mobility Centers. Propel plans to expand aggressively, with more than 200 stations planned for new and existing markets over the next two years. The company raised financing to fund this buildout and recently added a new board member tied to the financing. Propel Fuels operates modular alternative-fuel fueling sites, typically co-located on existing gas station properties to lower costs. Its stations sell ethanol (E85) and biodiesel fuels to Flex Fuel and diesel vehicle owners. The company owns and operates eleven alternative fueling stations in Seattle and Sacramento. Propel raised new capital to expand its station network in California. The expansion funding reflects a mix of equity and debt financing. The company plans to use the proceeds to increase availability of ethanol and biodiesel across its target market in California.

• Glori Energy

  Led · Series C · Jan 2012

  Glori Energy develops and deploys the AERO™ (Activated Environment for Recovery of Oil) System to increase oil recovery from existing wells by optimizing non‑potable water to activate indigenous reservoir microbes. The company sells its AERO service and plans to expand that service business while acquiring shut‑in or low‑producing mature fields for redevelopment using its technology. Glori intends to deploy the system in acquired fields to demonstrate proven results that will drive product revenue and customer adoption. The AERO System aims to recover trapped oil with minimal new footprint or capital investment. The company emphasizes sustainable, efficient recovery leveraging existing wells and water sources. The article lists Houston as the company’s location in the announcement.

No current team members are available.