• Metropolis

  Participated · Series B · Jun 2022

  Los Angeles–based Metropolis has built an AI and computer-vision platform that recognizes people and vehicles in real time, enabling checkout-free payments and personalized experiences across parking, retail, hospitality, mobility and fueling locations. The company processes more than $5 billion in annual transactions for 50 million customers and has nearly 20 million registered Members, with more than one million new Members joining each month. Its network spans over 4,200 locations in 40 countries and, following the 2024 take-private of SP+ and the 2025 purchase of biometrics firm Oosto, Metropolis is now the largest parking network in the United States. The platform underpins what the company calls the “Recognition Economy,” replacing friction with presence-based recognition to streamline real-world commerce. Current expansion efforts target quick-service restaurants, refueling stations, hotels, stadiums and other high-traffic venues. Management positions the company as one of the fastest-growing tech firms in the U.S., supported by deep partnerships with retailers, asset owners and real-estate operators. The newly raised capital will fund further product development, geographic expansion and additional vertical integrations.

• Edufii

  Participated · Series A · Sep 2014

  Edufii provides a cloud platform and free mobile apps that let coaches and athletes capture key moments during coaching sessions using mobile phones or tablets. Its interface enables video, voice notes, photos and files to be sent to the cloud to create a social-media-style timeline. Athletes can invite parents, other coaches or additional members into their networks to support collaboration and accountability. The company is led by CEO and co-founder Spencer Dennis. In September 2014 Edufii raised $1.4M in a Series A financing. The round was led by DFJ Frontier and the Pasadena Angels, with participation from Gideon Hixon Fund, Tech Coast Angels, SLO Seed Ventures and Rudy Duran. In conjunction with the financing, Frank Foster of DFJ Frontier joined Edufii’s Board of Directors.

• Zadspace

  Participated · Series B · Mar 2011

  Zadspace is a software-as-a-service platform that enables retailers to deliver targeted advertisements on 4" x 6" color labels affixed to packages shipped to consumers. The company sells placement of targeted ads on shipment labels to reach consumers through retailers' package deliveries. Zadspace recently closed a $3.2M Series B venture financing and has raised over $6M in total to date. The new funding will be used primarily to grow its distribution network and to increase its client base of advertisers. As part of its leadership changes, the company engaged Jeff Giordano as an executive board member and interim CEO and added new board members in conjunction with the financing.

• iosil Energy

  Participated · Equity · Mar 2010

  Iosil Energy Corporation is a producer of high-purity solar-grade polysilicon for the photovoltaic industry. The company is Albuquerque, New Mexico-based with R&D facilities located in the National Institute for Nanotechnology in Edmonton, Alberta. Founded in 2007, Iosil is preparing to move from R&D toward pilot manufacturing. It has secured the first close of a $13.5M equity financing round to advance those plans. The initial tranche will be used to specify and engineer a pilot plant facility in one of several locations under consideration. The full investment is intended to build out a pilot manufacturing plant and prepare the company for commercial introduction.

• BOOM! Entertainment

  Led · Equity · Feb 2008

  BOOM! Studios publishes original comic books and graphic novels across four imprints (BOOM! Studios, BOOM! Box, KaBOOM!, and Archaia) and licenses established properties such as WWE and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The company emphasizes creator-partnerships that share ownership of original series. BOOM! has been the fastest-growing company in the comic book Direct Market over the past four years and has won multiple industry honors, including Gem Awards, Eisner and Harvey Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and New York Times best-selling graphic novels. It holds first-look film and television relationships with 20th Century Fox Film and 20th Century Fox Television. The publisher plans to use new resources to greenlight more original series, deepen distribution relationships, and widen marketing reach. BOOM! was founded in 2005. Boom! Studios is an online marketplace for original comic books and graphic novels that lets artists upload their work and offers a buy-and-sell option for comics. The Los Angeles company uses social networks such as MySpace to promote artists and credits tens of thousands of fans for driving print sales. It negotiates to give independent creators a share of proceeds from sales and aims to be an alternate path for storytellers to create hits that can move into movies and video games. The site hired veteran editor-in-chief Mark Waid and features work by established writers such as David DiGilio. Boom! Studios reported a successful January when North Wind—a five-part mini-series—sold out at brick-and-mortar retailers in ten days and went to a second printing despite being available free online. Following that traction the company has taken a $600,000 investment from DFJ Frontier and the Gideon Hixon Fund.

No current team members are available.