Participated · Equity · Aug 2019

CropX Technologies provides an Agronomic Farm Management System that synthesizes data from the earth and sky to deliver advanced soil and crop intelligence and digital decision and planning tools on an app capable of tracking multiple farms and fields. Its system supports irrigation planning that helps users conserve water and boost yields, while also optimizing energy and fertilizer use and supporting more sustainable farming practices. CropX is deployed in over 60 countries across all arable continents and now has over 100 employees in the US, the Netherlands, Israel and New Zealand, with a large research and development department. The company closed a $30M Series C round led by Aliaxis. CropX intends to use the proceeds to continue developing innovative capabilities for its agronomic farm management system and to acquire companies with complementary technologies and market reach. Through its partnership with Aliaxis the company will continue close collaboration in the field of data-driven precision irrigation. CropX develops advanced soil sensor technology and a cloud-based agricultural analytics platform that integrates with top irrigation systems and a mobile app to tell farmers where, when and how much to water or fertilize. The company integrates satellite, weather, crop modeling and topographical data with soil intelligence to deliver accurate prediction at scale. CropX’s platform is installed around the globe on the fields of leading farms and used by irrigation, seed and fertilizer companies. The company plans to use the new funding to extend research and development and accelerate penetration of its analytics platform across a broad cross-section of grower environments. CropX is led by CEO Tomer Tzach and recently added John Vikupitz as president to drive global expansion and market adoption. The company is based in San Francisco, CA and Israel. CropX builds an Internet of Soil composed of three wireless soil sensors and a mobile app that measures field variability and prescribes irrigation per zone. The company performs a one-time analysis of each field using publicly available soil and topography data to divide land into irrigation zones and show where to place sensors. Sensors are battery-powered, last up to four years, send soil data to the cloud, and the app calculates the water needed to maximize yield in each zone. CropX is currently deployed to power irrigation on about 5,000 acres across farms in Missouri, Colorado and Kansas, and farmers report water and energy savings of up to 25%. The system helps prevent overwatering and associated chemical run-off. With a $9 million Series A, the company plans to expand its reach across the country and pursue opportunities in the estimated $2.5 trillion crop yield enhancement market, noting that 90% of farmers currently don’t use irrigation-optimization tools.

Led · Series A · Mar 2019

Kaarta develops real-time mobile 3D reality capture technology that maps complex indoor and outdoor environments without external signal infrastructure such as GPS or Wi‑Fi. Its patent-pending, robotics-rooted platform transforms the real world into multidimensional 3D digital models up to 10x faster and at lower cost than traditional mapping methods. Kaarta’s products are used across architecture, engineering, construction, operations, industrial planning, civil and transportation infrastructure, security, mining, archaeology, and autonomous technologies. Customers include Badger Technologies, which uses Kaarta to map 60,000 sq ft stores in under an hour and has captured over 400 retail locations for a first customer. In three full years of operation Kaarta has built a global distribution network and an expanding addressable market. The company secured $6.5M in Series A financing to fuel sales and marketing, expand talent acquisition, and further invest in research and development.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2018

Cybeats builds cybersecurity and lifecycle management solutions for IoT devices using an "inside-out" approach that embeds a microagent in device firmware to provide internal defense, monitoring, and threat detection. The microagent complements existing device software and hardware, enabling devices to detect threats instantly, gather data to neutralize threats, and continuously monitor for new vulnerabilities. Cybeats targets smart buildings, medical devices and critical infrastructure customers and emphasizes enterprise capabilities for device manufacturers and users. The company plans to use the $3 million financing to expand its team in Toronto and abroad and to grow sales, research and development, and enterprise offerings. Cybeats was co-founded by Dmitry Raidman, Peter Pinsker and Vlad Kharbash, who are former Israeli IT infosec professionals, and the company is a recipient of 2018 IoT Global Awards in Security IoT and Big Data, Cloud and Analytics. The firm positions its technology to address the growing number of connected devices and the security challenges posed by wider 5G deployment.

Led · Seed · Sep 2018

Electriq Power is a San Leandro, California–based company that designs, engineers, and assembles integrated energy storage and management solutions for homes and small businesses. Its flagship product is the PowerPod 2 residential battery system, which includes a cobalt-free Lithium‑Iron‑Phosphate (LFP) battery, a hybrid battery/solar inverter, a home energy management system, and an energy consumption meter, and is available in AC and DC versions. The PowerPod 2 offers resilient backup power and a smart home energy app to manage and optimize electricity use; it provides improved power and output versus the company’s original PowerPod. Electriq says its systems are deployed across North America and it plans to accelerate partnerships with distribution partners and expand deployments to different geographies and demographics. The company intends to roll out PowerPod 2 through agreements such as the recent sales and installation deal with Caribbean Utilities Company in Grand Cayman and deployments with Parlier Home Solar. Electriq also plans to invest in its supply chain network and pursue opportunities to deploy storage to homeowners at any income level. The company announced it has raised over $10 million in incremental funding to support this expansion and product roll-out. Electriq Power develops integrated home energy storage, management, and monitoring solutions centered on its PowerPod residential battery system. The PowerPod includes a battery, hybrid battery/solar inverter, home energy management system, an energy meter, and Electriq View software to manage electricity use and optimize efficiency. The system is modular and expandable up to three systems with three battery packs per system, providing up to 16.5 kW of power and 102 kWh of storage. Electriq is developing expanded battery options including lithium iron phosphate, improved web and mobile software capabilities, and enhanced fleet management features. The company is building a network operating center for proactive fleet-wide monitoring, maintenance, and grid services and has received UL9540 system-level storage certification in three factories. Electriq is based in California, has systems deployed across North America, and reports supply chains running at full capacity amid growing demand for home battery solutions. ElectrIQ Power develops the ElectrIQ PowerPod, a modular, scalable home energy storage system using lithium-ion batteries and advanced power electronics, and the ElectrIQ View energy management platform that connects renewables, batteries, and smart appliances. Its ElectrIQ Management software uses proprietary optimization algorithms that consider historical consumption, solar production, utility rates, blackout history, and weather forecasts to automatically optimize home energy efficiency. The company is led by Interim CEO Frank Magnotti and Co‑Founder/Chief Strategy Officer Chadwick Manning. ElectrIQ Power completed a $6M seed financing and intends to use the funds to expand sales and marketing, accelerate new product development, and build a nationwide service and maintenance network. The product suite targets maximizing cost savings, energy efficiency, and backup power for homes. The company is based in Palo Alto, CA.

Participated · Series C · May 2018

Rootility develops root-focused, GMO-free plant breeding methods that aim to increase crop yields and overall agronomic performance. Its approach combines simulation and empirical work with breeding techniques to cross and screen crops at large scale and high speeds. The company has applied its technology across a number of crops in different regions globally. Led by founder and CEO Rafael Meissner, Rootility focuses on rootstock breeding solutions. The company recently raised $10m in a Series C financing and plans to use the funds to expand sales and further develop its rootstock breeding offerings for a wider variety of crops. The financing supports the company’s near-term commercial expansion and product development plans.