The Venture Codex

Participated · Series A · Sep 2021

Vytelle develops an integrated technology platform to help cattle producers optimize herds and sustainably deliver more protein with fewer inputs. Its platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, an in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology system, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an AI-based genetic analytics engine. Led by CEO Kerryann Kocher, the company targets precision livestock applications across breeding and performance monitoring. Vytelle intends to use its latest funding to expand global operations. The company is based in Lenexa, KS. Recent financing activity supports its growth plans and broader deployment of its integrated systems. Vytelle provides an integrated technology platform combining Vytelle ADVANCE (IVF technology), Vytelle SENSE (animal performance data capture) and Vytelle INSIGHT (AI-based genetic analytics). The platform is designed to help cattle producers multiply the impact of elite livestock productivity and profitability while using fewer inputs. Since its platform launch in 2020 Vytelle has seen rapid growth and currently serves cattle producers in 21 countries. The company is pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy to propel its IVF offering into strategic markets worldwide and to invest in ways to create more predictable genetic selections for global cattle operations. Management frames the platform as enabling generations of genetic gains in just a few years. Vytelle states its mission is to help ensure meat and milk remain viable food choices for future generations.

Participated · Series A · Jan 2021

Resilient Biotics has built a drug-discovery platform that combines bioinformatics and machine learning to identify and validate microbiome-based biotherapeutics for preventing and treating respiratory infections in animals. Its flagship product, RBX001, is an intranasal, non-antibiotic treatment aimed at preventing bovine respiratory disease and has shown very promising results in preclinical studies. The company positions its approach as more targeted and data-driven than traditional direct-fed microbials, aiming to identify which microbial strains matter and understand their mechanisms. Resilient is advancing a pipeline beyond cattle, exploring therapeutics for swine and poultry where respiratory diseases drive high morbidity and mortality. The startup raised $7.1 million in a Series A to continue RBX001 development and expand work on additional microbiome-derived products; a second product is already in development and a third is being planned. Founded in 2017, the company seeks to provide platform-based, antibiotic-alternative solutions for livestock producers and meet growing consumer expectations around food safety and traceability.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2020

Sway Medical develops mobile software for neurological assessment, offering patented tests that leverage the accuracy of sensors built into any mobile device. Its FDA-cleared testing platform allows users to test balance and cognitive performance in the clinic or remotely on any mobile device. The company is an MDSAP-certified medical device manufacturer with regulatory clearances in the United States, Canada, the European Union and Australia. Founded in 2011 by CEO Chase Curtiss and based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sway intends to use the Series A proceeds to expand in Tulsa by adding to its product team and sales organization. It closed a $4.2M Series A financing to fund that expansion. The company's product and international clearances position it for broader clinical and remote-use adoption. Sway Medical develops Sway Balance, a mobile medical diagnostics app that uses motion sensors in smartphones to perform clinical-grade balance testing. Led by founder and CEO Chase Curtiss, the app provides a mobile alternative to standard pen-and-paper diagnostic tests and can show whether a person has probably suffered a concussion. Sway Balance is available for medical professionals and distributors on the Apple iOS App Store and gathers evidence in moments. Its technology is currently used for instantaneous clinical management of concussions in athletes aged 10 through adulthood. Future versions are planned to assist monitoring patient outcomes in physical therapy, orthopedic and primary care practices, senior living facilities, and worksite medical clinics. The company also announced a strategic partnership with ImPACT Applications to create new tools and expand distribution at sporting events. Sway Medical completed a $750k tranche of its Series A and has raised $1.325m in total funding to date. Sway Medical Technologies is a Tulsa, OK-based mobile software company founded in 2011 and led by CEO Chase Curtiss. It develops medical-grade mobile applications to monitor patient outcomes in orthopedics, geriatrics, and pharmacology, and to provide on-field assessment of concussion symptoms in athletes. Its initial product, Sway Balance, is an FDA-cleared balance system that uses existing hardware in mobile devices for stability assessment. The company recently closed $700K in funding, with $300K invested by the OKAngel Sidecar Fund, managed by i2E, Inc., and the remainder from Oklahoma-based angel investors. Sway Medical's software-focused approach centers on leveraging mobile devices for clinical and field assessments. The OKAngel Sidecar Fund is one of three Accelerate Oklahoma! investment vehicles created in 2011 by i2E in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the U.S. Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative.