Participated · Series A · Jun 2019

Mori designs and sells baby essentials, including sleepsuits and clever sleeping bags, using innovative designs and natural materials from sustainable sources suitable for newborns up to four years. Founded in 2015 by Akin Onal and based in London, the company sells direct-to-consumer and through wholesale accounts globally. Mori has nearly 35,000 customers in over 50 countries and wholesale relationships with about 215 outlets, including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Fenwick, The Tot, Sprout San Francisco, and Yoya NYC. It raised over £4m in a Series A round led by Guinness Asset Management with participation from Jobi Capital, 500 Startups and other existing investors. Proceeds will be used to continue growth in the UK, expand into international markets with a focus on the U.S., open branded storefronts, and grow its internal team. The company is focused on retail expansion and team growth to support its international expansion.

Led · Series B · May 2017

Quiqup operates a consumer app for local same-hour "shop on your behalf" deliveries and a growing last-mile B2B service. Its B2B products include Quiqdash, a web app for instant or scheduled deliveries, and an API integration used by large retailers. The API is used by about 25 Burger King restaurants in London, and Quiqup is the sole online ordering option for Whole Foods in London via its app; it also serves non-food verticals like florists and pharmacists. The company plans to use new capital to expand to other U.K. cities, kick-start international expansion, and invest heavily in its tech platform by hiring engineers and data scientists to improve its algorithm and delivery estimates. Since launch it has delivered more than 550,000 orders, reported 170% year-on-year growth, has over 110 employees, and more than 2,000 registered couriers. The B2B side now makes up around 45% of the business, up from 40% in January, and Quiqup says there are additional undisclosed partnerships with large retailers. Quiqup is an on-demand delivery service launched in September 2014 that operates in Central London and offers personal shopping and last-mile delivery of food, groceries, fashion and electronics. Customers request a Quiquee to go to a store or restaurant, purchase items and deliver them, typically within the hour. The company charges a delivery fee plus a percentage markup on the cost of items. Since launch it says it has fulfilled well over 100,000 orders across multiple verticals. Quiqup positions itself as a partner for brick-and-mortar retailers to compete in e-commerce and says it will soon operate 24/7 (already open for breakfast). Its target customers are time-pressed people who value convenience and immediacy.

Led · Series A · May 2017

Spotluck is a Washington, D.C.-based provider of a tech optimization platform for restaurants, founded in 2014 and led by CEO Cherian Thomas. It provides proprietary technology that gamifies restaurant discovery while bringing dynamic pricing to the restaurant industry. Users access a free iOS and Android app that offers discounts ranging from 10%–35% that fluctuate based on factors like day, time and weather. These dynamic discounts are designed to drive more business to restaurants when they need it most. Over 1,200 restaurants throughout the D.C. metropolitan area, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York currently participate with Spotluck. The company closed a $4.8M Series A to bolster presence in current markets, expand to new cities, and evolve its product and technology stack.