• PartySlate

  Participated · Seed · Oct 2017

  PartySlate operates a photo-first marketplace where venues, vendors, and event professionals showcase work, build networks, and connect directly with clients. The platform emphasizes high-quality photos and videos—more than 2 million event photos have been shared, with hundreds added daily. Over 40,000 venues, hotels, planners, and other vendors use PartySlate to display portfolios and grow their businesses; leading firms like Kehoe Designs have thousands of assets on the site. PartySlate says it uses network-driven algorithms and advanced analytics to make event planning more accessible and efficient. The company plans to leverage its HearstLab partnership and Hearst’s broader resources to raise awareness and accelerate growth. PartySlate positions itself to capture more of the expected expansion in the global events industry, which industry research projects will surpass $1.5 trillion by 2028. PartySlate is a digital platform where event professionals share work and hosts find inspiration, venues and vendors by browsing and saving event photos and creating Idea Boards. Co-founded in 2016 by Julie Roth Novack and John Haro and based in Chicago, the site showcases corporate events, galas, milestone events and weddings. Event planners can search for local venues and vendors, save photos, create Idea Boards to share with others, and read about event design trends. Event professionals and venues can post photos, create custom Idea Boards for clients, drive leads through a premium membership program, and contribute thought-leadership articles. The company recently raised funding and plans to use proceeds to expand geographically, launching in Dallas after activity in Chicago and Los Angeles. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article. PartySlate is an online platform where event vendors—photographers, caterers and venue providers—post photos and profiles for consumers to browse ideas and find providers. The site, which went live in May and has been compared to Houzz, is currently free for both vendors and consumers. More than 2,000 vendors have posted on the site to date. PartySlate plans to introduce a subscription model charging vendors for premium positioning and aims to convert 5–10% of vendors to paid, elevated placements. The company has grown to 12 employees (up from five a year earlier), expanded from Chicago into Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and hopes to be in a dozen cities by year-end. PartySlate is based at 1871 and has participated in WiSTEM and Techstars Chicago.

• UrgentRx

  Participated · Series C · Jul 2014

  UrgentRx makes Fast Powders™, a line of fast-acting flavored powder OTC medications that can be taken without water and are sold in single-dose, credit-card-sized packets. Its product portfolio addresses allergy attacks, headaches, aches and pains, heartburn, upset stomach and includes a heart-attack first-aid aspirin product. The company reports placement in more than 20,000 doors and distribution across Food, Drug, Mass and Convenience channels, with availability at retailers including Duane Reade, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens; packets carry an MSRP of $1.39. Founded in 2010 and based in Denver, UrgentRx launched initial retail distribution in Duane Reade in 2013 and has since added multiple top-tier distribution partners. Management says it will use new capital to expand into new markets, launch new products, and invest in national marketing to build consumer awareness. Michael Valentino, a veteran of the OTC industry, will become Chairman of the Board. UrgentRx produces single-dose, credit-card-sized flavored powder OTC medicines that can be taken without water for on-the-go relief, including products for aspirin (heart attack), allergy, headache, heartburn, upset stomach and pain. Its flagship UrgentRx Critical Care Aspirin to Go is intended for immediate use at first signs of a heart attack and the company says the product has been credited with helping save more than 10 people. Since mid-2012 the company has expanded retail distribution to more than 2,500 stores, including Duane Reade and other national chains, and expects to reach 20,000–25,000 locations by Q4 2013. The business reopened its Series B after raising $3 million in mid‑2012 due to accelerated retail momentum. Proceeds from the recent expansion round will be used primarily to build inventory, create point-of-sale merchandising, and fund marketing for the national launch. UrgentRx is based in Denver and was founded in 2010. UrgentRx produces over-the-counter medications in single-dose, credit card-sized fast-acting powder packets designed for portability and quick relief. Initially developed to deliver aspirin promptly to heart attack victims, its products also address headaches, aches and pains, heartburn and upset stomach. The company is developing UrgentRx Allergy Relief to Go for launch in the latter half of 2012 and plans to expand its product portfolio and marketing. UrgentRx has rapidly expanded distribution—carried by EMT/ambulance units in 31 states and on all American Airlines planes, and sold in grocery chains, convenience stores, mass merchandisers, pharmacies in several states, and online. It has broadened Colorado retail presence through King Soopers, City Market, select Walgreens and Walmart stores, and Bradley gas stations. The company relocated to larger office and warehouse space in Denver, added former Walgreens CMO Kim Feil to its Board of Advisors, and says its aspirin product has been credited with helping to save nine lives.

• Tapiture

  Led · Seed · Feb 2014

  Tapiture is a visual discovery and e-commerce platform that lets members save and share photos, videos, GIFs, and audio into curated collections and purchase products from merchant partners. The site leverages users’ social and interest graphs to deliver relevant, entertaining content. Tapiture reaches over 3 million monthly unique visitors and generates over 100 million monthly page views. Since integrating e-commerce less than a year ago, members have purchased over 50,000 products. The company says the new funding will be used to further growth, expand its network of merchant relationships, and pursue market and merchant expansion efforts. Tapiture is headquartered on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Venice, Calif., and positions itself as part of the Silicon Beach startup community. Tapiture pairs users' social and interest graphs to deliver visually compelling mosaics of images, videos and products. In Q4 2012 the platform recorded 8.6 million visits by 4.1 million unique visitors with engagement levels close to seven minutes per visit. The company intends to use new capital to expand the platform and further develop mobile apps. Tapiture plans to add retail buyers called Tastemakers who will partner with merchants to curate products available for sale directly on the site. Originally created by brothers John and Leo Resig to complement theCHIVE.com, the business was later spun out as a separate corporate entity and is led by CEO John Ellis. The startup employed seven people and expected to double headcount by mid-2013; it also planned to grow its board by adding two independent directors.

• mPath

  Led · Seed · Jan 2014

  m>Path is a mobile development platform founded by former Salesforce executives Claus Moldt and Trae Chancellor and is coming out of stealth. The company’s product is currently available to private beta customers and has already received inquiries from large enterprise customers. m>Path has hired Matt Mihic, a former lead platform engineer at Square, as its CTO. The startup raised $1.65 million in a seed round led by JUMP Investors to build a core product development team. Those hires will be based in m>Path’s Palo Alto and San Francisco offices. The team says the funding will support product development as customers seek improved mobile application infrastructure and strategies.

No current team members are available.