Participated · Seed · May 2025

Persona AI develops bipedal humanoid robots designed to perform welding and other skilled trades in heavy manufacturing, with an initial focus on shipbuilding. The company has iterated three hardware generations in 24 months, performed its first untethered weld in a Houston shop, and demonstrated outdoor walking in protective materials. Persona AI has units already at HD Hyundai and plans prototype delivery by the end of 2026 with commercialization in 2027. It plans to offer robots via a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model to reduce customer capital expenditure and enable large-scale fleet deployments. The founding team includes veterans from NASA and prior humanoid efforts, and the company targets markets with acute labor shortages and repetitive, high-value welding work.

Participated · Series A · Dec 2021

Pod Foods operates the first full-service wholesale B2B marketplace with built-in logistics, enabling retailers to discover, order, and receive products in a consolidated fashion. The platform targets emerging brands and retailers, streamlines procurement, reduces hidden fees and chargebacks, and can onboard new brands to shelf in as little as 24 hours. It uses proprietary logistics-optimization software and a network of warehousing and carrier providers to power consolidated fulfillment and serves traditional retail formats as well as DTC delivery services like Gopuff. The company has more than doubled the number of brands on its platform year-over-year and reports a 20% increase in repeat brand purchases compared to pre-pandemic data. Financially, Pod Foods has raised a total of $13 million to date, including a $10 million Series A and a prior $3 million seed. The Series A proceeds will be used to expand the brand and retailer network nationwide, scale the data team to improve matching and right-size inventory, and grow the team (the company recently hired Timothy Wee as CTO). Pod Foods is an end-to-end platform that connects retailers with manufacturers to simplify the wholesale food distribution market. The company uses a third-party network to handle fulfillment and logistics and provides a software and data-enabled interface for emerging brands and retailers. Pod Foods charges retailers on a subscription basis and takes a cut of each transaction. The startup has launched in the Bay Area and Chicago and currently works with 350 food brands and 100 retailers. With fresh funding, the company plans to scale 10x over the next 12 months and invest in its software and data capabilities. Pod Foods was founded by former cookie entrepreneurs who pivoted from their earlier brand to solve distribution challenges for small food companies.

Participated · Series B · May 2019

Grain operates a full-stack cloud-kitchen model, running its own chefs, menus, hub kitchens and last-mile delivery to control product quality. Founded in 2014 and based in Singapore, the company is profitable, has more than 100 staff and delivers thousands of meals per day. It reports eight-figures in annual sales and saw 200% growth last year. Grain is preparing regional expansion starting with a launch in Bangkok and is expanding hub kitchens and a fleet of retrofitted delivery trucks. Management says it tightened fundamentals after nearly running out of capital and rebuilt quality infrastructure following a 2017 food-poisoning incident. The company previously raised a $1.7M Series A in 2016. Grain runs a vertically integrated food delivery service in Singapore, preparing, cooking, managing orders and delivering meals through its own logistics. It keeps a narrow rotating menu (four meals daily) priced at SG$9.95–SG$12.95 with delivery fees that vary by area, a model the company says enables unit profitability. Grain employs about 50 people, including 10 in tech, and plans to increase headcount with the new funding. A significant portion of the financing will be used to improve operational efficiency, including deploying mobile distribution hubs to cover 2.5km² areas and speed last‑mile delivery via scooters, bicycles and foot couriers. The hubs will allow better temperature control of meals and could enable an expanded menu (potentially six meals per day). Grain is focused on developing its Singapore operations while planning expansion to Hong Kong later in the year and considering Shenzhen, Beijing and Indonesia for the future.

Led · Equity · Oct 2016

Paktor operates a Tinder-like mobile dating app alongside an offline matchmaking service. The company claims over 20 million users worldwide, employs 110 staff, and is four years old. It recently hit net profitability and had raised $22 million prior to this new round, including a roughly $10 million round this past summer that it has not yet spent. Paktor is using new funding to expand beyond pure dating into "social entertainment," though specific product details have not been disclosed. CEO Joseph Phua said the cash cushion allows the company to explore one-to-many and multi-person media experiences, citing products like House Party and Momo's live-streaming feature as reference points. The business also powers bespoke dating services with media partners in Latin America, the U.S., and Europe while maintaining a focus on Southeast Asia and neighboring markets. Paktor operates a Tinder-like dating app that has expanded into offline events and services such as group travel and speed dating. The company is pushing a wider global expansion with recent launches planned for Japan and South Korea and hires of former IAC executives to run international growth. Paktor has pursued M&A and media partnerships to extend distribution, acquiring South America-based Kickoff and nearing two further acquisitions that would bring its combined footprint to about 15 million registered users. The company previously reported around six million registered users in its core Southeast Asia base (no updated figure provided). Paktor says engagement has risen — average daily swipes increased from 160 to 200, average daily time from 30 to 40 minutes, and active chats (3+ exchanges) have grown 200%. Financially, it is targeting at least $10 million in revenue for the year and has introduced smaller, more affordable subscription options for emerging markets. Paktor operates iOS and Android dating apps and has also launched a web-based version and a desktop site to boost engagement. The app has 1.5 million registered users (60% aged 18–24), has generated over 40 million matches and records about 10 million swipes per day. The company has physical presences in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan and has piloted an offline, specialist one-on-one matching service called Gai Gai in Singapore. Paktor is focused on a sustained marketing push across Southeast Asia and plans to roll out differentiated versions of its offline service in its four largest markets over the next year. The team was founded in July 2013 by Joseph Phua, Ng Jing Shen and Charlene Koh. For now the company is not heavily monetizing but may introduce subscription services in the future.