Participated · Series B · Jul 2021

Paro operates a marketplace that uses algorithms to identify and recommend freelance finance and accounting talent to businesses, enabling on-demand, pay-for-work engagements. The company provides tools for experts—pricing, performance, CRM and ROI insights—and positions itself as a specialized alternative to general freelancing marketplaces. Paro plans to use new funding to further develop its platform, expand its customer base, and invest in general R&D with the goal of becoming a go-to resource for finance and accounting solutions for businesses, including enterprises. Founded in 2015 by Michael Burdick and Dan Wywrot, Paro emphasizes flexible staffing and remote work as tailwinds for its model. On operating metrics, Paro says revenue has tripled since its Series B in Q3 2021, average client spend has doubled, and freelancers on the platform are on track to bill over $1 million through Paro this year. Paro provides flexible finance and accounting solutions via a proprietary AI-powered platform that precisely matches clients with highly vetted freelance finance experts. The marketplace covers a range of services from basic bookkeeping and accounting to specialized corporate development and strategic advisory. Paro says it has doubled since Q3 2020; in the last year 20% of Paro freelancers billed $100K–$500K through the platform and multiple freelancers were on track to bill more than $500K in 2021. The company uses AI both to match clients with top-tier talent and to give freelancers tools and insights to build their businesses. Paro plans to use new funding to fuel domestic growth, position for future international expansion, and invest further in its AI-powered marketplace. The company is headquartered in Chicago. Paro is a platform that connects companies with highly-vetted, enterprise-level finance and accounting professionals and automates business management for both clients and freelancers. The company uses a data-driven matchmaking algorithm that the article reports results in 95% of clients choosing one of the first two experts they are matched with. Paro offers income-predictability tools and flexibility for its network members, positioning itself as an alternative to traditional accounting firms, temp agencies, and staffing agencies. The platform emphasizes workflow automation to streamline finance functions and remove administrative friction for experts. Paro plans to expand its suite of workflow automation tools and pursue larger enterprise clients. The company was founded by Michael Burdick and Dan Wywrot, CPA, and is based in Chicago. Paro recently raised $10 million in funding to support continued growth. Paro is a Chicago, IL-based on-demand financial services platform that connects virtual, on-demand accounting and finance professionals with a variety of clients, from growth-stage startups to enterprise businesses. After passing a screening process, freelance CPAs, bookkeepers, CFOs and analysts are matched with businesses based on need and industry expertise. The company recently secured a $2.25M credit facility to support its operations. Paro intends to use the proceeds for continued growth. The business is led by CEO Michael Burdick and is backed by investors including Revolution Ventures and Global Founders Capital. Paro is a Chicago-based marketplace that connects companies with vetted freelance financial professionals including bookkeepers, accountants, CPAs, and part-time CFOs. Founded in 2015 by Michael Burdick and Dan Wywrot, the platform delivers client work directly to professionals to increase income predictability and reduce time spent selling services. Paro emphasizes matching businesses with talent who have relevant experience for similarly sized companies and refines matching via data collected from engagements. The company disclosed that almost one thousand businesses have used the platform. Management intends to use funding to expand sales and marketing and to continue improving predictive analytics around future income streams for its workers. Leadership includes CEO/co-founder Michael Burdick, and Eddie Lou serves on the board.

Participated · Series A · Aug 2018

Mobile Doorman develops custom mobile app software for apartment and condominium communities across North America, enabling residents to live smarter and properties to manage more efficiently. The company says its platform helps improve resident retention and boost property financial performance. Founded in 2014 and based in Chicago, IL, Mobile Doorman focuses on the multifamily market. The business closed a $6.5M expansion funding round to support its growth. Management intends to use the funds for product feature development and further expansion into the multifamily industry. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article. Mobile Doorman builds white-labeled, custom-branded resident apps for apartment communities across the United States. The product enables residents to live smart and allows property owners to manage efficiently and improve retention. Founded by Bob Matteson, the company launched its first property in Chicago in 2014 and has expanded to more than 50 markets across 28 states. Mobile Doorman intends to use new funding to deepen penetration in the U.S. multifamily market and to further integrate with smart home technology. The company primarily sells to property owners and operators with a focus on operational efficiency and resident retention.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2018

Mac & Mia is a stylist-driven, curated children's apparel service that delivers personalized styling to busy households. The company provides a direct 1:1 relationship with a stylist, works with over 150 specialty kids clothing brands, and offers sizing from newborn to size 10. It was founded by Marie Tillman in 2014 and is also led by President Jason Smith. Mac & Mia raised a $5M Series A, bringing its total funding to over $9M. The company intends to use the funds to continue expansion in key apparel markets across the country.

Participated · Seed · Aug 2016

Fooji is a real-time fan engagement platform that helps brands create in-the-moment social and chat activations and user-generated content. The platform enables brands to send food, beverages and product samples using emojis linked to on-demand services and claims an average purchase conversion rate of 34 percent. Fooji reports having reached 120 million organic fans to date and recorded over 500,000 brand mentions, producing two global and eight national Twitter trends this year. The company has already worked with brands including Fox, Verizon, Warner Bros. and AB InBev to reach tens of millions of fans. Fooji plans to scale by expanding its sales team, hiring engineers to build on-demand service integrations, and further developing analytics and reporting capabilities to refine its on-demand delivery marketing channel. Leadership includes co-founders Gregg Morton (Co-Founder and CEO) and Erik Zamudio (Co-Founder and CBO).

Participated · Seed · Jul 2016

inkbox is a tattoo ecosystem that makes realistic semi-permanent tattoos customers apply at home without needles. Customers can choose from thousands of designs created by an active artist community or create their own, and the company operates an artist marketplace. Founded by brothers Tyler and Braden Handley in February 2015 and based in Toronto, inkbox has shipped over 500,000 tattoos to customers in more than 150 countries. The company has released collections with brands and influencers including Vans Warped Tour, Anna Brisbin, SickKids Foundation, and Debby Ryan. Plans include expanding its artist marketplace, developing new tattoo technologies, strengthening its brand and scaling operations through strategic hires. Alongside the financing, inkbox added advisors Jill Braff and Divya Gugnani. To date the company has raised $16M, including prior seed rounds. Toronto-based founders Tyler and Braden Handley launched Inkbox after a Kickstarter that raised nearly $300,000 and refined their product to a 10-minute application. The company sells short-term organic temporary tattoos and describes itself as a biotech on the back end with a consumer fashion front end. Inkbox completed a general consumer launch and hired chemist Chris Caputo, a former Harvard postdoc, as its first main hire. The team says it manufactured the underlying technology from scratch and spent about six months scaling it to consumer production. The company is developing a longer-lasting version of the technology that would last 30 days and has additional products planned. Financially, Inkbox recently closed a $1 million seed round from angels and an early-stage VC as it prepares for retail sales.