Participated · Seed · Jun 2024

Polari Group develops medical and consumer solutions to improve anorectal health and pleasure, combining clinical research, education, and product development. The company has created what it calls the world’s first anal sex lab and collaborates with doctors and scientists to study faecal accidents, comfort, and related physiology. Polari aims to build the first anorectal health and pleasure platform that integrates medical innovation, education, and platform-based services alongside a line of proprietary products. The founders plan to expand the team, prepare a manufacturing line, and advance along the regulatory pathway to bring products to market. The company targets a broad, inclusive demographic and seeks to reduce stigma and improve sexual-health conversations and outcomes. Polari cites market estimates for the UK, US, and Europe (167.7 million people engaging in anal sex and roughly 2.8 billion anal sex acts annually) to contextualize demand for its solutions.

Participated · Seed · Oct 2023

Osmoses has developed a patented membrane technology and polymer material platform that delivers unprecedented flux and selectivity for separating the world’s smallest gas molecules. The company says its membranes can reduce industrial energy consumption by up to 90%, enable up to 40% higher product recoveries in some hydrogen purification applications, and cut footprint by over 50% versus conventional processes. Published in Science Magazine in 2022, the platform targets difficult, energy‑intensive separations across hydrogen, biomethane, oxygen generation, helium harvesting, refrigerant reuse, and carbon capture. Osmoses plans to develop commercial-scale membrane modules for field deployment and establish pilot partnerships with chemical and petrochemical firms, utilities, and alternative energy companies. In the coming months the company will double full-time headcount and build partnerships with engineering and manufacturing firms to commercialize its technology. Founded in 2021 and spun out of MIT, Osmoses aims to address a gas separations market the company projects to grow from $15 billion toward $35 billion by 2030. Osmoses has developed a patented 3D ladder membrane polymer platform that delivers up to 5x the selectivity and 100x the permeability versus conventional membranes, while remaining stable under industrial conditions. The membranes are designed to integrate with existing energy infrastructures and are manufactured via established techniques as modular units. The company says the platform can cut energy consumption by 40%–60% compared with commercial alternatives and targets separations including methane, hydrogen, oxygen, biogas upgrading, and CO2 removal. Osmoses positions its technology as a lower-cost, higher-performance alternative to thermal separation processes with applications across power generation and materials manufacturing. The team plans to use initial funding to hire technical and operations staff, advance platform development, scale manufacturing, and pursue initial commercial partnerships. Founded in 2021 and spun out of MIT, Osmoses is based in Cambridge, Mass.

Participated · Seed · Oct 2021

RealKey develops digital mortgage technologies, including the RealKey Automated Lending Platform (ALP), to streamline mortgage loan processing for lenders and brokers. The ALP automates intelligent document collection, data review, and secure communications among all parties. The platform integrates with existing point-of-sale (POS) and loan origination systems (LOSs) and with AUSs to provide an end-to-end digital mortgage processing experience. RealKey says its combined capabilities shorten the loan processing cycle by roughly 50%. In October 2021 the company closed a $3.4 million seed funding round to accelerate product launches, broaden services, and pursue new market opportunities. Investors named in the announcement include lead Zulu Assets, 2Enable Partners, Second Century Ventures (NAR's investment arm), Sandalphon Capital, Little Green Bamboo Capital, and numerous angel groups.