Participated · Seed · Dec 2025

Guide Labs is building a new class of AI systems that prioritize interpretability, auditability, and human understanding. Its core product offering is a suite of foundation models exposed via API, enabling developers to integrate transparent AI into their applications. By focusing on debuggable and trustworthy outputs, the company aims to address mounting industry concerns around AI opacity. The San Francisco–based startup’s technology is intended for enterprises and developers that require clear model explanations and audit trails. Guide Labs plans to use newly secured capital to expand operations and accelerate product development. Although still at the seed stage, the company’s financial position is bolstered by a $9 million raise, giving it resources to hire talent and scale infrastructure. No revenue, user metrics, or profitability figures were disclosed in the article. Looking forward, the firm intends to deepen its research into interpretable AI while broadening accessibility through its API-first model.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2025

Archil builds a file-system-first infrastructure intended to make it simple for AI applications and agents to interact with large datasets. The company emphasizes that conventional file-system semantics are a natural interface for models and has launched a Serverless execution feature that accepts bash-like commands and returns results. Its system synchronizes to S3 and is described as infinite, performant, and suitable as the runtime for stateful AI workloads including inference and training. Archil is actively hiring engineers with low-level systems expertise to accelerate product development and get capabilities into customers' hands. Financially, the company has raised $18M to date, including an $11M Series A announced in the latest round. The team says it is building additional developer experience and infrastructure features to support the AI era.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2024

RetailReady builds a tablet app that replaces paper warehouse manuals and delivers directed workflows to ensure orders are packed to retailer requirements. The product uses large language models to ingest shipping requirement manuals and is developing a computer-vision module to photo-capture and validate workers’ packing processes. The founders, Elle Smyth and Sarah Hamer, are recent grads of Y Combinator’s winter 2024 cohort and previously worked together at supply-chain startup Stord. RetailReady targets a roughly $40 billion retail compliance market and aims to reduce improperly shipped items and associated chargebacks. Six months after launch the company is onboarding six customers across brands, warehouses and retailers. The startup raised seed funding to hire additional employees and accelerate product and technology development.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2024

Stellar Sleep offers a mobile app that delivers a personalized, interactive program combining cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and motivational interviewing to treat chronic insomnia. Users complete an onboarding assessment and can connect wearables; the program adapts over time based on sleep statistics. The company charges a $60-per-month subscription and a clinical assessment of 500 users found the app to be 50% more effective than sleeping pills. Founders George Wang and Edrei Chua developed the product after experiencing long clinician wait times and seeking a therapy-first approach. Stellar Sleep plans to use new capital to expand app content and curriculum, grow clinician partnerships for greater personalization, and scale distribution to reach more people.

Participated · Series A · Oct 2022

Trash Warrior operates a managed platform that lets businesses book waste removal and dumpster rental services via trashwarrior.com, resolving requests within hours. The platform targets B2B customers and can provide customized enterprise solutions for nationwide clients, removing the need for calls, brokers, and negotiations. Led by CEO Lily Shen, the company serves customers including Amazon, Instacart, Imperfect Foods, Weee!, Tuft & Needle, Holiday Inn, Hyatt and Hilton. Trash Warrior graduated from the Spring 2020 batch of 500 Startups. The company reported $10M in annualized GMV earlier this year and has maintained a high lifetime value since launch. It plans to use new funding to improve technology, hire talent, and strengthen sales and marketing.