Participated · Seed · Jul 2026

Photon Queue develops room-temperature, free-space quantum memory devices that store photons in optical loops using proprietary high-reflectivity mirrors and optical switches. Its approach delivers high efficiency and broad bandwidth without cryogenics, vacuum systems, or complex transduction, and is compatible with multiple wavelengths and quantum computing architectures. The company has deployed its first commercial devices at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Maryland, reflecting early customer traction with national labs and research institutions. Founded in 2024 as a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign spinout, Photon Queue is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. The company serves applications in quantum computing, communications, and metrology and is working to scale product development, manufacturing, and customer deployments with the newly raised capital.

Led · Seed · May 2026

Volt Harbor’s core product is the patented MAC-BESS™ platform, a modular, software-defined energy storage system that combines battery storage, advanced power electronics, and on-board computing in a single product class. The architecture is modeled on computer networking to allow battery modules from different manufacturers and chemistries to share and coordinate power flow in real time, and it supports both first-life and second-life EV battery modules. The system is engineered for data center–grade reliability, delivering sub-100-microsecond energy delivery and claimed single-parts-per-million failure rates with no single point of failure. For cost-sensitive commercial, industrial, and utility applications, Volt Harbor says MAC-BESS™ can integrate second-life EV batteries at roughly one-half to one-third the cost of new systems and extend usable battery life by up to 30% versus conventional approaches. The company is deploying a system with DTE Energy to buffer high-power EV charging events and provide demand response, peak shaving, and backup support. Volt Harbor is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and licensed its core technology from the University of Michigan; its CEO and co-founder is Dr. Al-Thaddeus Avestruz.

Participated · Seed · Apr 2026

CavilinQ is developing cavity-enhanced photonic links that aim to connect individual quantum processors into unified, modular clusters to enable larger-scale quantum computing. The platform is described as hardware-agnostic, with initial demonstrations planned for integration with neutral atom quantum processors. Its technology builds on high-fidelity light-matter interfaces advanced by scientific co-founders Mikhail Lukin and Hannes Bernien. The company plans to establish a specialized laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, expand its team, and reach key technical milestones. CavilinQ announced a completed $8.8 million seed round to fund these efforts. The company positions its interconnects as enabling distributed quantum architectures that could scale performance and reliability beyond isolated processors.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2026

Samara Aerospace is building the Hummingbird satellite bus, which replaces conventional reaction wheels with articulated solar-panel hinges that tilt up, down, left, and right to control attitude. The company claims this mechanism can make spacecraft up to 1,000 times more stable than legacy systems, reducing vibration, eliminating image blur, and improving pointing accuracy. By removing bulky reaction wheels, Hummingbird can also shrink satellite size and weight, allowing flatter, more stackable designs that lower launch costs. Samara’s first in-orbit hardware—a panel with two hinges—flew on Impulse Space’s Mira spacecraft aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 mission in November and has powered on successfully while awaiting its turn to perform a full experiment. The technology targets Earth-observation operators who need clearer imagery and optical-communications providers that require precise pointing, and it has also attracted interest from an aerospace prime for high-density launch deployment. With fresh funding, the team aims to launch its first dedicated Hummingbird satellite in summer 2027. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and recently secured $10 million in seed capital to accelerate development.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2025

Irrigreen develops robotic sprinkler heads and precision irrigation systems that digitally map lawns, use real-time weather analysis, and apply water only where and when needed. Its product suite includes Smart Controller 3 and an AI-powered quoting tool that uses satellite imagery to generate instant system designs and estimated water bill savings. The company holds more than eight patents in precision spray technology and says its systems use approximately 50% less water, have saved over 350 million gallons to date, and that five Irrigreen heads can replace a forty-head traditional system. Irrigreen sells through more than 300 installation partners across nearly every U.S. state and targets the 80+ million residential lawns in the U.S. The new funds will support research and product development to expand its high-tech, eco-friendly solutions and reduce inefficient irrigation's environmental and financial impact. Irrigreen is based in San Francisco, California and Edina, Minnesota. Irrigreen develops robotic irrigation and sprinkler systems that map individual heads to precisely irrigate landscapes, reducing outdoor water usage. The systems are controlled via a mobile app, and the company has launched an enhanced web design tool that lets homeowners map sprinkler layouts and see projected water savings in seconds. Led by CEO Shane Dyer, Irrigreen serves homeowners nationally, including California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Utah. The company is based in San Francisco, CA and Edina, MN. Irrigreen raised $15M in Seed funding and intends to use the proceeds for continued product innovation and its commercial launch. The product positioning emphasizes water savings and simplified design for residential landscaping.