Participated · Seed · Oct 2022

Axoft develops implantable brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) built from its proprietary bio-inspired Fleuron™ material, designed to improve biocompatibility and neural data quality. Fleuron is reported to be up to 10,000x softer than polyimide, offers greater region access and higher sensor/stimulator density per thread, and reduces signal attenuation versus standard flexible probes. The company has demonstrated first-in-human implants in more than 11 patients and completed a study at The Panama Clinic with four patients undergoing tumor resection, recording cortical and subcortical activity. Axoft has research published in Nature (December 2023 and June 2025) showing scalable single-cell electrophysiology enabled by its materials and interfaces. The company has commercialized Fleuron via an exclusive licensing agreement with Stanford and secured a joint development agreement with Kayaku Advanced Materials, alongside grant funding to build a GMP manufacturing facility. Co-founded in 2021 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Axoft has opened a subsidiary in Grenoble, France, and plans to scale manufacturing and expand engineering, microfabrication and chemistry teams as it advances clinical programs and regulatory work.

Participated · Series A · Oct 2019

Activ Surgical develops artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies to improve surgical procedures, primarily through its ActivSight endoscopy imaging system. ActivSight, cleared by the FDA in April 2021, attaches to standard laparoscopes and arthroscopes and uses machine‑learning algorithms to add real‑time measurements of blood flow, tissue perfusion, and vascularity to the camera feed. The system is housed on the ActivEdge platform, which also hosts ActivInsights — augmented‑reality overlays powered by robotics and advanced AI trained on the company’s annotated imaging data. The company plans a worldwide launch and rollout of ActivSight and says the new funding will be used to scale the business and add resources for that debut. Financially, Activ added a $15M extension to its Series B, bringing that round to $60M and substantially increasing its lifetime fundraising since 2020. Hikma Ventures will support deployment efforts, including introductions in the Middle East. Activ Surgical builds intraoperative imaging hardware and software to give surgeons enhanced visualization during minimally invasive procedures. Its primary product, ActivSight, is a hardware module that fits between an endoscope and a white-light camera to visualize blood flow and other structures in real time without injectable dyes. ActivSight received FDA 510(k) clearance in April 2021 and has been tested in a 70-patient clinical trial at the University of Texas Health Science Center and the University of Buffalo. The company plans near-term commercialization of ActivSight in hospital systems across seven states and seeks CE certification to enter seven European countries in 2022. Longer term, Activ Surgical is developing an AI software suite called ActivInsight to analyze intraoperative data, autonomously annotate key structures (nerves, arteries, veins) and return machine-learned guidance to surgeons. The company has raised $45 million in this Series B and $77 million in total to date to support commercial rollout and its AI roadmap. Activ Surgical develops computer vision and AI-powered surgical vision software and connected imaging hardware for use in laparoscopic and arthroscopic procedures. Its ActivEdge platform ingests real-time data from surgical implements outfitted with company sensors to power machine-learning and AI visualizations that guide surgeons and surgical systems. The company’s first product, ActivSight, is a small, connected imaging coddle that can be attached to existing surgical instruments. The platform launched to market in May, and Activ is working with eight U.S. hospital partners on pilot projects. The company is tracking toward FDA clearance for its hardware by Q4 this year. Activ Surgical has raised a total of $32 million in funding to date. Activ Surgical is a digital surgery company that develops patent‑protected, software‑centric and hardware‑agnostic surgical intelligence technology driven by computer vision, AI, analytics and machine learning. Its platform is designed to enhance intra‑operative decision making and reduce unintended and preventable surgical complications for endoscopic and robotically‑assisted procedures. The company’s first planned commercial product, ActivSight, is an advanced software and sensing platform slated for a fall 2020 launch that aims to “ACTIVATE” existing surgical visualization and robotic systems. Activ Surgical intends to use the newly raised funds to accelerate commercialization of its proprietary technology. The company was founded in 2017 and is led by CEO Todd Usen. Activ Surgical develops the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), a surgical robotics system that uses near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) markers to deliver a biocompatible, near-infrared 3D tracking system for tissue and surgical tools. STAR was developed out of Children’s National Medical Center and is positioned as an improvement over standard optical tracking technology. The company aims to integrate advanced computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics to fit within operating-room workflow and provide advanced imaging and diagnostic accuracy during surgery. Activ describes a future in which robots could autonomously engage in soft tissue surgery under the supervision of a surgeon. Financially, the company has raised nearly $13 million to continue STAR’s development and filed a Form D with the U.S. SEC on July 1 indicating it had been seeking nearly $19 million. In March, Activ named Todd Usen, the former president of Olympus Medical Systems, as its first CEO.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2017

Insticator offers embeddable interactive widgets—quizzes, polls and similar elements—that publishers can create themselves or source from Insticator and place inside stories. The widgets are designed to boost engagement while serving as a visible but non‑intrusive ad unit, with customization so they look native to each site. Publishers using Insticator include Warner Bros., Ancestry.com and Tribune Media. The company monetizes the widgets by running ads within them. Insticator supports distribution within Facebook Instant Articles and is working to integrate with Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages format. Founder and CEO Zack Dugow emphasizes the balance between engagement and ad visibility.