The Venture Codex

Participated · Equity · Sep 2024

Skarper produces a patent-protected, ultralight portable disk-brake drive system that attaches to a regular bicycle's disc rotor to turn it into a high-performance, lightweight e-bike and can be removed in seconds. The device was invented by co-founder Dr. Alastair Darwood and developed by the company’s engineers together with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Advanced Technologies division. The all-in-one unit measures 34cm by 16cm, contains a 250-watt motor and a 240Wh battery, and delivers a range of up to 50km while claiming no loss of performance versus integrated e-bikes. Skarper is backed by six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy and has raised £12.8M to date, including the latest £4.5M round. The new funding will support the company’s go-to-market plan as it prepares to deliver first products in Q4 this year, initially in the UK with Europe-wide expansion planned for 2025.

Participated · Series A · Dec 2023

CorrActions has developed AI software that detects abnormalities in the cognitive state of drivers and passengers by analyzing micro muscle movements that reflect brain activity. The software uses existing human-motion sensors in vehicles, including steering wheels, in-cabin radars, seats and other devices. It can identify cognitive states such as intoxication, fatigue and distraction. The company says its solution is already being adopted in production vehicles by multiple automakers. CorrActions plans to use the new funding to accelerate that adoption. The company is led by CEO Ilan Reingold and was founded in 2019 by Dr. Eldad Hochman and Zvi Ginosar. CorrActions develops a platform that uses touch and motion sensors to noninvasively read users' cognitive states by decoding unconscious brain signals through body motion monitoring. Its proprietary algorithms analyze micro changes in muscular activity using sensors already embedded in devices such as smartwatches, smartphones, steering wheels and joysticks. The company says it can identify drowsiness, intoxication, fatigue and lapses in concentration and detect errors up to 150 milliseconds before they occur. CorrActions positions the system as use-case agnostic and is working on proofs of concept with automotive partners and on projects with the defense industry to assess pilot performance. The startup also sees potential applications for alerting athletes and the elderly to injury or fall risk. It will use the new funding to further develop its algorithms and support current deployment partners, especially in the automotive industry. The company is based out of OurCrowd’s Labs/02 incubator.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2023

CaPow develops Power-In-Motion technology that transfers energy to robotic fleets while in motion, eliminating downtime and ensuring continuous throughput. Its Genesis system integrates into existing warehouse infrastructure, enabling operators, automation experts, and OEMs to increase efficiency and reduce overall expenses. The company focuses on efficient power delivery for robotic fleets across logistics and warehouse automation. CaPow was founded in 2019 by Prof. Mor Peretz, Dr. Eli Abramov, and Dr. Alon Cervera. The company plans to use new funding to broaden expansion into new markets, grow global operations, scale R&D, and ramp up production. CaPow develops a battery-free, wireless energy delivery ecosystem that provides continuous power to automated robotic environments, eliminating robot downtime caused by charging. Its proprietary system is designed to transfer power with wide and dynamic capabilities, accommodate multiple users, tolerate metal and debris in the transfer field, and support large distances and wide spatial coverage. Led by CEO Prof. Mor Peretz, the company targets continuous operation of mobile robots to replace reliance on legacy batteries. CaPow intends to use the $7.5M seed to scale up commercialization of its solution. The company is based in Be’er Sheva, Israel. Governance was strengthened with Mr. Amir Fishelov joining the board as chairman, bringing two decades of experience from SolarEdge.

Led · Series A · Dec 2022

Intelligent Traffic Control (ITC) develops computer vision and AI/machine-learning algorithms that predict traffic patterns and prevent congestion using existing cameras and traffic light infrastructure. The software measures, predicts, and mitigates congestion while enforcing municipal traffic policies such as public-transport, bicycle, and pedestrian prioritization. ITC’s algorithms run on off-the-shelf cameras already installed at numerous intersections to obtain live traffic data, enabling a plug-and-play deployment model. Its scalable technology is being deployed in the United States, Brazil, Australia, Israel, and Europe and manages millions of cars weekly. Current commercial activity includes work with the municipality of Tel Aviv and Netivei Israel, a national road operator. The company intends to use the new funding to accelerate growth and expand development efforts.