• illumicell AI

  Participated · Seed · Apr 2025

  Illumicell AI builds a portable "lab scanner" and real-time AI platform that analyzes cells and biomarkers in fluid samples within minutes, initially targeting semen diagnostics for male fertility. The company has collected over 400,000 datapoints and generates structured, labeled cell data to enable personalized insights such as lifestyle-linked fertility changes and early decline warnings. Early clinical trials reportedly outperform legacy systems, and the platform is designed to extend beyond semen to fluids like urine and cerebrospinal fluid. The startup plans an FDA submission in 2026 as it advances clinical validation. Founded in 2023 as a Swiss-American company and led by physician and technical co-founders, illumicell AI has been selected by programs including Harvard i-Labs, Creative Destruction Lab, MassChallenge, Techstars, and Keihanna KGAP+. The company raised funding to accelerate development and commercialization of its real-time diagnostics platform.

• Shekel Mobility

  Participated · Seed · Nov 2023

  Shekel Mobility operates a B2B marketplace and mobility fintech that helps auto dealers find inventory, access financing and sell cars across Africa. Its flagship product, Shekel Credit, provides dealers with loans covering up to 70% of vehicle costs (dealers typically contribute 30%), with credit limits up to $200,000 and typical vehicle loans in the $5,000–$20,000 range. The company reports a 0% default rate on its credit product and has powered more than $56 million in transactions, supporting over 1,400 auto dealers and ~7,000 cars to date. Shekel says its ARR is slightly over $2 million and plans to use the new funding to quadruple ARR ahead of a next priced round. The startup is building additional offerings, including Shekel Business to digitize informal trading processes for dealers, plus more digital tools and physical infrastructure to reduce dealership operating costs. Founders Benjamen Oladokun and Sanmi Olukanmi previously built and exited Eazypapers Technologies, and the team aims to create the largest auto-dealer ecosystem with a $10 billion annual transaction target by 2025. Shekel Mobility is a fintech neobank and trading platform offering a simplified financing and operating system for auto dealers in Africa. Dealers pre-approved by the platform provide at least 30% of a vehicle’s value and Shekel disburses the remaining 70% after vetting; purchased vehicles are housed in approved car lots. Since launching operations in January 2022 the company has enrolled over 1,000 dealers and powered more than $19 million in transactions; it has financed about 3,500 vehicles worth roughly $20 million and processes over $2 million in transactions monthly. The company reports a 0% default rate tied to its credit model and says onboarding has enabled dealers to triple sales and grow inventory. Shekel was selected for Y Combinator’s Winter 2023 batch. Planned moves include owning car lot(s) in the coming months and prioritizing additional debt funding to scale across Africa and other emerging markets.

• Alfie Health

  Participated · Seed · Jun 2023

  Alfie Health operates a virtual obesity management platform centered on its proprietary ObesityRx AI clinical decision support system. ObesityRx conducts metabolic profiling to identify drivers of weight gain and produces precision medicine and behavioral-change recommendations that are reviewed by the company’s medical team. The service pairs those recommendations with ongoing telehealth support from a team of specialists and coaches. The system was developed with input from obesity specialists at Mass General and the Cleveland Clinic. Alfie is working with a large cardiology group and a large enterprise client on patient referrals, and its program is covered by major health insurers in select states. Led by CEO Alexander Singh and COO Rohit Rustagi, the company recently raised $2.1M and intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach.

No current team members are available.