The Venture Codex

Participated · Seed · Sep 2022

CarpeDM operates a subscription-based, tech-enabled matchmaking service and patented video-based dating app designed to help Black women and people seeking to date them. The service pairs handpicked and algorithm-curated matches and requires a 5- to 10-minute video chat to test chemistry before users remain matched. CarpeDM has pioneered 100% member background checks, verifying identity, employment, income, and criminal history via a proprietary one-on-one interview process and its accredited partner KarmaCheck. The app is currently available in the Washington, D.C. area and the company participates in the inaugural Techstars Washington DC Powered by J.P. Morgan accelerator. Co-founded by Naza Shelley and Sali Hama, CarpeDM recently closed a Pre-Seed round and plans to use the funds to accelerate growth and expand operations.

Participated · Series A · May 2022

Mahmee is an integrated care delivery platform for maternal and infant health that provides a subscription-based service offering live support seven days a week, unlimited expert-led support groups and classes, and a unified health record for mom and baby. Since launching in 2016, Mahmee has served over 15,000 pregnant and birthing individuals and its network includes more than 750 practices and community-based organizations. The service pairs expectant mothers with seasoned nurses and care coordinators who proactively screen for health concerns, make referrals to culturally competent professionals, and assist with navigating social services. Mahmee reports patients are 10% less likely to have a C-section and 50% less likely to deliver prematurely, and it maintains partnerships with municipal health departments, hospitals, and insurers including the D.C. Department of Health and Blue Shield of California. The company emphasizes improving outcomes for Black and Indigenous birthing individuals and aims to expand access to comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care for historically underserved communities. Mahmee operates a HIPAA-secure online platform that combines peer group discussions, connections to medical providers, and trained maternity coaches who can flag medical issues. The service offers group and individual video calls (the introductory coach session is free) and subscription tiers starting at $20 up to about $200 per month for unlimited access and monitoring. Mahmee’s dashboard is designed to bridge fragmented postpartum data and enable coordination across practices and health systems. The company charges for engagement and patient monitoring services rather than offering the core community features for free. Mahmee reports more than 1,000 providers in its network. The team plans to expand engineering, clinical, and sales staff and is pursuing partnerships within the healthcare industry.

Participated · Seed · Apr 2022

ShearShare is a B2B mobile marketplace that lets licensed beauty and barbering professionals rent flexible, affordable workspace with no-term leases or commission fees. The platform supports 900 cities and has grown into a nationwide marketplace serving tens of thousands of industry professionals, owners, and operators. ShearShare recently completed a rebrand, launched an improved mobile UX, and expanded educational and business resources for its user community. It offers daily liability insurance through an exclusive partnership with Lloyd’s of London. The company plans to hire a CTO and a Head of Revenue Operations, amplify self-service features, expand its on-demand rental database, and introduce proprietary analytics for small business owners. ShearShare has established headquarters at 43North in Buffalo, NY. ShearShare operates an online marketplace that lets stylists book open chairs or stations at salons and barbershops, matching supply and demand across locations. The founders launched the Dallas-based company in 2017 and have expanded listings to more than 600 cities, with chair prices ranging from about $15 to $569 depending on market. The platform processes payments for stylists via a partnership with First American Payments. ShearShare serves both stylists and salon owners rather than focusing solely on consumer booking or salon management. The company plans to roll out ancillary services for stylists, including pioneering an insurance policy to cover on-the-job lawsuits. With new funding and a Google for Startups grant, the team says it is ready to accelerate expansion and add more services for independent beauty professionals.

Participated · Seed · Aug 2021

Health in Her HUE is a digital health app focused on reducing health disparities for women of color by connecting members with healthcare providers and culturally tailored content. The platform offers educational health content, community forums, and a network of about 1,300 providers across 60 specialties, and it reports nearly 13,000 members. It runs a Care Squad program that delivers culturally tailored health education classes and plans to expand that program and add new topics including fertility, endometriosis, and postpartum recovery. The company also plans to launch a product to answer health questions via video from clinical experts. Founder and CEO Ashlee Wisdom said the startup balanced fundraising and revenue focus during a challenging raise. To date the company has raised $4.2 million and will use the new funds to expand products and programs and enhance membership experience. Health In Her HUE provides a digital health solution designed to meet the healthcare needs of women of color, with an initial focus on Black women. The platform helps users find and connect with culturally aligned and sensitive healthcare providers and offers culturally attuned health content and community. It already features nearly 1,000 culturally sensitive providers, including doctors, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, therapists, and nutritionists. The company plans to develop a new platform and a membership experience that will offer customized care support via tailored content, consults, care recommendations, and other benefits and perks. HHH is led by CEO Ashlee Wisdom and COO Eddwina Bright. The company raised $1M in pre-seed funding to support these product and membership efforts.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2021

Goalsetter provides a goal-based savings and smart-spending platform for families that combines educational media and tools to build wealth. Its financial wellness content is mapped to JumpStart.org and Council for Economic Education national standards and uses pop culture, memes, GIFs and game-based tools to engage young consumers. Features include “Learn to Earn,” which rewards kids for correct quiz answers, and “Learn Before You Burn,” which lets parents automatically freeze teens' and tweens' debit cards if they miss weekly quizzes. The company offers its app as a white-labeled youth-banking solution through partnerships with banks and credit unions including Fiserv, Trustage, CUNA Strategic Services, MSU Federal Credit Union, InTouch CU, Solutions Bank and Liberty Bank. Goalsetter recently raised $9.6M in a Series A extension and plans to use the funds to continue signing new B2B alliances and to implement existing programs ahead of a Series B raise. The company is led by founder and CEO Tanya Van Court. Goalsetter operates a financial-education app for children that combines allowance and gift management, a Goalsetter debit card, age‑tailored financial‑literacy quizzes to 'unlock' funds, and a newly introduced Goalsetter Invest feature for buying and selling stocks. The product is gamified to engage kids while teaching savings, spending, and investing behaviors. Founder Tanya Van Court built the company drawing on personal financial lessons and prior experience at Nickelodeon, Discovery Education and ESPN. Goalsetter initially grew via B2C channels focused on parents and word of mouth. Following its Series A, the company is shifting into B2B, offering white‑labeled versions of its platform to banks and financial institutions through a partnership with Fiserv. It is also pursuing partnerships with large employers to offer the platform as an employee benefit. Goalsetter provides an app and debit card that teach children financial literacy through quizzes, allowance management, goal cards and parental controls. The platform lets parents pay kids for correct quiz answers, enable family and friends to give goal cards instead of gift cards, and control or lock the kid debit card. Founder Tanya Van Court, who previously worked at Nickelodeon and ESPN, launched Goalsetter in 2019 out of the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator. The company reports families save an average of $120 per month on the platform and said two families saved over $10,000 in the last year. Goalsetter is also launching a campaign for Black History Month aimed at closing the wealth gap among Black children and kids of color through financial education. To date the company has raised a total of $6.0M. Goalsetter provides parents and children a goal-driven savings platform with two main branches: a kids’ savings account (allowance, auto-save, debit card round-ups and GoalCards) and a financial-literacy learning center. Children set goals (college, bikes, gaming consoles), earn allowance through the app, and receive GoalCards from relatives to fund those goals. The company’s quiz game “It’s LIT” is mapped to K–12 financial literacy standards and uses pop-culture content to engage kids; Goalsetter plans to launch that curriculum to school districts with lesson plans and quizzes. Goalsetter monetizes by charging $1 per GoalCard sent, donates 5% of the transaction fee to children’s charities, and offers a voluntary donation function. The app skews younger than competitors and has been featured on Shark Tank; the founder declined an offer from Mr. Wonderful. Goalsetter has more than 20,000 users and graduated from the Entrepreneurs’ Roundtable Accelerator in 2017. The company has raised a total of $2.1 million to date.