Participated · Seed · Aug 2019

Cere Network builds a blockchain-based customer relations management system and operates a decentralized data cloud. The company runs its own blockchain that supports Polkadot and includes bridges to Ethereum and Polygon to enable data transfers. Cere plans to complete integration of its decentralized data cloud into Polygon’s protocol and Polkadot by the end of the third quarter. The recent funding will be used for new hires, developer network growth and app development to accelerate those integrations. Cere has grown its team to more than 60 employees globally to meet demand for its decentralized data cloud launch. The company was described as Berlin-based in the article, and an update notes it has changed the location of its headquarters. Cere Network offers a decentralized data cloud (DDC) platform that hosts thousands of data queries on a blockchain-based ledger and uses blockchain identity plus data encryption to onboard and segment consumer data. The platform creates customizable, interoperable virtual datasets accessible in near real time by business units, partners, and ML processes, and it launches to developers today. Cere plans an open data marketplace powered by its Cere token to enable trustless data-sharing, staking, and governance; the public token sale is scheduled on Republic (March 31) and will be the first token sale on that platform. The company says it is working with a number of Fortune 1,000 customers and aims to compete with incumbent data clouds like Snowflake by focusing on specific vertical solutions and improved data governance. Financially, Cere has raised $5 million in the current round led by Republic Labs and previously raised another $5 million, bringing total disclosed capital raised to $10 million. Cere Network is developing an enterprise-grade Decentralized Data Cloud (DDC) and CRM tools aimed at returning data ownership to businesses. The company plans to build its CRM and DDC platform on the Polkadot network and make the product available to other applications built on Polkadot. Cere positions the DDC as an alternative to mainstream cloud providers and legacy CRM systems. CEO Fred Jin said the platform “gives businesses back ownership of their data” and enables companies to build their own customer data ecosystems. The startup is Binance-backed and has previously raised a $3.5 million seed round announced in August 2019. It most recently secured an additional $1.5 million to further develop the DDC and related products. Cere Network provides a blockchain CRM ecosystem designed to capture the entire customer journey and enable service data integration and collaboration. It stores key user data such as purchases, achievements and usage in the user’s wallet. Businesses and vendors access Cere’s microservices platform via permissioned proxy keys to secure user data sharing and enable direct user acquisition across apps and brands. The company intends to use the seed proceeds to accelerate growth of its ecosystem. Cere has established a new office in New York City and will launch the Cere Network Innovation Factory in Berlin during Berlin Blockchain Week. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Fred Jin.

Participated · Equity · Apr 2018

Origin Protocol is a decentralized platform that helps creators, influencers, artists, and brands launch and auction NFTs. The company has hosted high-profile auctions and worked with celebrities including DJ 3LAU and Jake Paul, and staged the auction for the "Charlie Bit My Finger" video. Origin aims to expand NFT adoption among top-tier creators and mainstream consumers through education, marketing, and new use cases. The company announced that Paris Hilton has invested in Origin and joined its team as an adviser. Hilton is an active NFT collector and creator, having bought more than 130 NFTs and sold a piece called “Iconic crypto queen” for over $1.1 million. Origin’s co-founders said Hilton will provide strategic advice on delivering value with NFTs for creators, influencers, and brands. Origin Protocol provides infrastructure that lets developers and businesses build decentralized marketplaces on the blockchain for fractional usage of assets and services. Its platform enables buyers and sellers to discover listings, browse, make bookings, and leave ratings and reviews. The company has an existing prototype and plans to release a public beta in the coming months. Origin intends to use the newly raised funds to continue expanding development efforts. Founded in June 2017 by Matthew Liu and based in San Francisco, the company previously raised a $3.0M advisor round led by Pantera Capital in 2017. The recent financing strengthens its cash position to execute product development and beta launch plans.

Participated · Seed · Dec 2015

Teforia's flagship product is an internet-connected tea infuser that brews the company’s pre-packed “Sips” or loose-leaf tea placed into an "infusion globe." The device is controlled via a mobile app that lets users create, share and store brewing recipes, and it can also be operated manually. Founder and CEO Allen Han, previously known for designing the XBOX, emphasized a sleek, consumer-electronics design that contrasts with traditional kitchen appliances. The company generates revenue from machine sales, subscriptions and tea sales and currently employs 24 full-time staff. Teforia plans to use new funding to hire, scale manufacturing, expand marketing and bolster customer support, with an operational focus on North America first. The product is positioned against single-serve and specialty brewers like Keurig, Chime and the high-end Bkon, aiming to capture part of the large U.S. wholesale tea market. Teforia produces a high-end tea-brewing machine that applies a proprietary Selective Infusion Profile (SIP) system to tailor brews to different tea varietals. The device was developed by founder Allen Han, who emphasizes a scientific and artistic approach to infusion and visibility of the brewing process. The company ran a successful pre-order campaign that generated roughly $300,000 and sold out an initial run of 500 machines. Teforia plans a second batch of 250 units priced at $699, later moving to a $1,299 retail price, with delivery slated for spring 2016. The startup positions itself against lower-priced competitors by targeting devoted consumers and leveraging SIP to differentiate product quality. Market context cited in the article notes the global tea industry is about $37 billion and projected to grow to $44 billion by 2021. The company intends to use new capital to build machines, fund R&D, and grow the team.

Participated · Series B · Aug 2015

EHANG develops the app-controlled Ghost drone and sells both consumer and industrial variants. The company plans to launch a next generation of drones this year, with both industrial and consumer models and expanded app ecosystem. It raised a $42M Series B to develop new products and improve distribution and after‑sale services. EHANG previously raised a $10M Series A nine months earlier and has more than doubled headcount to 150 employees. The company sells Ghost in 70 countries, with overseas consumers accounting for 60% of its global users. EHANG has offices in Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and San Francisco and is pursuing stronger U.S. distribution partnerships. EHANG builds the Ghost Drone, a consumer quadcopter controlled via a smartphone app that uses accelerometers so users can steer by tilting their phones and tap a map to set waypoints. The company offers an SDK to enable third‑party developers and supports GoPro camera angle control; it says the Ghost Drone also includes an auto-follow capability similar to one other maker, 3D Robotics. Ghost Drone units are priced between $500 and $1,000; the company ran an Indiegogo campaign that originally targeted $100,000 and has raised more than $640,000 so far, with shipping expected next month. EHANG is prototyping additional consumer and commercial products and plans to expand its marketing and R&D teams to support growth. The team is distributed across Guangzhou, Beijing, and San Francisco and said it will use new capital to hire more staff and fulfill current orders.

Participated · Equity · Jul 2015

Invi is a text messaging app and interactive messaging platform. The company was founded in 2012 by Iddo Tal and is based in Palo Alto, California. Invi announced a $2 million funding round led by Seven Seas Ventures, with participation from F50, InnoValley, Streamline Ventures and Pre-Angel. The startup said it will use the funding to continue its growth and to develop new products. The announcement did not disclose operating metrics or revenue figures. Invi is an Android-first mobile messaging app that transforms shared links (photos, YouTube, music, etc.) into rich in-chat “virtual widgets” so recipients can view content inside the app. The product integrates other apps on a user’s phone into chat and originally offered private, data/Wi‑Fi messaging to avoid SMS fees. To broaden its potential user base, Invi added the ability to text non-Invi users at regular SMS rates. Launched in October 2012, the app has seen several hundred thousand downloads, with over 50% in the U.S., and is being localized in about a dozen languages. The six-person team plans to use new funding to hire more engineers and port the app to iOS, Windows Phone, and the Chrome web browser. Longer-term monetization plans focus on transactional gifting (presents, cards, money) once a large enough user base is established, while near-term product work includes group chat and landscape mode. Invi is a messaging app that embeds a broad range of media — including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest content — directly within text conversations so users can view and share without leaving the chat. If a link points to a service Invi doesn’t natively integrate with, the app generates an interactive widget preview of the linked website. The app launched on Google Play as an Android‑exclusive release; the founders say they plan to build iOS and Windows versions and to open the platform for third‑party developer integrations. Co‑founders Iddo Tal and Lior Gonnen are graduates of Upwest Labs, a Silicon Valley incubator for Israeli entrepreneurs. The app is free and the company is exploring revenue streams such as referral fees when users purchase content through the app. Invi announced a $750,000 seed round led by Li Ka‑Shing’s Horizons Ventures, with participation from Atlantic Bridge and various angel investors.