Participated · Seed · Nov 2024

Earthodic develops Biobarc™, a water-resistant, repulpable and recyclable coating for paper packaging that reintegrates lignin, a pulp-and-paper byproduct, into paperboard barrier applications. Its coatings are certified 100% biobased carbon and are designed as a drop-in solution for existing coating infrastructure to replace wax and petroleum-based films. The company is pursuing third-party certifications for industrial compostability to expand end-of-life pathways. Earthodic sells Biobarc™ into non-food contact packaging at scale and is deepening R&D partnerships with global paper-packaging leaders. Established in 2022, Earthodic maintains an R&D hub in Queensland and has operations across Australia and the USA. Earthodic develops Paperbarc, a bio-based waterproof coating that gives paper and packaging water resistance while remaining strong and recyclable. Paperbarc is positioned as a potential replacement for wax or plastic-coated packaging and is suited to bulk and secondary packaging in agricultural and food supply chains, including seafood and fruit and vegetables. The company completed a commercial-scale manufacture run in the US and has earned 100% USDA Biobased Product Label certification and eligibility to participate in the USDA BioPreferred Program. Co-founders Albert Tietz, Fiona Donaghey, Anthony Musumeci and Melissa Mail launched the materials science startup last year after collaborating on earlier projects. Earthodic plans to use funds to scale up production, ramp up sales and marketing, and expand its intellectual property portfolio. The startup is based in Brisbane, Queensland.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2024

Izote Biosciences is developing a proprietary fermentation technology that enables microorganisms to use an alternative, salt‑like molecule instead of oxygen; the company says this molecule is roughly 100,000 times more soluble than oxygen. The method allows anaerobic organisms to operate in simpler bioreactors and promises more predictable scaling, longer fermentation runs, and operational benefits the company quantifies as over 70% lower capital expenditures and 50–100% higher gross margins. Izote’s initial commercial focus is fragrance and flavor, and it is actively engaging large perfumeries while planning to scale the platform to food, cosmetics, and other industries. The technology was initially developed by Victor Manuel Reyes‑Umaña and Berkeley professor John Coates; the company was formed in 2022 and Samuel Atwood joined as CEO in February 2023. Izote is currently pre‑revenue but working on a few customer projects as it builds lab capabilities. Management expects an 18‑month timeline to identify launch molecules and demonstrate laboratory productivity at least 50% better than current alternatives.

Participated · Seed · Sep 2023

Science On Call is a Chicago, IL–based provider of an AI-powered help desk that offers 24/7/365 tech support for restaurants. Led by CEO Andy Freivogel, the company fields a dedicated team of restaurant technologists whom customers can text, call, or email to resolve issues across point of sale, internet, Wi‑Fi, online ordering, email and phone systems. Its team leverages a proprietary database of technology resolutions compiled from hundreds of restaurants to solve common tech problems in minutes. Customers include Gregorys Coffee, Go Get Em Tiger Coffee, &pizza, and Primanti Bros, which use the service to ease staff burden and reduce internal IT spending. The company intends to use the funds to expand product offerings and enhance its go-to-market strategy. The recent $2.6M seed financing is intended to support those plans.