Participated · Seed · Mar 2024

Velou offers AI-driven product data enrichment and the Sentient Product Catalog, which self-optimizes content in real time to improve discoverability and customer engagement. Its platform uses computer vision and natural language understanding to extract deep semantic product insights and align them with customer intent. The technology is positioned to provide foundational product data infrastructure for next-generation ecommerce intelligence. Velou plans to use the new funding to accelerate hiring and its go-to-market strategy. The company reports nearly tripling revenue over the past six months, driven by an expanding global customer base of retailers, brands, and marketplaces. Velou recently added retail software veteran Gavin Hewitt as its first chief operating officer to help scale operations and GTM execution. Velou provides an AI-powered product data enrichment and search automation platform that delivers industry-specific data models, analytics, and product data generation to streamline product launches and reduce manual errors. The platform integrates with systems such as SAP, Salesforce, Shopify, and BigCommerce and acts as an AI copilot for ecommerce teams. Velou serves renowned global luxury brands, large department stores, and rapidly expanding ecommerce retailers. The company plans to use the funding for strategic expansion, including product and partnership development and key hires. Led by founder and CEO Sadee Gamhewa and based in San Francisco, the company emphasizes automating catalog workflows and elevating customer relationships at scale.

Participated · Seed · Sep 2021

Verdi raised CAD$6.5M in seed funding to expand its irrigation automation offerings. The company, led by CEO Arthur Chen and based in Vancouver, provides modern automation tools and patented retrofit devices that automate irrigation and maintenance on existing farm infrastructure. Verdi says its technology helps farmers save labor, reduce inputs and increase yields and is used by the largest food producers. The company plans to use the funds to expand into new regions, advance its AI-powered platform and deepen relationships with major agribusinesses. Management frames these initiatives as driving automation at scale and building infrastructure for a more climate-resilient food system. The seed brings Verdi's total funding to CAD$9.5M. Verdi builds a scalable platform for farm automation and personalized plant healthcare, using intelligent devices that transform existing irrigation equipment into AI-powered systems. Its technology enables automated operations that boost crop and workforce productivity while reducing technology adoption costs. Verdi counts customers among the world’s largest food brands and in 2023 saved its customers over 30 million liters of water. Founded in 2020 by Canadian entrepreneurs Arthur Chen and Roman Kozak, the company is focused on scaling internationally. Verdi plans to enhance its AI capabilities and expand geographic reach through a strategic collaboration with NEC X and integration with NEC’s CropScope initiative. Entry into NEC X’s Elev X! Boost program is intended to provide capital, strategic partnerships and integrations with NEC’s tech ecosystem to accelerate growth.