Participated · Series B · May 2016

Convene Hospitality Group operates a house of hospitality brands—including Convene, etc.venues, and NeueHouse—offering dedicated meetings, events, and boutique hospitality spaces with design-forward venues, production capabilities, and chef-driven cuisine. Launched in 2009 and headquartered in Manhattan, the company positions itself as the largest provider of dedicated meetings and event venues in the U.S. and UK. Convene emphasizes human-centered service, performance-focused operations, and advanced production and design capabilities. With the new $230 million financing, Convene plans to accelerate global expansion through new development, technology and production investment, and selective acquisitions. The company has slated New York City openings in 2026, including a Convene in the Scholastic Building in SoHo and immersive venues The Aperture and The Mallory.

Led · Equity · Jun 2015

Flytxt is a customer data analytics software company based in Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. Led by CEO Dr. Vinod Vasudevan, Flytxt provides an enterprise-class product that ingests, manages and analyzes large volumes of moving customer data to derive actionable insights, and includes built-in applications for digital customer engagement and digital services. The company serves over 100 customers, including major telcos, financial institutions and global brands across 40 countries. Flytxt has offices in Dubai and India and regional presence in Paris, London, Singapore, Nairobi and Mexico City. It closed a US$11m financing and plans to use the funds for R&D to continue evolving its software, further its growth in the telecom industry and expand into other verticals. Flytxt provides proprietary Big Data analytics solutions to Communication Service Providers (CSPs) and brands to increase sales, optimize margins and enhance customer experience. Launched in 2008 and led by Chairman Joerg Swoboda, the company has deployed its platforms with more than 50 customers across 32 countries. Flytxt has a corporate office in Dubai and a presence in Trivandrum, Mumbai, London, Singapore, Lagos, Nairobi, Dhaka and Mexico City. It plans to use the $11m funding to consolidate its presence in the CSP market, expand mobile consumer analytics offerings into other industry verticals, and double its team during the next growth phase. The company also aims to grow its product portfolio for CSPs. Flytxt previously received funding from angels and family offices in Germany and the Netherlands.

Participated · Equity · Aug 2012

MeeGenius operates a digital library of illustrated e-books aimed at supporting children’s learning, available on iOS devices, Android tablets and phones, and computers. The company was launched in April 2010 by Wandy Yeap Hoh and David Park and is based in Phoenix, Arizona. MeeGenius recently received an investment from Najafi Companies; the amount was not disclosed. Following the transaction, Najafi will become a significant strategic shareholder. The company intends to use the proceeds from the investment to expand its offerings. Najafi Companies also owns other digital media assets including Chapitre eBooks and 1K Studios, which may inform strategic collaboration. MeeGenius offers a curated app of licensed and original children's e‑books across iPhone, iPad, Android devices, Google TV, and the Chrome Web Store. The free-to-download app centralizes purchasing and reading, hosts more than 700 titles, and has been downloaded over 1.5 million times; the company has sold millions of titles to date. MeeGenius works directly with publishers and authors and also produces original titles with writers, editors, and illustrators. Its Chrome app targets the education market and includes a free 20-book library for educators that purchase Chromebooks. The company has fewer than ten employees and supplements its team with freelance writers, editors, and consultants. MeeGenius plans to use new funding to expand its kids' content library and enter new markets.