Participated · Equity · Mar 2026

Rubi Laboratories develops an enzyme-driven platform that converts captured carbon dioxide into cellulose suitable for lyocell and viscose. The process uses a cascade of engineered enzymes in aqueous reactors sized to fit inside shipping-container modules, producing white cellulose within minutes as CO2 is added. Rubi has used AI and machine learning to improve enzyme efficacy and stability and plans to move toward continuous production. The company is building a demonstration-scale system intended to produce tens of tons of material and intends to supply apparel and other industries that use cellulose. Rubi has tested its material with 15 pilot partners, including H&M, Patagonia, and Walmart, and has booked more than $60 million in non-binding off-take agreements with a couple of partners. Leadership includes co-founder and CEO Neeka Mashouf, who founded the company with her twin sister Leila.

Led · Seed · Feb 2024

Monomer Bio offers an AI-ready lab automation and analytics platform that integrates robotic automation, data management, computer vision, and deep learning to digitize lab workflows and accelerate drug discovery. The platform can detect significant changes in cell morphology from microscopy images and supports larger-scale, more complex experiments. It is compatible with lab equipment from major manufacturers and provides an intuitive interface for customized automation workflows; the team also helps customers optimize their lab setups. Customers such as Indee Labs have used Monomer’s software to increase cell production. Founded by CEO Jimmy Sastra and CTO Mark Zhang, the company aims to simplify data management, analytics, and automation for scientists and eliminate manual bottlenecks. Monomer announced a $5.6M seed raise to fund expansion and further enhance its platform to empower more laboratories and researchers.

Led · Series A · May 2023

Laced is a UK-based resale marketplace that facilitates authenticated sales of premium sneakers between anonymous buyers and sellers. Sellers list new, boxed trainers at a set price; listings are queued and prioritized by lowest price to encourage reasonable pricing. After a sale, sellers ship items to Laced's in-house authenticators, who verify items before forwarding them to buyers; Laced takes a 15% cut on the list price. Founded in London in 2018, the company focuses exclusively on the UK market and emphasizes anonymity for both buyers and sellers. Laced has built a proprietary tech stack and an authentication system that uses pattern identification, a large database of silhouette-specific variables, and an internal training syllabus. The company has raised $12M in a Series A (on top of a $1M pre-seed) and plans to invest in technology, product and data science to scale its platform in a crowded resale market.

Led · Seed · Mar 2023

Rubi Labs leverages CO2 as a natural resource to produce carbon-negative materials through a cell-free enzyme flow biocatalysis platform. The company turns carbon emissions into natural carbon-negative textiles, with its first application aimed at the fashion industry. Co-founded by Neeka and Leila Mashouf, Rubi Labs is producing carbon-negative textiles as a commercial use case. The startup intends to use new funding to expand operations and accelerate development efforts. Financially, Rubi Labs raised an $8.7M seed round and has now raised a total of $13.5M.

Led · Seed · Mar 2023

Rubi uses a patent-pending, cell-free biocatalysis process powered by enzymes to capture and convert CO2 from manufacturing waste streams into cellulose, which is processed into lyocell yarn for clothing. The company has launched strategic pilot partnerships with global brands including Reformation, GANNI, H&M, Nuuly, and Patagonia to commercialize its process in the fashion supply chain. Rubi says 100% of CO2 inputted to the end product is done with zero waste and intends to scale production to deliver limited planet-positive apparel collections. The team has grown rapidly (200% in the last six months) and recently hired a cellulose engineer from Aalto University’s lab; Rubi also cites scientific talent and ongoing innovation efforts. Financially, Rubi has $13.5 million in total funding to date, including an $8.7 million Series Seed and prior Pre-Seed and grant support. The company has received a $250,000 National Science Foundation grant, won the H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award, and was included in Fashion For Good’s Global Innovation Programme and Forbes 30 Under 30 for manufacturing and industry.