Led · Equity · May 2023

Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, part of the Next Century Spirits portfolio, blends traditional Scotch-style methods with proprietary modern cask-finishing and filtration to create a distinctive American single malt. Its whiskey, priced at a suggested $39.99, is already distributed in 27 states and has garnered multiple accolades, including double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a best-in-category award at the World Whiskey Competition. The brand soft-launched in 2022 and brought on entertainer Seth MacFarlane as an equity stakeholder and Chief Storyteller to amplify its marketing narrative. With craft spirits demand expected to nearly double by 2025, Bear Fight plans an official national campaign later this year to expand visibility and distribution. The company leverages Next Century Spirits’ scalable production process, which allows it to control barrel finishing at the molecular level and meet growing consumer demand sustainably. Recent funding signals acceleration mode for promotional and distribution initiatives as Bear Fight seeks to carve out a leadership position in the emerging American single malt category.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2023

Cure Hydration develops science-backed electrolyte drink formulas that use clean, natural ingredients and a company commitment to non-GMO, sustainably sourced materials without added sugars or artificial additives. Launched in 2019, the brand competes in the $10 billion functional drink mix market and emphasizes sustainability, health and empowerment. The company has expanded rapidly, posting a 2,489% growth rate over three years and securing placement in over 13,000 retail locations, including REI, Anthropologie, Fresh Thyme Market and Meijer. Cure Hydration recently introduced Cure Kids, a pediatrician-formulated line of children’s electrolyte drink mixes in kid-approved flavors. Management is focused on supporting continued retail expansion and growing e-commerce demand. Cure sells plant-based powdered electrolyte drink mixes that emphasize clean ingredients such as coconut water powder and pink Himalayan salt. Since launching in 2019, the company has averaged 230% annual revenue growth and plans to expand its retail footprint from 4,000 stores in 2021 to 15,000 in 2023. Cure maintains roughly 60% e-commerce penetration and reported Q1 2023 growth that outpaced the prior-year quarter by 121%, operating with nine full-time employees. Its product line includes nine flavors and is carried in CVS and Walgreens, with recent retail additions including Sprouts, Albertsons, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Wegmans and HEB. The brand skews toward female, active consumers and differentiates on ingredient quality versus competitors. Planned initiatives include faster retail expansion, new product development (including a bulk jar option), and scaling the leadership and marketing teams, with a target of profitability by early 2024. Cure Hydration sells flavored powdered electrolyte mixes formulated on the World Health Organization’s Oral Rehydration Solution, using core ingredients like coconut water and pink Himalayan salt. The products are organic, vegan, contain no added sugars, and are sold online and in retail stores such as CVS, Walmart and Whole Foods. Packs retail for $20.99 for 14 servings on the company website, or $16.79 with a subscription; the company donates 1% of proceeds to the women’s sports nonprofit SheIS. Early customers include amateur athletes and people who need help staying hydrated due to chronic illnesses and other health conditions. Cure’s current retail footprint is roughly 4,200 U.S. locations and the company plans to use new funding to expand that footprint and to develop products beyond hydration while keeping to its science-backed principles. The company also maintains a medical advisory board that includes Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, Dr. Dana Cohen and nutritionist Brooke Alpert.

Participated · Series B · Aug 2021

Cart.com provides an end-to-end commerce enablement platform that lets brands such as TOMS Shoes, PacSun, and Janie and Jack sell across digital and omnichannel channels while outsourcing fulfillment, supply-chain operations, and customer experience. Its offering blends enterprise software, predictive analytics, and agentic AI with a scaled U.S. warehouse and logistics infrastructure, giving merchants one system of record from checkout to delivery. The company plans to deepen workflow automation, expand its AI capabilities to autonomously route inventory and reduce shipping times, and continue building out its national fulfillment footprint. Fresh capital will also be directed toward advancing proprietary software and improving operational efficiency. Cart.com emphasizes a path to sustainable, profitable growth rather than purely top-line expansion. Although the company has not disclosed revenue or user metrics, management highlights demonstrable ROI for enterprise customers. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Cart.com views itself as a category-defining commerce and fulfillment platform.

Participated · Seed · Aug 2021

TOP the organic project is a women-owned period-product company that makes 100% certified organic-cotton tampons and pads, marketed as hypoallergenic and free from synthetics, toxins, pesticides, dyes and fragrances. Its tampons use a trademarked Planticator®, a plant-based applicator designed to replace traditional plastic applicators. The brand operates a give-back model to address period poverty, having donated nearly 750,000 period products, and supports food banks and school districts through philanthropic partnerships. Since founding in 2018, TOP has expanded into about 1,500 retailers nationwide, including Sprouts, HEB, Wegmans and Target.com, and has reported triple-digit year-over-year growth. With the newly announced $2 million seed extension (part of $3 million raised since founding), the company plans to expand retail presence and product offerings, bolster marketing, and grow its team. TOP has also launched partnerships with Imperfect Foods and rolled out a First Period Gift Box for teens and parents to drive education and accessibility.

Led · Series F · Mar 2021

AirCarbon is a regenerative, carbon-negative biomaterial developed by California-based Newlight Technologies to replace synthetic plastics and fibres. The material is produced by replicating ocean microorganisms’ ability to convert dissolved carbon into PHB using clean energy, saltwater and air. Independent verification by the U.K. Carbon Trust found that, when produced using methane seeping from abandoned coal mines, each kilogram of AirCarbon sequesters 88 kilograms of CO2e on a cradle-to-gate basis. AirCarbon is certified carbon negative, has won recognition from organisations including the World Economic Forum and the U.S. EPA, and is home-compostable and ocean- and soil-degradable. Newlight has produced sustainable foodware such as cutlery and straws and is testing the material with Shake Shack across U.S. locations. The company is scaling commercial production to meet growing demand for single-use alternatives driven by hygiene and convenience trends.