Participated · Seed · Sep 2018

Nodle builds a crowdsourced connectivity network that leverages users' smartphones to collect data from Bluetooth Low Energy sensors, enabling multi-year battery life for sensors without built-in cellular. The company pays phone users in a native token, Nodle Cash, and encrypts transfers using its Rendezvous protocol. Nodle offers an Android app and also partners with app developers to integrate the service; typical extra mobile data usage is about 20–30 MB. The startup positions the product for non–real-time use cases such as smart cities and asset tracking rather than guaranteed real-time telemetry. Nodle is running pilot projects and has partnerships or engagements with HTC and Cisco Meraki. The team is led by co-founder and CEO Micha Benoliel (who previously co-founded Open Garden) alongside co-founder Garrett Kinsman, and the company has already raised seed capital. Nodle.io provides a decentralized Internet of Things connectivity network that uses mobile phones as infrastructure to support high-throughput device communication. The company offers a Software Development Kit (SDK) for application developers, consumer electronics manufacturers and telcos to connect devices and monetize applications. Users can earn NODL coins for participating and helping the network grow. Nodle says its network can support hundreds of thousands of transactions per second. The company reports over 1 million devices connecting to the Nodle Citizen Network every day. The business is led by co-founder and CEO Micha Benoliel and had completed a seed financing of $1.5M.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2018

Newchip is an Austin, Texas-based investment marketplace led by founder and CEO Ryan Rafols and co-founder/CFO Judd Hollas. The platform lets new and experienced investors discover opportunities, start investing with as little as $100, and build diversified portfolios while enabling entrepreneurs to raise up to $50 million. The company has opened its marketplace to blockchain and securitized tokens and continually adds new sectors, categories, and hundreds of investment opportunities each month. In 2017, more than 800 listed companies sought about $300 million in investment capital through the platform. Newchip intends to use the funds to expand its operations and broaden its business reach. Backers in the reported round include JadeValue Fintech, Yeoman’s Capital, Spunik ATX, Youbi Capital and Polymath.