Participated · Equity · Apr 2024

Arris has developed a patented advanced manufacturing technology platform that prioritizes specific stiffness and strength for continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite structures. The company created a new manufacturing category called Additive Molding, a software, materials, and high-volume production approach to producing composite parts at scale. Its technology targets footwear, bicycles, portable electronics, automotive, aerospace, and industrial markets. Founded in 2017 and based in Berkeley, California, Arris intends to use the funds to scale its global operations. Growth actions include continued performance-driven innovation, strategic go-to-market initiatives, and expansion of ingredient brand partnerships with an emphasis on consumer products and aerospace applications. The company raised $34M from a mix of strategic and institutional backers to support those efforts. Arris Composites is a US additive manufacturing startup. The article identifies the company as operating in additive manufacturing but provides no further product or technology details. Arris completed a Series C financing, raising US$88.5 million. The amount raised exceeded the company's estimated target for the round. The report did not disclose participating investors, prior funding rounds, founding year, or operating metrics such as revenue or user numbers. No future plans or use of proceeds were detailed in the article. Arris Composites mass-produces high-strength, lightweight carbon-fiber composite parts using its proprietary Additive Molding manufacturing technology. The process enables advanced carbon-fiber materials to be produced at speeds comparable to plastic-molded products, allowing mass production of complex, highly integrated parts. Its technologies have been used in aerospace, automotive, and consumer products markets. Arris also employs a new generation of recyclable composites and designs products so end-of-life waste can become feedstock for future products. The company provides in-house design collaboration and application engineering tools so customers can design and produce previously impossible products that are stronger and lighter than metals. Arris is based in Berkeley, California, was founded in 2017, and is planning to expand operations following its recent fundraising. Former Autodesk CEO Carl Bass is joining the board as an independent director and has been involved since 2017 as an angel investor, advisor, and research collaborator. Arris Composites develops next-generation continuous carbon fiber composites that can be combined with metals, plastics, wires and other materials for aerospace, automotive and consumer products. The company spent the prior two years in stealth developing these materials. It was founded by manufacturing innovation veterans Ethan Escowitz, Riley Reese and Erick Davidson, who serves as founder and CEO. Arris is based in Berkeley, California. The company will use new funding to expand operations and continue development efforts. Its current financing indicates early-stage capital support for scaling production and R&D.

Participated · Series B · Mar 2023

Circ is a Danville, Virginia-based textile recycler that has developed patented technology to recycle global fashion waste back into textiles. The company says its process reduces the need for petroleum, trees, and other materials used to manufacture clothes. Its technology is currently used by Patagonia, Marubeni, and Fashion For Good. Circ aims to recycle 10 billion garments, representing 10% of the global apparel market, which it says will save more than 100 million trees. The company will use new funding to expand its manufacturing efforts and packaging partnerships. Circ is led by CEO Peter Majeranowski. Circ develops a proprietary chemical recycling process that extracts raw materials from discarded cotton and polyester, including cotton‑polyester blends. Its process uses subcritical water heated to 105–190°C at elevated pressure (40–300 psi) with a chemical catalyst such as sodium hydroxide to break polymer bonds and produce cellulose or terephthalic acid (TPA). Circ's patents state the method can use fewer chemical catalysts, making it cheaper and less environmentally taxing than some alternatives. The company began as a biofuels business processing tobacco waste but pivoted to textiles after industry demand. Circ says the new funding will help secure suppliers and purchasers as it scales, with the aim of making recycled garments accessible to everyday shoppers. Financially, the company previously raised $8 million in a round led by Tin Shed Ventures and has announced a $30 million Series B led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Circ has developed a chemical/hydrothermal process that can separate and recover both polyester and cotton from polyester–cotton blends while keeping fiber integrity intact. Founders Peter Majeranowski and Conor Hartman adapted the approach from earlier biofuels work (the company traces roots to Tyton BioScience) and have spent roughly a decade refining the technology. The process can handle small amounts of spandex (typically under 5 percent) and yields high-quality cotton cellulose that the team says can replace tree pulp for cellulosic fibers. Circ plans to introduce textiles made with its recycled fibers later this year, working with contract manufacturers and a facility in Danville, VA. The company raised $8 million from Patagonia, Marubeni, Alante Capital and Card Sound Capital to put the technology to work. Circ aims to scale impact—targeting recycling 10 billion garments by 2030—and positions its solution as one of several chemical-recycling approaches needed to address global textile waste and microplastics challenges.