Backstage Capital

Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to investing in startups led by underrepresented founders in the United States. Established in November 2015, the fund primarily focuses on pre-seed and seed stage companies, providing investments ranging from $25,000 to $100,000. Backstage Capital aims to support diverse entrepreneurs who demonstrate exceptional potential, addressing the disparities in access to capital that many founders face. Through its targeted investments, Backstage Capital seeks to foster innovation and promote inclusivity within the startup ecosystem.

Rob Majteles

Investor

139 past transactions

Goodr

Venture Round in 2022
Goodr Inc. is a sustainable food surplus management platform that utilizes technology to mitigate food waste and address hunger. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company offers a real-time food rescue application that assists businesses in managing their edible food waste. Through its platform, Goodr enables businesses to donate surplus food to local nonprofit organizations while providing logistics, analytics, and security to ensure compliance with tax regulations. The software offers insights into food waste patterns, real-time donation tracking, and community impact reports, which help organizations quantify their contributions. Goodr’s blockchain-enabled platform also ensures an IRS audit-friendly record of donations, fostering a transparent process. By facilitating these donations, Goodr aims to create a triple-win scenario: enhancing the financial benefits for businesses through tax deductions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and alleviating hunger in communities.

Mahmee

Series A in 2022
Mahmee is a care management platform focused on enhancing maternal and child healthcare. The company aims to bridge critical gaps in maternal health by connecting patients with healthcare providers through a comprehensive system that integrates health records for mothers and infants. This platform identifies clinical risks and facilitates collaboration among maternity and infant care practitioners, ensuring that physicians and specialists can share care plans effectively. Founded on the principle that every woman deserves compassionate and respectful support during new motherhood, Mahmee strives to provide ongoing professional assistance to mothers, enabling them to thrive in their parenting journey while promoting the healthy development of their infants in the first year of life.

Civic Eagle

Series A in 2022
Civic Eagle develops software that helps companies discover and analyze legislation and regulations with no manual work. Civic Eagle's platform searches, tracks, and works with legislations across the country and does the discovery work so that policy advocates can focus on winning campaigns, thereby enabling clients to promote better democratic outcomes for people and their communities. It was founded in 2015 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bounce Imaging

Series A in 2022
Bounce Imaging, Inc. specializes in manufacturing tactical throwable cameras equipped with multiple lenses and sensors, designed primarily for use by police and firefighters. The company offers a diverse range of products, including pole attachments, tethers, car chargers, headsets, wrist straps, and magnetic mounts. In addition to its camera systems, Bounce Imaging provides cloud services that encompass technical consulting, design and implementation support, and troubleshooting for imaging and processing hardware. Founded in 2012 and based in Buffalo, New York, the company focuses on developing sensor technology that enhances the safety of first responders by enabling them to remotely and affordably assess hazardous environments.

Sēkr

Seed Round in 2022
Sēkr develops an app called The Vanlife App, which helps every road traveler find their way to free camping, resources, and outdoor community. The Vanlife App guides travelers to their next best adventure with the its social features that allow them to find and connect with other travelers nearby and detailed user reviews.

CurrentsFM

Seed Round in 2022
CurrentsFM is a set of tools that directly supports our grassroots music communities.

ROOMBUS

Pre Seed Round in 2021
We're rethinking what "Home" is and happily diverging from the 100-year-old ideology of what it should be. With human-centered design, precision engineering and IoT, we're creating elegant (yet affordable) smart homes that are healthy and happy spaces to live, work and play. We build modular smart homes with fully integrated kitchen appliances and embedded IoT sensors for home automation. Our smart homes are Earthquake Resistant, Hurricane-Proof and Fire-Resistant. Our Smart Homes have an operating system called RoomOS. This system can also be deployed to multifamily dwellings, hotels and other multi-room installations. Our approach: Modern homes are a piece of hardware integrated with components to promote health, safety, comfort and happiness.

Nickson Living

Series A in 2021
Nickson Living customs design and fully furnish an apartment with just one click. It empowers renters to transform their new apartments into fully furnished, customized homes that are ready before they move in. It aims to give all renters the opportunity to afford to live in the custom designed fully-furnished apartment of their dreams. Nickson Living was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Dollaride

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Dollaride offers a technology platform that connects people living in transit deserts to private ride-sharing networks called dollar vans. Its cashless platform offers operator business dashboard, fleet management system, automated fee collection, and territory expansion features, technical resources, web assistance for operators so that they can manage their fleets with transparency and legal compliance, insurance brokerage, scheduling, and dispatch services, enabling drivers to earn more and keep a track of their daily earnings from their phone and passengers to hail a van instantly and save time. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.

ROOMBUS

Pre Seed Round in 2021
We're rethinking what "Home" is and happily diverging from the 100-year-old ideology of what it should be. With human-centered design, precision engineering and IoT, we're creating elegant (yet affordable) smart homes that are healthy and happy spaces to live, work and play. We build modular smart homes with fully integrated kitchen appliances and embedded IoT sensors for home automation. Our smart homes are Earthquake Resistant, Hurricane-Proof and Fire-Resistant. Our Smart Homes have an operating system called RoomOS. This system can also be deployed to multifamily dwellings, hotels and other multi-room installations. Our approach: Modern homes are a piece of hardware integrated with components to promote health, safety, comfort and happiness.

BookClub

Series A in 2021
BookClub Inc. owns and operates BookClub.com, an author-led virtual book club. The company was incorporated in 2020 and is based in Alpine, Utah.

Alice

Series B in 2021
Hello Alice (helloalice.com) helps businesses launch and grow. A free multi-channel platform, Hello Alice guides business owners by providing funding, networks, and services. Through supporting hundreds of thousands of companies a day in all 50 states and globally, Hello Alice is building the largest community of owners in the country, while tracking data and trends to increase the success rate for entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise business services, government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and medium-business owners to ensure increased revenues. Founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we believe in business for all by providing access to all owners, including women, people of color, veterans, and every American with an entrepreneurial spirit.

The Mentor Method

Seed Round in 2021
The Mentor Method is a social enterprise that provides curated mentor matches, connecting the next generation of tech leaders with change-making mentors at the top of their game. ​ Their process focuses on people and value-fit first, to foster authentic, lasting connections. The result is stronger teams and inclusive workplace cultures. ​ They started The Mentor Method because they wanted to create a world where minorities and women in tech are viewed as assets, not a way to check a box.

Mixtroz

Seed Round in 2021
Mixtroz, LLC is a technology company based in Birmingham, Alabama, that specializes in a software application designed to enhance virtual communication during various events, including networking functions, meetings, training sessions, orientations, and weddings. Founded in 2014 and originally known as Eleven9 LLC, Mixtroz addresses the challenge of homophily, where attendees struggle to connect at mixers. By implementing its platform in gatherings of 50 or more participants, Mixtroz facilitates better engagement and interaction among attendees while also collecting valuable data. This innovative approach aims to create a more dynamic environment for connections, making it easier for individuals to network effectively.

Goodr

Seed Round in 2021
Goodr Inc. is a sustainable food surplus management platform that utilizes technology to mitigate food waste and address hunger. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company offers a real-time food rescue application that assists businesses in managing their edible food waste. Through its platform, Goodr enables businesses to donate surplus food to local nonprofit organizations while providing logistics, analytics, and security to ensure compliance with tax regulations. The software offers insights into food waste patterns, real-time donation tracking, and community impact reports, which help organizations quantify their contributions. Goodr’s blockchain-enabled platform also ensures an IRS audit-friendly record of donations, fostering a transparent process. By facilitating these donations, Goodr aims to create a triple-win scenario: enhancing the financial benefits for businesses through tax deductions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and alleviating hunger in communities.

Guava

Pre Seed Round in 2021
[Guava](http://guavabank.com) is a digital bank designed for and by Black small business owners. We are tackling the racial wealth gap head-on by facilitating the development, growth and resilience of our small businesses, the backbone of our communities.

Freeman Capital

Venture Round in 2021
Diversified investments for a diverse world.

West Tenth

Seed Round in 2021
Discover local, home-based talent in your town and beyond on the West Tenth app. West Tenth is an all-in-one marketplace, connecting consumers with custom services and goods in their own community. Scroll through the storefronts in our digital Main Street to find incredible independent talent, organized by distance from you. West Tenth connects you with local makers and doers who love to collaborate with you to provide just what you need. When you’re transacting with small, home-based businesses, anything is possible! Need a custom-decorated birthday cake? A personal trainer who will come to your house? Design or marketing work for your business? West Tenth is the place to find all that and so much more.

Healthy Roots

Seed Round in 2021
Healthy Roots is a toy company that utilizes a doll, book and app to teach natural hair care to young girls of color. Our dolls come in different skin tones, facial features and hair textures to represent the diversity of the african diaspora. Our dolls hair can be styled in a variety of ways with the guidance of the Big Book of Hair. The big Book of Hair is an illustrated manual to natural hair care. Our app allows users to track their hair health and get curated content for their specific hair needs based on data they input. All three products culminate to the perfect teaching tool for children in a language they understand.

Sēkr

Seed Round in 2021
Sēkr develops an app called The Vanlife App, which helps every road traveler find their way to free camping, resources, and outdoor community. The Vanlife App guides travelers to their next best adventure with the its social features that allow them to find and connect with other travelers nearby and detailed user reviews.

Reflekt Me

Seed Round in 2021
The future of eCommerce is inclusive, dynamic, and interactive! Reflekt Me is a catalyst for change in terms of representation, diversity and inclusion within eCommerce. The venture is an enterprise solution that enables eCommerce companies to be representative of all their potential customers. Reflekt Me’s tool allows sites to match the characteristics of the shopper (size, skin tone, hair texture, etc.) in the images they show via user and influencer generated content. Customers will love seeing someone who actually looks like them using and discussing your products. Not only that – shoppers are able to share this content, read tips, and watch videos about your products – within a dynamic experience on your ecommerce site. With Reflekt Me, the entire social media value chain is on your site, for a frictionless path to purchase. With a team of Ph.D. level sociologists, multicultural insights specialists, psychologists, and technologists, they have created an enterprise solution for ecommerce, that empowers shoppers to find the best products for their unique characteristics. Their insights driven technology can personalize the UX experience for eCommerce sites across fashion, hair care, skin care, beauty, and medical industries. Engage your customers, empower your tribe, create community, answer the call to action – Reflekt Me.

Topknot

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Topknot is the online personal development platform for women. With a unique blend of independent exercises and peer group feedback, Topknot supports women on their journey to building the life they want. By teaching skills rooted in coaching and mindfulness, Topknot's intentional interaction model empowers women to address what’s top of mind today, while also equipping them for tomorrow’s challenges–providing the space for processing, perspective, and accountability that leads to meaningful change.

SOTE

Seed Round in 2020
Sote is building the digital logistics infrastructure for Africa. Their mission is to grow the GDP of the continent by facilitating the growth of trade. They aim to provide a combination of ERP solutions, underwriting models, and software-driven supply chain services across the continent. They are the first to market with a licensed digital customs clearing and forwarding solution, introducing visibility and transparency to industrial importers and exporters in Africa. “Sote” is Swahili for “all of us”.

Spora Health

Seed Round in 2020
Spora Health, Inc. operates as a telemedicine provider that recognizes lived experiences and works to create health solutions. It provides treatments in the areas of allergies, cold and flu, infections, digestive system, musculoskeletal, reproductive system, and skin conditions. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Edlyft

Seed Round in 2020
Edlyft, founded in 2019 and based in San Francisco, California, is a paid support platform designed to assist college students and adult learners in computer science courses. The company connects students with inclusive mentors and provides online group tutoring, alongside resources to help navigate challenging subjects. Edlyft focuses on creating a supportive learning environment through a network of tutors and peer support, enhancing the educational experience for those studying computer science.

SUMA, LLC

Seed Round in 2020
SUMA, LLC is a financial wellness company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2019. The company focuses on promoting financial inclusion within the Latino community by providing a comprehensive platform that combines digital media, financial technology, and virtual experiences. SUMA aims to educate and empower individuals by offering culturally relevant content and tools that simplify complex topics such as investment and debt management. Its mission is to help Latinos navigate financial challenges, enhance their economic knowledge, and build sustainable wealth, ultimately positioning itself as a trusted resource for fostering financial well-being and prosperity.

The Juggernaut

Seed Round in 2020
The Juggernaut is a digital media publication that documents the unstoppable rise of South Asians and South Asia. It was founded in 2018.

Localeur

Venture Round in 2020
Founded in Austin, Texas, in early 2013, Localeur is a global community of locals spanning 180+ cities and destinations around the world who share recommendations on their favorite places to eat, drink, and play to help travelers experience locally in their cities. Unlike review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, Localeur has an exclusive community of local insiders who share authentic recommendations on places in the cities they live in, not the ones they visit. The company has partnered with brands like JetBlue Airways, Lyft, Nike, and Match.com to create campaigns that use their vision to help their ideas come to life. It was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Kiira Health

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Kiira Health is an advanced AI care coordinator and women's health clinic for young women. Kiira is connecting users to trusted health experts including primary care providers, ObGyn's, nurse practitioners, mental health experts and more via phone, chat, and video. Kiira is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Greo

Seed Round in 2019
Greo, Inc. is a company that has developed a mobile video application focused on facilitating conversations about current events, culture, and world issues. Launched in 2016 and based in Palo Alto, California, Greo allows users to create and share short videos to express their opinions and engage with a community that values dialogue and exchange of ideas. The platform encourages users to discuss topics that matter to them, fostering understanding and empathy through video interactions.

Partake Foods

Seed Round in 2019
Partake Foods, Inc. is a food company that specializes in producing allergy-friendly cookies. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, the company offers a range of products that are nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and free from the top 12 allergens, catering to families seeking safe and tasty snack options. The product lineup includes various flavors such as sprouted grain chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, sweet potato millet, carrot oat, and birthday cake mini cookies. Partake Foods sells its products online, allowing customers to enjoy healthy snacks conveniently.

Cloudnine Augmented Intelligence

Pre Seed Round in 2019
CloudNine uses code-free AI-driven data management for healthcare enterprises removing the burden of coding off engineers solving the interoperability issues between EMR | EHR systems without creating a query. Saving months of time and valuable resources enabling non-technical users the ability to take advantage of AI for managing data without any technical expertise. Optimized for predictive analytics and cloud security. It was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

Alerje

Seed Round in 2019
Alerje, Inc. is a healthcare technology company based in Detroit, Michigan, that focuses on enhancing the quality of life for individuals with food allergies. Founded in 2015, the company has developed an innovative epinephrine auto-injector designed to fit into a smartphone case. This device is complemented by a mobile application that provides location and information alerts to a user’s designated CareCircle, which can include emergency services, family, friends, caregivers, and medical professionals. By integrating Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) with a digital health approach, Alerje aims to improve the management of food allergies through accessible and immediate support.

Trim-It

Seed Round in 2019
Trim-It is a mobile barbershop application that facilitates the booking of doorstep salon services. The app allows users to schedule haircuts from a fleet of on-demand mobile barbershops, providing a convenient solution for those seeking quality grooming services without the need to travel. Trim-It also offers a subscription model, which allows customers to save time and enjoy regular haircuts at their convenience. By combining technology with personal grooming, Trim-It aims to enhance the overall experience of getting a haircut.

The Tenth Magazine

Seed Round in 2019
The Tenth Magazine is dedicated to researching, restoring, presenting, and preserving the global aesthetics of the queer African diaspora. It publishes a bi-annual print magazine that holds narratives about black LGBTQ bodies and how we navigate and contribute to its respective global spaces. It was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Ilerasoft

Seed Round in 2019
We have created a new standard in healthcare. The Efficiency Score is like a credit score for medical equipment. It scores each medical equipment based on utilization and 16 inputs unique to your hospital and patient population to help managers make better purchasing and operational decisions

Afrocenchix

Seed Round in 2019
Afrocenchix is an award winning natural hair care company founded by Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate. The company blend top quality ingredients to make high performing products for afro and curly hair. The range is the first of its kind to be stocked in Whole Foods Market UK and the products are available in independent health stores across the UK and in Paris, New York and Melbourne.​

Adventurely

Seed Round in 2019
Adventurely helps you meet other travelers when you travel solo & find local activity partners when you're in your home city. Make a wishlist of activities to do curated from cities around the world, & get matched with activity partners to join you IRL.

Vitae London

Convertible Note in 2019
Vitae London specializes in manufacturing distribution and selling of classic watches. It offers a web-based platform that allows people to purchase their products online. The company was founded in 2014 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

Dressmate

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Dressmate curates the best women-led, independent, & sustainable designers. They believe in the joy that comes from getting ready, pieces that make you light up every time you stand in front of a mirror, & letting personal style serve as a space to play. Basics and essentials are important, so are the items in your closet that feel unique & irreplaceable.

Whose Your Landlord

Seed Round in 2019
Whose Your Landlord is a multipurpose platform that empowers and informs the rental community. We use the information provided by our renters to extend feedback to landlords, improve the tenants' experience, and reduce turnover. On WYL renters post landlord reviews, receive community-centered insights, and are given access to quality listings.

Tambua Health

Seed Round in 2019
Tambua Tech, Inc. develops T-Sense, a non-invasive and radiation free lung imaging and lung function testing device that uses sound to take a picture of the lungs. Its product line includes T-Lab, a software solution used with the T-Sense device for interpreting multiple lung sound signals and generating a representation of the lungs. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in San Francisco, California with additional locations in Cape Town, South Africa; and Nairobi, Kenya.

Naturalicious

Seed Round in 2019
Naturalicious, LLC manufactures natural hair care products for women. Its products include shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, and hair serum. Naturalicious, LLC distributes its through stores and online retail. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Canton, Michigan.

Foodstand

Seed Round in 2019
Foodstand, Inc. operates an online portal which allows users to build healthy eating habits by participating in community challenges for healthy eating. The company also provides a mobile application for the same. Foodstand, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in New York, New York. As of March 31, 2019, Foodstand, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of DIET ID.

Wash·LB

Seed Round in 2019
Wash·LB is a logistics and service platform that allows users to BOOK a car wash where they park… while they work at a Wash·LB service location. The Wash·LB app transforms the washing and detailing process from an inconvenient chore of the day to an easily requested service. Wash·LB allows customers to park at a registered service location, do a mobile/online booking and have their car is washed where they parked it. Wash·LB has employs pre-screened and trained washers, has a $1 million Causality and Liability insurance policy and a sophisticated technology platform that simplifies the customer and washer experience.

SnapStays

Seed Round in 2019
The biggest selection of medium-term furnished apartments

Lorals

Funding Round in 2019
Lorals is a consumer goods company that specializes in sexual wellness, condoms, and women's health. It features silky latex panties that provide comfort and pleasure during oral sex its designed for protection against STD transmission while being sexy enough for a photo spread in Playboy.

Haute Hijab

Seed Round in 2019
Haute HIjab is the leading US hijab brand that operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. We’re are a global community that celebrates and empowers the hijab-wearing woman by designing innovative products fueled by an obsession with superior service and craftsmanship. Our goal is to create a world where every woman feels comfortable and confident.

Bippy

Seed Round in 2019
Bippy is a paper manufacturing company that offers an eco-friendly toilet paper. It specializes in the fields of manufacturing, distribution, retail, and wholesale. The company was founded in 2019.

Float

Seed Round in 2019
Float is a mobile-first financial service that helps young consumers access, manage, and proactively build credit. We offer thin-file consumers instant access to an affordable line of credit, direct from any smartphone, no FICO required.

Table + Teaspoon

Seed Round in 2019
Table + Teaspoon is making it easier to entertain at home, while disrupting America's $15 billion tabletop and $10 billion event rental and planning industries. Entertaining in your home should be effortless, chic, and convenient. Whether you’re planning a dinner party, client event, bridal shower, holidays with your family, or just a night in with the girls, T&T has you covered. The best part is that you don’t have to buy or wash anything. Instead, you rent the table. If you’ve never thrown a party and have no idea where to begin, or simply want to add the latest design to your already polished aesthetic, T&T makes elegant entertaining easy. Martha Stewart, Elle Decor, Washington Post, Forbes, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Modern Luxury, CA Home + Design, DuJour, Domino, BRIDES, SF Chronicle Style Section, HuffPo, House Beautiful, and Today Show approved. The online service gives you the ability to select one of six exclusive packages, all containing an oversized luxury textile runner, dual-sided napkins, dinner plate, salad plate, gold, rose gold or silver flatware, stemless wine glass, water glass, menu card, place card, paper straw, taper candles, and candlesticks. Input your guest count and party date, then the order is delivered to your doorstep. After the party, repack dirty dishware and linens in the box the settings arrived in, and return to T&T for cleaning via a pre-paid FedEx label. Now shipping nationwide.

The Difference

Seed Round in 2019
They believe in a happier, healthier world. 
They believe in possibilities. 
They believe in you. Above all, they believe the right talk at the right time can make all The Difference. They set out to reimagine therapy in the same way you can reimagine your life. By merging psychology with technology, they have created an accessible, affordable, and anonymous way to get therapy on your own time and in your own space.

LOOMIA

Venture Round in 2019
Circuit boards power the world but are built for hard goods. LOOMIA makes a new form-factor of circuit—a soft circuit (e-textile) system—that can be used to power soft goods. From automotive to apparel, our soft circuit systems can be used when standard PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) aren't up to the task—bringing heating, lighting, and sensing to car seats, medical apparel, outdoor gear, and more. Three years of research went into developing the LEL technology, resourcing Stanford’s SNSF lab for analysis and characterization. The resulting, patented technology can be designed to execute a wide range of functionalities.

The Riveter

Series A in 2018
The Riveter is a membership workspace and community platform for women and allies. They provide daily programming to cultivate skills, from Podcasting 101 to angel investment pitch clinics. Moreover, they also give their members space to focus on wellness, including movement studios with daily classes, meditation rooms, and a full program of relevant conversations and workshops. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States.

Optimal Technology

Seed Round in 2018
Optimal is an award-winning, venture-backed energy solutions provider. We lower electricity bills by 70% using high efficiency energy tech with ML-enabled monitoring solutions. Our executives have developed over 30 utility and commercial solar projects, developed over 10 patentable technologies, launched over $60M in new products, and managed over $1B in assets. Our mission is to improve the quality of life across the world through the efficient use of and increased access to solar resources.

Optimal Technology

Seed Round in 2018
Optimal is an award-winning, venture-backed energy solutions provider. We lower electricity bills by 70% using high efficiency energy tech with ML-enabled monitoring solutions. Our executives have developed over 30 utility and commercial solar projects, developed over 10 patentable technologies, launched over $60M in new products, and managed over $1B in assets. Our mission is to improve the quality of life across the world through the efficient use of and increased access to solar resources.

Uncharted

Venture Round in 2018
Uncharted Play Inc. is a New York-based company founded in 2011 that focuses on developing innovative energy-generating products. The company specializes in consumer-oriented solutions that harness kinetic energy, offering products such as an energy-harnessing soccer ball and a portable battery charging jump rope. Additionally, Uncharted Play provides educational packs and accessories, aiming to enhance energy access through its technology, which is designed for motion-based and off-grid renewable energy applications. The company sells its products online and is committed to democratizing energy access worldwide through its proprietary technology. With a team experienced in product development from leading firms, Uncharted Play is positioned to make significant contributions to the field of renewable energy.

Win-Win

Seed Round in 2018
Win-Win is a gamified giving platform that offers fantasy sports-style tournaments hosted by NFL and NBA athletes. Each tournament features a charitable cause chosen by host athletes and when fans join the tournament they make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to the cause. It combines giving gaming to make donating to charity more fun and engaging for all. Win-Win was founded by former NFL linebacker and Duke University All-American, Mike T. Brown in 2016 and is headquartered in Oakland, California, United States.

Civic Eagle

Pre Seed Round in 2018
Civic Eagle develops software that helps companies discover and analyze legislation and regulations with no manual work. Civic Eagle's platform searches, tracks, and works with legislations across the country and does the discovery work so that policy advocates can focus on winning campaigns, thereby enabling clients to promote better democratic outcomes for people and their communities. It was founded in 2015 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Paladin

Venture Round in 2018
Paladin creates an easy way for lawyers to find cases they’re passionate about and to capture impact data for the benefit of all. It helps legal teams sign up for pro bono opportunities, enables coordinators to track the lawyers’ work, and which captures some of the stories and impact that the lawyers are making through their efforts. Paladin was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in New York, USA.

SHYFT Power Solutions

Seed Round in 2018
SHYFT Power Solutions, Inc. specializes in developing an integrated hardware and software platform that enables homes and businesses to monitor, manage, and control their power sources through a mobile application. The company's flagship product, Shyft, combines a hybrid smart meter and transfer switch, facilitating distributed energy management by utilizing IoT technology and data-driven methodologies. This innovation replaces manual changeovers between the grid and backup generators or other power supplies. Additionally, SHYFT offers software that allows users to effectively monitor and control their energy resources. The company is dedicated to advancing decentralized power systems, particularly in emerging markets like Nigeria, where it aims to enhance energy resilience and support unreliable grids. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, SHYFT Power Solutions was previously known as Solstice Energy Solutions, Inc.

Jewelbots

Seed Round in 2018
Jewelbots are a customizable mesh network of programmable jewelry aimed at cultivating the interest of teenage girls in engineering and coding. Using basic engineering logic, you can create personal alerts and communicate with your friends using lights and slight vibrations. Jewelbots allow you to customize your jewelry and its behavior to reflect unique personalities and friendships. They believe by using fashion and teenage friendships as our vehicle, they can empower the next generation of female engineers and coders.

Siempo

Seed Round in 2018
Siempo envisions a world where technology supports humans being, which is why they are on a mission to help people build better relationship with technology. Siempo is currently creating digital wellness software to help people and teams be more present and focused.

Please Assist Me

Seed Round in 2018
Please Assist Me, Inc. operates as a home management company that partners with apartment complexes to provide living experience for residents in in Nashville, Tennessee and Washington, District Of Columbia. It provides services in the areas of groceries, dry cleaning and laundry, alterations and shoe care, mail and packages, and special requests. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thurst

Seed Round in 2018
Thurst is a dating app for queer people of all genders that aims to create an inclusive, affirming space for the queer community to connect.

Sunhouse

Seed Round in 2018
Sunhouse is building the future of music making through artificial intelligence. With smart systems that listen and respond to a musician’s touch and software designed to make this advanced tech accessible, they are opening up new creative possibilities in live performance, studio recording and composition. Sensory Percussion is their first product, and represents a new frontier in electronic drumming. It allows drummers the ability to control electronic sounds like samples, synths, and effects in new and powerful ways. Sensory Percussion is used by some of the best musicians on stages and in studios all over the world.

ShearShare

Pre Seed Round in 2018
ShearShare, Inc., also known as HAIRbnb, develops salon and barbershop rental application. The application that connects salons, spas, and barbershop owners to individual cosmetologists and barbers to fill unused suites, and booths on demand. The company serves beauty and barber school graduates, seasoned industry veterans, mobile hairdressers, celebrity stylists and barbers, hairstylists, makeup artists, barbers, nail technicians, estheticians, massage therapists, eyelash specialists, braiders, and waxologists in the United States, and internationally. The company also offers advertising services through its application. ShearShare, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in McKinney, Texas.

HabitAware

Seed Round in 2018
HabitAware manufactures and distributes wearable devices that assists its users with minimizing trichotillomania. The devices use motion sensors to assist its users with minimizing repetitive habits, including nail biting, hair pulling, skin picking, and thumb sucking by providing it with training. It features Bluetooth connectivity and customizable vibration patterns. HabitAware was founded in 2014 and is based in Minneapolis.

gal-dem

Seed Round in 2018
Gal-dem is a media company founded in 2015, headquartered in London and Bristol, that focuses on social commentary, arts and culture, and fashion. It aims to address inequality and misrepresentation within the media industry by providing a platform for women and non-binary individuals to express their perspectives. The company seeks to broaden its audience by inviting engagement from people of diverse shapes, sizes, sexes, and ethnic backgrounds, striving to ensure that their voices are an integral part of discussions often dominated by a narrow viewpoint. Through its work, Gal-dem contributes to a more inclusive media landscape.

Novoron Bioscience

Seed Round in 2018
Novoron Bioscience, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, founded in 2013. The company focuses on the research and development of innovative therapeutic approaches for treating disorders of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, glaucoma, and stroke. Novoron has made proprietary scientific discoveries that underpin its advancements in biologic therapeutics aimed at addressing these medical challenges. As a member of the JLABS innovation community, Novoron is committed to advancing its pipeline of treatments to improve patient outcomes in CNS-related diseases.

Solstice Energy Solutions

Seed Round in 2018
Solstice Energy Solutions uses IoT and software to enable, connect, and intelligently manage the shared-economy of distributed energy resources in emerging markets. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
nēdl is an app that converts audio into text so listeners can search live broadcasts as easily as they search the web-- by keyword, and create their own live broadcasts that are searchable as well. A B2B revenue model that amplifies the voices of live audio creators (podcasters, individual broadcasters, marketers, meetings and conferences) with a suite of products that make it easy to create, distribute, and monetize -- all sold by subscription.

Akash Systems

Seed Round in 2018
Akash Systems is focused on developing and supplying the next generation of small satellites (CubeSats), satellite transmitters, and the RF Power Amplifiers. The company uses new composite material, gallium nitride (GaN)-on-Diamond, invented by Akash cofounder Ejeckam, for their products. GaN-on-Diamond provides a cooler state of operation which improves energy efficiency and reduces a system's size, weight, and operating costs. Akash Systems was founded in 2016 by Felix Ejeckam and Ty Mitchell and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Carrot Fertility

Seed Round in 2018
Carrot offers a fertility benefit for modern companies, focused on making fertility care easier, accessible, and more affordable. The company partners with modern companies to provide fertility coverage for the millions of employees. Through its software, Carrot helps employees to personalize a fertility plan, chat with fertility experts, order medications, and access unique content. It helps them access the care they need, such as egg freezing, in-vitro fertilization, fertility diagnoses, and more.

Healthy Roots

Seed Round in 2018
Healthy Roots is a toy company that utilizes a doll, book and app to teach natural hair care to young girls of color. Our dolls come in different skin tones, facial features and hair textures to represent the diversity of the african diaspora. Our dolls hair can be styled in a variety of ways with the guidance of the Big Book of Hair. The big Book of Hair is an illustrated manual to natural hair care. Our app allows users to track their hair health and get curated content for their specific hair needs based on data they input. All three products culminate to the perfect teaching tool for children in a language they understand.

Lacquerbar

Seed Round in 2018
Lacquerbar is an urban modern nail salon and online beauty brand.

CapWay

Seed Round in 2017
CapWay, Inc. is a neo-bank based in Atlanta, Georgia, that offers a range of virtual consumer banking products and services aimed at financially underserved populations, including the unbanked and underbanked. Founded in 2016, the company provides mobile banking solutions, debit cards, savings accounts, bill payment services, and deposits through a user-friendly digital application. In addition to these banking services, CapWay emphasizes financial literacy by offering educational content to its account holders. The company also provides micro-lending services, aiming to empower individuals with the tools and resources necessary for achieving financial health and building generational wealth.

Avisare

Seed Round in 2017
Avisare is a universal supplier management portal connecting large corporations with small and mid-sized businesses for pre-vetting and RFP opportunities. We offer suppliers a centralized database to keep their company information updated, and provide the most robust platform to make sourcing a turnkey process.

Flora

Seed Round in 2017
Flora operates within the technology sector, focusing on health and wellness specifically for individuals aged 16 to 25. Based in Los Angeles, California, the company aims to make mindfulness enjoyable and accessible. Flora offers tools for users to manage their daily wellness through participation in challenges designed to promote personal growth and community engagement. Users can connect with like-minded individuals, fostering a supportive environment for wellness journeys. Additionally, Flora incorporates a rewards system, allowing users to earn coins for their participation, which can be exchanged for various prizes and incentives.

The Door

Venture Round in 2017
The Door Technologies, Inc. develops a software that connects investors with startup founders. It helps founders to get funding. The company serves women, LGBTQ, latinx, black, native Americans, veteran, and other underrepresented entrepreneurs. The company is based in San Francisco, California.

The Door

Acquisition in 2017
The Door Technologies, Inc. develops a software that connects investors with startup founders. It helps founders to get funding. The company serves women, LGBTQ, latinx, black, native Americans, veteran, and other underrepresented entrepreneurs. The company is based in San Francisco, California.

Hostfully

Seed Round in 2017
Hostfully helps vacation rentals companies earn more revenue and deliver a 5-star guest experience. The property management software platform distributes listings to Airbnb, HomeAway, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor, and also automates operations including payments (Stripe) and accounting (Quickbooks). Hostfully's market-leading digital guidebook platform gives travelers local recommendations and essential property information. These help managers of 10,000 properties in 80 countries around the world make vacation rental travel smoother and more delightful.

Zyrobotics

Seed Round in 2017
Zyrobotics, LLC is an assistive technology company that was conceived in the summer of 2012 and officially incorporated in 2013 as a Georgia Tech Venturelab spin-off company. They have continued expanding their product line to offer technologies targeted toward accessible Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. Their first offerings include OctoPlus and OctoMinus, switch-accessible math apps that create an interactive gaming environment to reinforce common core math skills while enhancing fine motor skills and visual perception. Their STEM apps combine education and therapy to fully help in achieving developmental milestones for children of all abilities.

Thesis Couture

Seed Round in 2017
Thesis Couture is a global fashion footwear company that focuses on reinventing the stiletto. The company uses structural engineering principles, advanced material science, and a keen focus on human factors in creating internal architecture of its products. Thesis Couture’s team includes professionals and luminaries across fashion, technology, and anatomy to create new standards in women’s high heels. The design and materials used in its products improve load distribution across the foot, impact shock, and kinematics. Thesis Couture was founded in 2013 by Dolly Singh and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Wildfang

Seed Round in 2017
Wildfang Co. manufactures and retails apparel for women. It offers tops, including button-ups, tees, tanks, sweaters, sweat shirts, outerwear, and vests; bottoms, including jeans, pants, shorts, and overalls; and accessories, such as bags, hats, jewelry, ties, scarves, and novelty. The company also offers shoes, including boots, flats, and heels. In addition, it offers products online. The company was formerly known as WILDFANG International Inc. Wildfang Co. was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Portland, Oregon.

Mahmee

Seed Round in 2017
Mahmee is a care management platform focused on enhancing maternal and child healthcare. The company aims to bridge critical gaps in maternal health by connecting patients with healthcare providers through a comprehensive system that integrates health records for mothers and infants. This platform identifies clinical risks and facilitates collaboration among maternity and infant care practitioners, ensuring that physicians and specialists can share care plans effectively. Founded on the principle that every woman deserves compassionate and respectful support during new motherhood, Mahmee strives to provide ongoing professional assistance to mothers, enabling them to thrive in their parenting journey while promoting the healthy development of their infants in the first year of life.

Swivel

Seed Round in 2017
Swivel creates a mobile app that help black women find the perfect hairdresser. The company's app lets women of color discover and book a stylists for their individual hair type and desired style, enabling women of color the missing resource for finding the right salon or stylist.

ProDay

Seed Round in 2017
Proday is a subscription personal training fitness app that allows you to workout alongside professional athletes any time, any where. We use world class fitness tracking and training methods and our famous athletes keep subscribers entertained and motivated. We combine strength, cardio and flexibility workouts from a diverse group of athletes.

It's By U

Seed Round in 2017
It's By U offers a subscription service that provides do-it-yourself arrangement kits featuring farm-fresh flowers. Each kit includes professional-quality tools, artisan-made vases, and a streaming video lesson to guide customers in creating beautiful floral arrangements. The company aims to reduce flower waste by sourcing directly from farms and promoting sustainable practices. Additionally, It's By U contributes a portion of its sales to Random Acts of Flowers, a charity dedicated to repurposing flowers for distribution to patients in hospitals and nursing homes. This combination of creativity, education, and charitable support sets It's By U apart in the floral industry.

Dark

Seed Round in 2017
Dark Inc. engages in creating a new programming language, tightly integrated with an editor, compiler, and PaaS that allow engineers to build distributed applications using high-level primitives. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in San Francisco, California.

On Second Thought

Seed Round in 2017
On Second Thought Inc. develops a messaging application that allows users to undo and edit messages before they reach the recipient's phone. The app is designed for iOS mobile devices and supports SMS and MMS messaging, group messaging, and automatic synchronization of contacts and ongoing conversations. Founded in 2014, the company is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

CEEK

Seed Round in 2017
CEEK VR Inc. specializes in creating premium social virtual and augmented reality experiences, primarily through its CEEK platform, which offers streaming for virtual events. Founded in 2015 and based in Miami Beach, Florida, CEEK aims to simulate the communal atmosphere of attending live concerts, classes, and sporting events, enabling users to enjoy exclusive experiences with friends from anywhere. The platform features a variety of VR content, both original and professionally licensed, accessible on any VR headset. Additionally, CEEK has introduced a Smart VR Token, allowing participants to engage in immersive experiences and access a tokenized rewards exchange within exclusive virtual venues. Through its innovative approach, CEEK connects artists, athletes, and event creators directly with their audiences, enhancing fan engagement and creating sustainable experiences.

CurlMix

Seed Round in 2017
CurlMix Inc. is a Chicago-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in haircare products tailored for individuals with curly hair. The company offers a subscription box service that delivers five to seven all-natural ingredients each month, allowing customers to create their own customized hair products using provided instructions. Additionally, CurlMix sells a range of products, including flaxseed gel, moisturizers, regrowth serums, and hair and body butter, both online and in retail stores. Focused on empowering consumers who prefer toxic-free ingredients, CurlMix aims to provide effective solutions for maintaining moisturized, defined, and frizz-free curls.

Workfrom

Seed Round in 2017
Workfrom, Inc. develops and operates web platform and mobile application that enables users to find workspaces and wireless local area networking (WiFi) for work while travelling and flying. The company's platform also helps users to find reliable places to park their laptops and get work done based on the things they need like access to power outlets and low noise levels. The company was incorporated in 2014 and is based in Portland, Oregon.