Bascom Ventures, established in 2018, is a venture capital firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It is managed by Alumni Ventures and is a community of accredited University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni who collectively invest in companies with UW connections. The firm focuses on the software and technology, media, and telecommunications sectors, aiming to invest in approximately 20 to 30 companies per fund.
Solsten is an AI company based in Berlin, Germany, that specializes in understanding human behavior in the digital landscape to enhance customer experience. Founded in 2018 by Joe Schaeppi and Bastian Bergmann, the firm offers a customer engagement platform that assists decision-makers in the gaming industry, including executives, researchers, and marketing professionals from medium-to-large studios. Solsten's platform aims to improve user engagement by helping developers locate, retain, and monetize players effectively. It facilitates sustainable monetization strategies, aids in game development, and enables studios to reach untapped audiences, ultimately streamlining the development process and bringing products to market more efficiently.
Quiver Quantitative
Seed Round in 2022
Quiver Quantitative is an alternative data platform aimed at empowering retail investors by providing access to unique data sources that are typically reserved for institutional clients. The platform aggregates various alternative datasets, including consumer data from sources like credit card transactions and social media, which are usually inaccessible to individual investors. By compiling this information into a free, user-friendly web dashboard, Quiver Quantitative seeks to level the playing field, allowing retail investors to make informed decisions and potentially improve their investment returns. This initiative addresses the existing information disparity between hedge funds and retail investors, fostering a more equitable investment environment.
Spartan Radar
Seed Round in 2021
Spartan Radar specializes in advanced radar technology that creates high-resolution real-time imagery, utilizing proprietary software algorithms that incorporate machine learning and edge-processing. By mimicking human sensory perception, Spartan's solutions enhance the performance of existing advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) by improving resolution, response time, and range while maintaining low computational demands. The company's expertise in signal processing, developed through years of experience in the aerospace and automotive sectors, enables it to offer cost-effective sensing solutions. Spartan's platform is applicable across various industries, including drone and automotive applications, positioning the company as a leader in innovative radar technology.
Strategikon Pharma
Series A in 2021
Strategikon Pharma, Inc. specializes in developing software that optimizes the outsourcing processes between sponsors and providers in the pharmaceutical industry. Its flagship product, Clinical Maestro, is a unique platform designed for the comprehensive management of clinical business operations, particularly in planning, outsourcing, and budgeting clinical trials. By facilitating an integrated virtual environment, Clinical Maestro enables biopharmaceutical companies to efficiently manage complex relationships with numerous global service providers who often operate with varying processes and reporting structures. The software replaces traditional, labor-intensive methods—primarily reliant on Excel—leading to significant cost savings and enhanced operational efficiency. Case studies with major pharmaceutical firms highlight the platform's effectiveness, achieving over 80% savings compared to manual processes and over 95% accuracy in predicting clinical study budgets. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Rafael, California, Strategikon Pharma also offers consulting services to support new clinical business operations.
Cultured Decadence
Pre Seed Round in 2021
Cultured Decadence is a startup based in Madison, Wisconsin, focused on cellular aquaculture to produce crustacean products. Founded in 2020, the company employs innovative cell culture and tissue engineering techniques to create lobster and crab meat directly from the animals' cells, eliminating shell, organs, and waste. This approach addresses the increasing global demand for sustainable and nutritious seafood, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fishing methods.
Markable Creators
Convertible Note in 2020
Markable Creators specializes in transforming social media content into shoppable experiences through advanced image recognition and AI-driven technology. By utilizing computer vision and deep learning, the platform allows users to identify fashion products featured in videos and photos, seamlessly linking them to e-commerce sites for easy purchasing. With a vast inventory of 200 million SKUs, which are regularly updated to ensure availability, Markable Creators addresses the growing demand for social commerce, especially among Gen Z consumers who increasingly discover products through digital content rather than traditional retail channels. The company has established partnerships with major social media platforms in Asia and has been recognized for its innovative solutions, winning top accolades for its contributions to AI and e-commerce integration.
LÜM
Seed Round in 2020
LÜM is a startup based in Madison that operates a music discovery and streaming platform combined with a social network. The platform is designed to promote emerging artists, enabling them to grow their fan bases while shifting the focus away from established talents. LÜM aims to enhance the music experience by introducing blockchain technology and NFTs, which will allow over 10,000 artists to engage with fans through NFT Access Passes. This initiative seeks to empower artists by restoring value to their work and redefining the fan-to-artist relationship. By facilitating a more equitable environment for music discovery and monetization, LÜM aspires to decrease the disparity in exposure between mainstream and new music, supporting artists throughout their careers.
Intrinio
Series A in 2019
Intrinio is a financial data company that provides an accessible platform for investors and developers through its application programming interface. The company's mission is to simplify financial data access, enabling users to save time and reduce costs associated with data collection and analysis. By offering a variety of financial data feeds, including fundamentals, economic indicators, insider transactions, and stock prices, Intrinio facilitates valuable insights from SEC filings in user-friendly formats. This approach empowers developers to create innovative financial analytics products while allowing investors to focus on research, testing assumptions, and generating insights. Intrinio aims to reshape the financial data landscape by fostering collaboration among data providers, developers, and investors, ultimately enhancing the overall financial innovation ecosystem.
GrubMarket
Series C in 2019
GrubMarket, Inc. is an online marketplace that connects sellers with customers by offering a wide range of food and related products at wholesale prices. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California, GrubMarket specializes in organic, vegan, gluten-free items, fresh produce, snacks, beverages, pantry staples, home goods, health and beauty products, and items for pets and children. The company sources food from local farms, fisheries, commercial kitchens, and restaurants, emphasizing quality and sustainability. In addition to its marketplace, GrubMarket provides a Software-as-a-Service platform designed for food delivery services and also features a gaming application called GrubMarket FarmBox. As a significant player in the B2B eCommerce sector of the American food supply chain, GrubMarket leverages artificial intelligence to enhance its services and operations.
Somna Therapeutics
Venture Round in 2018
Somna Therapeutics, established in 2012 in Germantown, Wisconsin, specializes in medical devices for treating laryngopharyngeal and extraesophageal acid reflux diseases. Its flagship product, the Reza Band, is a non-pharmacological, investigational device designed to prevent reflux into the larynx, pharynx, and lungs. The company, founded in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin, aims to enhance the quality of life for LPR and EERD patients. Currently, Somna Therapeutics is refining the Reza Band's design and conducting clinical trials to secure FDA clearance. Post-clearance, the company plans to sell its device to hospitals, clinics, and home healthcare providers.
Azumo
Series B in 2018
Azumo front light is here to light the way to the new era of high efficiency, durable displays that don’t fight the environment but work in tandem with it. The time has come for all of us to reflect on what displays can do for devices.
SimpleMachines
Series A in 2018
SimpleMachines, Inc. is a semiconductor design and development company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2016. It specializes in creating a Software-Defined Compute platform that addresses the evolving demands of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning, robotics, and big data. As traditional computing systems face limitations due to the end of Moore's Law and the increasing complexity of software, SimpleMachines offers a programmable platform that allows for real-time hardware optimization. This innovative approach contrasts with conventional single-purpose systems, which are costly, time-consuming to develop, and often become obsolete upon deployment. The company's platform enables software developers to enhance application performance by dynamically reconfiguring hardware, thus supporting a wide range of use cases and ensuring adaptability in rapidly changing technological environments.
Compass
Series F in 2018
Compass is a real estate technology company that offers an integrated online platform designed for buying, renting, and selling real estate assets. Founded in 2012 by Ugo Di Girolamo, Ori Allon, and Robert Reffkin in New York, Compass aims to enhance the real estate transaction process by combining top industry talent with advanced technology. Its platform provides an array of cloud-based software tools tailored for real estate agents, facilitating customer relationship management, marketing, and client service. Operating in over 22 regions across the United States, including major markets like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco, Compass supports agents in delivering exceptional service to their clients, thereby streamlining the entire buying and selling workflow.
FinLocker
Seed Round in 2018
FinLocker, LLC is a financial technology company founded in 2014 and based in St. Louis, Missouri. It develops a consumer-enabled financial data platform that facilitates the loan process for mortgages and other financial products. The platform serves both businesses and consumers by streamlining loan transactions and enhancing the overall financial experience. For businesses, FinLocker provides tools that cut costs, reduce fraud, and mitigate risks while improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. For consumers, the platform simplifies the loan application process, minimizes paperwork, and enables better management of personal finances. Using consumer consent, FinLocker captures essential borrower data and employs intelligent analytics to offer tailored loan product recommendations based on individual financial profiles.
GrubMarket
Series B in 2018
GrubMarket, Inc. is an online marketplace that connects sellers with customers by offering a wide range of food and related products at wholesale prices. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California, GrubMarket specializes in organic, vegan, gluten-free items, fresh produce, snacks, beverages, pantry staples, home goods, health and beauty products, and items for pets and children. The company sources food from local farms, fisheries, commercial kitchens, and restaurants, emphasizing quality and sustainability. In addition to its marketplace, GrubMarket provides a Software-as-a-Service platform designed for food delivery services and also features a gaming application called GrubMarket FarmBox. As a significant player in the B2B eCommerce sector of the American food supply chain, GrubMarket leverages artificial intelligence to enhance its services and operations.
Verity
Series A in 2018
Verity Studios AG, founded in 2014 and based in Zurich, Switzerland, specializes in the development of indoor drone systems. The company is recognized as a leader in the indoor drone market, providing innovative solutions for both the live event and logistics industries. Verity offers end-to-end drone show production services that cater to bespoke events, theatrical productions, and entertainment shows, delivering captivating aerial performances for clients such as Cirque du Soleil and Madison Square Garden. Additionally, Verity has created a commercially successful inventory tracking solution using fully autonomous indoor drones, which is deployed in warehouses to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize errors. Its clientele includes prominent companies like Maersk and Samsung SDS. With a commitment to sustainability, Verity’s systems also aim to lower waste and carbon emissions.
Heal
Series C in 2018
Heal is a healthcare provider focused on delivering value-based, in-home primary care primarily to seniors on Medicare and select Medicare Advantage plans. The company emphasizes the importance of patient comfort by offering services in the familiar environment of patients' homes. Board-certified doctors and nurse practitioners at Heal dedicate ample time to each patient, fostering strong relationships and ensuring thorough, unrushed care. Heal addresses a wide range of healthcare needs, from preventive services like flu shots and annual physicals to the management of chronic conditions and treatment of common illnesses. Additionally, the company provides telemedicine options and remote health monitoring, facilitating easy access to care when needed. Patients can schedule appointments conveniently through phone support, with availability seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.
Tethr
Venture Round in 2018
Tethr provides an AI-driven communications intelligence platform that analyzes customer conversations to deliver actionable insights. By processing data from various customer interactions, including phone calls and chats, Tethr helps organizations understand the true Voice of the Customer. This platform is built on extensive customer experience research and enables businesses to gather and share valuable insights across their teams. The insights generated can enhance sales performance, boost customer loyalty, and improve compliance, ultimately leading to more informed business decisions and reduced operating costs.
LYLA
Venture Round in 2018
LYLA offers a unique solution for employee engagement and patient satisfaction by providing a comprehensive service that addresses personal business needs. Through an onsite concierge service and a mobile application, LYLA enables employees to manage their errands and other tasks efficiently. This approach allows employees to focus on their work, ultimately enhancing their productivity and providing them with valuable free time. With a network of vendors, LYLA delivers customizable services that ease the burden of daily responsibilities, contributing to improved employee welfare and satisfaction.
Innoblative Designs
Venture Round in 2018
Innoblative Designs, Inc. is a medical device company based in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 2013, the company specializes in developing advanced electrosurgical devices, particularly focusing on radiofrequency ablation technology. One of its key innovations is the Sira™ device, a saline-assisted intraoperative radiofrequency ablation tool that employs bipolar current to create a controlled zone of ablation. Sira's unique design, featuring a saline microinfusion system, enhances contact with target tissue and is compatible with standard electrosurgical generators already utilized in operating rooms. This technology offers surgeons a new, effective option for intraoperative ablation of soft tissue, promoting ease of use and adoption in surgical practices.
Rayvio
Series B in 2017
Rayvio Corporation is a company based in the United States that specializes in developing ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) for water purification and disinfection. Founded in 2013, Rayvio focuses on advanced health and hygiene solutions that aim to deliver clean water and create healthier environments. Their efficient UV LED technology can be integrated into various applications, providing consumers with on-demand solutions that enhance health without relying on chemicals or expensive consumables. By leveraging microchip technology, Rayvio seeks to improve healthcare and hygiene while making personal care more accessible and cost-effective for a broad audience.
Wheels Up Partners
Private Equity Round in 2017
Wheels Up is a membership-based private aviation company that specializes in on-demand flight services in the United States. By leveraging data and technology, it connects consumers with safety-vetted private aircraft, offering both programmatic and charter options. The company aims to reduce the upfront costs associated with private flying while providing flexibility, service, and safety to its members. Through its mobile app, users can easily book flights, manage accounts, and access ride-share opportunities. Additionally, members participate in the Wheels Down program, which enhances their travel experiences. Wheels Up operates a diverse fleet, utilizing owned, leased, and chartered aircraft to provide a wide range of global travel alternatives.
Dog Parker
Seed Round in 2017
Dog Parker, Inc., operating as DogSpot, specializes in providing a network of smart shelters for dogs positioned outside businesses that do not permit pets indoors. These DogSpots offer a secure and comfortable space for dogs while their owners shop at various establishments, including grocery stores, cafes, and museums. The company enhances the shopping experience by encouraging longer in-store visits and helping retailers remain compliant with health codes as more dog owners bring their pets along. Dog Parker, incorporated in 2016 and based in Brooklyn, New York, generates revenue through multiple channels: dog owners pay by the minute to use the DogSpots, location partners pay to offer this service to their customers, and brands pay for advertising in these high-traffic areas. The company has partnered with notable retailers like Kroger and Albertsons, as well as prominent pet brands such as Purina and Banfield Animal Hospital. Additionally, Dog Parker provides a mobile app that allows users to locate and monitor their dogs in real-time.
Harbor MedTech
Series C in 2017
Harbor MedTech, Inc. is a regenerative medicine company based in Irvine, California, specializing in the development and commercialization of tissue regeneration products. Founded in 2010, the company offers a range of solutions for chronic wounds, hernia and joint repair, and soft tissue reinforcement. Notable products include Architect, an extracellular collagen matrix designed for managing various skin wounds, and EPMatrix, a collagen scaffold aimed at soft tissue repair. The company's innovative BriDGE platform enables the creation of advanced therapies for applications including breast reconstruction, Achilles tendon repair, and rotator cuff repair, as well as other surgical needs in dermatology and general surgery. Harbor MedTech is also engaged in a strategic partnership with Edwards Lifesciences to enhance its product offerings and market reach.
HealthMyne
Venture Round in 2017
HealthMyne, Inc. is a healthcare informatics company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2013. It specializes in providing innovative imaging solutions and analytics primarily for cancer care providers. The company's technology enhances clinical decision-making by offering real-time, evidence-based imaging insights that facilitate improved patient care while also reducing delivery costs. HealthMyne's platform includes features such as tumor image manipulation, automatic tumor staging, specialized reporting, and management of incidental findings, all aimed at streamlining clinical workflows. By integrating electronic health records and image repositories, HealthMyne supports physicians in diagnosing and treating patients more effectively, ultimately enhancing clinical collaboration and quality assurance in patient management.
Markable Creators
Venture Round in 2017
Markable Creators specializes in transforming social media content into shoppable experiences through advanced image recognition and AI-driven technology. By utilizing computer vision and deep learning, the platform allows users to identify fashion products featured in videos and photos, seamlessly linking them to e-commerce sites for easy purchasing. With a vast inventory of 200 million SKUs, which are regularly updated to ensure availability, Markable Creators addresses the growing demand for social commerce, especially among Gen Z consumers who increasingly discover products through digital content rather than traditional retail channels. The company has established partnerships with major social media platforms in Asia and has been recognized for its innovative solutions, winning top accolades for its contributions to AI and e-commerce integration.
Highly
Seed Round in 2017
Highly Inc. is a company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing web-based highlighting tools for sharing important online content. Founded in 2014, Highly provides users with the ability to highlight and save key sections of articles and other web materials, facilitating a more efficient way to manage and share information. Its tools are designed to be compatible with various operating systems and mobile platforms, allowing users to easily access and share highlights across different devices. Highly aims to transform the way individuals interact with their reading material, offering a more personalized and efficient method for sharing valuable insights and stories.
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