Kin Insurance
Series D in 2023
Kin Insurance, Inc. is a digital insurance agency that specializes in homeowners insurance and related products. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in St. Petersburg, Florida, the company aims to enhance the convenience and affordability of insurance by operating directly with consumers, eliminating the need for external agents. Kin Insurance offers a variety of products, including homeowners, mobile home, condo, flood, and landlord insurance, among others. The company leverages extensive property data to ensure precise pricing and improve underwriting outcomes, providing personalized coverage options and efficient claims services through its technology-driven platform.
Squadio
Seed Round in 2022
Squadio is an international company based in Riyadh that operates a Team as a Service platform, connecting organizations with vetted tech squads for the development and enhancement of digital products. The platform specializes in assembling remote teams by providing services such as vetting, hiring engineers, and managing payroll. Additionally, Squadio offers the option of including a product manager within each squad, ensuring that companies can efficiently find and manage the right talent for their specific needs. By streamlining the process of team formation, Squadio enables businesses to effectively build and improve their digital offerings.
Earnest Operations LLC is a financial services company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in student loan refinancing, private student loans, and personal loans. Founded in 2013, the company aims to simplify the loan process for responsible borrowers by utilizing advanced technology that evaluates more than just credit scores, incorporating factors such as education, savings habits, and career paths. Earnest offers a range of private student loans, including options for undergraduate, graduate, medical, and law school, as well as personal loans for purposes like credit card consolidation, home improvement, and weddings. Since its inception, Earnest has expanded significantly, distributing nearly $2 billion in student loans by 2017. In that year, it was acquired by Navient Corporation, which maintains Earnest as a distinct brand while providing operational support. The company serves clients in 45 states and the District of Columbia, providing an online platform for loan management and customer service.
Alluster
Seed Round in 2017
Alluster Storage is a personal storage service that specializes in self-storage solutions, offering a comprehensive range of services that include pick-up, storage, and re-delivery of items. The company caters to individuals who lack sufficient storage space by collecting their belongings and storing them securely in warehouses. Clients can access their items whenever needed, with the added convenience of prompt re-delivery, often within the same day. Alluster Storage aims to simplify the process of managing personal goods for customers, providing a reliable and efficient alternative to traditional storage methods.
Ring is a home security company based in Santa Monica, California, established in 2012. It specializes in outdoor security solutions, offering a range of smart home products designed to enhance safety and reduce crime in neighborhoods. The company's product lineup includes the Ring Video Doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Ring Stick Up Cam, and Ring Floodlight Cam, all of which feature advanced capabilities such as wide-angle lenses, built-in microphones, and speakers that allow users to see, hear, and communicate with visitors. By integrating these devices, Ring aims to empower homeowners and foster community vigilance, effectively creating a modern neighborhood watch system that helps prevent burglaries and enhance residential security worldwide.
Skillz is a mobile games platform focused on enhancing competition through engaging gameplay. It enables game developers to create successful franchises by facilitating social competition within their games. Utilizing patented technology, Skillz hosts billions of casual gaming tournaments, attracting millions of players globally. As a leader in skill-based mobile gaming, the company offers a variety of games, including Dominoes Gold, Blackout Bingo, 21 Blitz, and Solitaire Cube. Skillz operates primarily through its eSports gaming platform, which allows developers to monetize their content via multiplayer competitions. The company generates most of its revenue from the United States, with additional income from international markets such as Israel, China, and Malta. Skillz has received recognition for its workplace culture and innovation in the technology sector.
CloudSponge
Seed Round in 2011
CloudSponge is a software-as-a-service company that specializes in address book importing from various webmail and desktop sources, including Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook, and more. Its platform allows users to seamlessly upload contacts to websites without exiting the site, facilitating the creation of social networks and improving content distribution. CloudSponge offers a user-friendly integration process with options for both simple HTML copy/paste and a comprehensive API, supported by wrappers in popular programming languages. The service is available for a low monthly fee and provides unlimited access, along with a free trial that allows potential users to experience the product firsthand. CloudSponge aims to enhance productivity by simplifying contact sharing and engagement for enterprises.
FeeFighters
Seed Round in 2011
FeeFighters is an online marketplace that simplifies the process of selecting credit card processing services for business owners. By allowing merchants to compare bids from various providers, FeeFighters enables users to find the most competitive rates, often resulting in savings of approximately 40 percent on credit card processing fees. The platform features a reverse auction model, making it as straightforward as booking a plane ticket online. In addition to facilitating price comparisons, FeeFighters offers free tools, such as a credit card processing calculator, which assist businesses in making informed decisions regarding their financial services.
Quirky
Venture Round in 2009
Quirky is a crowdsourced invention platform headquartered in New York City that fosters collaboration among participants in the product creation process. Founded by Ben Kaufman, the company aims to make invention accessible to everyone, allowing ordinary individuals to contribute extraordinary ideas. Community members can submit invention ideas, which are then vetted, critiqued, and voted on by the Quirky community. Successful ideas are developed into consumer products by Quirky's in-house design team and brought to market. The platform empowers inventors and influencers by sharing royalties from product sales with those who contributed to the ideas. Quirky's commitment includes working on a diverse range of ideas, from simple innovations to more complex concepts, ensuring that various improvements to daily life are explored and realized. The platform was relaunched in 2016 under new ownership, continuing its mission to engage a global community in the invention process.