Firstrock Capital

Alpha'a, Inc. is an online retail platform based in New York that specializes in connecting companies with visual arts through a business-to-business (B2B) marketplace. Established in 2014, Alpha'a addresses the challenges of sourcing art for commercial spaces by offering a wide range of customizable art pieces without holding inventory. The platform allows artists from around the world to license their artwork and facilitates dropshipping of limited edition prints across three continents. This innovative approach enables businesses to access quality art at competitive prices, enhancing their design concepts. With a significant addressable market in the interior and hospitality sectors, Alpha'a leverages its global reach to create a steady revenue stream for artists and art institutions. The company differentiates itself by providing customizable solutions that meet the specific needs of clients, ensuring that each artwork purchased includes perpetual copyright. Led by experienced professionals with extensive backgrounds in finance and the art market, Alpha'a aims to revolutionize the way businesses procure art while supporting creators globally.

Alpha'a, Inc. is an online retail platform based in New York that specializes in connecting companies with visual arts through a business-to-business (B2B) marketplace. Established in 2014, Alpha'a addresses the challenges of sourcing art for commercial spaces by offering a wide range of customizable art pieces without holding inventory. The platform allows artists from around the world to license their artwork and facilitates dropshipping of limited edition prints across three continents. This innovative approach enables businesses to access quality art at competitive prices, enhancing their design concepts. With a significant addressable market in the interior and hospitality sectors, Alpha'a leverages its global reach to create a steady revenue stream for artists and art institutions. The company differentiates itself by providing customizable solutions that meet the specific needs of clients, ensuring that each artwork purchased includes perpetual copyright. Led by experienced professionals with extensive backgrounds in finance and the art market, Alpha'a aims to revolutionize the way businesses procure art while supporting creators globally.

Snappr Pty. Ltd. is a photography service that connects clients with professional photographers for various types of photo shoots. Clients can select the date, time, location, and specifics of their shoot, allowing Snappr to match them with a pre-vetted photographer. The company facilitates the organization of the shoot and delivers the final photographs for download or printing. Snappr offers services for a wide range of occasions, including corporate events, LinkedIn profiles, product photography, weddings, and graduations. The company operates in multiple locations across Australia, including major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as in San Francisco and San Jose, California. Founded in 2016, Snappr aims to make quality photography accessible through its online platform, which includes features like real-time job matching and an AI portrait photo-analysis tool. Snappr Pty. Ltd. is based in Surry Hills, Australia, and operates as a subsidiary of Snappr, Inc.

Tobly is a market network focusing on the equipment rental industry.

Payfully specializes in offering capital and liquidity services tailored specifically for commission-based workers, particularly in the real estate sector. The company's proprietary platform delivers a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional underwriting and credit options. Payfully's flagship service allows real estate agents to access their commissions while still in-contract, eliminating the need to wait until the closing date for payment. This innovative approach provides agents with the financial flexibility they need to manage their cash flow and operations more effectively.

Kiwibot, a service operated by Kiwi Campus, was founded in 2016 and is based in Bogota, Colombia. The company specializes in on-demand delivery solutions, primarily targeting college campuses. Kiwibots, which are small delivery robots, provide a convenient way for students and local residents to receive food and other items directly to their doorsteps. This innovative service aims to make deliveries more affordable and efficient, enabling users to access what they need within 30 minutes. Kiwibot’s approach integrates smoothly with urban environments, enhancing the accessibility of delivery services in communities.

Upbeat is a cloud-based public relations agency that leverages software and big data analysis to connect companies with journalists and media publications. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, Upbeat offers a range of services including media outreach campaigns, customer dashboards, email campaign management, a journalist database, and media monitoring. The company aims to modernize the traditional PR industry by combining the expertise of software engineers and PR professionals. Upbeat helps organizations in various sectors, such as education, real estate, trucking, pharmaceuticals, and human resources, to effectively manage their media marketing efforts. By transforming story ideas into compelling narratives, Upbeat facilitates connections between storytellers and their audiences, all while providing real-time analytics and updates on media outreach progress.

Clipboard Health is an online marketplace established in 2016 and based in San Francisco, California, that connects nursing staff with healthcare facilities for job placements. The platform allows nurses to easily search for jobs that match their qualifications and preferences, enabling them to apply with just one click. By offering a comprehensive database of nursing and allied health positions across the country, Clipboard Health streamlines the staffing process for medical systems and healthcare professionals alike. This approach ensures that patients receive timely and appropriate medical care by matching them with the right nursing staff.

FUSAR Technologies, Inc. specializes in manufacturing mobility products tailored for action sports, including communication devices, cameras, accessories, and apparel. Established in 2014 and based in Kearny, New Jersey, the company focuses on creating a platform that integrates connected cameras, communication, and safety technology. Central to its offerings is the FUSAR app, which serves as a multi-tool for users to record their rides and monitor performance metrics across various activities. The company's hardware devices complement the app, allowing users to interact with the technology while in motion, enhancing their overall experience. Additionally, FUSAR's devices are designed to provide safety features, such as sending alerts to emergency contacts during accidents and capturing crucial data leading up to incidents. FUSAR products are primarily sold through an e-commerce platform.

BotFactory Inc. specializes in the development and manufacturing of desktop electronic circuit printers. Founded in 2013 and based in Long Island City, New York, the company offers its flagship product, Squink, which enables clients to design and create electronic prototypes through 3D printing technology. This innovative printer utilizes conductive ink to print single and multilayered rigid and flexible circuits on various substrates, including Kapton, ceramics, and metals. BotFactory's solutions are utilized by a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 research labs, aerospace firms, universities, and electronics manufacturers. By leveraging advanced technologies such as inkjet nanotechnology, computer vision, and artificial intelligence, BotFactory significantly accelerates the prototyping process, allowing users to fabricate complete electronic boards within hours. The applications of its technology span several industries, including flexible electronics, e-textiles, drone technology, IoT, and professional research and development services.

Ubidots specialized in connected hardware and software solutions to remotely monitor, control, and automate processes for healthcare clients at well funded startups and Fortune 1,000s in the American Southeast and across Latin America. Between 2012 and 2014, Ubidots expanded their support industries and accomplished countless internet connected projects across – Healthcare, Energy / Utilities, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Retail – learning the many small characteristics of IoT and Cloud enablement that digital transformation experts cannot speak to unless they have gotten their hands dirty in the field. With a strong backbone and a steadfast determination to be more than another Latin American “copy-cat,” Ubidots joined the Boston MassChallenge Accelerator in 2014, pivoting into a global product-based cloud IoT startup, gaining US venture and support and leaving behind the local services business. Since Ubidots pivot in 2014, Ubidots has become known within hardware, software, embedded engineering, and maker circles as the affordable, reliable, and most useable platform in an IoT platform ecosystem filled with strong competition.

Slidebean, Inc. is a web-based platform that allows users to create presentations efficiently using pre-filled decks, templates, and various design elements. Founded in 2013 and incorporated in 2014, the company operates from offices in New York, New York, and San Jose, Costa Rica. The platform simplifies the presentation creation process by separating content from design, enabling users to focus on their message while the software manages the visual aspects automatically. Slidebean offers additional services such as pitch deck writing, financial modeling, and market size estimation, which are aimed at helping startups develop compelling presentations to secure funding. With over 7,000 presentations delivered, Slidebean strives to establish itself as a leading alternative to traditional tools like PowerPoint and set a new standard in presentation design.

Meural Inc. specializes in developing digital wall displays and frames that render images with lifelike quality and texture. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the company has created an art technology platform that integrates art, technology, and design to provide a digitally connected canvas. This platform allows users to showcase a diverse range of artwork and photography, offering access to art from various periods while enhancing personal spaces. Meural also features a Sketchbook, which includes conversations, interviews, and articles highlighting artists, curators, and designers. As of August 2018, Meural operates as a subsidiary of NETGEAR, Inc.

Slidebean, Inc. is a web-based platform that allows users to create presentations efficiently using pre-filled decks, templates, and various design elements. Founded in 2013 and incorporated in 2014, the company operates from offices in New York, New York, and San Jose, Costa Rica. The platform simplifies the presentation creation process by separating content from design, enabling users to focus on their message while the software manages the visual aspects automatically. Slidebean offers additional services such as pitch deck writing, financial modeling, and market size estimation, which are aimed at helping startups develop compelling presentations to secure funding. With over 7,000 presentations delivered, Slidebean strives to establish itself as a leading alternative to traditional tools like PowerPoint and set a new standard in presentation design.

Swipecast Inc. is a platform that facilitates the discovery and booking of creative professionals, including photographers, models, designers, and stylists. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the platform allows users to hire these professionals directly through an app, bypassing traditional agencies. This direct connection helps to reduce costs, as Swipecast charges a fee of only 10%, compared to the typical 40% charged by agencies. The platform also provides tools for project management, such as call sheets and mood boards. By enabling freelancers to connect and book each other, Swipecast aims to reshape the freelance industry, offering faster payment processing—users receive their payments within two days as opposed to the usual 3-5 months through agencies. The global market for this service is estimated to be around $50 billion, reflecting the significant demand for streamlined access to creative talent.

Arthena is a venture-backed financial technology company which has pioneered quantitative strategies for asset acquisition, allowing for targeting investment decisions. Arthena is committed to bringing transparency to art investing, enabling investors to view and learn about acquired assets and artists.