SmartSweets Inc. is a Canadian company based in Vancouver that specializes in manufacturing healthy candies that contain no sugar, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners. Founded in 2016, the company uses natural ingredients such as stevia and tapioca fiber to create low-sugar gummies and chewy candies. SmartSweets aims to address the prevalent issue of sugar consumption by providing consumers with an alternative that allows them to enjoy candy without compromising their health. The products are made from non-genetically modified organisms (GMO) and are high in fiber, catering to health-conscious individuals looking to reduce their sugar intake. SmartSweets retails its offerings through various stores and its own website, promoting a movement focused on making smaller, smarter dietary choices.
AvantStay is a hospitality brand specializing in short-term rentals tailored for group travel, primarily targeting millennial consumers. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the company leverages technology to offer affordable and authentic vacation experiences. AvantStay's platform facilitates a seamless booking process, allowing users to browse and reserve rental homes that meet their specific needs. By focusing on curated group experiences, AvantStay aims to redefine how people travel by enhancing the convenience and quality of short-term rental accommodations.
BetterUp Inc. is a leadership development platform based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2013. The company provides a mobile-based solution for organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, aimed at enhancing employee performance through a science-backed methodology. BetterUp's platform facilitates on-demand virtual coaching sessions, allowing users to identify and practice new behaviors and mindsets essential for achieving high performance in a rapidly changing environment. The platform tracks and measures individual growth, helping employees cultivate skills that support both personal and professional development. Its diverse clientele includes notable companies like Genentech, Logitech, and Workday, reflecting its commitment to fostering an adaptive workforce.
HumanCo is a disruptive mission-driven holding company that focuses on investing in Healthier Living. Despite all the advances in science and modern medicine, this is the first generation in recorded human history that is predicted to live a shorter lifespan than the previous generation. At HumanCo, it hopes to reverse this trend and effect meaningful change through the companies in which we invest and incubate.
Homebase is a developer of employee management software focused on simplifying the administrative tasks associated with hourly work. The platform offers tools for scheduling, time tracking, and communication, all designed to minimize the burden on employers and employees alike. Its cloud-based system allows users to manage timesheets and track hours from any location, facilitating efficient payroll preparation. While the basic features are available for free, Homebase also provides tiered pricing options for businesses seeking additional functionalities. By streamlining these processes, Homebase aims to help organizations save time and improve coordination among their teams.
Avaline LTD. owns and operates as an organic wine label. It offers a variety of clean wine in white and rose flavors. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Burbank, California.
BetterUp Inc. is a leadership development platform based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2013. The company provides a mobile-based solution for organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, aimed at enhancing employee performance through a science-backed methodology. BetterUp's platform facilitates on-demand virtual coaching sessions, allowing users to identify and practice new behaviors and mindsets essential for achieving high performance in a rapidly changing environment. The platform tracks and measures individual growth, helping employees cultivate skills that support both personal and professional development. Its diverse clientele includes notable companies like Genentech, Logitech, and Workday, reflecting its commitment to fostering an adaptive workforce.
Sunday is a subscription lawn care service startup that provides nutrient and soil health plans for garden and lawn care. It incorporates the use of customized planning using climate, soil, and satellite data to deliver gardening and lawn maintenance-related products and services, allowing gardening enthusiasts and lawn owners to design and maintain their lawns in a convenient and hassle-free manner. In 2019, Coulter and Trent Lewis founded Sunday in Boulder, Colorado.
Lyra Health, Inc. is a Burlingame, California-based company that operates a digital platform connecting employers with mental health care providers. Founded in 2015, Lyra Health aims to improve access to effective mental health care for employees by utilizing innovative matching technology. The platform enables members to find personalized care by connecting them to a curated network of therapists and coaches, facilitating live video therapy and offering digital self-care tools. Lyra Health assesses treatment outcomes using clinical measures, such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, to monitor symptom improvement for conditions like anxiety and depression. This approach has resulted in significantly higher engagement and better outcomes compared to traditional mental health plans. Through its services, Lyra Health helps employees navigate the mental health system, schedule appointments, and maintain support throughout their treatment journey.
Tecovas, Inc. is a direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling handmade cowboy boots and western accessories for both men and women. Founded in 2015 by Paul Hedrick and based in Austin, Texas, the company collaborates with a skilled third-generation boot maker to create its products, utilizing custom-tanned leathers and traditional craftsmanship techniques such as Goodyear welt construction and hand-stitching. In addition to boots, Tecovas offers a range of accessories including bags, wallets, jeans, and belts. The company operates retail stores in several Texas cities and Oklahoma City, while also providing an online shopping platform to reach a broader customer base. By bypassing conventional retail models, Tecovas is able to offer luxury western footwear and accessories at more accessible prices.
Versed is a cosmetic company that offers a clean skincare brand in retail and direct-to-consumer channels. The company combines community-powered development with retail know-how to incubate and scale the next generation of vertical beauty brands. They offer affordably priced, clean skincare brands in retail and direct-to-consumer channels. Versed was founded in 2018 and is based in West Hollywood, California, United States.
Versed is a cosmetic company that offers a clean skincare brand in retail and direct-to-consumer channels. The company combines community-powered development with retail know-how to incubate and scale the next generation of vertical beauty brands. They offer affordably priced, clean skincare brands in retail and direct-to-consumer channels. Versed was founded in 2018 and is based in West Hollywood, California, United States.
Connected Cannabis is a vertically integrated cannabis company based in Sacramento, California, specializing in the cultivation and sale of high-end, designer cannabis strains. The company focuses on producing unique strains characterized by exceptional terpene profiles, offering intense flavors, distinct smells, and vibrant colors that set them apart in the cannabis market. By operating its own dispensaries, Connected Cannabis ensures that customers have access to both recreational and medicinal cannabis products of superior quality, appealing to discerning consumers in the industry.
BetterUp Inc. is a leadership development platform based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2013. The company provides a mobile-based solution for organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, aimed at enhancing employee performance through a science-backed methodology. BetterUp's platform facilitates on-demand virtual coaching sessions, allowing users to identify and practice new behaviors and mindsets essential for achieving high performance in a rapidly changing environment. The platform tracks and measures individual growth, helping employees cultivate skills that support both personal and professional development. Its diverse clientele includes notable companies like Genentech, Logitech, and Workday, reflecting its commitment to fostering an adaptive workforce.
Naadam is an American clothing company specializing in affordable, luxury cashmere products. The company mills and crafts its products to the standards so they become softer with time and design their garments to complement the way people live, not constrain it.
Naadam works to protect the planet through anti-desertification programs, clean energy-powered factories, and tree planting nonprofit work. It was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in New York.
Naadam is an American clothing company specializing in affordable, luxury cashmere products. The company mills and crafts its products to the standards so they become softer with time and design their garments to complement the way people live, not constrain it.
Naadam works to protect the planet through anti-desertification programs, clean energy-powered factories, and tree planting nonprofit work. It was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in New York.
Iris Nova, based in New York, is a beverage company that revolutionized the industry by introducing a unique sales model that relies exclusively on text message orders. Founded in 2015, the company launched its first brand, Dirty Lemon, which exemplifies its commitment to direct communication with consumers. The firm utilizes a proprietary technology platform that enhances the ordering and customer service experience, allowing for tailored beverage offerings that cater to modern consumer needs. By integrating conversational commerce, Iris Nova can effectively analyze consumption data to innovate its product line without the limitations of traditional retail space. Additionally, the company has expanded its portfolio to include an experiential retail concept called The Drug Store and plans to introduce two more beverage brands. Iris Nova's name reflects its mission to provide a fresh perspective in the beverage industry.
Iris Nova, based in New York, is a beverage company that revolutionized the industry by introducing a unique sales model that relies exclusively on text message orders. Founded in 2015, the company launched its first brand, Dirty Lemon, which exemplifies its commitment to direct communication with consumers. The firm utilizes a proprietary technology platform that enhances the ordering and customer service experience, allowing for tailored beverage offerings that cater to modern consumer needs. By integrating conversational commerce, Iris Nova can effectively analyze consumption data to innovate its product line without the limitations of traditional retail space. Additionally, the company has expanded its portfolio to include an experiential retail concept called The Drug Store and plans to introduce two more beverage brands. Iris Nova's name reflects its mission to provide a fresh perspective in the beverage industry.
Stem Disintermedia helps creators, artists, and musicians to collect digital revenue and enables them to track and share their earnings.
It develops a platform intended to provide distribution and payments solution for artists and their teams. The platform aggregates cross-platform earnings, create contracts, and honor splits with collaborators, disburse payments and statements to all stakeholders in a project and visualizes performance data for each platform, enabling businesses to bring clarity to the complicated process of revenue management and ensure everyone involved in the creative process gets paid.
Milana Rabkin, Tim Luckow, and Jovin Cronin-Wilesmith formed Stem Disintermedia in Los Angeles, California in 2015.
Dosist is a health and wellness company specializing in cannabis-based therapies delivered through proprietary vaporizing dose-pens. Founded in 2016 in California, originally named "hmbldt," the company emphasizes precise dosage to ensure safe and effective use of its products, which are intended for adults aged 21 and older. Dosist's innovative dose-controlled technology allows users to experience the benefits of cannabinoid-based therapy in a consistent and predictable manner. The company has gained recognition for its contributions to the industry, being named one of TIME Magazine's Top 25 Inventions of 2016 and a finalist for Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards. With a focus on dosage, Dosist aims to redefine the cannabis experience for consumers seeking natural plant-based therapies.
Sweetgreen, Inc. is an American fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2007 and based in Culver City, California. It operates restaurants in several states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. The company focuses on serving simple, seasonal, and healthy salads and grain bowls made from scratch with fresh, whole produce delivered daily. Sweetgreen emphasizes plant-forward, earth-friendly meals, prioritizing organic, regenerative, and local sourcing of ingredients. In addition to its restaurant operations, Sweetgreen sells merchandise such as gift cards, clothing, and accessories online. The company has formed a strategic partnership with FoodCorps to further its mission of promoting healthy eating.
Madefire, Inc. is a storytelling platform based in Berkeley, California, that offers an innovative mobile application for reading and sharing stories through an interactive format. Established in 2011, the company has developed a proprietary Motion Book Tool, allowing creators to combine words, images, motion, and sound, moving beyond the limitations of traditional comic book formats. The Madefire app provides a rich catalog of digital comics and graphic novels, featuring original titles from notable storytellers, including comic book legend Dave Gibbons. By leveraging the interactive capabilities of mobile devices and the web, Madefire aims to redefine how stories are created, experienced, and shared, offering users a continuous flow of new episodes and an engaging reading experience.
Happiest Baby, Inc. is a technology company focused on enhancing child well-being through science-based products and services aimed at addressing everyday parenting challenges. Founded in 2001 by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp and his wife Nina Montée-Karp, the company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Its flagship product, the SNOO, is the world's first smart sleeper, utilizing advanced robotic technology to soothe infants based on Dr. Karp's established 5 S’s method. The SNOO is designed to reduce crying, promote better sleep, and ensure safety by preventing infants from rolling over. In addition to the SNOO, Happiest Baby offers a range of baby swaddles, sacks, sheets, and educational materials, including books and guides on baby care. The company primarily sells its products online and collaborates with notable investors and parent advisors to support families both in the United States and internationally.
Imperva, Inc. is a cybersecurity company that specializes in protecting critical business data and applications across cloud and on-premises environments. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, Imperva offers a comprehensive suite of security solutions, including its SecureSphere product line, which provides database, file, and web application security. The company also offers services like Incapsula for cloud-based website security and distributed denial-of-service protection. Other notable products include ThreatRadar, which delivers security intelligence, CounterBreach for safeguarding data from internal threats, and Camouflage Data Masking for creating functional data while protecting sensitive information. Imperva serves a diverse clientele, including banks, retailers, insurers, technology firms, and government agencies, through a network of distributors and resellers, ensuring visibility and control over high-value business data.
Reserve Media, Inc. operates a digital dining concierge service that connects restaurants with diners. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in New York City, the company offers a platform that allows customers to discover restaurants, make reservations, receive personalized service, and facilitate seamless payment. By partnering with notable restaurateurs, Reserve aims to enhance the dining experience while helping restaurants manage their reservations more effectively, reduce cancellations, and gain valuable customer insights. The platform also enables restaurants to maintain customer databases and manage their tables, ultimately improving customer relationships. As of November 2018, Reserve operates as a subsidiary of Resy Network, Inc.
DSTLD [‘distilled’] designs and delivers premium denim and luxury essentials without retail markup, offering premium product for about 1/3 the traditional price, thanks to its direct-to-consumer business model. As its name suggests, DSTLD is careful to introduce only the most perfect and fundamental pieces within a highly edited color palate - only black, white, grey, and denim - to reinforce its mission to ‘distill’ the business of luxury essentials. It’s focused on crafting items that coincide with the LA denim culture but with a restrained, modern feel. Accordingly, the label maintains an edgy, clean, and sophisticated aesthetic, and boasts the highest level of premium design. All of DSTLD’s products are produced in the most sought after facilities in North America and Italy utilizing the finest materials from Japan, Italy, and the United States.
MoviePass Inc. was a subscription-based service that allowed customers in the United States to attend movies in theaters for a fixed monthly price. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, the service utilized a mobile application to enable users to check into their chosen theaters, browse showtimes, and share their movie experiences on social networks. MoviePass offered access to a wide range of theatrical releases with no blackout dates, aiming to enhance the movie-going experience. The company had strategic partnerships, including one with Flix Brewhouse, to expand its offerings. However, MoviePass faced financial difficulties and filed for voluntary liquidation under Chapter 7 in January 2020, ultimately becoming a subsidiary of Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.
Workpop, Inc. is an online job posting and hiring platform headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and was incorporated in 2014. It serves both job seekers and employers, offering a comprehensive suite of tools for candidate sourcing, applicant screening, employee onboarding, and team management. As a subsidiary of Cornerstone OnDemand, Workpop distinguishes itself by focusing on the candidate experience throughout the hiring process. Its technology automates sourcing and engages candidates from the initial job posting, while its user-friendly screening tools facilitate effective communication between hiring managers and applicants. Additionally, Workpop provides a paperless onboarding system that reduces costs and enables new hires to contribute effectively from their first day. The platform is particularly tailored for small and medium-sized businesses, enhancing their ability to attract and hire top talent in a competitive market.
Surf Air is the nation’s first All-You-Can-Fly private air travel membership, providing frequent regional business and leisure travelers with a sophisticated and hassle-free air travel experience that saves valuable time and money. The company operates Pilatus PC-12s in executive interior configuration to and from convenient airports in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles Metro Area, Santa Barbara, and Truckee Lake Tahoe, with service to additional locations to follow. Prospective members can take advantage of pricing as low as $1,599 per month prior to September 1, at which point membership prices will increase as part of the new service offering. Membership options include Individual, Friends & Family, Group, and Business Memberships.
WEVR, Inc. is a developer of a virtual reality (VR) community and media player focused on supporting both aspiring and professional creatives. The company offers high-performance VR playback software and a VR platform that enables storytellers to create, present, and publish projects across various VR headsets. By leveraging immersive computing and real-time simulations, WEVR creates engaging entertainment experiences that allow digital artists to produce and share their work in a collaborative environment. Originally founded as Wemo Media Inc., WEVR has been operational since 2009 and is headquartered in Venice, California.
Spring is a retail company that offers a diverse selection of products, including apparel and home and garden items. It operates as a shopping application designed for iOS devices, allowing users to follow their favorite brands and purchase new arrivals, exclusives, and unique products. Originally founded as Jello Labs, the company rebranded to Spring in July 2014. The founders of Spring are David Tisch, Alan Tisch, and Octavian Costache, and the company is based in New York.
DanceOn, Inc. is a digital media company based in Encino, California, that focuses on dance-related entertainment. Founded in 2010, it serves both dancers and non-dancers by providing a platform for dance shows, news, and community programming. DanceOn connects music and pop culture through multi-platform storytelling, reaching a millennial audience with its diverse and influencer-driven content. The network boasts over 4 billion views and more than 25 million subscribers, highlighting the significant impact of dance in popular music. Notable productions include acclaimed series like "The Edge" and the highly successful "Dance Showdown," which has garnered over 75 million views across three seasons. DanceOn also engages in campaigns that promote viral dance hits, empowering creators in the digital landscape. Co-founded by Amanda Taylor, Madonna, and others, DanceOn continues to enrich the dance community and enhance the visibility of dance in the entertainment industry.
Madefire, Inc. is a storytelling platform based in Berkeley, California, that offers an innovative mobile application for reading and sharing stories through an interactive format. Established in 2011, the company has developed a proprietary Motion Book Tool, allowing creators to combine words, images, motion, and sound, moving beyond the limitations of traditional comic book formats. The Madefire app provides a rich catalog of digital comics and graphic novels, featuring original titles from notable storytellers, including comic book legend Dave Gibbons. By leveraging the interactive capabilities of mobile devices and the web, Madefire aims to redefine how stories are created, experienced, and shared, offering users a continuous flow of new episodes and an engaging reading experience.
Prevoty, Inc., a cloud-based security company, provides Web application security. The company offers Integri, a Web security-as-a-service toolbox that enables organizations to protect their internal and external Web applications against OWASP threats. Its product provides performance optimization, multi-source content protection, flexibility, in-application security development, scalability, and compliance. The company also offers Prevoty ASM, an application security monitoring technology to protect business critical applications from security threats. Prevoty, Inc. has a strategic partnership with WhiteHat Security. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Los Angeles, California. As of August 9, 2018, Prevoty, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Imperva, Inc..
Imperva, Inc. is a cybersecurity company that specializes in protecting critical business data and applications across cloud and on-premises environments. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, Imperva offers a comprehensive suite of security solutions, including its SecureSphere product line, which provides database, file, and web application security. The company also offers services like Incapsula for cloud-based website security and distributed denial-of-service protection. Other notable products include ThreatRadar, which delivers security intelligence, CounterBreach for safeguarding data from internal threats, and Camouflage Data Masking for creating functional data while protecting sensitive information. Imperva serves a diverse clientele, including banks, retailers, insurers, technology firms, and government agencies, through a network of distributors and resellers, ensuring visibility and control over high-value business data.
Chromatik is a digital music learning platform that connects musicians worldwide, allowing them to play, learn, and share their favorite music through various formats such as sheet music, guitar tabs, and lyrics. The platform provides users with tools to practice, perform, and learn music, offering features that enable them to upload and download music, access reference tracks, utilize annotation tools, and record their performances. By creating a collaborative environment for musicians, Chromatik enhances the learning experience and fosters a community centered around music appreciation and performance. In April 2017, Chromatik was acquired by TakeLessons.
DSTLD [‘distilled’] designs and delivers premium denim and luxury essentials without retail markup, offering premium product for about 1/3 the traditional price, thanks to its direct-to-consumer business model. As its name suggests, DSTLD is careful to introduce only the most perfect and fundamental pieces within a highly edited color palate - only black, white, grey, and denim - to reinforce its mission to ‘distill’ the business of luxury essentials. It’s focused on crafting items that coincide with the LA denim culture but with a restrained, modern feel. Accordingly, the label maintains an edgy, clean, and sophisticated aesthetic, and boasts the highest level of premium design. All of DSTLD’s products are produced in the most sought after facilities in North America and Italy utilizing the finest materials from Japan, Italy, and the United States.
Kettle & Fire Inc. is a food and beverage company based in Austin, Texas, specializing in the production and distribution of high-quality bone broth. Founded in 2013, the company combines marrow bones from grass-fed, organic cattle and pasture-raised chickens with organic vegetables and filtered water, slow-simmering the mixture for 20 to 24 hours to extract nutrients, collagen, and amino acids. Kettle & Fire emphasizes humane animal husbandry, ensuring that all animals are raised without antibiotics or hormones. The product line includes beef and chicken bone broths, enriched with organic ingredients such as carrots, celery, and various peppers. Kettle & Fire distributes its offerings through retail stores, wholesalers, and online channels while also maintaining sustainable packaging practices.