Kinetic Ventures

Kinetic Ventures, L.L.C., founded in 1983 and based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with an additional office in Atlanta, Georgia, is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments. The firm primarily focuses on the communications, information technology, and power and clean technology sectors. In communications, Kinetic Ventures looks for opportunities in last mile connectivity, wireless infrastructure, and mobile video, among others. In the information technology sector, the firm targets investments in mobile platforms, open source solutions, and security management. Its clean technology investments concentrate on smart grid technology and low carbon solutions. Kinetic Ventures typically invests between $2 million and $10 million per company and may consider larger investments through syndication. The firm generally prefers to invest in U.S.-based companies but is open to opportunities in Canada and select international markets. Kinetic Ventures seeks to secure a Board seat in its portfolio companies and typically exits investments through initial public offerings or acquisitions.

Nelson Chu

Managing Director

William T. Heflin

Managing Director

Cam Lanier

Senior Director

Campbell B. Lanier

Senior Director

Sydney M. Shepherd

Chief Financial Officer

Jake Tarr Jr.

Managing Director

Past deals in Cental and Eastern Europe

Carputty

Seed Round in 2021
Carputty is a consumer automotive startup that provides car loan services to its clients. The company's transparent and easy-to-use line of credit puts the customer in the driver’s seat, while its proprietary, predictive valuation tool knows the perfect time to buy and sell and teaches owners to see their vehicle as an asset. Carputty was founded by Patrick Bayliss and Joshua Tatum in 2020.

Kobiton

Series A in 2019
Kobiton, Inc. is a company that specializes in mobile application testing, providing a platform that enhances the delivery and testing of mobile apps. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City, Kobiton offers both manual and automated testing solutions on real iOS and Android devices, accessible via the cloud or on-premise. The platform enables developers to run scripts and identify issues in real-time, ensuring that applications function correctly across various devices. Key features include an artificial intelligence-enabled scriptless testing environment, detailed automation reports, and automatically generated activity logs. By improving mobile app quality and accelerating time-to-market, Kobiton helps businesses reduce user application abandonment and enhance overall user experience.

Kobiton

Seed Round in 2018
Kobiton, Inc. is a company that specializes in mobile application testing, providing a platform that enhances the delivery and testing of mobile apps. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City, Kobiton offers both manual and automated testing solutions on real iOS and Android devices, accessible via the cloud or on-premise. The platform enables developers to run scripts and identify issues in real-time, ensuring that applications function correctly across various devices. Key features include an artificial intelligence-enabled scriptless testing environment, detailed automation reports, and automatically generated activity logs. By improving mobile app quality and accelerating time-to-market, Kobiton helps businesses reduce user application abandonment and enhance overall user experience.

Cardlytics

Series G in 2017
Cardlytics uses purchase-based intelligence to make marketing more relevant and measurable. They partner with more than 1,500 financial institutions – including Bank of America and PNC – to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, they have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. They use these insights to help marketers identify, reach and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

Predictix

Series B in 2016
Predictix LLC offers a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service suite designed to enhance merchandising decisions for retailers, wholesalers, and brands. Its solutions focus on critical areas such as planning and allocation, assortment and space management, pricing and promotions, as well as forecasting and replenishment. The company emphasizes quick implementation and early value realization, allowing clients to tailor the software to their evolving business needs without the burden of hardware purchases or long-term commitments. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Predictix operates as a subsidiary of Infor (US), Inc. The company has established strategic partnerships with major technology firms, including Amazon Web Services and LogicBlox, to further strengthen its offerings.

Predictix

Series A in 2014
Predictix LLC offers a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service suite designed to enhance merchandising decisions for retailers, wholesalers, and brands. Its solutions focus on critical areas such as planning and allocation, assortment and space management, pricing and promotions, as well as forecasting and replenishment. The company emphasizes quick implementation and early value realization, allowing clients to tailor the software to their evolving business needs without the burden of hardware purchases or long-term commitments. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Predictix operates as a subsidiary of Infor (US), Inc. The company has established strategic partnerships with major technology firms, including Amazon Web Services and LogicBlox, to further strengthen its offerings.

Cardlytics

Series C in 2010
Cardlytics uses purchase-based intelligence to make marketing more relevant and measurable. They partner with more than 1,500 financial institutions – including Bank of America and PNC – to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, they have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. They use these insights to help marketers identify, reach and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

Pathfire

Venture Round in 2007
Pathfire, Inc. provides digital media distribution and management solutions to the television, media, and entertainment industries. The company offers Digital Media Gateway, a digital IP store-and-forward platform, delivering news stories, syndicated programming, advertising spots, and video news releases to broadcasters. It provides solutions for content providers and broadcasters, as well as station solutions. The company was formerly known as Video Networks, Inc. and changed its name to Pathfire, Inc. in January, 2001. Pathfire, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is based in Roswell, Georgia. As of June 4, 2007, Pathfire, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of DG FastChannel, Inc.

iVivity

Series C in 2006
iVivity develops and markets storage network processor silicon, custom storage adapters, and motherboards to system manufacturers. Its products include iDiSX 2000, a single integrated storage server-on-chip silicon, which is used in current and new storage infrastructure product domains, including intelligent storage network switches, appliances, routers, gateways, array products, and blade server products; and iDiSX ASIC Evaluation Platform, which connects to Ethernet and fiber channel MACs. The company also offers custom board systems, including system board, custom adapter board, custom line card, and blade server switch module. In addition, it provides various services, including integration of custom or third-party software stacks for data protection, data management, information life cycle management, and disaster recovery.

Proficient Systems

Series B in 2005
Proficient Systems is a leading enterprise software company that develops solutions enabling companies to increase revenue and sales productivity. By identifying and connecting online sales opportunities with offline sales and service operations Proficient enables companies to successfully drive new customer acquisition, lead generation and an improved online customer experience. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Proficient was founded by successful entrepreneur, Gregg Freishtat. Gregg recognized that large enterprises selling complex, consultative products and services, like mortgages or insurance, had made significant investments in their e-business and in their sales and service organizations - but for some reason the two weren't connected. His belief was that if the two were connected, the enterprises would see a significant increase in revenue while delivering superior customer service and a better customer online experience. With this belief in mind, he assembled a group of professionals with decades of experience creating and delivering solutions to large enterprises, to create a strategic business solution to meet these objectives. In October 2000, Proficient was born. Today, organizations are benefiting from Gregg's vision and his ability to create a company to make his vision become a reality.

iVivity

Series C in 2004
iVivity develops and markets storage network processor silicon, custom storage adapters, and motherboards to system manufacturers. Its products include iDiSX 2000, a single integrated storage server-on-chip silicon, which is used in current and new storage infrastructure product domains, including intelligent storage network switches, appliances, routers, gateways, array products, and blade server products; and iDiSX ASIC Evaluation Platform, which connects to Ethernet and fiber channel MACs. The company also offers custom board systems, including system board, custom adapter board, custom line card, and blade server switch module. In addition, it provides various services, including integration of custom or third-party software stacks for data protection, data management, information life cycle management, and disaster recovery.

Proficient Systems

Venture Round in 2003
Proficient Systems is a leading enterprise software company that develops solutions enabling companies to increase revenue and sales productivity. By identifying and connecting online sales opportunities with offline sales and service operations Proficient enables companies to successfully drive new customer acquisition, lead generation and an improved online customer experience. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Proficient was founded by successful entrepreneur, Gregg Freishtat. Gregg recognized that large enterprises selling complex, consultative products and services, like mortgages or insurance, had made significant investments in their e-business and in their sales and service organizations - but for some reason the two weren't connected. His belief was that if the two were connected, the enterprises would see a significant increase in revenue while delivering superior customer service and a better customer online experience. With this belief in mind, he assembled a group of professionals with decades of experience creating and delivering solutions to large enterprises, to create a strategic business solution to meet these objectives. In October 2000, Proficient was born. Today, organizations are benefiting from Gregg's vision and his ability to create a company to make his vision become a reality.

iVivity

Series B in 2003
iVivity develops and markets storage network processor silicon, custom storage adapters, and motherboards to system manufacturers. Its products include iDiSX 2000, a single integrated storage server-on-chip silicon, which is used in current and new storage infrastructure product domains, including intelligent storage network switches, appliances, routers, gateways, array products, and blade server products; and iDiSX ASIC Evaluation Platform, which connects to Ethernet and fiber channel MACs. The company also offers custom board systems, including system board, custom adapter board, custom line card, and blade server switch module. In addition, it provides various services, including integration of custom or third-party software stacks for data protection, data management, information life cycle management, and disaster recovery.

Proficient Systems

Series B in 2002
Proficient Systems is a leading enterprise software company that develops solutions enabling companies to increase revenue and sales productivity. By identifying and connecting online sales opportunities with offline sales and service operations Proficient enables companies to successfully drive new customer acquisition, lead generation and an improved online customer experience. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Proficient was founded by successful entrepreneur, Gregg Freishtat. Gregg recognized that large enterprises selling complex, consultative products and services, like mortgages or insurance, had made significant investments in their e-business and in their sales and service organizations - but for some reason the two weren't connected. His belief was that if the two were connected, the enterprises would see a significant increase in revenue while delivering superior customer service and a better customer online experience. With this belief in mind, he assembled a group of professionals with decades of experience creating and delivering solutions to large enterprises, to create a strategic business solution to meet these objectives. In October 2000, Proficient was born. Today, organizations are benefiting from Gregg's vision and his ability to create a company to make his vision become a reality.

Pathfire

Venture Round in 2002
Pathfire, Inc. provides digital media distribution and management solutions to the television, media, and entertainment industries. The company offers Digital Media Gateway, a digital IP store-and-forward platform, delivering news stories, syndicated programming, advertising spots, and video news releases to broadcasters. It provides solutions for content providers and broadcasters, as well as station solutions. The company was formerly known as Video Networks, Inc. and changed its name to Pathfire, Inc. in January, 2001. Pathfire, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is based in Roswell, Georgia. As of June 4, 2007, Pathfire, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of DG FastChannel, Inc.

Utility

Series C in 2000
Utility Associates, Inc. is a manufacturer and supplier of advanced software solutions and camera systems designed primarily for law enforcement, transportation agencies, and utilities. Based in Decatur, Georgia, the company offers a range of products that enhance mobile field operations, including body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, and mobile resource management systems. Notable offerings include Rocket IOT, which automates evidence collection and enhances situational awareness, and AVaiL, a command and control application that provides real-time tracking of personnel and assets. Additional products such as Smart Holster and Smart Patrolling further support safety and operational efficiency. Utility Associates also provides multimedia storage, reporting, and connectivity services, aiming to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of field operations. Established in 2000, the company continues to innovate in the realm of mobile technology solutions.

Utility

Series B in 2000
Utility Associates, Inc. is a manufacturer and supplier of advanced software solutions and camera systems designed primarily for law enforcement, transportation agencies, and utilities. Based in Decatur, Georgia, the company offers a range of products that enhance mobile field operations, including body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, and mobile resource management systems. Notable offerings include Rocket IOT, which automates evidence collection and enhances situational awareness, and AVaiL, a command and control application that provides real-time tracking of personnel and assets. Additional products such as Smart Holster and Smart Patrolling further support safety and operational efficiency. Utility Associates also provides multimedia storage, reporting, and connectivity services, aiming to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of field operations. Established in 2000, the company continues to innovate in the realm of mobile technology solutions.