ICU Ventures operates as the venture investment arm of ICU, an independent asset management and private equity firm focused on emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The firm primarily targets early-stage technology companies with ties to Eastern Europe, preferring that either the founders or the engineering and software development teams are based in the region. ICU Ventures not only offers essential capital to these companies but also provides strategic support and access to a network of contacts to facilitate their international expansion. While gaming and gambling sectors are of particular interest, ICU Ventures is open to investments across a broad range of industries.
Khazna operates a mobile application platform designed to enhance financial services for Egyptians, particularly targeting the 50% of smartphone users who lack access to formal financial systems. The super app provides a range of services including General Purpose Credit, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), bill payments, savings, and insurance. It also facilitates cash advances for employees to address unforeseen emergencies and allows users to transfer and receive funds without incurring transaction fees. By focusing on digitizing cash transactions, Khazna aims to offer convenient, effective, and secure financial solutions, thereby improving financial inclusion in Egypt and potentially beyond.
Smartlane
Seed Round in 2024
Smartlane is a courier company that offers E-commerce delivery and operations solutions.
Gringo
Series C in 2023
Gringo is a car management application founded in 2019 by Juliano Dutra in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The platform aims to simplify the consultation and payment of vehicle-related debts, transforming traditionally cumbersome processes into more efficient experiences. Gringo offers features that facilitate buying, selling, financing, and insuring vehicles. Its application provides real-time alerts regarding fines, annual taxes, points, and license expiration, allowing users to manage their vehicle documents effectively. Additionally, Gringo seeks to foster a community around automotive issues through social networks, enhancing user engagement and support.
Hammerspace
Series A in 2023
Hammerspace is a company that offers a software-defined data orchestration and storage solution designed to provide unified file access across various storage types and locations. Its core technology, the Parallel Global File System, enables organizations to treat data as a global resource, facilitating direct multi-protocol access to files regardless of the underlying storage infrastructure, whether it be on-premises, public cloud, or private cloud. This system efficiently manages metadata, ensuring that all users access the same file information without creating duplicate copies across different storage silos. By leveraging machine learning, Hammerspace virtualizes and abstracts data from the underlying infrastructure, allowing for agile file data-as-a-service capabilities that support seamless application workloads and uninterrupted operations. This innovative approach helps organizations streamline data management and enhance productivity by eliminating complexities associated with traditional storage solutions.
Jenfi
Funding Round in 2023
Jenfi is a financial technology company founded by Jeffrey Liu and Justin Louie, specializing in revenue-based financing for digital-native businesses in Southeast Asia. The company offers a service known as Growth Capital as a Service (GCaaS), which provides non-dilutive capital of up to US$1,000,000 to help businesses scale their marketing, inventory, and growth initiatives. Jenfi utilizes a proprietary risk assessment engine to evaluate both the creditworthiness of businesses and their marketing growth efficiency, ensuring that financing options are flexible and customized to meet the specific needs of each client. The platform has supported hundreds of digital-native companies, including various B2B and SaaS startups. Prior to founding Jenfi, Liu and Louie successfully developed and exited the fitness subscription service GuavaPass.
Adwisely
Seed Round in 2022
Adwisely is a technology company that specializes in automating digital advertising campaigns. Its platform is designed to streamline the creation and optimization of advertisements by analyzing clients' advertising statistics, campaign goals, and budgets. By leveraging advanced algorithms, Adwisely identifies the most efficient advertising options and reallocates budgets to maximize the effectiveness of successful campaigns. This approach allows businesses to promote their best-selling products, complementary items, and new arrivals to existing customers, ultimately driving increased sales. The company's mission is to simplify digital advertising, enabling clients to focus on enhancing their product or service quality while minimizing human involvement in ad management.
Hubpay
Series A in 2022
Hubpay is an independently regulated provider of cross-border money services that aims to enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets. The company operates an online financial platform designed to facilitate overseas money transfers, offering a range of services including market-leading foreign exchange, multi-currency accounts, collections, and payment systems. By leveraging data science, Hubpay delivers accessible and affordable financial solutions to users regardless of their income level, enabling them to conduct instant money transfers with ease. This approach allows businesses to concentrate on growth while benefiting from reliable and responsible financial services.
Gorillas
Series C in 2021
Gorillas is a grocery delivery provider founded in May 2020 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The company focuses on delivering a diverse range of products, including fresh fruits, dairy, vegan items, and beverages, directly to customers' doorsteps within a 10-minute timeframe. By aggregating supermarket product offerings alongside unique selections from local community partners, Gorillas aims to meet the immediate needs of consumers efficiently. The platform is designed to ensure that customers have quick access to both essential groceries and specialized items, enhancing their overall shopping experience.
Revenue Grid
Series A in 2021
Revenue Grid is a technology company that specializes in enhancing revenue generation through actionable intelligence derived from customer interactions. Its advanced CRM activity capture technology offers a data-first approach to revenue intelligence, providing real-time insights that are configurable to meet the specific needs of various organizations. By seamlessly integrating with existing workflows and sales force automation platforms like Salesforce, Revenue Grid supports functions such as AI-guided selling, accurate forecasting, and improved pipeline visibility. With a legacy of over 15 years, the company has established partnerships with global tech leaders and serves clients across diverse industries, including notable names like Hilton and Baxter. Revenue Grid is recognized for its contributions to the field, having received accolades such as a position in G2's Top 50 Sales Products for 2023. The company's focus is on empowering sales leaders and operational teams alike, driving growth through innovative revenue intelligence solutions.
Finja
Series A in 2021
Finja is a Lahore-based company focused on providing innovative payment solutions and digital banking services in Pakistan and other emerging markets. Founded by experienced professionals from the tech and banking sectors, Finja aims to facilitate online money transactions through its digital payment platform. The company specializes in rolling out various payment types and systems while offering services in business process management, retail-led marketing, and user experience across multiple channels, including mobile and e-commerce. Additionally, Finja engages in managing and executing ROI-driven marketing campaigns to enhance brand positioning and differentiation. Through its comprehensive approach, Finja is committed to transforming the digital payments landscape in the region.
Datrics
Seed Round in 2021
Datrics is a self-service data intelligence platform that empowers business and analytics teams with an AI-driven tool designed for data exploration, insight generation, and automated dashboard creation, all without the need for coding. Its cloud-based, no-code analytics and machine learning capabilities allow users to develop data workflows and applications efficiently. By utilizing automation and flexible templates, Datrics enables enterprises to process large datasets, construct and compare models, and analyze market scenarios. This approach significantly reduces the time and cost associated with implementing analytic models, making advanced analytics accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise.
Laundryheap
Series A in 2021
Laundryheap is a provider of on-demand laundry and dry cleaning services that connects users with reliable local cleaning facilities. The company focuses on delivering a quick and convenient experience, allowing customers to schedule and manage their laundry orders through a user-friendly application. By minimizing transportation needs, Laundryheap ensures efficient service while maintaining a high standard of quality.
Augmented Pixels
Convertible Note in 2021
Augmented Pixels Inc. specializes in advanced navigation technologies for drones and robotics, leveraging visual SLAM and sensor fusion. The company offers a Vision Processing Unit that facilitates obstacle detection, pathfinding, autonomous exploration, and object tracking. Its SLAM SDK enables developers to integrate multiple sensor inputs for precise location calculations. Additionally, Augmented Pixels provides stereo cameras designed for localization and obstacle avoidance, as well as drone and robot platforms tailored for various applications, including healthcare and security. The firm also offers B2B and B2C solutions, such as CorpMap.AI for facility management and GlobalMap.AI for 3D maps crowdsourcing, which contributes to creating digital representations of environments. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Augmented Pixels was formerly known as AR23D Studio.
Nagad
Venture Round in 2021
Nagad is a digital finance service provider that focuses on mobile payments and e-banking solutions. The company offers a user-friendly application that allows individuals to deposit, withdraw, transfer money, and recharge their accounts at any time and from anywhere. By enabling users to send and receive money using only their mobile numbers, Nagad simplifies financial transactions and enhances accessibility to digital financial services.
Finja
Series A in 2020
Finja is a Lahore-based company focused on providing innovative payment solutions and digital banking services in Pakistan and other emerging markets. Founded by experienced professionals from the tech and banking sectors, Finja aims to facilitate online money transactions through its digital payment platform. The company specializes in rolling out various payment types and systems while offering services in business process management, retail-led marketing, and user experience across multiple channels, including mobile and e-commerce. Additionally, Finja engages in managing and executing ROI-driven marketing campaigns to enhance brand positioning and differentiation. Through its comprehensive approach, Finja is committed to transforming the digital payments landscape in the region.
Hivecell
Venture Round in 2020
Hivecell is a pioneering provider of edge-as-a-service solutions, enabling the deployment of cloud-like computing power at the edge, outside traditional data centers. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Beacon, New York, with additional offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Lviv, Ukraine, the company offers a platform that facilitates the management of complex distributed computing and artificial intelligence applications. This platform features automatic scaling, application monitoring, and management, along with capabilities for edge data processing and the migration of virtual machines to containers. Hivecell's solutions allow clients to efficiently query and analyze electronic data interchange messages while maintaining SQL databases, streamlining operations in a variety of industries.
3DLOOK
Seed Round in 2020
3DLOOK, LLC specializes in artificial intelligence technology solutions that focus on body scanning and measurements for the apparel industry. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, with additional offices in Ukraine, the company offers products such as SAIA Perfect Fit and SAIA 3D, which create accurate 3D models of the human body. 3DLOOK's innovations enable personalized shopping experiences by providing brands with detailed body data analytics, which helps in retargeting customers based on their unique body profiles. This technology not only enhances customer engagement and satisfaction but also aids in optimizing design and inventory management, contributing to more sustainable business practices. The company has received recognition for its contributions to retail innovation, including awards from LVMH and the IEEE Retail Digital Transformation Grand Challenge.
Augmented Pixels
Convertible Note in 2020
Augmented Pixels Inc. specializes in advanced navigation technologies for drones and robotics, leveraging visual SLAM and sensor fusion. The company offers a Vision Processing Unit that facilitates obstacle detection, pathfinding, autonomous exploration, and object tracking. Its SLAM SDK enables developers to integrate multiple sensor inputs for precise location calculations. Additionally, Augmented Pixels provides stereo cameras designed for localization and obstacle avoidance, as well as drone and robot platforms tailored for various applications, including healthcare and security. The firm also offers B2B and B2C solutions, such as CorpMap.AI for facility management and GlobalMap.AI for 3D maps crowdsourcing, which contributes to creating digital representations of environments. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Augmented Pixels was formerly known as AR23D Studio.
Jenfi
Seed Round in 2020
Jenfi is a financial technology company founded by Jeffrey Liu and Justin Louie, specializing in revenue-based financing for digital-native businesses in Southeast Asia. The company offers a service known as Growth Capital as a Service (GCaaS), which provides non-dilutive capital of up to US$1,000,000 to help businesses scale their marketing, inventory, and growth initiatives. Jenfi utilizes a proprietary risk assessment engine to evaluate both the creditworthiness of businesses and their marketing growth efficiency, ensuring that financing options are flexible and customized to meet the specific needs of each client. The platform has supported hundreds of digital-native companies, including various B2B and SaaS startups. Prior to founding Jenfi, Liu and Louie successfully developed and exited the fitness subscription service GuavaPass.
Respeecher
Seed Round in 2020
Respeecher, Inc., founded in 2017 and based in Seattle, Washington, operates an artificial intelligence-based voice cloning platform that allows users to speak in the voice of another person. This technology enables the dubbing of movies and television shows while preserving the original voice, as well as creating audiobooks narrated in the author’s voice. Respeecher's platform facilitates innovative content creation in various entertainment sectors and provides solutions for call centers, allowing a single voice to engage with different customers. Additionally, it offers support for individuals with speech challenges. Through its AI-driven approach, Respeecher aims to redefine how voices can be utilized across multiple applications.
C8 Technologies
Venture Round in 2020
C8 Technologies focuses on creating financial software products, particularly a systematic trading platform that provides users with direct access to actively tradable indices. The platform includes portfolio services, tracks index performance, and supports the development of custom algorithms. Additionally, it offers investment consulting aimed at helping asset owners achieve improved returns through effective quantitative risk management.
3DLOOK
Seed Round in 2019
3DLOOK, LLC specializes in artificial intelligence technology solutions that focus on body scanning and measurements for the apparel industry. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, with additional offices in Ukraine, the company offers products such as SAIA Perfect Fit and SAIA 3D, which create accurate 3D models of the human body. 3DLOOK's innovations enable personalized shopping experiences by providing brands with detailed body data analytics, which helps in retargeting customers based on their unique body profiles. This technology not only enhances customer engagement and satisfaction but also aids in optimizing design and inventory management, contributing to more sustainable business practices. The company has received recognition for its contributions to retail innovation, including awards from LVMH and the IEEE Retail Digital Transformation Grand Challenge.
Grabr
Venture Round in 2019
Grabr Inc. operates a platform that connects shoppers with travelers to facilitate the delivery of unique or hard-to-find items from around the world. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company offers an application that enables peer-to-peer delivery services. Users can post items they wish to buy, receive offers from travelers willing to deliver those items, select the best offer, and arrange secure payment. The application is accessible on various platforms, including the App Store, Google Play, and Chrome Store. Grabr aims to provide a safe and efficient marketplace that allows individuals to access goods globally while enabling travelers to earn money during their journeys.
Playermaker
Series A in 2019
PlayerMaker is a London-based football technology startup founded in 2016 that specializes in coaching enhancement and player development solutions for football academies. The company offers a wearable performance-tracking device that integrates with any footwear, enabling the capture of detailed technical, tactical, biomechanical, and physical data during play. This innovative technology allows coaches to assess player performance effectively, helping athletes at all levels to improve their skills, monitor injury risks, and facilitate faster recovery from injuries. By focusing on the direct interaction between foot and ball, PlayerMaker enhances the training experience and supports the development of football talent.
Apostera
Convertible Note in 2019
Apostera GmbH, based in Munich, Germany, specializes in developing an innovative automotive platform focused on enhancing driver safety and facilitating autonomous driving. Established in 2017, the company offers a range of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that include lane-keeping and departure warnings, collision avoidance, and augmented navigation features. Apostera's software solutions leverage augmented reality, smart camera technology, and vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication to improve situational awareness for drivers. By integrating these technologies, Apostera aims to create a new driving experience that enhances safety and reduces the risk of collisions, contributing to the evolution of mobility in an increasingly autonomous era. The company addresses market demands across Europe, North America, and Asia, drawing on its team of skilled engineers to deliver cutting-edge solutions.
Good Money
Series A in 2019
Good Money is a digital banking platform that prioritizes customer ownership and social responsibility. The platform offers traditional banking services alongside unique ownership benefits, allowing customers to share in the company's profits. Notably, Good Money commits to investing 50% of its profits in environmental protection and social justice initiatives. Its rewards debit card simplifies the process for customers to earn stock rewards on their purchases, while also encouraging them to refer new users, thereby increasing the value of their shares. Through this innovative approach, Good Money aims to align financial growth with positive social impact.
Competera
Seed Round in 2019
Competera Limited is an AI-driven price optimization company that offers cloud-based software solutions for both online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in West Hollywood, California, with additional offices in London, Singapore, and an R&D facility in Kyiv, Ukraine, Competera's platform enables retailers to set and maintain optimal prices using advanced deep learning algorithms. By analyzing billions of price combinations and integrating over 20 pricing and non-pricing factors along with real-time competitive data, the platform minimizes financial losses and can rebound an average of 6% of gross margin. Competera differentiates itself by providing efficient and fast pricing management at the category level, eliminating the need for manual analysis and allowing for rapid repricing with minimal user input. The solution is designed for quick onboarding, making it accessible even for users without specific expertise, and supports various pricing scenarios with simple operational commands.
SmartCommerce
Series A in 2018
SmartCommerce is a developer of a click-to-purchase shopping cart platform designed to enhance the effectiveness of digital advertisements for brands. The platform allows consumers to add products to their virtual shopping carts directly from various digital touchpoints, including ads, influencer blogs, emails, and videos. By facilitating this seamless purchasing experience, SmartCommerce enables clients to boost impulse purchases and enhance overall customer satisfaction during the buying process.
Akulaku
Series C in 2018
Akulaku Inc. is a prominent banking and digital finance platform headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, founded in 2016. It operates across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, focusing on meeting the financial needs of underserved customers in emerging markets. The company provides a variety of services, including digital banking, financing, investment, and insurance brokerage. Its offerings feature a virtual credit card, an e-commerce platform, and Asetku, an online wealth management service. Additionally, Akulaku has launched Neobank, a mobile digital bank supported by Bank Neo Commerce. The company aims to serve 50 million users in Southeast Asia by 2025, facilitating a range of financial transactions, from mobile top-ups to installment shopping, thereby enhancing the shopping experience for its users.
Xelba
Seed Round in 2018
Xelba is a developer of Internet of Things (IoT) software aimed at providing hardware and software solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. The company's offerings focus on enhancing and simplifying complex business processes that are often hindered by communication barriers, particularly those arising from language differences. By enabling clients to manage their software in a centralized and efficient manner, Xelba helps businesses improve connectivity and streamline operations, ultimately facilitating better communication and collaboration within diverse teams.
Hideez
Convertible Note in 2018
Hideez is a cybersecurity startup that specializes in providing solutions for both physical and logical access. With offices in the USA and Ukraine, the company has developed the Hideez Key, a hybrid device designed for wireless authentication and password management. This innovative solution integrates RFID door credentials and digital signatures, utilizing encrypted Bluetooth, RFID, and NFC technologies. Hideez Key offers a versatile approach to authentication, enabling users to manage and replace credentials remotely. Its proprietary encryption protocols are platform agnostic and are designed to enhance existing solutions in the market. Overall, Hideez aims to simplify identity and access management while ensuring the security of digital assets.
Petcube
Convertible Note in 2018
Petcube, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing interactive Wi-Fi pet cameras aimed at enhancing the connection between pet owners and their pets when they are away from home. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, Petcube's product lineup includes the Petcube Play 2, a smart HD camera equipped with a laser toy and voice control, allowing users to see, communicate with, and engage their pets remotely. Another notable product is the Petcube Bites 2, which features a treat dispenser alongside similar functionalities, enabling users to reward and train their pets effectively. Additionally, Petcube offers Petcube Care, a service that provides video history and alerts, enhancing the pet care experience. The company retails its innovative products online, positioning itself as a leader in the connected pet technology market.
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