Idea Fund

Idea Fund Partners is a private equity firm founded in 2007, based in Wisconsin. The firm specializes in providing seed and early-stage equity funding along with company-building expertise. It targets investment opportunities in technology, healthcare, engineered products, agriculture, education, and financial services across the United States, with a particular focus on emerging geographies. The firm aims to support entrepreneurs, their customers, and local communities through its investments, fostering growth in various sectors, including IT, materials technologies, and medical devices.

Lewis Burnham

Principal

Joe Darcy

Principal

Lister Delgado

Managing Partner

Richard Fox

Venture Partner

Chris Langford

Partner

Keith A. Luedeman

Operating Partner - Fintech

Matthew A. Megaro

Operating Partner

Libby Spirer

President

Past deals in North Carolina

Klearly

Venture Round in 2022
Klearly Analytics, Inc. is a developer of a SaaS-based prescriptive intelligence platform tailored for B2B companies. Founded in 2017 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Klearly provides a solution that leverages data science and machine learning to enable sales and marketing teams to better understand their impact on revenue. The platform offers actionable insights by analyzing consumer behavior, tracking product sales, and assessing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. It empowers teams to prioritize accounts, focus on strategic activities, and anticipate business outcomes, thereby enhancing their ability to innovate marketing strategies and increase return on investment. Klearly is designed to replace traditional metrics with predictive capabilities, positioning itself as a vital tool for revenue-oriented marketing efforts.

biospatial

Series A in 2022
Biospatial, Inc. designs and develops an online cloud-based platform to alert its users regarding anomalous events related to human health and the biosphere. The platform ingests data, processes inbound data records using machine learning, and offers data feeds to end users. It offers web-based interfaces to enable users to visualize data, generate reports, and control user access. Biospatial, Inc. was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Finmark

Seed Round in 2022
Finmark Financial Group specializes in developing financial planning and modeling software tailored for startups. Founded in 2020 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company offers a platform that simplifies the management of financial metrics, enabling businesses to efficiently handle their runway, hiring, and cash flow. By transforming complex financial concepts into an easy-to-use interface, Finmark allows companies to update, inspect, and share their financial data seamlessly. The software serves a wide range of businesses, from pre-revenue to pre-IPO, helping teams align on financial goals, enhance collaboration, and optimize resources.

Get Spiffy

Venture Round in 2021
A team of experienced Triangle, NC entrepreneurs are building the World's first on-demand smartphone-powered technology-enabled mobile car wash and detailing service. Schedule your wash in under a minute using our app or website and we come to you! All payment and communication is handled via the app so that it is super-convenient. Also at Spiffy we care deeply about the environment and all of our washes are 100% eco-friendly. We recycle 100% of the water and leave zero run-off.

Pendo

Series F in 2021
Pendo is the only platform to combine in-product engagement with robust product data and user feedback. With the ability to quickly take action on these qualitative and quantitative insights, product teams can make more informed decisions on how to support users throughout their journey.

Payzer

Series D in 2021
Payzer is a North Carolina-based financial technology company that offers an all-in-one financial tool which helps contractors grow their businesses and exchange money with ease. Its mobile and cloud-based platform allows customers to accept credit and debit cards, and electronic checks in the field or at the home office with real-time tracking across their organizations. It also allows its users to provide instant financing up to $55,000 using a mobile phone, tablet, or personal computer as well as control purchases by giving employees Visa debit purchasing cards. Payzer was established in 2014.

Finmark

Seed Round in 2020
Finmark Financial Group specializes in developing financial planning and modeling software tailored for startups. Founded in 2020 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company offers a platform that simplifies the management of financial metrics, enabling businesses to efficiently handle their runway, hiring, and cash flow. By transforming complex financial concepts into an easy-to-use interface, Finmark allows companies to update, inspect, and share their financial data seamlessly. The software serves a wide range of businesses, from pre-revenue to pre-IPO, helping teams align on financial goals, enhance collaboration, and optimize resources.

Reveal Mobile

Series A in 2020
Reveal Mobile, Inc. operates a platform that provides location-based advertising and analytics across multiple industries. It offers VISIT Local that provides foot traffic attribution, location-based analytics, and audience building for agencies, media companies, and brands. The company also provides VISIT Match that provides instant audience scale for locations, analytics, and products. In addition, it offers VISIT Data, a customizable location-data solution for enterprise products and analytics platforms. The company provides solutions in the areas of agencies, brands, digital out of home, media companies, and data driven companies. Reveal Mobile, Inc. was formerly known as StepLeader, Inc. and changed its name to Reveal Mobile, Inc. in March 2015. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Reveal Mobile, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of CBC New Media Group, LLC.

Second Nature

Series C in 2020
Second Nature is a consumer goods company that specializes in providing air filters. It offers a web-based platform that enables people to purchase online its services include shipping, installation, and maintenance that helps their client to improve their indoor air quality and protect the HVAC system. The company was founded in 2012 and headquartered in North Carolina, United States.

Silbo

Seed Round in 2019
Silbo Inc. is a marketplace that connects sports games with officials, facilitating the scheduling, payment, and communication processes. The company offers a software-as-a-service platform where youth and adult leagues, clubs, and tournaments can post games online. This system allows qualified officials to easily access available games, select assignments, and receive digital payments, while also providing a mechanism for feedback. Founded in 2016, Silbo operates from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Klearly

Seed Round in 2019
Klearly Analytics, Inc. is a developer of a SaaS-based prescriptive intelligence platform tailored for B2B companies. Founded in 2017 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Klearly provides a solution that leverages data science and machine learning to enable sales and marketing teams to better understand their impact on revenue. The platform offers actionable insights by analyzing consumer behavior, tracking product sales, and assessing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. It empowers teams to prioritize accounts, focus on strategic activities, and anticipate business outcomes, thereby enhancing their ability to innovate marketing strategies and increase return on investment. Klearly is designed to replace traditional metrics with predictive capabilities, positioning itself as a vital tool for revenue-oriented marketing efforts.

Get Spiffy

Series C in 2019
A team of experienced Triangle, NC entrepreneurs are building the World's first on-demand smartphone-powered technology-enabled mobile car wash and detailing service. Schedule your wash in under a minute using our app or website and we come to you! All payment and communication is handled via the app so that it is super-convenient. Also at Spiffy we care deeply about the environment and all of our washes are 100% eco-friendly. We recycle 100% of the water and leave zero run-off.

Payzer

Series C in 2018
Payzer is a North Carolina-based financial technology company that offers an all-in-one financial tool which helps contractors grow their businesses and exchange money with ease. Its mobile and cloud-based platform allows customers to accept credit and debit cards, and electronic checks in the field or at the home office with real-time tracking across their organizations. It also allows its users to provide instant financing up to $55,000 using a mobile phone, tablet, or personal computer as well as control purchases by giving employees Visa debit purchasing cards. Payzer was established in 2014.

Get Spiffy

Series B in 2018
A team of experienced Triangle, NC entrepreneurs are building the World's first on-demand smartphone-powered technology-enabled mobile car wash and detailing service. Schedule your wash in under a minute using our app or website and we come to you! All payment and communication is handled via the app so that it is super-convenient. Also at Spiffy we care deeply about the environment and all of our washes are 100% eco-friendly. We recycle 100% of the water and leave zero run-off.

Payzer

Series B in 2018
Payzer is a North Carolina-based financial technology company that offers an all-in-one financial tool which helps contractors grow their businesses and exchange money with ease. Its mobile and cloud-based platform allows customers to accept credit and debit cards, and electronic checks in the field or at the home office with real-time tracking across their organizations. It also allows its users to provide instant financing up to $55,000 using a mobile phone, tablet, or personal computer as well as control purchases by giving employees Visa debit purchasing cards. Payzer was established in 2014.

Second Nature

Series B in 2017
Second Nature is a consumer goods company that specializes in providing air filters. It offers a web-based platform that enables people to purchase online its services include shipping, installation, and maintenance that helps their client to improve their indoor air quality and protect the HVAC system. The company was founded in 2012 and headquartered in North Carolina, United States.

Pendo

Series C in 2017
Pendo is the only platform to combine in-product engagement with robust product data and user feedback. With the ability to quickly take action on these qualitative and quantitative insights, product teams can make more informed decisions on how to support users throughout their journey.

Mati Inc.

Series A in 2017
Mati Inc. is a company based in Durham, North Carolina, that specializes in the production and sale of energy drinks. Founded in 2012, it offers a unique energy drink brewed from plant-based ingredients, fruit juice concentrates, and water. The flagship product, MATI, is designed to provide a healthier alternative for active and health-conscious consumers seeking to enhance their everyday performance. Mati Inc. distributes its products through various channels, including wholesalers, retail outlets, and online platforms, primarily serving customers in North Carolina and surrounding counties. As of April 2020, Mati Inc. operates as a subsidiary of NOBL Beverages.

First

Seed Round in 2017
First is a software company that uses artificial and predictive intelligence on when and why people move to predict sales and marketing. It brings predictive marketing to real estate. Fundamentally changing how service providers find their next customer. They discover when and why people will buy or sell a house, so they can connect realtors with new clients at the perfect time. Thus, the company predicts who will sell by tracking 700+ signals across 214 million people nationwide.

Get Spiffy

Series A in 2017
A team of experienced Triangle, NC entrepreneurs are building the World's first on-demand smartphone-powered technology-enabled mobile car wash and detailing service. Schedule your wash in under a minute using our app or website and we come to you! All payment and communication is handled via the app so that it is super-convenient. Also at Spiffy we care deeply about the environment and all of our washes are 100% eco-friendly. We recycle 100% of the water and leave zero run-off.

Pendo

Series B in 2016
Pendo is the only platform to combine in-product engagement with robust product data and user feedback. With the ability to quickly take action on these qualitative and quantitative insights, product teams can make more informed decisions on how to support users throughout their journey.

Payzer

Series B in 2016
Payzer is a North Carolina-based financial technology company that offers an all-in-one financial tool which helps contractors grow their businesses and exchange money with ease. Its mobile and cloud-based platform allows customers to accept credit and debit cards, and electronic checks in the field or at the home office with real-time tracking across their organizations. It also allows its users to provide instant financing up to $55,000 using a mobile phone, tablet, or personal computer as well as control purchases by giving employees Visa debit purchasing cards. Payzer was established in 2014.

Windsor Circle

Series B in 2016
As of January 3, 2019, Windsor Circle, Inc. was acquired by WhatCounts, Inc. Windsor Circle, Inc. provides Software-as-a-Service customer retention software for the retail industry worldwide. The company offers a Software-as-a-Service marketing automation platform for retailers to drive customer loyalty, retention, and revenue through their marketing campaigns. It provides personalized, automated, and segmented data-driven campaigns including, lifecycle marketing, loyalty and retention, product recommendations, product replenishment, cart recovery, and browse abandonment and more; and predictive marketing services. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Antenna

Seed Round in 2016
Our mobile-first, real-time feedback platform captures true audience sentiment, increasing participation and conversions. We are personalized, two-way feedback for the mobile generation.

Lucerno Dynamics

Seed Round in 2016
Lucerno Dynamics, LLC is a medical technology company based in Cary, North Carolina, focused on the development and distribution of systems that detect and quantify radiolabeled biomarkers in tissue. Established in 2011, the company offers a range of products, including the Lucerno LD1 system, which helps clinicians assess tumor response early in treatment, and the Lara System, designed to monitor nuclear medicine injections. Lucerno's innovative devices leverage advanced PET crystal technology to provide healthcare providers with reliable information on the quality of nuclear medicine used in disease evaluations. Their solutions have applications in various areas, including quality assurance for clinical PET/CT scans, non-invasive measurement of arterial input function, and monitoring the effectiveness of therapies for superficial tumors, as well as supporting preclinical research in animal studies.

Sift Media

Series A in 2016
Sift MediaSift Media is leveraging advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to hyper-target app install ads for its clients. They sift through 50 billion mobile ad requests daily, leveraging advanced AI & machine learning algorithms to hyper-target app install ads for our clients. To date, Sift has served 40B+ mobile ads and delivered 25M+ app installs for thousands of advertisers. In January 2016, Sift announced $3.25 million in funding led by Wakefield Group, with participation from Piedmont Capital, Alerion Ventures, IDEA Fund Partners, and several angel investors.

WedPics

Series B in 2015
WedPics is a mobile and web-based photosharing app created specifically to capture the entire wedding experience. Available on both iPhones and Androids, guests can share their photos to one single album for the Bride and Groom, solving the universal problem for Wedding Couples everywhere. WedPics is fully interactive with the ability to comment, "Love" and share with existing social networks. They’ve included 5 custom filters to make every guest a personal wedding photographer on these special occasions. For those who choose to capture these special moments on traditional digital cameras, they can upload their photos via the web directly to the Wedding Couple’s WedPics album. WedPics replaces the need for the archaic, low-quality use of disposable cameras and brings Weddings into the era of smartphone/mobile technology. WedPics is developed by Deja mi Inc., a Raleigh, North Carolina based mobile/web photo app development company. Their initial app, also named "Deja mi," allowed users to explore and discover venues around them-through crowdsourced content-in real-time. The team's focus shifted in early 2012 to a more niche market: weddings. Shortly after they launched WedPics.

Pendo

Series A in 2015
Pendo is the only platform to combine in-product engagement with robust product data and user feedback. With the ability to quickly take action on these qualitative and quantitative insights, product teams can make more informed decisions on how to support users throughout their journey.

Sarda

Seed Round in 2015
Sarda’s disruptive voltage regulator products significantly improve the energy efficiency of cloud computing systems, enabling them to keep up with the Internet's exponential growth.

Canopy Lawn Care

Seed Round in 2015
Canopy is a landscaping company that uses technology for consumers to purchase and schedule lawn maintenance services. It uses technology to streamline operations and improve communications in order to provide an exceptional employee and customer experience. The company provides lawn care and landscaping, from weed control and fertilization to mowing and maintenance, in an environmentally responsible and intelligent fashion. Canopy Lawn Care was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.

Reveal Mobile

Seed Round in 2015
Reveal Mobile, Inc. operates a platform that provides location-based advertising and analytics across multiple industries. It offers VISIT Local that provides foot traffic attribution, location-based analytics, and audience building for agencies, media companies, and brands. The company also provides VISIT Match that provides instant audience scale for locations, analytics, and products. In addition, it offers VISIT Data, a customizable location-data solution for enterprise products and analytics platforms. The company provides solutions in the areas of agencies, brands, digital out of home, media companies, and data driven companies. Reveal Mobile, Inc. was formerly known as StepLeader, Inc. and changed its name to Reveal Mobile, Inc. in March 2015. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Reveal Mobile, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of CBC New Media Group, LLC.

WedPics

Series B in 2015
WedPics is a mobile and web-based photosharing app created specifically to capture the entire wedding experience. Available on both iPhones and Androids, guests can share their photos to one single album for the Bride and Groom, solving the universal problem for Wedding Couples everywhere. WedPics is fully interactive with the ability to comment, "Love" and share with existing social networks. They’ve included 5 custom filters to make every guest a personal wedding photographer on these special occasions. For those who choose to capture these special moments on traditional digital cameras, they can upload their photos via the web directly to the Wedding Couple’s WedPics album. WedPics replaces the need for the archaic, low-quality use of disposable cameras and brings Weddings into the era of smartphone/mobile technology. WedPics is developed by Deja mi Inc., a Raleigh, North Carolina based mobile/web photo app development company. Their initial app, also named "Deja mi," allowed users to explore and discover venues around them-through crowdsourced content-in real-time. The team's focus shifted in early 2012 to a more niche market: weddings. Shortly after they launched WedPics.

Windsor Circle

Series B in 2014
As of January 3, 2019, Windsor Circle, Inc. was acquired by WhatCounts, Inc. Windsor Circle, Inc. provides Software-as-a-Service customer retention software for the retail industry worldwide. The company offers a Software-as-a-Service marketing automation platform for retailers to drive customer loyalty, retention, and revenue through their marketing campaigns. It provides personalized, automated, and segmented data-driven campaigns including, lifecycle marketing, loyalty and retention, product recommendations, product replenishment, cart recovery, and browse abandonment and more; and predictive marketing services. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Automated Insights

Series B in 2014
Automated Insights Inc. is an artificial intelligence company based in Durham, North Carolina, specializing in content automation services. The company is known for its Wordsmith platform, a natural language generation engine that transforms raw data into coherent narratives, such as articles, summaries, and visualizations. This technology enables organizations across various sectors, including finance, real estate, and sports, to efficiently produce millions of personalized reports and content pieces in a fraction of the time it would take to write them manually. With over 200 clients, including notable names like Allstate and The Associated Press, Automated Insights generates more than 1.5 billion content pieces annually. Originally founded as StatSheet, Inc. in 2007, the company rebranded to Automated Insights in 2011 and operates as a subsidiary of STATS LLC.

WedPics

Series A in 2014
WedPics is a mobile and web-based photosharing app created specifically to capture the entire wedding experience. Available on both iPhones and Androids, guests can share their photos to one single album for the Bride and Groom, solving the universal problem for Wedding Couples everywhere. WedPics is fully interactive with the ability to comment, "Love" and share with existing social networks. They’ve included 5 custom filters to make every guest a personal wedding photographer on these special occasions. For those who choose to capture these special moments on traditional digital cameras, they can upload their photos via the web directly to the Wedding Couple’s WedPics album. WedPics replaces the need for the archaic, low-quality use of disposable cameras and brings Weddings into the era of smartphone/mobile technology. WedPics is developed by Deja mi Inc., a Raleigh, North Carolina based mobile/web photo app development company. Their initial app, also named "Deja mi," allowed users to explore and discover venues around them-through crowdsourced content-in real-time. The team's focus shifted in early 2012 to a more niche market: weddings. Shortly after they launched WedPics.

Windsor Circle

Series A in 2013
As of January 3, 2019, Windsor Circle, Inc. was acquired by WhatCounts, Inc. Windsor Circle, Inc. provides Software-as-a-Service customer retention software for the retail industry worldwide. The company offers a Software-as-a-Service marketing automation platform for retailers to drive customer loyalty, retention, and revenue through their marketing campaigns. It provides personalized, automated, and segmented data-driven campaigns including, lifecycle marketing, loyalty and retention, product recommendations, product replenishment, cart recovery, and browse abandonment and more; and predictive marketing services. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Windsor Circle

Venture Round in 2012
As of January 3, 2019, Windsor Circle, Inc. was acquired by WhatCounts, Inc. Windsor Circle, Inc. provides Software-as-a-Service customer retention software for the retail industry worldwide. The company offers a Software-as-a-Service marketing automation platform for retailers to drive customer loyalty, retention, and revenue through their marketing campaigns. It provides personalized, automated, and segmented data-driven campaigns including, lifecycle marketing, loyalty and retention, product recommendations, product replenishment, cart recovery, and browse abandonment and more; and predictive marketing services. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Automated Insights

Series A in 2011
Automated Insights Inc. is an artificial intelligence company based in Durham, North Carolina, specializing in content automation services. The company is known for its Wordsmith platform, a natural language generation engine that transforms raw data into coherent narratives, such as articles, summaries, and visualizations. This technology enables organizations across various sectors, including finance, real estate, and sports, to efficiently produce millions of personalized reports and content pieces in a fraction of the time it would take to write them manually. With over 200 clients, including notable names like Allstate and The Associated Press, Automated Insights generates more than 1.5 billion content pieces annually. Originally founded as StatSheet, Inc. in 2007, the company rebranded to Automated Insights in 2011 and operates as a subsidiary of STATS LLC.

Axial Exchange

Series A in 2011
Axial Exchange Inc. is a healthcare technology company that specializes in a remote patient and population health monitoring platform. Founded in 2009 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the platform provides continuous, real-time insights into community health interests, goals, and behaviors. It enhances patient care by enabling healthcare teams to detect complications early and access trending health and behavior data between provider encounters. Additionally, Axial Exchange empowers patients to understand their health journeys, encouraging active participation in their care. This approach aims to improve patient outcomes while reducing overall healthcare costs through early intervention and optimized care management. As of 2015, Axial Exchange operates as a subsidiary of IngagePatient, Inc.

Argyle Social

Seed Round in 2010
Argyle Software provides a Social Media Marketing Solution that enables marketers to generate more prospects, qualify more leads, and create greater engagement across their social base. Argyle Social integrates with Pardot, Marketo, and soon with Silverpop as well, to provide marketers with the only way to tie social in to the efforts of the rest of the marketing department. Hundreds of mid-sized businesses - including Uservoice, Backupify, Sharefile, and Global Giving - rely on Argyle to power their social media marketing programs.

Automated Insights

Series A in 2010
Automated Insights Inc. is an artificial intelligence company based in Durham, North Carolina, specializing in content automation services. The company is known for its Wordsmith platform, a natural language generation engine that transforms raw data into coherent narratives, such as articles, summaries, and visualizations. This technology enables organizations across various sectors, including finance, real estate, and sports, to efficiently produce millions of personalized reports and content pieces in a fraction of the time it would take to write them manually. With over 200 clients, including notable names like Allstate and The Associated Press, Automated Insights generates more than 1.5 billion content pieces annually. Originally founded as StatSheet, Inc. in 2007, the company rebranded to Automated Insights in 2011 and operates as a subsidiary of STATS LLC.

BrightDoor

Venture Round in 2008
BrightDoor Systems, Inc. develops and delivers customer relationship management (CRM), mobile application, interactive kiosk, marketing, and sales software solutions for single and multifamily developers, homebuilders, and new home brokers. It offers BrightDoor Central, a CRM and marketing system that delivers typical lead management and others; BrightDoor Kiosk, to transform a discovery center, model home, or leasing gallery visit into a sales experience; and BrightDoor Mobile, a solution that engage with sellers with the buyers. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. It also operates a client service office in Costa Mesa, California.

Oncoscope

Seed Round in 2008
Oncoscope, Inc. operates as a medical device company. It develops optical imaging systems for epithelial tissues in the oral cavity, esophagous, stomach, colon, lung, cervix, and bladder. Its systems provide in vivo measurements of the diameter and density of cell nuclei. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

iContact

Series A in 2007
iContact LLC is a provider of email marketing software and solutions specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses globally. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, the company offers a range of products including iContact, iContact Pro, and iContact for Salesforce, which facilitate the creation, sending, and tracking of email campaigns, newsletters, surveys, and automated responses. iContact is recognized as a leading private provider in the email and social media marketing sector. As a B Corporation, the company adheres to a social responsibility model, contributing 1% of employee time, payroll, equity, and products to community initiatives. iContact fosters a vibrant company culture focused on creativity and community engagement and operates as a subsidiary of j2 Global, Inc.

iContact

Seed Round in 2006
iContact LLC is a provider of email marketing software and solutions specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses globally. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, the company offers a range of products including iContact, iContact Pro, and iContact for Salesforce, which facilitate the creation, sending, and tracking of email campaigns, newsletters, surveys, and automated responses. iContact is recognized as a leading private provider in the email and social media marketing sector. As a B Corporation, the company adheres to a social responsibility model, contributing 1% of employee time, payroll, equity, and products to community initiatives. iContact fosters a vibrant company culture focused on creativity and community engagement and operates as a subsidiary of j2 Global, Inc.