Pillar VC

Adaptilens, LLC is a Massachusetts-based company focused on the development of an innovative intraocular lens that provides patients with clear vision at varying distances without the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Founded in 2019, Adaptilens has created a physiologically adaptive lens that mimics the natural human lens, allowing the eye's ciliary muscles to adjust the shape of the lens for optimal focus on near, intermediate, and distant objects. This technology aims to enhance the quality of life for patients by enabling natural accommodation, thereby facilitating a seamless transition between different visual tasks.

Asimov, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on designing and developing genetically engineered therapeutics. Founded in 2017, the company specializes in creating tools for programming living cells, utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates mammalian synthetic biology, computer-aided design, and machine learning. Asimov's platform includes the development of genetic circuits for molecular manufacturing and therapeutic applications, alongside the manufacture of protein biologics, viral vectors, and cell and gene therapies. By combining synthetic biology with biophysical simulations and machine learning algorithms, Asimov aims to optimize the design and production of advanced biologics and gene therapies, thereby contributing to innovations in healthcare.

JobGet Inc. is a mobile hiring application and job search platform based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 2017. It serves as a marketplace connecting employers and job seekers, facilitating direct communication through messaging, scheduling meetings, and conducting video interviews. The platform is particularly focused on the retail and hospitality industries, significantly accelerating the job search process by reducing the timeline from weeks to mere minutes. JobGet has gained recognition as a top-rated application on both iOS and Android, assisting thousands of job seekers in engaging with prominent employers.

Kula Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company specializes in biofertilizers that harness nitrogen-fixing microbes energized by renewable energy sources. This innovative approach allows Kula Bio to produce organic nitrogen fertilizers that aim to replace traditional synthetic fertilizers, promoting both agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. By enhancing natural microbial processes, Kula Bio’s products enable farmers to improve crop yields while prioritizing sustainability and eco-friendliness in farming practices.

Mana Interactive Inc., based in Boston, is a financial solutions provider established in 2021 that focuses on creating a rewards platform tailored for gamers. The company has developed a financial application that offers a checking account and debit card specifically designed for individuals who enjoy gaming. Through this application, users can earn rewards points not only from their everyday purchases but also from engaging in their favorite games. Additionally, Mana Interactive provides access to gaming events, hardware, and beta tests, further enhancing the gaming experience. The team at Mana Interactive is dedicated to transforming the fintech landscape and reshaping how rewards, payments, and technology integrate within the gaming community.

Hometap, founded in 2018 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, is a fintech company that specializes in home equity investments. It allows homeowners to access funds immediately without taking on loans or selling their homes. Homeowners can use these funds for various purposes such as paying off debt or making renovations, all while avoiding added debt or monthly payments. Hometap provides this cash in exchange for a percentage of the future appreciation of the home's value.

Waeve Inc. is an eCommerce company specializing in high-quality, ready-to-wear wigs tailored for millennial and Gen Z black women. Founded in 2018 and based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Waeve is a black woman-owned business that aims to redefine the hair industry by offering beginner-friendly products. The company focuses on limited drop collections, ensuring exclusivity and style for its customers. Co-founded by Tiiso McGinty, Mary Imevbore, and Susana Hawken, Waeve is backed by venture capital and caters to the growing demand for accessible beauty solutions.

Circle is a financial technology firm established in 2013 by Jeremy Allaire and Sean Neville, headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in New York, San Francisco, Dublin, London, and Hong Kong. The company leverages blockchain technology to facilitate payments and e-commerce through stablecoins and its Circle Pay platform, streamlining the process of sending money. Circle offers a range of services, including Circle Invest, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrency assets, and Circle Trade, which provides over-the-counter trading services with access to one of the largest global liquidity pools for digital asset trading, averaging $2 billion in monthly volume. Backed by prominent investors such as Goldman Sachs and Accel Partners, Circle positions itself as a key player in the global internet finance sector, focused on integrating crypto assets into mainstream financial applications.

Kula Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company specializes in biofertilizers that harness nitrogen-fixing microbes energized by renewable energy sources. This innovative approach allows Kula Bio to produce organic nitrogen fertilizers that aim to replace traditional synthetic fertilizers, promoting both agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. By enhancing natural microbial processes, Kula Bio’s products enable farmers to improve crop yields while prioritizing sustainability and eco-friendliness in farming practices.

Knox Financial, established in 2018 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, operates a platform that enables individuals to transform their primary residence into an investment property, generating passive rental income while they continue living there. The company uses algorithm-based technology to manage and identify suitable residential rentals, offering services such as tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance management, insurance programs, and accounting, thereby streamlining the process of owning and managing a rental property.

Adaptilens, LLC is a Massachusetts-based company focused on the development of an innovative intraocular lens that provides patients with clear vision at varying distances without the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Founded in 2019, Adaptilens has created a physiologically adaptive lens that mimics the natural human lens, allowing the eye's ciliary muscles to adjust the shape of the lens for optimal focus on near, intermediate, and distant objects. This technology aims to enhance the quality of life for patients by enabling natural accommodation, thereby facilitating a seamless transition between different visual tasks.

JobGet Inc. is a mobile hiring application and job search platform based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 2017. It serves as a marketplace connecting employers and job seekers, facilitating direct communication through messaging, scheduling meetings, and conducting video interviews. The platform is particularly focused on the retail and hospitality industries, significantly accelerating the job search process by reducing the timeline from weeks to mere minutes. JobGet has gained recognition as a top-rated application on both iOS and Android, assisting thousands of job seekers in engaging with prominent employers.

JobGet Inc. is a mobile hiring application and job search platform based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 2017. It serves as a marketplace connecting employers and job seekers, facilitating direct communication through messaging, scheduling meetings, and conducting video interviews. The platform is particularly focused on the retail and hospitality industries, significantly accelerating the job search process by reducing the timeline from weeks to mere minutes. JobGet has gained recognition as a top-rated application on both iOS and Android, assisting thousands of job seekers in engaging with prominent employers.

Zapata Computing, Inc. is a quantum software company that specializes in developing innovative computing solutions tailored for industrial and commercial applications. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Toronto, the company emerged from Harvard University and is driven by a team of scientists, including Alán Aspuru-Guzik. Zapata offers Orquestra, a software platform that enables the composition of quantum workflows using a YAML-compatible language, facilitating tasks across both quantum and classical hardware. Its solutions are hardware-agnostic and cater to various sectors, including finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, transportation, logistics, energy, and more. Equipped to address complex challenges, Zapata Computing focuses on simulation, optimization, and machine learning, helping enterprise organizations harness the power of quantum technology to enhance their operations.

Kula Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company specializes in biofertilizers that harness nitrogen-fixing microbes energized by renewable energy sources. This innovative approach allows Kula Bio to produce organic nitrogen fertilizers that aim to replace traditional synthetic fertilizers, promoting both agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. By enhancing natural microbial processes, Kula Bio’s products enable farmers to improve crop yields while prioritizing sustainability and eco-friendliness in farming practices.

Adaptilens, LLC is a Massachusetts-based company focused on the development of an innovative intraocular lens that provides patients with clear vision at varying distances without the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Founded in 2019, Adaptilens has created a physiologically adaptive lens that mimics the natural human lens, allowing the eye's ciliary muscles to adjust the shape of the lens for optimal focus on near, intermediate, and distant objects. This technology aims to enhance the quality of life for patients by enabling natural accommodation, thereby facilitating a seamless transition between different visual tasks.

Kula Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company specializes in biofertilizers that harness nitrogen-fixing microbes energized by renewable energy sources. This innovative approach allows Kula Bio to produce organic nitrogen fertilizers that aim to replace traditional synthetic fertilizers, promoting both agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. By enhancing natural microbial processes, Kula Bio’s products enable farmers to improve crop yields while prioritizing sustainability and eco-friendliness in farming practices.

Knox Financial, established in 2018 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, operates a platform that enables individuals to transform their primary residence into an investment property, generating passive rental income while they continue living there. The company uses algorithm-based technology to manage and identify suitable residential rentals, offering services such as tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance management, insurance programs, and accounting, thereby streamlining the process of owning and managing a rental property.

Petri is a venture capital accelerator based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2019. The firm specializes in investing in formation-stage startups, particularly at the intersection of biology and engineering. Petri focuses on sectors such as biotech applications, food, healthcare, industrial chemicals, and new materials. It provides pre-seed and seed capital investments, typically up to $0.25 million, and works closely with founders over a 12-month period to help them build high-quality teams, develop intellectual property, and identify customers. Petri's programming culminates in a Demo Day presentation, showcasing the startups' progress. In exchange for its support, Petri acquires an equity stake in the participating companies.

Zapata Computing, Inc. is a quantum software company that specializes in developing innovative computing solutions tailored for industrial and commercial applications. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Toronto, the company emerged from Harvard University and is driven by a team of scientists, including Alán Aspuru-Guzik. Zapata offers Orquestra, a software platform that enables the composition of quantum workflows using a YAML-compatible language, facilitating tasks across both quantum and classical hardware. Its solutions are hardware-agnostic and cater to various sectors, including finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, transportation, logistics, energy, and more. Equipped to address complex challenges, Zapata Computing focuses on simulation, optimization, and machine learning, helping enterprise organizations harness the power of quantum technology to enhance their operations.

RECLAIM is a financial wellness app that relieves patients from financial stress so that they can focus on their wellbeing. It helps healthcare users understand their care pathway and what to expect ahead, save on their cost of care, and optimize their insurance selection to best mitigate their financial risk. It was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Jellyfish, Inc. is an engineering management platform that assists engineering leaders in aligning their teams' work with strategic business objectives. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Washington, D.C., Jellyfish offers a suite of tools that integrate engineering data with contextual business information. This integration allows teams to track their work, understand resource allocation, and measure productivity and performance. The platform provides insights into how engineering efforts contribute to overall business growth, facilitating improved communication of value and effectiveness. By offering solutions for strategic alignment, distributed teams, and R&D cost capitalization, Jellyfish aims to enhance the operational efficiency of engineering organizations.

Kula Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, the company specializes in biofertilizers that harness nitrogen-fixing microbes energized by renewable energy sources. This innovative approach allows Kula Bio to produce organic nitrogen fertilizers that aim to replace traditional synthetic fertilizers, promoting both agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. By enhancing natural microbial processes, Kula Bio’s products enable farmers to improve crop yields while prioritizing sustainability and eco-friendliness in farming practices.

Zapata Computing, Inc. is a quantum software company that specializes in developing innovative computing solutions tailored for industrial and commercial applications. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Toronto, the company emerged from Harvard University and is driven by a team of scientists, including Alán Aspuru-Guzik. Zapata offers Orquestra, a software platform that enables the composition of quantum workflows using a YAML-compatible language, facilitating tasks across both quantum and classical hardware. Its solutions are hardware-agnostic and cater to various sectors, including finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, transportation, logistics, energy, and more. Equipped to address complex challenges, Zapata Computing focuses on simulation, optimization, and machine learning, helping enterprise organizations harness the power of quantum technology to enhance their operations.

Circle is a financial technology firm established in 2013 by Jeremy Allaire and Sean Neville, headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in New York, San Francisco, Dublin, London, and Hong Kong. The company leverages blockchain technology to facilitate payments and e-commerce through stablecoins and its Circle Pay platform, streamlining the process of sending money. Circle offers a range of services, including Circle Invest, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrency assets, and Circle Trade, which provides over-the-counter trading services with access to one of the largest global liquidity pools for digital asset trading, averaging $2 billion in monthly volume. Backed by prominent investors such as Goldman Sachs and Accel Partners, Circle positions itself as a key player in the global internet finance sector, focused on integrating crypto assets into mainstream financial applications.

Hometap, founded in 2018 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, is a fintech company that specializes in home equity investments. It allows homeowners to access funds immediately without taking on loans or selling their homes. Homeowners can use these funds for various purposes such as paying off debt or making renovations, all while avoiding added debt or monthly payments. Hometap provides this cash in exchange for a percentage of the future appreciation of the home's value.

Algorand Technologies, established in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, specializes in blockchain technology. It operates a decentralized digital currency and transactions platform, offering features such as Algorand Standard Asset, Atomic Transfers, and Algorand Smart Contracts at the Layer-1 level. The company is renowned for its innovative approach to blockchain scalability, enabling rapid and efficient user consensus, even for small transactions, regardless of transaction volume or user base. This results in low-cost, near-instant blockchain transactions. Additionally, Algorand Technologies develops and maintains decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and digital identity solutions.

RECLAIM is a financial wellness app that relieves patients from financial stress so that they can focus on their wellbeing. It helps healthcare users understand their care pathway and what to expect ahead, save on their cost of care, and optimize their insurance selection to best mitigate their financial risk. It was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Asimov, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on designing and developing genetically engineered therapeutics. Founded in 2017, the company specializes in creating tools for programming living cells, utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates mammalian synthetic biology, computer-aided design, and machine learning. Asimov's platform includes the development of genetic circuits for molecular manufacturing and therapeutic applications, alongside the manufacture of protein biologics, viral vectors, and cell and gene therapies. By combining synthetic biology with biophysical simulations and machine learning algorithms, Asimov aims to optimize the design and production of advanced biologics and gene therapies, thereby contributing to innovations in healthcare.

PathAI, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence solutions for pathology laboratories. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, PathAI focuses on enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The company's platform employs machine and deep learning techniques to analyze large datasets, assisting pathologists in making rapid and precise diagnoses for patients. By addressing complex challenges in pathology, PathAI aims to facilitate personalized medicine and improve patient outcomes by identifying individuals who may benefit from innovative therapies.

Rekener, Inc. is a customer data platform focused on the B2B sector, established in 2015 and headquartered in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The company specializes in automatically creating and maintaining a comprehensive view of customers by integrating data from various sources, including Salesforce, Marketo, and HubSpot. Rekener provides analytical applications that help businesses prioritize their go-to-market resources effectively and automate key performance indicators, enabling continuous measurement of strategies and outcomes. As of December 2019, Rekener operates as a subsidiary of Brainshark, Inc.

Talla, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Brookline, Massachusetts, is an AI and automation platform that enhances customer support and internal service management. The company develops software that automates support workflows, enabling users to find accurate answers to their questions through self-service. Talla's platform is designed for various internal teams, including HR and IT, and prioritizes inquiries while automating responses to frequently asked questions. By integrating with essential tools used by support teams, Talla not only improves customer satisfaction but also increases the productivity of support representatives. The platform's machine learning capabilities allow it to learn and adapt over time, ensuring continuous improvement in service delivery.

Edgewise Networks, Inc. is a cybersecurity software provider based in Burlington, Massachusetts, founded in 2016. The company specializes in Trusted Application Networking, focusing on cloud and data center security by preventing network-borne threats. Edgewise’s solutions ensure that only trusted applications communicate over approved network paths, significantly reducing the risk of application compromise. By leveraging machine learning, Edgewise models application communication patterns and generates optimal protection policies, effectively eliminating up to 98% of the network attack surface. This proactive approach allows businesses to secure critical applications without necessitating changes to the existing network infrastructure, thereby enhancing overall security even in scenarios where traditional firewall protections may fail. Edgewise Networks operates as a subsidiary of Zscaler, Inc. as of May 2020.

Desktop Metal, Inc. is a manufacturer of additive manufacturing solutions, specializing in 3D printing technologies for metal and carbon fiber. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, the company offers a range of products, including the Production System for industrial manufacturing, the Shop System for machine and job shops, the Studio System designed for office use, and the Fiber desktop 3D printer. Desktop Metal serves a variety of industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, consumer products, heavy industry, machine design, and research and development. Its innovative systems, materials, and software facilitate on-demand digital mass production, providing the speed, cost-efficiency, and part quality necessary for modern manufacturing. The company markets its solutions across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, with a significant portion of its revenue generated from the Americas.

PillPack, Inc. is a pharmacy that specializes in organizing and delivering medications directly to customers' doors. Founded in 2013 and based in Manchester, New Hampshire, the company provides a unique service by sorting medications into personalized packets, which are tailored to individual dosing schedules. In addition to prescription medications, PillPack also offers vitamins, over-the-counter products, inhalers, creams, and testing supplies. The company serves various clients, including healthcare providers and caregivers, throughout the United States. PillPack is also known for its online magazine, Folks, which highlights inspiring stories of individuals overcoming health challenges. As of September 2018, PillPack operates as a subsidiary of Amazon.com, expanding its reach and capabilities within the healthcare sector. Locations include Miami, Brooklyn, Somerville, Salt Lake City, and Austin.

PathAI, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence solutions for pathology laboratories. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, PathAI focuses on enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The company's platform employs machine and deep learning techniques to analyze large datasets, assisting pathologists in making rapid and precise diagnoses for patients. By addressing complex challenges in pathology, PathAI aims to facilitate personalized medicine and improve patient outcomes by identifying individuals who may benefit from innovative therapies.

Rekener, Inc. is a customer data platform focused on the B2B sector, established in 2015 and headquartered in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The company specializes in automatically creating and maintaining a comprehensive view of customers by integrating data from various sources, including Salesforce, Marketo, and HubSpot. Rekener provides analytical applications that help businesses prioritize their go-to-market resources effectively and automate key performance indicators, enabling continuous measurement of strategies and outcomes. As of December 2019, Rekener operates as a subsidiary of Brainshark, Inc.

PillPack, Inc. is a pharmacy that specializes in organizing and delivering medications directly to customers' doors. Founded in 2013 and based in Manchester, New Hampshire, the company provides a unique service by sorting medications into personalized packets, which are tailored to individual dosing schedules. In addition to prescription medications, PillPack also offers vitamins, over-the-counter products, inhalers, creams, and testing supplies. The company serves various clients, including healthcare providers and caregivers, throughout the United States. PillPack is also known for its online magazine, Folks, which highlights inspiring stories of individuals overcoming health challenges. As of September 2018, PillPack operates as a subsidiary of Amazon.com, expanding its reach and capabilities within the healthcare sector. Locations include Miami, Brooklyn, Somerville, Salt Lake City, and Austin.

Desktop Metal, Inc. is a manufacturer of additive manufacturing solutions, specializing in 3D printing technologies for metal and carbon fiber. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, the company offers a range of products, including the Production System for industrial manufacturing, the Shop System for machine and job shops, the Studio System designed for office use, and the Fiber desktop 3D printer. Desktop Metal serves a variety of industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, consumer products, heavy industry, machine design, and research and development. Its innovative systems, materials, and software facilitate on-demand digital mass production, providing the speed, cost-efficiency, and part quality necessary for modern manufacturing. The company markets its solutions across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, with a significant portion of its revenue generated from the Americas.

Circle is a financial technology firm established in 2013 by Jeremy Allaire and Sean Neville, headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in New York, San Francisco, Dublin, London, and Hong Kong. The company leverages blockchain technology to facilitate payments and e-commerce through stablecoins and its Circle Pay platform, streamlining the process of sending money. Circle offers a range of services, including Circle Invest, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrency assets, and Circle Trade, which provides over-the-counter trading services with access to one of the largest global liquidity pools for digital asset trading, averaging $2 billion in monthly volume. Backed by prominent investors such as Goldman Sachs and Accel Partners, Circle positions itself as a key player in the global internet finance sector, focused on integrating crypto assets into mainstream financial applications.