Precursor Ventures

Highnote is an innovative audio creators platform tailored for musicians, podcasters, and voiceover artists. It provides tools for capturing notes, annotating audio files, and collecting feedback seamlessly. Users can ask questions, create polls, and compare multiple versions of their work, all within a single interface. The platform allows listeners to respond and provide feedback directly on audio tracks without the need for account creation or app downloads. By facilitating high-quality audio streaming and efficient workflow management, Highnote aims to enhance collaboration and streamline the creative process for audio creators globally. As the industry for creator tools and services approaches a significant market size, Highnote positions itself as a pivotal resource for empowering music makers and audio professionals.

PodcastAI is a technology company that specializes in AI-driven tools for podcast production. It aims to streamline content creation by automating text-to-audio conversion, making podcasting more efficient and accessible for creators and media companies worldwide. The company's platform transforms podcasters into producers, enabling them to generate entire episodes using artificial intelligence, thereby facilitating swift and effective episode publication.

Highnote is an innovative audio creators platform tailored for musicians, podcasters, and voiceover artists. It provides tools for capturing notes, annotating audio files, and collecting feedback seamlessly. Users can ask questions, create polls, and compare multiple versions of their work, all within a single interface. The platform allows listeners to respond and provide feedback directly on audio tracks without the need for account creation or app downloads. By facilitating high-quality audio streaming and efficient workflow management, Highnote aims to enhance collaboration and streamline the creative process for audio creators globally. As the industry for creator tools and services approaches a significant market size, Highnote positions itself as a pivotal resource for empowering music makers and audio professionals.

Honeycomb is a company that develops an audio recording application aimed at helping families capture and preserve the life stories of their aging loved ones. The application creates a private family channel, functioning like a podcast, where these stories can be stored and accessed later. Family members can easily record conversations by merging them into existing calls or by using a designated phone number, allowing for a seamless audio capture from all participants. This technology not only enables families to save and share memories but also provides a nostalgic experience for users who wish to connect with their personal histories. Honeycomb is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Co-Founded by Falon Fatemi and Mark Cuban, Fireside is the first interactive Web3 streaming platform that turns creators and brands into the studio, networks, and streaming platforms of the future and invites audiences not to just view content, but participate in it. Fireside has already attracted creators like Jay Leno, Melissa Rivers, Craig Kilborn, and the Creator of HBO’s Entourage who are leveraging Fireside to invent new show formats and launch next generation entertainment networks. For more information or to request access to Fireside, please visit www.firesidechat.com or download Fireside for iOS.

Bytewax is a data streaming processor that enables transforming data streams and deploying real-time machine learning models. It provides a platform to accelerate development, save time, reuse code, and build complex pipelines for streaming analytics. The product is designed to be accessible and flexible for data scientists and data engineers, supporting workloads across industrial IoT, finance, consumer technology, and cybersecurity. It connects to hundreds of data sources and leverages the broader ecosystem of data processing libraries to enable end-to-end streaming workflows.

Feedcast is a business that operates an online learning platform designed to assist creators in monetizing their content through audio courses. The company enables podcasters and other content producers to create and sell audio courses directly to students and listeners, thereby generating revenue for the creators.

Monti Kids is a manufacturer of Montessori‑based educational toys and materials for children from birth to age three. The company offers a subscription service that delivers age‑appropriate wooden toys every three months, accompanied by simple online guidance and instructional videos that help parents introduce each toy to maximize learning and development. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Orinda, California, Monti Kids focuses on supporting cognitive, physical, linguistic, social, and emotional development during the critical early years.

Audm is a mobile application that transforms long-form print journalism into professionally narrated audio content. Launched in 2016, the app employs professional voice actors to read news articles, making the experience enjoyable for users. By bridging the gap between traditional print media and the growing digital audio market, Audm enables users to listen to in-depth journalism while on the move, catering to the demand for accessible and engaging news consumption.

Scout FM is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in creating personalized podcast radio stations. Founded in 2017 by Cara Meverden, Saul Carlin, and Dan McCartney, Scout FM leverages data and artificial intelligence to curate high-quality audio content. Their service combines the traditional experience of radio with modern editorial curation, allowing listeners to customize their stations based on individual preferences. This innovative approach transforms how users discover and consume audio content, making it more tailored and accessible.

The Relish is a sports video network established in 2016 and based in San Francisco, California. The company focuses on creating digital and social content tailored for female sports fans, allowing them to stay informed and engaged with the sports and topics they are passionate about. By operating an online sports media application, The Relish aims to democratize sports for the next generation of fans, connecting and empowering female audiences and other underrepresented groups across various sports. The platform serves as a space for entertainment, community, and discussion, fostering a more inclusive sports culture.

FieldVision Co. is a New York-based company that specializes in developing unmanned camera systems designed to automatically film sports events for youth, high school, and college teams. Incorporating advanced technology, their FieldCam can detect the action on the field and autonomously pan and tilt to follow the flow of the game, eliminating the need for camera operators. In addition to the camera system, FieldVision provides a web application that allows users to watch recorded videos, stream live games, and share highlights with friends and family. Founded in 2016, FieldVision has positioned itself as a pioneer in sports filming technology, ensuring that audiences can engage with their favorite events effortlessly. The company operates as a subsidiary of Baller, Inc. as of September 2019.

PandaTree, Inc. is a language learning platform founded in 2014 and based in Palo Alto, California. The company specializes in providing children with the opportunity to learn Mandarin and Spanish through engaging means such as video lessons and interactive word games that are accessible via desktop and mobile devices. PandaTree distinguishes itself by offering live, one-on-one conversation practice with carefully selected native-speaking tutors, allowing for personalized and dynamic language learning experiences. The company aims to be a trusted global source for online language education for children, facilitating language acquisition in a fun and effective manner.