SmartForest Ventures

SmartForest Ventures, an early-stage, venture-capital firm targeting the best new technology companies in the Pacific Northwest, was formed in 2000 to develop successful, fast-growth companies by providing capital as well as expertise and mentoring. The objective: to nurture the ideas of innovative, high-tech entrepreneurs and accelerate their development by offering much more than just funding as one of the first incubators in Portland. SmartForest was formed by Hugh Mackworth and Debi Coleman.

Deborah Coleman Ph.D

Co-Founder and General Partner

25 past transactions

NexPlanar

Series C in 2008
NexPlanar Corporation specializes in the manufacturing of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads for the semiconductor device industry. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, the company also operates a manufacturing facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. NexPlanar's products include hard, mid-hard, and ultra-soft pads that utilize proprietary nano-domain technology, patented molded grooves, and a unique tuning capability. These innovations lead to significantly improved yields and lower costs of ownership, while extending the life of the pads. The company serves semiconductor fabrication operations globally and was previously known as Neopad Technologies Corporation before rebranding in 2008. As of October 2015, NexPlanar operates as a subsidiary of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation.

iMove

Venture Round in 2008
iMove, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, specializes in developing visual-scanning hardware designed for mission-critical security and surveillance applications. The company focuses on creating immersive imaging technologies that enhance surveillance systems, enabling timely, accurate, and actionable decision-making in security operations. iMove's innovative solutions cater to the growing demand for advanced visual technology in the security sector.

NexPlanar

Series C in 2008
NexPlanar Corporation specializes in the manufacturing of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads for the semiconductor device industry. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, the company also operates a manufacturing facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. NexPlanar's products include hard, mid-hard, and ultra-soft pads that utilize proprietary nano-domain technology, patented molded grooves, and a unique tuning capability. These innovations lead to significantly improved yields and lower costs of ownership, while extending the life of the pads. The company serves semiconductor fabrication operations globally and was previously known as Neopad Technologies Corporation before rebranding in 2008. As of October 2015, NexPlanar operates as a subsidiary of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation.

NexPlanar

Series B in 2007
NexPlanar Corporation specializes in the manufacturing of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads for the semiconductor device industry. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, the company also operates a manufacturing facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. NexPlanar's products include hard, mid-hard, and ultra-soft pads that utilize proprietary nano-domain technology, patented molded grooves, and a unique tuning capability. These innovations lead to significantly improved yields and lower costs of ownership, while extending the life of the pads. The company serves semiconductor fabrication operations globally and was previously known as Neopad Technologies Corporation before rebranding in 2008. As of October 2015, NexPlanar operates as a subsidiary of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation.

Sentilla

Series A in 2006
Sentilla software delivers unparalleled intelligence for physical, virtual, and cloud infrastructure transformation. Sentilla’s unified IT visibility and continuous, insightful analytics align business requirements with IT resource utilization, capacity, and cost. The result is optimized capacity, reduced CapEx and OpEx, faster deployments, and cheaper service delivery that create agility to enter new markets quickly. Global 1000 enterprises, including cloud service providers and leading telecom companies, deploy Sentilla software to increase infrastructure efficiency by 40%, essentially getting $1.40 for every $1.00 of their IT investment.

Phoseon Technology

Venture Round in 2006
Phoseon Technology, Inc. is a manufacturer of ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) curing systems and solutions, serving a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The company specializes in high-intensity light sources utilizing semiconductor light matrix (SLM) technology, which enhances the efficiency and cleanliness of industrial processes. Phoseon offers both air-cooled and water-cooled UV LED curing solutions suitable for wide-ranging applications, including flexographic printing, coating processes, and electronic assembly for devices such as touch panels and mobile phones. Its products are designed for use in various industries, including printing, medical, and automotive. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, Phoseon Technology also operates an office in Shanghai, China, catering to original equipment manufacturers and end-user markets globally.

Teja Technologies

Venture Round in 2006
As of March 30, 2007, Teja Technologies, Inc. was acquired by Arc International plc. Teja Technologies, Inc. engages in the design and development of embedded networking and communications software for multiprocessor architectures. It offers Teja NP and Teja FP products, which enable equipment manufacturers to develop software applications for multiprocessor system-on-chip architectures, including multicore processors, NPUs, and FPGAs with embedded processors. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

You Software

Series B in 2005
Established in 2003, You Software is a developer and publisher of Mac productivity software designed to make the software you use everyday work better.

Attensa

Series B in 2005
Attensa Corporation, founded in 2003 and based in Portland, Oregon, specializes in cloud-based information and knowledge management solutions designed to connect professionals with relevant information. The company offers a platform that aggregates and delivers critical content, enabling users to stay informed on stories and updates pertinent to their work. Through its primary product, StreamServer, Attensa provides organizations with tools to capture and maximize the impact of essential information, delivering updates and alerts that facilitate decision-making. By refining and filtering content into focused streams, Attensa's platform enhances productivity, accelerates insights, and fosters deeper customer relationships, creating an ecosystem for publishers and third-party solution providers to develop tailored products and services.

Lambda OpticalSystems

Venture Round in 2005
Lambda OpticalSystems, Inc. specializes in developing and delivering optical networking products and solutions aimed at enhancing telecommunications networks. The company offers a variety of products, including the LambdaNode 2000, an integrated all-optical switch; the LambdaNode 3000, an intelligent optical cross-connect system; the LambdaNode 5000, an optical services platform for access and metro applications; and the LambdaNode 200, which features a generalized multi-protocol label switching control plane. Additionally, Lambda OpticalSystems provides Lambda Create, a network management software suite for remote control of its switches. The company also offers customized network analysis, deployment support services, maintenance, and technical training. Its solutions are designed for a diverse clientele, including telecommunications carriers, government agencies, and private enterprises, both domestically and internationally. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Lambda OpticalSystems operates additional facilities in New Jersey, Japan, Italy, and Korea.

You Software

Series A in 2005
Established in 2003, You Software is a developer and publisher of Mac productivity software designed to make the software you use everyday work better.

IPextreme

Series A in 2005
IPextreme, Inc. licenses silicon-proven intellectual properties (IPs) and methodologies developed by semiconductor companies to system-on-chip designers in the United States and internationally. The company sells silicon-proven intellectual properties of semiconductor companies; and provides training and deployment, consulting, and support services to system-on-chip designers. It also offers CoReUse, an enterprise-class design reuse infrastructure from NXP Semiconductors that provides a framework for companies to develop and use semiconductor intellectual properties. In addition, the company develops and offers XPack, an IP packaging and delivery system in software-as-a-service model for packaging, delivering, and supporting IPs. IPextreme, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Campbell, California with additional offices in Munich, Germany; and Tokyo, Japan.

Phoseon Technology

Series B in 2005
Phoseon Technology, Inc. is a manufacturer of ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) curing systems and solutions, serving a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The company specializes in high-intensity light sources utilizing semiconductor light matrix (SLM) technology, which enhances the efficiency and cleanliness of industrial processes. Phoseon offers both air-cooled and water-cooled UV LED curing solutions suitable for wide-ranging applications, including flexographic printing, coating processes, and electronic assembly for devices such as touch panels and mobile phones. Its products are designed for use in various industries, including printing, medical, and automotive. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, Phoseon Technology also operates an office in Shanghai, China, catering to original equipment manufacturers and end-user markets globally.

Attensa

Series A in 2004
Attensa Corporation, founded in 2003 and based in Portland, Oregon, specializes in cloud-based information and knowledge management solutions designed to connect professionals with relevant information. The company offers a platform that aggregates and delivers critical content, enabling users to stay informed on stories and updates pertinent to their work. Through its primary product, StreamServer, Attensa provides organizations with tools to capture and maximize the impact of essential information, delivering updates and alerts that facilitate decision-making. By refining and filtering content into focused streams, Attensa's platform enhances productivity, accelerates insights, and fosters deeper customer relationships, creating an ecosystem for publishers and third-party solution providers to develop tailored products and services.

NexPlanar

Series A in 2004
NexPlanar Corporation specializes in the manufacturing of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads for the semiconductor device industry. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, the company also operates a manufacturing facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. NexPlanar's products include hard, mid-hard, and ultra-soft pads that utilize proprietary nano-domain technology, patented molded grooves, and a unique tuning capability. These innovations lead to significantly improved yields and lower costs of ownership, while extending the life of the pads. The company serves semiconductor fabrication operations globally and was previously known as Neopad Technologies Corporation before rebranding in 2008. As of October 2015, NexPlanar operates as a subsidiary of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation.

iMove

Venture Round in 2002
iMove, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, specializes in developing visual-scanning hardware designed for mission-critical security and surveillance applications. The company focuses on creating immersive imaging technologies that enhance surveillance systems, enabling timely, accurate, and actionable decision-making in security operations. iMove's innovative solutions cater to the growing demand for advanced visual technology in the security sector.

Finatus

Series B in 2002
Finatus provides online services that enables small- and medium-sized businesses to comply with environmental health and safety regulations. The company’s suite of services combines regulatory data, directions, and online wizard tools to help a manager through the entire compliance and reporting process. Finatus was founded in 2000 and is based in Portland, Oregon.

Finatus

Series A in 2001
Finatus provides online services that enables small- and medium-sized businesses to comply with environmental health and safety regulations. The company’s suite of services combines regulatory data, directions, and online wizard tools to help a manager through the entire compliance and reporting process. Finatus was founded in 2000 and is based in Portland, Oregon.

Teseda

Series A in 2001
Teseda Corporation, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, specializes in providing hardware and software solutions tailored for the semiconductor industry. The company focuses on enhancing productivity and profitability through its innovative offerings, including the DI Lab System for device testing and failure analysis, the Diagnostic Test System for scan-based testing, and the Field Triage System for remote diagnostics. These tools address essential needs such as device analyses, defect isolation, and root cause identification, thereby streamlining processes like silicon debug and manufacturing ramp. Teseda serves a diverse clientele, including integrated device manufacturers and fabless companies worldwide, and is recognized for its commitment to value, quality, and support within the industry.

TechTracker

Series A in 2000
TechTracker, Inc. specializes in online technology support services, focusing on the management of IT systems and technology for both individual users and IT professionals. The company operates VersionTracker.com, which serves as a comprehensive resource for software updates, reviews, and downloads for Windows, Mac, and Palm OS users. Additionally, TechTracker offers VersionTracker Pro, a service that provides tailored information through machine-specific tracking lists accessible via a web browser or delivered directly to users' desktops. TechTracker also manages MacFixIt.com, a platform dedicated to troubleshooting news, tips, and resources for Mac users, including features like user forums and in-depth reports. The MacFixIt Pro service enhances this offering by providing additional resources and options for users. The company generates revenue through advertising on its websites, targeting systems developers, IT companies, and consumers of technology applications. Founded in 1999 and based in Portland, Oregon, TechTracker is a subsidiary of CNET Networks, Inc. as of August 2007.
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