Portfolia Annual Meeting
Members and guests had an opportunity to celebrate this year's highlights, learn about what our focus will be in the coming year, and hear from entrepreneurs and the fund leadership team.
The inspiring Isabel Rafferty Zavala, CEO of Canela Media joined us to share her story. The growth that Canela Media has accomplished these past few years has been incredible to see, and we have been proud to back this company every step of the way. Stay tuned for the full recording!
Portfolia Education Session: Understanding Your Performance Report and K-1
Missed the Portfolia Education session? Catch up below as Tammi Jantzen, CFO and Miles Millard, COO at Portfolia walk through the fundamentals of reading your fund financials and K-1. The deck referenced during the session can be accessed here (all materials are confidential and not for distribution).
A new Company Joins the Green & Sustainability Fund: Meet Kind Designs!
We are proud to present the latest investment for our Green & Sustainability Fund, Kind Designs!
Major coastal cities in the United States, including Miami, New York City, and San Francisco, are at imminent risk from rising sea-levels with local and federal government agencies expecting to spend nearly $400B in seawall construction efforts.
Kind Designs addresses this concern by producing the World’s first 3D-printed Living Seawall. Unlike traditional seawalls, which are typically flat, Living Seawalls incorporate biomimicry design principles and function as artificial reefs. The Living Seawalls also sequester carbon and collect essential water data. Kind’s innovative approach to seawall construction cuts production time by 95% and has zero green premium, making it both a sustainable and economical solution to at-risk communities.
GrubMarket releases GrubAssist: AI aid for Food Wholesalers
GrubMarket has unveiled GrubAssist, a suite of artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistants that deliver real-time business insights and analysis and generate downloadable reports with contextual data.
"Food is inherently an information-powered business, and the more information you have on hand, the better you can do your job," GrubMarket CEO Mike Xu
Datasembly to Unlock Unprecedented Levels of Retailer Management & Competitive Intelligence
Food & AgTech Portfolio Company Datasembly is the leading provider of real-time product pricing, promotions, and assortment data for retailers and CPG brands. The Company was featured recently on Yahoo! Finance after the announcement of their new Insight Solutions which is designed to address some of the most complex problems CPGs are faced with today.
Thank you for Joining Portfolia’s Women’s Health Symposium
Check out the highlights and key takeaways below!
Our Women's Health Symposium was an outstanding success - and we thank you for being a part of it! As Dr Faz said last week: "The time truly is now for women's health", and we are excited to have you all on board as we change the world for women. Many of our entrepreneurs were present at the symposium, sharing their mission, what keeps them up at night, and what they see for the future. Some key takeaways:
A big obstacle that our entrepreneurs were not expecting was having to explain the need for solutions for women. ' Why do we need to do something before women's bones deteriorate?', 'Why would men take on a contraceptive method when they are not the ones who suffer the consequences of unwanted pregnancies?' are some of the outlandish questions our Founders received when presenting their world changing products.
Just a few years ago, people said Women's Health was not even an industry. McKinsey is now saying it's a trillion-dollar industry. Their research says that 65% of the innovations that they've studied put women at a disadvantage. They either have not done the research on women, or the mode of care doesn't take into consideration different things that we need.
It's very important that we get some of that government funding now, because it has to match venture capital, it has to be the boost that we need. We can't do it all alone, we never have. In science in this country, we've always had government funding involved.
Encantos co-Founder Susie Jaramillo releases "Canticos"
Susie Jaramillo, CEO of Encantos Media, has released an Emmy-nominated collection of children's bilingual books, showcasing traditional Latino nursery rhymes, entitle "Canticos" Spanish for "little songs." Susie is the first Latina CEO of a children's entertainment company in the U.S. Only 3% of those in the media industry are Latina.
"Women are collaborative leaders. We listen. We build consensus. I think it's incredibly important to have women in top roles, especially in government, where decisions are being made around access to reproductive health, around access to prenatal care, around access to early childhood and education decisions." - Susie Jaramillo
Black Sheep Foods & Prime Roots among the 10 Favorites of 2024’s Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards
Portfolia's companies, Black Sheep Foods and Prime Roots, have been selected as FABI 2024 Award Winners! FABI selects industry-altering products that shape what’s new and next for the future of food and beverage. They're among the 35 recognizes as exemplifying creativity, ingenuity and the ability to expand menu options industry-wide.
Prime Roots is a plant-based meat company crafting sustainable deli meat and charcuterie. Prime Roots X Fabrique Délices blend the best of traditional French flavors with innovative plant-based goodness in all their pâtés and foie gras.
Plant-based Meat Bites, Black Sheep Foods: Seasoned plant-based bites that deliver on flavor, texture and price. Easy to use: cook from frozen and apply to dishes across the menu, including tacos, wraps, salads, bowls, pasta, sandwiches, and more.
Meet Veana Therapeutics: Developing Effective and Safer Treatments for Cancer Patients
Veana Therapeutics is a privately held clinical stage, research and development biotechnology company whose primary mission is to develop safe and effective oral medicines that selectively kill cancer cells and can boost the immune response of cancer patients. Veana is joining our growing Active Aging & Longevity II Fund!
TIME and Statista Have Named 250 Companies Reducing Environmental Impact
A new statistical ranking by TIME and Statista ranks 250 of America’s top sustainability focused companies, based on their positive environmental impact, financial strength, and innovation, to see who is rising to the top of the field. To determine these, Statista analyzed data points such as value of the company's intellectual property portfolio, revenue and funding, and environmental data specific to each industry, such as carbon capture, offsets, and renewable energy generated.
We are excited to see not one but six of our Portfolio Companies featured in this article, making it clear that our commitment to Sustainability is stronger than ever, and that our companies are building a better world.
Canela Media Partners with Paramount to Bring Pluto TV to LATAM and Miami
Portfolia's Canela Media is the leader in multicultural video. A unique entertainment media company for Hispanic audiences rooted in innovation through technology and content, while connecting with communities authentically.
"This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our journey, as we join forces with Paramount to propel the sales growth of both Canela.TV and Pluto in the region. 📈 Our shared vision and commitment to delivering top-notch entertainment experiences have paved the way for this incredible opportunity. " - Canela Media CEO & Founder Isabel Rafferty Zavala
Portfolia on CNBC
Check out our CNBC clip featuring CEO Trish Costello and NasaClip’s Founder Elizabeth Clayborne. We are always glad to get our message and mission out there.
Portfolia Annual Meeting: Save the Date
Virtual Event
April17th
1 PM PT/ 4 PM ET
How Much Money is Going to Underrepresented Founders?
Venture capital funding has never been robust for women or Black and brown founders. Alongside Crunchbase, Techcrunch has been tracking funding levels to pinpoint moments of progress and regression for marginalized entrepreneurs. Here are all the stories you need to know to stay up-to-date on the highs and lows of funding for marginalized communities.
FemTech II Company Update: First Patient Treated With New Implantable Device for Pulmonary Hypertension.
Our FemTech II Company, Aria CV just announced that its new implantable device for treating pulmonary hypertension and limiting symptoms that can lead to heart failure has been successfully implanted into a patient for the very first time.
The Gen 2 Aria CV Pulmonary Hypertension System is a gas-filled balloon designed to mimic the function of healthy vessels, which helps the heart pump at a more normal rate and improves blood flow to the lungs. It is implanted percutaneously and guided directly to the patient’s main pulmonary artery.
“The successful patient implant of the Gen 2 system is a significant milestone in realizing our mission to improve the lives of those suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a life-threatening disease that can lead to heart failure,” added Dan Gladney, president and CEO of Aria CV. "If approved, this technology has the potential to be lifesaving and life changing for thousands of patients with pulmonary hypertension.”
Nalu Bio and PIPA Bring Cannabinoid Combinations to CPG Brands
The synergy of Nalu Bio's chemistry-derived cannabinoids and bioactives optimally paired via predictive AI modeling is set to redefine solutions for the global health and wellness industry. PIPA AI technology can integrate biomedical databases, scientific publications, clinical trial data, and other information sources to identify the optimal combinations of cannabinoids with unique bioactives. This helps predict connections that can accelerate new product development. With scientific data backing their efficacy, these products stand as a paradigm shift comparable to the introduction of vitamins 70 years ago. Like vitamins, not only can chemically derived cannabinoid combinations address multiple health needs, but they can scale responsibly, safely, and sustainably.
“The collaboration with PIPA accelerates our ability to create new and patented formulations with enhanced efficacy for large CPG companies in food and beverage, personal care, and supplements.”- said Caitlyn Krebs, Co-founder and CEO of Nalu Bio
Harvest Pod Gets A Major Upgrade
Harvest, the developer of the revolutionary smart thermal battery™ for home heating, announced the latest release of its Pod® that enables more homes to decarbonize their heating, cooling, and hot water. The newest Pod boasts seamless integration with most other brands' heat pumps and offers higher heating capacity, allowing contractors to install Harvest in more homes at lower cost.
“A Pod that plays well with others represents a significant leap forward in sustainable HVAC technology and design,” said Dr. Jane Melia, CEO of Harvest. “For homeowners and contractors who want the cleanest, most efficient system at an affordable cost, Harvest delivers exceptional performance with no compromises to comfort."
ChargerHelp Featured in Elemental Excelerator
The Green & Sustainability company led by Kameale Terry just got a feature about their new approach on EV charging station's software issues.
To date, the team has gathered data from more than 18,000 charger repairs and assessments. With this data, ChargerHelp! can partner with software providers to fix chargers remotely. And if a technician does need to be called out, they know exactly what to do when they arrive onsite.
In addition to delivering 97% charger uptime, ChargerHelp! partners with community colleges and other local workforce organizations to provide training for repair technicians, many of whom are transitioning from industries like oil and gas or live in disadvantaged communities.
Maven Clinic Partners up with AT&T
According to Maven's third annual State of Women’s and Family Health Benefits survey, 75% of employers believe that reproductive benefits are important for retention. More and More Families Are Asking For Fertility Support—and Employers Are Listening.
Among those companies is AT&T, which expanded its partnership with Maven this year to offer family building and fertility support to all of its employees on the path to parenthood.
Beginning in January, more than 125,000 AT&T employees gained 24/7 unlimited access to Maven’s family building and fertility support program, including guidance around preconception, egg freezing, IVF, adoption, surrogacy, and beyond.
GrubMarket Releases AI Integration With WholesaleWare
This purpose-built GrubMarket AI integration leverages the power of generative AI to provide both buyers and sellers on WholesaleWare immediate access to wholesale market pricing data for thousands of products. Directly integrated into the WholesaleWare user experience, GrubMarket AI will surface relevant pricing data for the same and similar products, so that sellers can gain insights into fair market pricing while entering sales orders.
This can be particularly helpful to businesses selling new or specialized products, where there are limited reference points available, but pricing decisions need to be made quickly.
"As the first mover in offering enterprise AI technology to the food supply chain industry, our vision is to make revolutionary AI technologies widely available to the food supply chain industry. This is a game-changing application of AI; wholesalers and distributors finally have the power to access vast amounts of market data at their fingertips,” said Mike Xu, CEO of GrubMarket.
Whetstone Media CEO Hosts Docuseries on Netflix
We’re thrilled to share that "High on the Hog" Season 2 hosted by Rising America II's Whetstone Media founder Stephen Satterfield is now available on Netflix!
This season was hosted in the US, picking up from Emancipation taking on migration, Civil Rights and bringing our story all the way to the modern day.
“So much of our story has been suppressed. But how can people know who they are if they don't know who they have been. It’s on us to reclaim our stories.”
- Founder Stephen Satterfield
Goalsetter lands a spot in Apple's Top 24 Apps for 2024
Rising America's Goalsetter has been chosen by Apple as one of the top 24 apps for 2024 in their exclusive feature, "Our Favorites: 24 Apps for 2024."
Goalsetter is a goal-based savings and gifting platform, made just for kids and powered by those who love them. Built for banks, credit unions, and wealth management firms, Goalsetter is looking help enhance their client relationships or reach future generations.
"When I was 28 years old with two degrees in Engineering from Stanford University, I lost $1MM because I didn’t understand basic principles of finance. I hadn’t learned at home or in my public high school or in my private college. Young people are still not taught key financial concepts.
And they - like me - are poised to lose significant sums of money if they don’t learn how to save, invest, diversify, allocate, protect, and grow their wealth. Because generational wealth truly does require generational knowledge. " Founder and CEO Tanya Van Court
Carbice + RTX’s Blue Canyon Technologies
Green & Sustainability's Carbice announced its collaboration with RTX’s Blue Canyon Technologies to drive deep tech innovation and sustainability in aerospace. This collaboration ensures that aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) material and digital design tools from Carbice will continue to strengthen critical satellite systems from Blue Canyon, including the ambitious MethaneSAT program scheduled for launch early this year.
Rising America II Fund Announcement:
NasaClip - Nosebleed Off, Life On!
Portfolia is excited to announce its investment in NasaClip, a simple, hands-free way to treat nosebleeds.
NasaClip, founded by Dr. Liz Clayborne, an ER physician, addresses a common yet often overlooked healthcare issue - nosebleeds. Dr. Clayborne's firsthand experience with the challenges in treating nosebleeds in a hospital setting led to the creation of NasaClip. For more information about NasaClip click here.
MoCaFi & NYC Partnership
NYC launches $53M program to hand out pre-paid credit cards to migrant families.
Rising America I's MoCaFi, offering a mobile-first banking platform for financially underserved communities, is launching a $53 million pilot program with New York City, providing cash and services to asylum seekers.
“MoCaFi looks forward to partnering with New York City to disburse funds for asylum seekers to purchase fresh, hot food,” said MoCaFi CEO and founder Wole Coaxum. “MoCaFi’s goal is to expand access to financial resources for individuals excluded from banking, such as asylum seekers, while helping the local economy.”
Everly Health + National Kidney Foudation
The Importance of Awareness & Early Detection
Everly Health develops testing kits intended to provide access to transparent and insightful lab tests. The company develops do-it-yourself kits for a wide range of at-home regulatory-compliant diagnostic tests.
Their new partnership with the National Kidney Foundation aims at informing Americans about chronic kidney disease which impacts 37 million Americans.
Everly also launched an industry-first testing suite which takes a comprehensive look at conditions that impact kidney health including diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Maven Customers Share Their Story
Nothing fuels us more than seeing our companies succeed. Particularly a company like Maven, who has been growing and disrupting the Women's Health space since 2014.
On their 10-year anniversary, Maven CEO Kate Ryder shares some exciting firsts that happened in the early years and kept the team focused on what matters most: reimagining better care for women and families around the world.
Canela Media partners up with Locality
Locality is joining forces with Rising America I and II's Canela Media as the exclusive partner to lead political streaming ad sales and engagement strategies targeting Hispanic audiences.
Stacey Perry, VP of Political Streaming at Locality: "This partnership comes at a time when it’s more important than ever to reach Hispanic voters across all communities. By combining our political media expertise with Canela Media, we’re coming together to ensure local political advertisers can connect with Hispanic communities across all media avenues and keep them educated during this election cycle.”
Prime Roots on a Netflix series!
Green & Sustainability’s Prime Roots, a producer of plant-based food products intended to offer meat and seafood alternatives, was recently highlighted in a Netflix documentary! The doc investigates the effect that specific diets can have on your body - BUT, since every person is different, they are using twins! Tune in to see how the same DNA in the same timeframe responds to a plant-based diet vs a meat-based diet.
Xandar Kardian’s XK300 sensor is one of 5 New Innovations to Help Seniors Live Better
Active Aging & Longevity I and II Company, Xandar Kardian was featured in Fox News Media. Their XK300 sensor can improve the quality of life and independence for older adults by using radar to monitor heart rate, respiratory rate, motion and presence through blankets, clothing, and furniture - without the need for cameras, microphones, wires or wearables.
FemTech’s Bone Health Technologies is FDA Approved!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance for Osteoboost, the first non-pharmacological device-based prescription treatment for postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteopenia (low bone density).
Osteoboost is a wearable belt device, worn on the hips, that delivers targeted, calibrated vibration to the lumbar spine and hips. Osteoboost is indicated to reduce bone strength and density decline in postmenopausal women and is the first and only solution specifically designed to improve bone health during osteopenia. This breakthrough technology is safe, medication-free, and easy to use at home, making it suitable for a wide variety of patients with bone density loss.
Was 2023 Actually a Good Year for Women's Health?
In a year overshadowed by setbacks in reproductive rights, Anna highlights the remarkable strides made in various facets of women's health that deserve celebration, painting a surprisingly optimistic picture of the state of women's health in 2023 and on.
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