This is the second and final tranche of IBI Ag’s Series A Round for its novel bioinsecticide platform
NESS ZIONA, Israel, Nov. 11, 2025 — IBI Ag, a pioneering crop protection company developing a wide array of bio-insecticides with a lower ecological footprint, today announced the successful completion of its Series A funding round for a total of $10 million.
The investment was led by Corteva (“Corteva”) through its Corteva Catalyst platform, with the participation of The Trendlines Group (SGX:42T) (OTCQX: TRNLY), Iron Nation, Consensus Business Group (“CBG”), and a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority, joined by Bandera Capital and First Imagine Ventures, enabling the closing of the round.
The completion of this Series A represents a significant milestone for IBI Ag, underscoring growing global recognition of the company’s innovative antibody-based bioinsecticide platform. The funds will enable IBI Ag to accelerate product development and regulatory advancement of its next-generation biological pest control solutions.
IBI Ag’s proprietary technology leverages single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) to create highly effective, selective, and safe biological insect control products. Adapted from the pharmaceutical field and optimized for agriculture, this groundbreaking platform introduces new modes of action that protect high-value crops from both sucking and chewing insects, while minimizing environmental impact and preserving beneficial species.
“We’re proud to have the continued confidence of our investors and to welcome Bandera Capital and First Imagine Ventures to the IBI Ag family,” said Arnon Heyman, CEO of IBI Ag. “With the completion of our Series A, we are well positioned to bring our novel biological solutions closer to farmers worldwide, supporting both productivity and sustainability.”
“The collaboration between IBI Ag and Corteva is a clear example of how working together can deliver innovation that increases performance and provides more sustainable solutions in crop protection,” said Tom Greene, senior director at Corteva and global leader for Corteva Catalyst. “We are excited to continue exploring the development of next generation biologicals and naturally inspired solutions as IBI Ag advances toward commercialization.”
Corteva, through its Corteva Catalyst platform, collaborates with entrepreneurs and innovators to accelerate the development of early-stage, disruptive technologies that enable farmers to sustainably produce more food and feed.
About IBI Ag
IBI Ag is a pioneer in the Agri-biotech industry, developing innovative and sustainable crop protection solutions. The company’s proprietary nanobody technology provides a new mode of action for controlling a broad range of insect pests with minimal ecological footprint. Founded by The Trendlines Group together with Dr. Amir Ayali and Dr. Rony Oren Benaroya, and supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, IBI Ag is redefining the future of pest management.
The deep-tech fund is doubling down on dual-use innovation, setting the standard for how mission-focused venture scales.
BOSTON, Nov. 11, 2025 — J2 Ventures, the veteran-led venture firm investing where government purpose meets private innovation, today announced the close of its $250 million oversubscribed Brookhaven Fund counting JP Morgan, MetLife, Upsher Management, Alpha Leonis Partners and the State Investment Council of New Mexico as its LP’s, among other prominent institutions and family offices. One of the largest early-stage vehicles dedicated to dual-use technology, the new fund reflects the growing momentum behind J2’s approach and builds on the fund’s proven track record of strengthening both economic and national resilience by helping founders scale innovation with commercial reach and impact. What began as a focused strategy to bridge frontier technology and real-world impact has now become a proven playbook for scaling innovation that endures.
“There have been rocket-ship companies in every generation born out of early collaboration between national necessity and private ingenuity,” said Alex Harstrick, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of J2 Ventures. “Oracle began with a government project, Cisco and the early internet grew from federally funded research, and one of Pixar’s first customers came from the public sector. We’re entering a moment where urgency and investment are converging across both private venture and government to solve hard, consequential, and high-stakes problems. Brookhaven exists to accelerate that cycle, backing founders whose innovations strengthen not only national security but the everyday systems that keep society safer, healthier, and more connected.”
J2’s expertise lies in the collective experience of its team, which spans across national security, science, finance, entrepreneurship, and public policy. This cross-disciplinary perspective allows the firm to evaluate technologies through both mission-critical and market-driven lenses. Across its first two funds, J2 backed more than 35 companies advancing critical capabilities in health, infrastructure, and security.
Today, Government appetite for commercial innovation has accelerated as national priorities shift toward technological readiness, resilience, and deeper private-sector collaboration. Brookhaven will focus on early-stage investments in companies developing critical technologies across:
Advanced Computing
Cybersecurity
Communications Infrastructure
Artificial Intelligence
Healthcare, with an emphasis on remote physiological monitoring
“The most impactful innovation happens when founders are empowered with capital, insight, and access,” said Jonathan Bronson, PhD, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of J2 Ventures. “Our goal with Brookhaven is to ensure that world-changing technologies don’t get stuck on the lab bench, that they reach scale, adoption, and global impact, all while preserving value for the founder.”
Having helped pioneer the modern dual-use investment category, J2 combines commercial discipline with deep ties across defense and intelligence, helping founders secure non-dilutive capital and navigate complex regulatory environments and on average, J2-backed companies raise $2 in non-dilutive funding for every $1 the firm invests. Its portfolio includes:
Oura – Wearable technology reshaping personal health
Aalyria – Connectivity spin-out from Google delivering resilient global networks
Codemetal – AI translation for critical industries, now deployed across multiple Defense Programs
Apex Space – Mass-produced small satellites accelerating space infrastructure
The firm’s partnership remains anchored by Alex Harstrick and Jonathan Bronson, PhD, and includes General Partners Dr. Matt Goldman – former Chief Medical Officer of the Defense Innovation Unit and a retired Air Force Colonel, Christine Keung – former Chief Data Officer for the City of San Jose and political appointee at the Small Business Administration, and Master Chief (ret.) Adam Briley (Navy SEAL) – who leads J2’s Federal Programs initiatives. Together, they share a singular focus: helping founders transform emerging technologies into scalable solutions that advance both commercial and national interests.
J2 is also guided by some of the nation’s most respected military and business leaders: LTG (ret.) Patty Horoho, former Army Surgeon General and former CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s veteran business, Jennifer Cable, President of Thor Labs, one of the largest deep tech manufacturing companies in America, and Paul Gompers, the most published expert on Venture Capital at Harvard Business School, among others. They have all advised J2 since its founding, bringing deep expertise in healthcare innovation, operational readiness, and technology adoption across the public and private sectors.
Brookhaven is J2’s third consecutive oversubscribed fund, with virtually zero LP turnover, underscoring long-term confidence in both its performance and purpose.
About J2 Ventures
J2 Ventures is a Boston-based venture capital firm investing in technologies that advance both commercial markets and U.S. national security. Led by veterans, scientists, and entrepreneurs, the firm partners with early-stage companies developing critical innovations across advanced computing, cybersecurity, communications, and healthcare. J2 portfolio companies have raised more than $1 billion in follow-on capital and secured hundreds of millions in non-dilutive government funding, underscoring the firm’s mission to make innovation both scalable and enduring.
Start-up led by former US customs personnel is building global trade automation tools to support a legacy industry.
LEESBURG, Va., Nov. 10, 2025 — BITE Data Corporation, an AI-native SaaS company providing global trade compliance solutions, today announced that they have closed a Series Seed round in the amount of $2.5m, led by Las Olas Venture Capital (LOVC).
Additional capital investment came from New Dominion Angels and Blue Impact Venture Capital. This Series Seed round builds on BITE’s Pre-seed round of $500,000, closed in June of this year, with major contributions from Techstars and Refashiond Ventures, bringing total funding to $3m across both rounds.
Las Olas Venture Capital (LOVC) is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in B2B software with a focus on vertical SaaS and AI startups across the Eastern United States. The firm backs founding teams building software and AI platforms that modernize outdated business workflows delivering measurable improvements in ROI efficiency and productivity. With decades of operating experience LOVC takes an active and collaborative approach working hands-on with founders to amplify their impact and transform industries.
“We’re really excited about this investment, and super thankful for the confidence LOVC and the other investors have placed in our vision,” BITE CEO, Thariq Kara said. “Global trade is in huge flux, and we want to provide useful, efficient automation tools to the industry that build on the advancements in AI as well.
“We’re thrilled to back BITE as they modernize a critical often-overlooked function in global trade” said Dean Hatton of Las Olas Venture Capital. “Thariq and Anne bring unmatched regulatory and technical expertise, and their AI-driven platform is transforming how companies manage compliance risk and cross-border operations. BITE’s technology brings speed, accuracy and accountability to an area that has long relied on manual processes, and we’re excited to support them as they scale their impact across industries.”
BITE Data is a Leesburg, VA-based start-up, founded in 2023 by Thariq Kara and Anne Riitho. Both have a strong background in global trade and customs enforcement, with Thariq previously holding a senior technical role at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while Anne led supply chain investigations for 3 letter US agencies.
As geo-political tensions increase – including the use of tariffs and sanctions as coercion tools – BITE’s focus on building accurate, AI-powered tools to automate global trade compliance tasks for both import and export compliance workflows is very timely. Initial goals with the venture-backed funding will be to grow the engineering team and build out a solid sales team to drive growth.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 10, 2025 — Tradespace is pleased to announce its acquisition of Paragon, a patent-drafting startup founded by three Princeton computer science students that developed transparent, traceable artificial intelligence to draft reliable patents. With this acquisition, Tradespace becomes the first AI-powered platform to support the complete IP lifecycle – from initial invention disclosure through patent drafting, prosecution, portfolio management and commercialization.
The acquisition comes as organizations face mounting pressure to accelerate innovation while keeping legal costs in check. This is becoming impossible within the traditional patent drafting model, which can take months and cost tens of thousands of dollars.
“When I founded Tradespace, the vision was clear: empower organizations to develop, protect, and commercialize ideas at a much greater scale” said Alec Sorensen, CEO and Co-Founder of Tradespace. “In acquiring Paragon, we are investing not only in democratizing the patent drafting process, but in building an approach to legal AI that works alongside IP teams with the same levels of trust, transparency, and expertise they would get from an attorney. With the Paragon team, we also get a unique combination of IP expertise and deep AI research that enables us to continue pushing the boundaries of attorney-grade AI”
Paragon generates accurate, defensible patent drafts with full traceability to source materials, giving R&D and IP teams confidence that every claim, citation and technical detail can be verified and defended. Unlike other AI patent tools, Paragon’s agents work alongside users and keep them in control at every decision point, with verification checkpoints that ensure accuracy and maintain professional IP standards. This human-AI collaboration addresses the legal industry’s biggest concern: trusting AI with high-stakes professional work.
“Tradespace has changed how we capture and evaluate ideas across the company,” said Ilan Hornstein, Global Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, 8×8, Inc. “We’re moving faster, from invention to patent, and using AI to do it smarter. That efficiency helps us focus our outside counsel on higher-value work and get innovation to market sooner. The Paragon acquisition reinforces why we partnered with Tradespace in the first place: they’re building an AI-native IP platform designed for speed, clarity, and impact.”
AbdurRahman (AR) Bhatti, Paragon Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, joins the Tradespace team as Head of Product, Patent Drafting, and will continue to develop the technology to ensure seamless integration with Tradespace’s broader IP Management Platform. Paragon’s Chief Technology Officer Ethan Haque and Chief Engineer Claire Shin join Tradespace as senior members of the AI Research team.
“For me, it’s always just been about where this technology is going to serve the most people,” said Bhatti. “We wanted to make patent drafting accessible to innovators who needed it. Joining Tradespace makes sense as a natural fit – we get to integrate as a link in the chain of what is already a really strong product. At Princeton, the Office of Innovation raves about them, and when Princeton is that excited about a bleeding-edge product, you know there’s something special there.”
Bhatti first envisioned Paragon as a teenager after seeking a patent for his own invention. By his sophomore year at Princeton, he had eleven patents to his name. With AI technology maturing, he assembled his Princeton classmates to create a platform that would democratize access to professional-grade patent drafting.
Bhatti, Haque and Shin met studying computer science at Princeton University. Haque and Shin graduated this spring, and Bhatti will graduate in the fall.
“Princeton University’s Office of Innovation supported the independent, student-founded startup company Paragon as it developed an AI-based platform to draft patent applications,” said Craig Arnold, Vice Dean of Innovation and University Innovation Officer at Princeton University. “In line with our educational mission, our Technology Licensing team recognized the potential benefit of an AI patent-drafting platform and offered the student founders access to a curated number of past invention disclosures to train their algorithm. Using our portfolio, they could then test their ability to draft patents while comparing their output to the patents that were actually filed. We are pleased to see that they have become a part of the Tradespace family of products.”
Paragon and Tradespace share a mission-driven commitment to accelerating innovation. Both companies are building AI that empowers inventors and innovators to protect their ideas seamlessly, with full transparency, traceability, and human control at every step.
With Paragon integrated, Tradespace plans to draft 10,000 patents through the platform in the next 18 months, significantly reducing the time and cost of innovation for corporations, universities, and independent inventors.
About Tradespace Tradespace is the first end-to-end AI-powered platform for intellectual property management, helping IP teams transition from reactive portfolio management to proactive invention development and commercialization. Founded by seasoned IP leaders and technology specialists, Tradespace supports the complete IP lifecycle – from initial invention disclosure through AI-powered patent drafting, prosecution, portfolio management and commercialization. By combining cutting-edge AI research with enterprise security and deep domain expertise, Tradespace empowers IP teams to protect more inventions, develop higher-quality IP, and bring breakthrough ideas to market faster.
Contact: Andrea Christman Poston Communications 202.302.1511
Battery Ventures backs serial entrepreneur Amanda Kahlow for the second time as she redefines go-to-market with a unified digital experience that meets customers where they are and guides them seamlessly through the full lifecycle
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 10, 2025 — 1mind, the pioneer in AI-led growth (AILG), today publicly launched with $40 million in total funding, including a recently closed $30 million Series A round of funding led by Battery Ventures, with participation from Primary Ventures, Wing Venture Capital, Operator Collective, Harmonic Growth Partners and Success Venture Partners and prominent executives from Monday.com, ZoomInfo, Databricks, Box, Gong, Braze and Verkada.
Amanda Kahlow human CEO & Founder, 1mind
The company is already in market with a roster of well-known customers and will use the new capital to expand its technology team and scale a new playbook for go-to-market (GTM) powered by AI-based Superhumans – highly skilled, digital teammates that blend a human-like presence with deep product and customer understanding.
“Our Series A validates what our customers already know: The future of sales demands a new playbook,” said Amanda Kahlow, founder and CEO of 1mind. “When I founded 6sense over a decade ago, I set out to help companies find buyers. Now with 1mind, I’m helping them close buyers. Our enterprise customers already are seeing results using our Superhumans to drive revenue, reduce costs and lead intelligent, human-level conversations across the customer journey.”
AI-powered Superhumans Improve Customer Experience, Increase Revenue and Drive Efficiency
In today’s competitive B2B market, growth has stalled and is more expensive than ever. Response time and trust are the single most important factors in buyer conversion. Buyers want instant, accurate answers and control over their journey, but humans can’t keep pace with the speed, scale and complexity of buyer demands and knowingly hallucinate.
Research shows that 78% of buyers purchase from the first company that responds to their inquiry, and conversion rates increase by 391% when companies engage a lead within one minute. Yet most GTM teams are unable to meet these expectations. They are slowed by basic qualifying chatbots, siloed marketing, sales and service workflows – and by heavy reliance on human headcount, which accounts for up to 80% of GTM spend in sales-led organizations.
1mind is solving these challenges with AILG, a new GTM model that creates a unified customer experience led by Superhumans, which enable sales organizations to do more with less. Built on large language models (LLMs) and a company’s proprietary data, these digital, AI-powered teammates are photorealistic, emotionally intelligent and technically fluent. Superhumans provide a salesforce that never sleeps, learns quickly, evolves continuously and can handle everything from top-of-funnel qualification to deep technical support through to close and customer onboarding and adoption. AILG allows companies to meet customers where they are – on websites, in product, live video calls and deal rooms – resulting in cost savings and revenue growth.
Depending on the use case, 1mind Superhumans can help close the deal, or in more complex sales, hand off prospects to humans. By replacing fragmented handoffs and slow response times with a cohesive buyer experience, 1mind delivers faster engagement, higher conversion and a dramatically improved buyer experience.
“Battery has a long history of backing transformative martech companies, including 6sense, which Amanda founded in 2013,” said Neeraj Agrawal, a Battery Ventures general partner. “We watched her build a foundation for 6sense and now, in her next chapter with 1mind, Amanda is closing the loop with a category-defining approach to accelerating revenue. Superhumans address sales efficiency challenges plaguing companies, helping them manage tighter budgets and improve ROI. We look forward to working with Amanda again to build a future where revenue teams operate with the precision of AI and the intuition of top performers.”
1mind’s founding team also includes Sachin Bhat, CTO, who previously co-founded a Y Combinator-backed startup acquired by Rippling in 2019, where he led engineering teams across $100M+ ARR product lines in the PEO and global businesses and later headed the company’s data and AI Infrastructure organization.
From Engagement to Revenue: Delivering Strong Results
More than 45 companies – including HubSpot, Nutanix, Coupa, ZoomInfo, Owner, Mews, Boston Dynamics, Seismic, ThoughtSpot, New Relic, Pavilion, and Tealium – are now using 1mind Superhumans to supercharge their sales teams and seeing real results.
1mind Superhumans can handle the process from inquiry to close for smaller businesses; and for enterprise business units, Superhumans can qualify and engage buyers before setting up meetings with human sales executives.
“1mind has been incredibly impactful for us. Our Superhuman, named Fiona, is transforming how we connect with buyers and deliver value across our buyers’ journey,” said Kieran Flanagan, senior vice president of Marketing, AI and GTM at HubSpot. “After proving Fiona’s prowess at guiding decisions, surfacing solutions and driving meaningful engagement, we’re now expanding to find new ways to deliver value to prospects across other parts of our business.”
HubSpot brought to life their 1mind Superhuman Fiona to engage and convert SMB buyers. Fiona pitches, engages, scopes, prices and converts to sale, with no human in the loop, resulting in an 88% engagement rate, 78% increase in free trials and a 25% increase in conversion to closed/won. HubSpot is expanding Fiona’s role across all segments for sales, learning and support conversations.
Other companies are reporting 2x-5x conversion lift over basic qualifying chatbots, outperforming pipeline targets by 2x, reducing sales cycles by 20 days, increasing annual contract value (ACV) by over 2x and sourcing hundreds of millions of dollars in new business.
“The market has spoken, and AI-led growth isn’t a trend – it’s a necessity,” said Kahlow. “Growth is the challenge every company faces, and 1mind is proving there’s a smarter, more efficient way to grow – leveraging AI when it makes sense, without losing human touch.”
About 1mind 1mind is redefining the future of go-to-market (GTM) with its pioneering AI-led growth (AILG), in which AI leads marketing, sales and customer success motions from first contact to close to support, all in real time. Superhumans – 1mind’s AI-powered digital GTM teammates – combine a face, a voice and a GTM brain, equipped with deep technical and product knowledge to engage with buyers 24/7 across websites, products, live video calls and deal rooms. Superhumans qualify leads, deliver demos, handle objections and onboard customers, scaling revenue teams with human-like precision and brand fidelity, and enabling users to accelerate pipeline, drive efficiency and delight buyers. Founded by Amanda Kahlow, former founder and CEO of 6sense and a trailblazer in account-based marketing (ABM), 1mind has raised $40 million from Battery Ventures, Primary Ventures, Wing Venture Capital, Harmonic Growth Partners, Operator Collective and Success Venture Partners, and prominent executives from Monday.com, ZoomInfo and Databricks. For more information, visit 1mind.com.
Backed by iconic LPs across sports, media, and entertainment, 359 Capital will operate as a fully independent firm focused on consumer and consumer-adjacent innovation
The firm brings its entire team, $181 million Fund II, $300 million in assets under management and a portfolio of more than 30 companies
NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2025 — Sapphire Sport today announced that it has become 359 Capital, a move that reinforces the firm’s singular focus on consumer and consumer-adjacent innovation and strong pathways into sport, media and entertainment. The transition brings the entire investment team, $181 million Fund II, $300 million in assets under management and a portfolio of more than 30 companies to the newly independent firm. The announcement underscores the firm’s commitment to leveraging its distinctive ecosystem of iconic limited partners from the worlds of sports, media, and entertainment to drive transformational growth for portfolio companies.
“Becoming 359 Capital represents both a culmination of what we’ve built and a catalyst for where we’re going,” said Michael Spirito, managing partner and co-founder, 359 Capital. “Over the past eight years, we have assembled what we believe is the most differentiated LP base in venture capital—including partners like City Football Group, adidas, AEG, Madison Square Garden, Sinclair, and dozens of team owners—all of whom recognize the massive opportunity in early- to mid-stage investment in the consumer market. This spin-out allows us to create a distinct brand and platform that reflects our specialized craft and the unique value we deliver to our founders and limited partners alike.”
Sapphire Sport was incubated within Sapphire Ventures, a global software venture capital firm with more than $11 billion in AUM, and over 30 public listings and over 50 acquisitions. As Sapphire continues to invest in series B through pre-IPO B2B software and AI companies, as well as in early-stage venture fund managers, 359 Capital is pursuing a distinct strategy focused exclusively on early to mid-stage consumer and consumer adjacent opportunities. The decision to operate independently enables 359 Capital to sharpen its brand identity and double down on its investment thesis.
“Focus in this industry is incredibly important and we at Sapphire Ventures feel that 359 Capital’s strategy is highly specialized, with an investor base to reflect that,” said Nino Marakovic, CEO, Partner and Founder of Sapphire Ventures. “We are proud that Sapphire Ventures was able to play its part in helping launch the strategy, but the team deserves all the credit since, and we believe their future is bright.”
359 Capital has already established a strong track record backing companies in the areas of next-generation media, digital commerce, gaming, application-layer AI and wellness. The firm’s portfolio includes beehiiv, Backbone, Betty, Bounce, Fevo, Overtime, Perplexity and Tonal and other category-defining businesses that are reshaping how consumers discover, engage. and transact in the digital era.
The firm’s limited partner base represents an unparalleled competitive advantage in the venture investing ecosystem. With strategic relationships spanning professional sports leagues, global brands, entertainment conglomerates and team ownership groups, 359 Capital provides portfolio companies with access to distribution channels, consumer insights and partnership opportunities that extend far beyond traditional capital sources. This network effect creates compounding value as portfolio companies collaborate, share learnings and unlock synergies across the 359 Capital community.
“In a crowded and noisy market, focus differentiation matters more than ever,” said Spirito. “Our LPs aren’t passive investors; they’re active participants in our ecosystem and on our platform. Whether it’s testing new products with massive fan bases, exploring partnership opportunities, or providing real-time feedback on consumer trends, our ecosystem delivers strategic value at every stage of growth. Operating as 359 Capital allows us to amplify this advantage and double down on the platform we have built.”
The firm takes its name from a barometer of excellence, the four-minute mile, which was a formerly impossible undertaking only made possible through perseverance as well as the help of others. In helping founders to do the impossible, while maintaining a standard of excellence in conjunction with its LPs, 359 Capital aims to continue its fervent commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and the dedication required to build enduring businesses in today’s dynamic market.
In addition to Spirito, the 359 Capital team consists of board partner and co-founder Doug Higgins, and partner David Hartwig, who along with Higgins was also a co-founder of Sapphire Ventures. Rico Mallozzi has also been promoted to partner of 359 Capital. CFO Joshua Gilbert, associates Mackenzie Chapman and Andrew Yanover, and EA Alyce Fusco fill out the full team.
About 359 Capital 359 Capital is the first-of-its-kind venture capital firm that brings together the capital and industry experience of premier global sports, media, and entertainment brands. With ~$300M in assets under management, 359 Capital backs Seed to Series C consumer and consumer adjacent companies, providing connectivity into difficult-to-penetrate markets as represented by its unique LP base. This group includes City Football Group, Sinclair, MSG, AEG, adidas, Bank of Montreal and owners, and investors from all major U.S. sports leagues.
NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2025 — TRIP announces a $40 million funding round – led by high-profile names such as Joe Jonas, Alessandra Ambrosio, Paul Wesley, Ashley Graham, and consumer fund Coefficient Capital. TRIP, the fastest growing drinks brand in the US this year (Spins) is on track to deliver $100 million in annual revenue this year and is predicted to reach $200 million in 2026.
TRIP
Their range of calming beverages and supplements are already available in Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, H-E-B, Wegmans, CVS, Erewhon, Soho House and many more – totalling 10,000 doors nationwide, with 50,000 globally.
“We created TRIP to make daily calm accessible to everyone, everywhere,” said Olivia Ferdi, CEO and Founder of TRIP. “On a mission to create a billion moments of calm, TRIP’s community are at the heart of the brand, driving growth and guiding its innovation.”
Going viral on social media, the combination of the feel-good functionality and Instagram-worthy aesthetic design has made TRIP the go-to better for you beverage on social media – in the last 12 months alone TRIP has had a half billion impressions across Instagram and TikTok.
Americans say that in 2025 they are more concerned about their stress and mental wellbeing than the food they eat or the amount they exercise.1 TRIP is uniquely positioned to meet America’s growing demand for calm and managing daily stress, creating a new category in beverages as two major global drinks shifts take hold: the rise of better-for-you drinks and a broadening desire to replace alcohol. 66% of adults are actively reducing or avoiding sugar, driving explosive growth in healthier sodas. Furthermore, 45% of Gen Z adults have never tried alcohol – they haven’t grown up with, or acquired a taste for, alcoholic drinks. TRIP’s uniquely elevated flavor profiles seamlessly fit into these occasions traditionally dominated by alcohol or sugary drinks, without compromising on flavor or feeling.
“TRIP is my everyday drink,” says Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio. “I love the ingredients and how they make me feel calm, balanced, and grounded. The flavors are so refreshing – it’s my daily dose of serenity.”
Actor Paul Wesley adds, “I’m a big fan of TRIP – my fridge is always stocked. The drinks taste amazing and actually help me slow down and reset, even on the busiest days. It’s become part of my daily routine.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 10, 2025 — Praesidian Capital, a leading private equity firm focused on the lower middle market, today announced that it has completed a strategic follow-on equity investment in Round 2, LLC, a premier designer, manufacturer, and marketer of collectible models, die-cast vehicles, hobby products and authentic farm toys.
Praesidian originally invested in Round 2 in 2021, partnering with the company to accelerate product development and broaden its reach across the enthusiast and hobbyist markets. The follow-on investment underscores Praesidian’s long-term commitment to building market-leading consumer brands with loyal fan bases.
“Round 2 has continued to outperform expectations, demonstrating the strength of its leadership team and the enduring appeal of its iconic brands,” said Jason Drattell, Founder and Managing Partner at Praesidian Capital. “Our additional investment reflects our confidence in the company’s ability to capitalize on new growth opportunities, from product line extensions to international distribution, while maintaining the authenticity and nostalgia that define the Round 2 experience.”
“Praesidian has been an exceptional partner,” said Richard Barry, Chief Executive Officer of Round 2. “Their continued support allows us to invest even more aggressively in product innovation, supply chain capabilities, and digital engagement with our collector community. This partnership positions us to scale our brands while preserving the passion and craftsmanship that make Round 2 unique.”
The follow-on investment marks the latest milestone in Praesidian’s active lower-middle-market portfolio, which spans consumer, industrial, and business-services companies.
About Round 2, LLC
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, Round 2 is a leading collectibles company that produces high-quality scale models, die-cast cars, slot cars, and pop-culture products under iconic brand names and licensed partnerships distributed through wholesale, retail and its own Direct to Consumer (DTC) business Autoworldstore.com. In addition, Round is the parent of Big Country toys which designs and manufactures authentic farms toys sold through specialty retailers and Bigcountrytoys.com. For more information, visit www.round2corp.com.
About Praesidian Capital
Praesidian Capital is a private equity firm focused on providing capital to established lower-middle-market businesses. With decades of experience, the Praesidian team partners with management to support growth, strategic acquisitions, and operational excellence. For more information, visit www.praesidian.com.
Digitail has raised $23 million USD in Series B funding led by Five Elms Capital, bringing the company’s total investment to over $37 million USD.
The financing will accelerate product innovation, including Digitail’s AI capabilities, to help veterinary teams automate routine tasks, see more patients, and improve patient experiences.
Five Elms Capital brings deep expertise in scaling category-leading software companies, and will support Digitail’s continued growth and market expansion.
TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2025 — Digitail, a leading provider of AI-powered practice management software for veterinary clinics, today announced a $23 million USD Series B investment led by Five Elms Capitalwith participation from existing investors Atomico, Partech, Byfounders, Gradient, and others. This investment will accelerate Digitail’s expansion across the veterinary industry and further advance its AI capabilities for both veterinarians and pet parents.
Digitail Series B Funding Announcement
Founded by Sebastian Gabor and Ruxandra Pui in 2018, Digitail was built on the belief that veterinary teams deserve modern, connected tools that lighten their administrative load and enable smarter and more personalized pet care. From day one, the company’s vision has been to reimagine the veterinary workday through a unified operating system that helps teams collaborate, see more patients, and deliver better care.
“Veterinary professionals are the backbone of pet care, yet they’ve long been underserved by disconnected, outdated tools,” said Sebastian Gabor, Founder & CEO of Digitail. “Our goal is to build the most comprehensive AI-native operating system to power the entire clinic, helping veterinary teams spend less time behind screens, see more patients, and get home on time. Partnering with Five Elms Capital gives us the resources and expertise to scale innovation and elevate every part of the customer experience.”
Digitail’s cloud-based, all-in-one, AI-native platform unifies scheduling, medical records, invoicing, client communications, inventory management, wellness plans, a pet-parent app, and more. Its 15+ AI workflows—including intelligent patient intake, AI dictation for SOAP notes, and automated record summaries—help clinics reduce administrative burden while enhancing accuracy and care quality from one login.
In the past 12 months, Digitail has more than doubled its customer base, now supporting 10,000 veterinarians and 3 million pet parents across independent clinics, multi-location practices, and mobile vets.
Reed Edwards, Principal at Five Elms Capital, commented on the investment: “From our first conversations with the Digitail team, it was clear we shared a belief that great software should empower people, not create more work. Digitail’s technology does exactly that for veterinarians and pet owners alike. We’re proud to back a team that’s redefining what’s possible in veterinary care and to help them accelerate their mission of giving every clinic the tools to deliver exceptional care at scale.”
The investment will enable Digitail to accelerate product development, enhance AI capabilities across its platform, and scale operations globally to further elevate the customer experience.
About Digitail
Digitail is the leading cloud-based, AI-native platform built to power every part of a veterinary clinic including scheduling & intake, medical records, invoicing, inventory management, and client communication. Trusted by over 10,000 veterinary professionals, Digitail helps teams work smarter, see up to 2× more patients per day, and finally get home on time. With a fleet of 15+ AI Agents, 30+ integrations, and a connected Pet Parent App, Digitail saves clinics 50+ hours a month in administrative work. For more information, please visit digitail.com.
About Five Elms Capital
Five Elms Capital is a growth investor in software businesses that users love, providing capital and resources to help companies accelerate growth and further cement their role as industry leaders.
With over $3 billion in assets under management and a team of over 80 professionals, Five Elms has invested in more than 70 software platforms worldwide. Beyond providing capital, Five Elms delivers strategic and operational expertise, focused on executing initiatives that move the needle on growth, retention, product, and AI to set companies up for long-term success. For more information, visit fiveelms.com.
