Investment in data center power infrastructure solutions provider will accelerate innovative solutions for powering data centers in constrained markets.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. and BOSTON and BOCA RATON, Fla., June 25, 2025 — Takanock, LLC, a provider of innovative digital and power infrastructure solutions, announced today new capital commitments totaling $500 million from ArcLight and DigitalBridge, two leading investors focused on digital infrastructure and electrification infrastructure, respectively.

Takanock was formed in 2023 to address the power shortage limiting the development of data center sites in core markets. The company spent its inaugural year engineering a scalable, integrated approach to solving critical energy constraints faced by data centers.

Led by Kenneth Davies, founder of Google Energy and later head of Microsoft’s renewable strategy globally, Takanock leverages extensive experience in both energy and digital infrastructure. This expertise bridges the gap between the two sectors, delivering innovative solutions to meet the increasingly critical power challenges faced by today’s data-infrastructure sector.

“To meet the increasingly compute-intensive needs of hyperscalers and large-scale data center operators, it’s essential to combine expertise from both the energy and digital sectors,” said Kenneth Davies, founder and CEO, Takanock. “What makes this partnership so significant is our ability to deliver integrated solutions, accelerating time to power for new data center deployment while strengthening grid reserve margins and flexibility. ArcLight and DigitalBridge bring tangible operational capabilities and industry connectivity that will help us operationalize digital power solutions in premier Tier I data center markets where existing constraints are most acute.”

Takanock accelerates time to power by providing flexible on-site power solutions capable of serving as prime power until the completion of a substation and a wholesale grid resource thereafter. In doing so, Takanock eliminates the need for local utilities to build new offsite generation, reducing their burden and preventing the shifting of costs to existing utility customers—a challenge that has hindered industry growth. Unlike other generation solutions available in the market, Takanock sidesteps pipeline capacity constraints and the need for firm pipeline contracts, all while offering unparalleled resiliency during disruptions.

“Access to reliable power is the cornerstone for scaling the data center industry,” said Jon Mauck, Senior Managing Director and Head of Data Centers at DigitalBridge. “The Takanock team has a demonstrated ability to deliver innovative commercial structures that bridge the gap between the power and data infrastructure sectors, enabling scalable, long-term solutions for both power and land development.”

Takanock’s focus on sustainability is central to its business model. Takanock’s highly dispatchable power solution enhances the wherewithal of the grid to support greater integration of renewable energy sources and provides data center customers flexibility to procure their own energy resources.  The company also uses best available emission control technologies and closed-loop cooling systems, which minimize environmental impact and ensure minimal demand on local water resources.

“As the cost and availability of grid-served power grows increasingly uncertain, the data center industry needs new power-infrastructure solutions tailored to accelerate time to power and to deliver on the prerogatives of reliability, sustainability, and affordability,” said Jake Erhard, Partner at ArcLight. “In a complex market that needs actionable solutions, we see Takanock’s team and strategy as compelling and differentiated.”

Since the beginning of 2024, Takanock has assembled a strategic portfolio of sites across the U.S. The company is currently in the process of executing digital power deployment under long-term contracts at late-stage projects in Northern Virginia and Phoenix.

Houlihan Lokey, a global investment bank with expertise in capital solutions, served as exclusive financial advisor to Takanock during this transaction.

ABOUT TAKANOCK, LLC
Takanock is a leading provider of integrated power solutions for the digital infrastructure sector. Founded in 2023, the company is focused on addressing the critical energy constraints faced by data centers in Tier I and II markets. By leveraging innovative co-located generation, Takanock enhances grid stability, accelerates data center deployment, and supports the integration of renewable energy into the grid. The company’s turn-key solutions are designed to reduce reliance on traditional grid infrastructure, while simultaneously improving energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact. Takanock’s experienced team combines deep expertise in renewable energy and digital infrastructure to deliver scalable, flexible solutions that help operators meet the growing demand for digital infrastructure in a sustainable way. For more information: www.takanock.com.

ABOUT ARCLIGHT
ArcLight is a leading infrastructure investor which has been investing in critical electrification infrastructure since its founding in 2001. ArcLight has owned, controlled or operated over ~65 GW of assets and 47,000 miles of electric and gas transmission and storage infrastructure representing $80 billion of enterprise value. ArcLight has a long and proven track record of value-added investing across its core investment sectors including power, hydro, solar, wind, battery storage, electric transmission and natural gas transmission and storage infrastructure to support the growing need for power, reliability, security, and sustainability. ArcLight’s team employs an operationally intensive investment approach that benefits from its dedicated in-house strategic, technical, operational, and commercial specialists, as well as the firm’s ~2,000-person asset management partner. For more information, please visit www.arclight.com. References to “ArcLight” herein refers to ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and/or its managed investment vehicles, as the context requires.

ABOUT DIGITALBRIDGE
DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure. With a heritage of over 30 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem, including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages approximately $100 billion of infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. For more information, visit: www.digitalbridge.com.

SOURCE Takanock

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2025 — BackOps AI, the AI operations platform revolutionizing supply chain workflows, today announced a $6 million seed round led by Construct Capital, with continued support from existing investors Gradient, and 10VC. This brings the company’s total funding to $8 million in under a year as it accelerates its mission to become the intelligent operating layer for modern logistics.

From routine order updates to complex, multi-system workflows like claims resolution and cross-platform coordination, BackOps AI automates the operational tasks that traditionally drain logistics teams of time and resources. By eliminating manual work and reducing error-prone processes, BackOps AI enables warehouse and supply chain operators to move faster, operate more efficiently, and stay focused on delivering for their customers.

“Logistics operations are the heartbeat of every product-driven business, yet they remain shockingly manual,” said Sean McCarthy, co-founder and CEO of BackOps AI. “We started BackOps AI to change that. For the first time, the decades-long integration problem in supply chain can be leapfrogged using tools as simple as email and Slack, to drive real automation without heavy IT lifts. With this new capital, we’re doubling down on product innovation and expanding Relay, our AI-powered automation platform, to reach even more customers.”

Relay was built to meet teams where they are. Companies can start with simple, high-volume tasks like order status updates or shipping method changes and gradually move more complex workflows, such as claims resolution or cross-system coordination, into automation. Because Relay integrates lightly with existing tools like ERPs, WMS platforms, and communication systems, there’s no need for a costly rip-and-replace. It slots into the infrastructure teams already use, making it easy to adopt and scale over time.

Upcoming product launches will expand Relay’s capabilities beyond reactive automation. New features will include predictive analytics to surface operational risks before they happen, proactive identification of repetitive workflows that can be automated, and deeper integrations across transportation and warehouse systems. These enhancements will help customers shift from manual task execution to intelligent, self-optimizing operations.

“BackOps has an incredibly clear vision and a team that understands the pain points of logistics from the inside out,” said Rachel Holt, Co-founder and General Partner at Construct Capital. “The opportunity to bring intelligent automation to such a massive and underserved industry is enormous and BackOps is already delivering tangible ROI to customers.”

BackOps AI is currently being adopted by forward-thinking operators across warehousing, industrials, and supply chain operations, with rapid growth fueled by strong customer referrals and clear ROI. As automation becomes mission-critical, BackOps is emerging as the trusted partner for teams looking to modernize how work gets done.

About BackOps AI

BackOps AI is building the AI-powered operating system for modern logistics. Founded in 2024 by Amazon and Apple alumni, the company helps supply chain teams eliminate manual workflows and operate at a new level of speed, accuracy, and intelligence. BackOps’ flagship product, Relay, automates customer service, order management, and system updates across WMS, ERP, CRM, and communication platforms unlocking the next era of operational excellence.

CONTACT: Sean McCarthy
EMAIL: [email protected]
628.244.3931

SOURCE BackOps AI

Founded in 2022 by education technology executive Chip Paucek and player development veteran Kaleb Thornhill, PAC is redefining what’s possible for athletes after their playing careers. Through executive education certificate programs with the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School, PAC provides pro athletes with high-quality learning, hands-on industry experience, certified performance coaching, and access to a powerful network of pro athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, investors, and advisors.

“The world can be incredibly harsh on pro athletes — holding them to the highest standards while playing, then leaving them without meaningful support, resources, or recognition for everything they’ve achieved and can still accomplish off the field,” said Chip Paucek, PAC Co-Founder and CEO. “With the support of GSV Ventures and our new partners, we can accelerate our mission and deliver for the thousands of elite men and women whose pursuit of excellence doesn’t stop once the game ends.”

PAC’s momentum is clear: Membership has doubled since January to over 650 current and former pro athletes across more than 10 professional sports and leagues, including roughly 10% of currently active professional football players in the U.S.

The Series A funding will fuel the launch of new virtual education programs, expanded mentorship, greater industry access, and enhanced career support—all centered on the unique needs of professional athletes.

“I was confident I would be OK when I retired. But when it happened, I struggled for months. My identity and my locker room were gone,” said Devin McCourty, PAC Advisory Board Co-Chair, pro football veteran, three-time Super Bowl champion, and athlete leadership advocate. “PAC recognizes the unique journey pro athletes go through and gives you education, exposure, community, and ongoing opportunities to figure out what’s next. PAC brought me back home—to that locker room feel and a community that pours into you and that you can then pour back into when you’re ready.”

“The pro athlete community is special and full of untapped potential,” said Michael Cohn, Co-founder and Partner at GSV Ventures. “It’s clear that the elite qualities that make pro athletes successful at their sport have generally not been supported when their playing days are over. PAC successfully created a safe space where athletes can get the education, coaching, and connections they need to thrive. What’s perhaps most exciting for us is to see the impact the PAC community can have not just for themselves but for society overall. This is just the beginning.”

About Pro Athlete Community (PAC)

Pro Athlete Community (PAC) supports and empowers professional athletes to relentlessly pursue what’s next. By providing exclusive access to education, mentorship, and a powerful peer network, PAC helps athletes build successful, purpose-driven lives after sports. Learn more at www.proathletecommunity.com. Follow us on Instagram at @proathletecommunity.

About GSV Ventures

GSV Ventures is a multi-stage venture capital firm focused on the $7+ trillion global education and workforce skills sector. The firm manages and is currently investing out of GSV Ventures Fund III, backing innovative entrepreneurs across the “Pre-K to Gray” Arc of Learning and Skills. GSV has made investments in industry leaders, including ClassDojo, Coursera, Degreed, Guild, Handshake, Lead, Mattilda, PhysicsWallah, Photomath, QuillBot, Quizizz, Toddle, MasterClass, and others. Learn more at GSV.Ventures.

Media Contact:

Megan Gift
[email protected]

SOURCE Pro Athlete Community

• Qunnect has deployed two metropolitan quantum networks to major cities;
• New funding will fuel development of turn-key variants of Qunnect’s quantum networking Carina product suite for new use cases with strategic industry partners across financial services, energy infrastructure, telecom, and defense sectors.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 24, 2025 — Qunnect, the first company to deploy quantum entanglement-based protocols over commercial fiber, today announces closing an oversubscribed Series A extended financing round of $10M led by Airbus Ventures, with additional participation from Cisco Investments and Quantonation, accelerating the company’s mission to revolutionize communications and networking.

Qunnect products, including its Carina product suite, support real-world deployment of scalable data networks based on quantum physics. These quantum networks hold the solution to a truly secure, exponentially more powerful network of computing power than currently leveraged today. Qunnect’s commercially available hardware are uniquely designed to operate at room temperature – rather than being limited to laboratory settings – allowing for wide-spread adoption by industry.

Qunnect is working with strategic industry partners to develop turnkey variants of its Carina product suite to enable demonstrations of the next generation of real-world industry use cases of quantum networks.

“This new round of investment was driven by the response we received from industry following the performance of Qunnect products deployed on city-scale quantum networking testbeds,” said Noel Goddard, CEO of Qunnect. “Because our quantum networking products have a standard server rack form factor and are designed to operate at room temperature, we are seeing customers innovate with our Carina product suite on existing telecommunications fiber, paving the way for further breakthroughs in security, sensing, and information transmission.”

Cisco joined the list of Qunnect investors this round through their corporate venture capital arm, Cisco Investments. Last month, Cisco Quantum Research announced their quantum network entanglement chip as part of their quantum data center vision and formally opened Cisco Quantum Labs in Santa Monica, California, positioning themselves as a key player in quantum networking infrastructure.

“Cisco is advancing the quantum technologies that will secure and define the quantum internet and data centers of the future,” said Aleem Rizvon, vice president, Cisco Investments. “Qunnect is placing quantum networking technologies into the hands of innovators today, poised to revolutionize security and communications.”

Since closing its initial Series A round, Qunnect has delivered its groundbreaking Carina quantum networking product suite to market with customers in the financial services, telecommunications, energy infrastructure, and defense/intelligence sectors. In addition, Qunnect’s solutions were deployed in two, first-of-their-kind, quantum testbed networks—one in New York City and another in Berlin in partnership with Deutsche Telekom’s T-Labs.

Advantages in utilizing quantum physics as the foundation for the future network lie in the high level of security it offers, higher processing power and enhanced sensing. Qunnect’s Carina product suite creates, buffers, and preserves high-quality entangled photons—the basis for quantum communications–at unprecedented rates, enabling breakthroughs in cybersecurity and distributed quantum computing and sensing. 

“Qunnect has successfully delivered on the foundational promise of quantum communication,” remarks Airbus Ventures Partner Nicole Conner. “We are thrilled to have Cisco Investments join alongside us, gaining their invaluable expertise as we support Qunnect’s acceleration of next-generation hardware tools that enable secure and reliable communication built on quantum entanglement communication protocols.”

“From day one, our mission was to invent and develop hardware that will become the infrastructure for the future quantum internet.” Said Mehdi Namazi, Chief Scientist and co-founder of Qunnect. “Now, after proving our unparallel quantum network capabilities in New York and Berlin, and thanks to partners like Cisco, we are pushing the industry towards the era of quantum network utility.”

To learn more about Qunnect, visit www.qunnect.inc. For interviews, please email [email protected].

About Qunnect

Qunnect builds deployable quantum networking infrastructure for provably secure, scalable connectivity over existing fiber optic cables. Based in Brooklyn Navy Yard, Qunnect commercialized the first room-temperature quantum memory in 2021. Our Carina suite — entanglement sources and stabilization tools — powers live quantum networks in NYC and Berlin, and supports use cases in finance, energy, telecom, and defense.

SOURCE Qunnect Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2025 — AllSpice.io, the platform for electronics teams to collaborate and automate their workflows, today announced the close of its $15M Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $25 million in venture capital.

The recent round was led by Rethink Impact, along with L’ATTITUDE Ventures, GingerBread Capital, and DNX Ventures, as well as continued support from Root Ventures, Benchstrength, and Flybridge.

The round will be leveraged to scale enterprise customer features, support, and open its AllSpice AI Agent out of private beta, for hardware design validation.

“From autonomous vehicles to rockets, electronics teams are tackling some of the world’s most ambitious innovations. Bringing those to life requires modern, AI-powered tools that enable teams to ship with confidence,” said Valentina Ratner, Co-Founder & CEO.

AllSpice’s core focus is on automating the tedious, repetitive tasks that slow teams down—so engineers can spend more time designing and innovating.

“By significantly building out our Gen AI capabilities, largely leveraged by the fact that we understand these design files so well, you can transform this data to present extremely impactful decisions for hardware engineering teams,” stated Kyle Dumont, Co-Founder & CTO.

From schematics to layouts, AllSpice gives electrical engineering teams a shared workspace to collaborate, catch errors early, and bring high-quality products to life. With structured design data and built-in AI tools, engineers can confidently review changes, automate checks, and maintain a clear record of every decision through every stage of development.

“In a high-precision field like hardware, accuracy matters. AllSpice’s AI tools are built to assist, not override, the engineers’ judgment while using them,” continued Ratner.

AllSpice AI Agent enhances hardware design reviews. Electrical Engineers can:

• Analyze designs for errors and opportunities
• Achieve higher quality, improved reliability, and first-pass success

Example cases include:

• • Misconfigured component pins
  • Swapped TX/RX
  • Missing coupling capacitors
  • Component derating
  • End of Life or suggested alternates

This also enables engineers to:

• Automate document generation
• Generate essential assets to gain confidence and efficiency

Example use cases include:

• • Power tables
  • Spec sheet summaries
  • Theory of operation documentation

To learn more about AllSpice AI Agent’s private beta, visit https://allspice.io/ai-agent

About AllSpice.io

AllSpice.io serves as a home base for hardware teams.

Hardware Engineers, PCB Designers, and Electrical Engineers are the primary users of the AllSpice.io platform. Additionally, other teams and third parties that work in parallel to these counterparts, including Firmware Engineers, Software Engineers, Contract Manufacturers, and Procurement Departments, also collaborate on the platform.

Customers range from startups to Fortune 500s across aerospace, robotics, defense, instrumentation, consumer electronics, mass transportation, autonomous vehicles, medical devices, industrial machinery, and automotive industries.

Contacts:

Press & Sales Inquiries

Valentina Ratner

Co-Founder & CEO.AllSpice.io

[email protected]

Product Inquiries

Kyle Dumont

Co-Founder & CTO,AllSpice.io

[email protected]

Press & Business Development Inquiries

Robert Byrne

Founding GTM – Director of Marketing, AllSpice.io

[email protected]

General

www.AllSpice.io

[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/company/allspice-io/

SOURCE AllSpice.io

NEEDHAM, Mass. and LITTLE ROCK, Ark., June 24, 2025 — Ledgebrook Inc, an Excess and Surplus Lines Insurtech, announced today that it has completed the close of an oversubscribed $65m Series C funding round, led by existing investor The Stephens Group, LLC (“Stephens Group”), a leading private investment firm. Existing investors Duquesne, Brand Foundry, Floating Point, and American Family Ventures will also participate in the round, alongside new investors, including Hummingbird Nomads.

“I’m really excited to deepen our collaboration with Stephens Group and the Stephens Family. Their fair, open, honest and long-term approach to business partnerships, matches our own at Ledgebrook and has shone through since their initial investment last year,” said Gage Caligaris, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ledgebrook.

“The round recognizes the momentum in our business. It positions Ledgebrook to truly establish itself as a premier E + S platform, known for consistent execution on our mission to delight wholesale brokers and for bringing together the best of insurance expertise and technology. I am proud of the backing we have from our existing and new investors and am incredibly grateful for their support.”

The funding round will allow Ledgebrook to bring in further talent to grow and enhance its client-service-led approach to wholesale brokers, offer new insurance products through its platform, and participate further in retaining risk on the insurance it is writing on behalf of its carrier partners. Ledgebrook gains the deeper involvement of an experienced partner in Stephens Group, with a long history of helping to build great businesses.

Ledgebrook management and employees will continue to be the largest shareholders in the company. Ryan Morrow, Managing Director at Stephens Group, will join Ledgebrook’s Board of Directors.

“Ledgebrook is a unique and truly impressive, founder-led platform in the attractive E+S marketplace with fantastic early momentum,” said Morrow. “We look forward to a partnership with Gage and Ledgebrook for many years ahead. We and our co-investors could not be more excited to partner with the team as the business scales.”

Advisors
DLA Piper LLP has served as legal counsel to Ledgebrook. Stinson LLP has served as legal counsel to Stephens Group.

About Ledgebrook

To learn more about Ledgebrook and opportunities to join our team, please visit www.ledgebrook.com

About The Stephens Group LLC.

The Stephens Group, LLC is a private investment firm that partners with talented management teams to help build valuable businesses. Backed by the resources of the Witt Stephens, Jr. and Elizabeth Campbell families, the firm combines the operational expertise of a private equity firm with the flexibility provided by long-term capital. With over $2 billion of private equity assets under management, the firm has a long history of providing informed, sophisticated expertise and working with owners and managers to help them successfully achieve their strategic visions and build long-term value. Since 2006, Stephens Group has invested in over 50 companies, targeting investments in industries across the U.S., including industrial products and services, specialty distribution, and vertical software.

SOURCE Ledgebrook

MINNEAPOLIS, June 24, 2025 — Traction Capital, a Minnesota-based venture capital and growth equity firm, announces the launch of Fund II, its second investment fund focused on scaling early-stage businesses in Minnesota and neighboring states. Since its March launch, Fund II has raised over $30M in subscriptions, with a target of $40M–60M. The fund has already invested in two local companies: Blank Metal, which helps enterprises integrate advanced AI technologies to drive real business outcomes, and PARQA, a technology consulting and implementation firm assisting staffing and recruiting firms in modernization and growth. 

Building on the success of its first fund, Traction Capital will continue to invest in and acquire high-potential businesses, offering “smart” capital – financial backing combined with strategic guidance to help founders grow. Fund II will target Midwest companies with strong growth potential, scalable models, and committed leadership. The firm, made up of entrepreneurs and business owners, specializes in working with founders ready to scale, using a hands-on approach to create value. Traction Capital also leverages its large network of investors, over 80% of whom are small business owners, to provide resources and expertise across industries.

“We’re excited to launch Fund II and continue our support of outstanding founders,” said Shane Erickson, Managing Partner at Traction Capital. “As entrepreneurs, we know how tough scaling a business can be. That’s why we don’t just invest; we offer hands-on experience to help our portfolio companies grow.  The success of our first fund proved that when you combine capital with the right strategy, expertise, and a solid framework like EOS®, big things happen. With Fund II, we’re doubling down on our commitment to fueling Midwest businesses.”

To support the growth of Fund II, Traction Capital welcomed Matt Meents as a Strategic Growth Partner. With 25+ years of experience scaling companies, Meents is a leader in the startup space. As Co-Founder & CEO of Magnet360, he grew the company to $50M in annual revenue before its acquisition in 2016. He later co-founded Yardstik, where he drove growth before transitioning to a board role. At Traction Capital, Meents will guide founders through growth challenges and scaling opportunities.

Traction Capital’s first fund successfully invested in 13 companies and completed two acquisitions, helping them reach major milestones. Notably, Kwikly, a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree, was named Minnesota’s fastest-growing private company in 2024. GoRout saw a dramatic expansion in growth and product offerings, while TroutRoutes achieved a successful exit through its sale to onX. Additionally, Traction Capital facilitated additional capital raises for five portfolio companies, securing further funding for their growth.

About Traction Capital:  

Traction Capital is a Minnesota-based venture capital and growth equity firm comprised of successful business owners and entrepreneurs. Founded in 2020, the firm invests in and acquires Minnesota and Midwest early-stage and profitable companies stuck in the “capital gap”. Traction Capital believes that investing both financial and “smart” capital with a proven business management process (EOS®) during this critical stage sets businesses up for more rapid growth. They help founders with strategy and execution through their own experiences and that of their investors, to scale and exit at attractive valuations. 

For more information, please visit: https://tractioncapital.com/

SOURCE Traction Capital

Three Portfolio Company Exits Deliver Over 2x Return, Defying VC Downturn Trends

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2025 — While much of the venture capital world has faced turbulence and declining returns, How Women Invest is charting a different course, proving that investing in women isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing.

Launched in 2020, How Women Invest’s inaugural fund has already achieved exits with return multiples. The exited companies, Gaiascope, Long Game, and Hitch, underscore the strength of investing in female-led innovation, even in a challenging VC climate where many portfolio companies are struggling or shutting down.

“This exit is a powerful example of what happens when women invest in women—with both capital and conviction. As a Founding LP of How Women Invest and the CEO of Hitch, I experienced how this fund is redefining venture: backing bold missions, creating real value, and proving that purpose and profit can grow together,” says Heather Jerrehian, Investor, Tech Executive, and Author of Sail to Scale.

Lauren Kuntz, CEO and Co-founder of Gaiascope, Inc shared, “From the first meeting with How Women Invest, it was clear this group was unlike any other—they sincerely understood what we did, wanted us to succeed, and were willing to roll up their sleeves with whatever support we needed. The network within How Women Invest is unparalleled and we leaned heavily on their experience to help us through the challenges that are start-up life. A lot of investors promise support, but How Women Invest is one of the few that actually delivers: the women in this network have actually been there, done that, and know what you’re going through. They provide advice that comes from a depth of experience and empathy, and for us it was integral to our growth and ultimately successful exit.”

While industry headlines have spotlighted mass layoffs and tech valuation freefalls, How Women Invest’s focus on diverse, capital-efficient, and impact-driven startups is paying off. These exits validate what research has shown for years: women-led companies deliver. In fact, women-run businesses generate twice as much revenue per dollar invested compared to male-run firms (BCG). 

How Women Invest exclusively backs women-founded and women-led companies, building a portfolio that reflects the kind of leadership the future demands, visionary, inclusive, and resilient.

“These exits aren’t lucky breaks, they’re proof points,” said Julie Castro Abrams, CEO of How Women Lead and Managing Partner of How Women Invest. “When women control capital and invest in other women, the data and the returns, speak for themselves.”

How Women Invest’s focus to identify visionary female founders, provide them with smart capital and a powerful network, and deliver strong returns while rewriting the future of venture, remains steadfast, with a clear path forward and growing momentum behind its powerful mission. 

For more information, visit www.howwomeninvest.com.

Media Contact: Laura Henson, HVM Communications
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 917-539-7812

SOURCE How Women Invest

The fund invests in B2B fintechs operating in Latin America and the US

MIAMI, June 24, 2025 — Kiara Capital, a Miami-based venture capital firm founded by serial fintech entrepreneurs, has announced the first close of its inaugural fund. The fund focuses on early-stage B2B fintech startups operating in Latin America, and cross-border markets linked to the United States.

Founded in 2023, Kiara Capital specializes in early-stage investments, from pre-seed to seed. Since inception, the firm has reviewed over 160 opportunities and made five investments, including Astride, a U.S.-based fintech offering accounting solutions for foreign investors, and Payana, a platform using AI to enhance financial operations for small and mid-sized businesses in Mexico and Colombia. Kiara’s current portfolio spans startups in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and the U.S., with approximately $2 million already deployed.

The fund was co-founded by Michael Esrubilsky and Daniel Arippol. Michael Esrubilsky brings over 25 years of experience in fintech, with four successful fintech exits in Brazil totaling nearly $1 billion. As an angel and seed investor, he has built a track record of 14 investments with a 9.8x multiple on invested capital (MOIC) and a 45%+ internal rate of return (IRR) in US dollars. Daniel Arippol complements the team with more than 15 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, and innovation across emerging markets. He has also served as an advisor to multiple high-growth technology and financial services companies operating in both Latin America and the United States.

After validating its investment thesis using only partner capital, Kiara Capital has now opened its first external fundraising round. The fund targets $30 million, with the potential to close at $40 million. Investors include founders, bank CEOs, VC partners, and family offices with strong interest in fintech and financial innovation. The founding partners remain the largest investors in the fund, ensuring strong alignment with LPs.

“Opening the fund to outside investors is a natural next step — one that expands our investment capacity while maintaining full alignment,” said Esrubilsky. “We’re bringing in knowledgeable, experienced partners to co-invest with us in the opportunities we’re already pursuing.”

He noted that even as new investors join, the Kiara founding partners will continue to hold a significant stake in the fund, committing to never fall below 10% of total capital.

Kiara Capital aims to build a high-conviction portfolio of 15 to 20 startups, with initial checks starting at $500,000 and substantial reserves allocated for follow-on rounds. The fund is structured in the United States to support global flexibility while maintaining a strong emphasis on Latin American and US cross border markets.

The timing, according to the partners, is favorable for early-stage investing, given attractive valuations and an increasing flight to quality among top founders. Kiara’s edge lies in its active support model — providing hands-on strategic and technical guidance based on the partners’ own experiences as successful operators and investors.

“We prioritize founders who have deep expertise in the industries they’re building in, excel in execution, and often come through trusted referrals in the ecosystem,” said Arippol. “We look for companies that combine strong product-market fit with the potential for outsized impact in the financial sector.”

About Kiara Capital

Kiara Capital is a Miami-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage B2B fintech investments, with operations across Latin America and the United States. The firm blends entrepreneurial experience, disciplined deal selection, and close founder collaboration to generate strong returns.

To learn more, visit: https://www.kiara.capital

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2715775/7.jpg

SOURCE Kiara Capital