• EX in the new fund’s name stands for energy transformation, signaling the focus for Fund EX1 on investing in early-stage energy, cleantech, and climate technology startups in the U.S. and Europe
• Fund EX1 is TDK Ventures’ first multi-LP fund and marks its first foray into Europe

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 19, 2023 — TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) announced today that subsidiary TDK Ventures Inc. will launch its third fund, totaling $150 million in new capital. The new fund will target early-stage investments in energy transition, electrification, and decarbonization within the U.S. and Europe. TDK Ventures’ total assets under management is now $350 million.

“As the world strives to build a sustainable future for all, we must recognize the pivotal role that energy transformation needs play in our collective efforts,” stated Noboru Saito, President and CEO of TDK Corporation. “With this new funding, we are doubling down on our efforts to contribute toward innovations in electrification and decarbonization, as these two areas are helping to solve society’s toughest problems. By nurturing the innovative spirit of startups around the world and by providing TDK Goodness to the ecosystem, we hope to contribute to a world where energy transformation drives humanity toward a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow in harmony with our environment.”

“Fund EX1 bolsters our conviction in supporting entrepreneurs who are creating pioneering technologies in the energy transformation and decarbonization sectors,” said Nicolas Sauvage, President, TDK Ventures. “Foundational improvements in materials science, advanced manufacturing, and scale-up are the key to translate innovations developed in academic laboratories towards commercial reality. Our commitment to early-stage innovative startups in climate tech is poised to help accelerate our world toward carbon neutrality.” 

With a track record of sustainability and partnering with innovative entrepreneurs in the energy space, Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), TDK’s Hong Kong-based lithium-ion rechargeable batteries specialist, will be a limited partner to Fund EX1.

“We strive to be a premier global innovative technology company, making exceptional contributions to the green energy resolution for mankind,” said Joe Kit Chu Lam, Executive Vice President, Amperex Technology Limited. “ATL is pleased to join Fund EX1 in its mission to support a greener energy transformation and contribute our part to decarbonization by supporting innovative ecosystems and startups around energy generation and energy storage.” 

TDK Ventures has built a reputation for investing in the climate-tech sector. Since its inception, the company has made ten investments in the sector, backing companies such as Wheels, acquired by Helbiz, Inc.; electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) company Autoflight; battery-upcycling company Ascend Elements; smart electrical-panel company Span.io; off-grid back-up power-solutions company GenCell, which IPO’d on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange; water-sensing analytics company Divirod; green-hydrogen company Verdagy; lithium-ion dry-electrode company AM Batteries; designer and implementer of methodologies for sustainable extraction and refining of strategic metals company pH7 Technologies Inc.; and developer of an optimized stellarator fusion-energy system, Type One Energy.

“The expertise of our anchor LPs in electrochemical technologies, advanced manufacturing, and scale-up will allow us to bring to these startups strong technical expertise and access to global markets where TDK operates,” added Sauvage.

With team members in San Jose, CA; Boston, MA; Tokyo, Japan; and Bengaluru, India, TDK Ventures will soon add a team in Europe. To learn more about TDK Ventures, interested startups or investment partners should visit www.tdk-ventures.com or reach out at [email protected]. 

About TDK Corporation
TDK Corporation is a world leader in electronic solutions for the smart society based in Tokyo, Japan. Built on a foundation of material sciences mastery, TDK welcomes societal transformation by resolutely remaining at the forefront of technological evolution and deliberately “Attracting Tomorrow.” It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK’s comprehensive, innovation-driven portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, and information and communication technology. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2023, TDK posted total sales of USD 16.1 billion and employed about 103,000 people worldwide.

About TDK Ventures
TDK Ventures Inc. invests in startups to bolster innovation in materials science, energy/power and related areas typically underrepresented in venture capital portfolios. Established in 2019 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TDK Corporation, the corporate venture company’s vision is to propel the digital and energy transformations of segments such as health and wellness, next-generation transportation, robotics and industrial, mixed reality and the wider IoT/IIoT markets. TDK Ventures will co-invest and support promising portfolio companies by providing technical expertise and access to global markets where TDK operates. Interested startups or investment partners may contact TDK Ventures: www.tdk-ventures.com or [email protected].

You can download this text and associated images from https://tdk-ventures.com/tdk-ventures-launches-150-million-fund-EX1-to-invest-in-energy-and-climate-tech-startups 

Contacts for regional media

SOURCE TDK Ventures

Odin is Creating the Ultimate Set of Tools for People Globally to Connect, Collaborate and Invest Together in the Startups and Venture Capital Funds Building Our Future 

GREENWICH, Conn., May 19, 2023 — O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (“OSV”), a creative investment firm, announced today that it has invested in Odin Limited (“Odin”).

Odin is used by founders, angel syndicates and venture capital firms to raise money from their network. It takes care of legal structures, anti-money-laundering, banking, payments, regulation and other processes on behalf of its users.

Investors can invest as little as $1,000 in a startup via Odin’s platform. Odin then rolls up all investors into one legal entity.

It will soon be launching an angel marketplace and the ability to invest in venture capital firms via its platform.

“Our long term goal is to allow more people to influence what the future looks like,” said Odin cofounder & CEO Mary Lin, “whether you’re talking about VC or some other form of capital allocation, by leveraging online communities and data in the right ways, you can really start to improve decision-making. This means you can drive better financial outcomes and build a world that’s much better aligned with society’s needs. “

OSV’s founder, Jim O’Shaughnessy, commented: “By making investing more accessible, Odin is allowing anyone, wherever they are, to participate in the building of our shared future. We’re delighted to be able to support Odin as it pursues this important mission.”

About O’Shaughnessy Ventures:

OSV is a creative investment firm that empowers and inspires creators to bring their ideas to life. Founded by Jim O’Shaughnessy, a pioneer in quantitative investing, founder of O’Shaughnessy Asset Management, and author of four books on investing, OSV aims to provide financial support and to partner in growing the next life-changing creative ideas. 

OSV combines O’Shaughnessy’s deeply rooted interest in all things art, science, investing, and tech with his long-held desire to establish scenarios designed to help promising creators and their inspiring ideas succeed, regardless of age, location, job history, or level of education. For more information, visit https://www.osv.llc/.

Media Contact:
Ena Gong
O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC
(917) 355-7420
[email protected]

SOURCE O’Shaughnessy Ventures, LLC

Leading restaurant enterprise management software company surpasses $1B valuation.

IRVINE, Calif., May 19, 2023 — Restaurant365, an industry leading all-in-one restaurant enterprise management software, today announced it has agreed to a $135M funding round co-led by global investment firms KKR and L Catterton with participation from current investors, including ICONIQ Growth and Bessemer Venture Partners.

Restaurant365 is transforming the restaurant industry by providing operators with innovative solutions to increase sales, control food costs, and optimize labor. The company’s robust software suite brings key accounting, operational, and payroll-based processes together into a single, cloud-based technology.

“R365 has achieved continuous, accelerated growth, which is a testament to our strong team who is eager to change the restaurant industry for the better,” states Tony Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Restaurant365. “Anytime we receive funding, we recognize it as a privilege. However, the primary driver of this round is uniting with two strategic investors so intimately tied to the restaurant industry. Having recently crossed exciting milestones of $100M in revenue and $1B in value, we can’t wait for what’s next.”

The investment is from KKR’s Tech Growth strategy and L Catterton’s Growth Fund.

“Restaurant365 has demonstrated compelling growth throughout its history, now powering more than 40,000 restaurant locations,” said Jimmy Miele, Director, Tech Growth at KKR. “Moreover, their software has played a crucial role in helping many struggling operators keep their doors open during uncertain times. We look forward to being a part of this next chapter, helping even more operators achieve their highest potential.”

“L Catterton has deep experience investing in world-class restaurant brands globally,” says Ian Friedman, Partner at L Catterton who will join Restaurant365’s board. “With deep insight into the everyday pain points of restaurant operators, we believe Restaurant365 is the gold standard in the industry, helping to streamline operations and boost profitability, and we are proud to leverage our consumer and technology investing experience as a partner to Tony and the team.”

Proceeds from the round will be invested into product enhancements to ensure that Restaurant365’s Accounting, Store Operations, Workforce, and Intelligence product suites continue to meet the evolving needs of the restaurant industry, while also expanding its market share.

About Restaurant365^®

Restaurant365 is an industry leading all-in-one, cloud-based accounting, inventory, scheduling, payroll, and HR solution developed specifically for restaurants. R365’s restaurant enterprise management software simplifies day-to-day management for operators, allowing them to control food costs and optimize labor. Integrations and open APIs enable Restaurant365 to connect with other systems including POS providers, vendors, and banks. The result is accurate, timely reporting that provides a clear and complete view of their businesses. Restaurant365 is based in Irvine, California with an office in Austin, Texas. The company is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, ICONIQ, KKR, L Catterton, and Serent Capital. Additional information is available at www.restaurant365.com.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life, and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co. 

About L Catterton  

L Catterton is a market-leading consumer-focused investment firm, managing approximately $33 billion of equity capital across three multi-product platforms: private equity, credit, and real estate. Leveraging deep category insight, operational excellence, and a broad network of strategic relationships, L Catterton’s team of more than 200 investment and operating professionals across 17 offices partners with management teams to drive differentiated value creation across its portfolio.

Founded in 1989, the firm has made over 250 investments in some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. L Catterton has significant experience investing in restaurant brands, including Velvet Taco, bartaco, CHOPT Creative Salad Company, Hopdoddy, Cheddar’s, First Watch, and P.F. Chang’s, among others, as well as leading software businesses including Forter, Sendcloud, and Flash Parking. For more information about L Catterton, please visit www.lcatterton.com.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Restaurant365

Union Square Ventures leads round to help drive global expansion

BOULDER, Colo., May 19, 2023 — Odyssey, a business-in-a-box software platform for distributed energy in emerging markets, today announced the closing of its $15 million Series A round led by Union Square Ventures, with additional participation from Equal Ventures, Twelve Below, Transition, Equator, MCJ Collective, Abstract Ventures, Founder Collective and Climate Capital. The new funding will be used to continue expansion of Odyssey’s key product offerings and expand into new markets, including Latin America and Asia. 

“Odyssey is at the center of one of the biggest economic and climate opportunities of our lifetimes: the clean energy transition in emerging markets,” said Emily McAteer, co-founder and CEO of Odyssey. “Not only are aging and weak grids and high fuel costs making renewable energy the best solution for the future, significant policy tailwinds are helping drive change at the global level.” 

Odyssey is the only end-to-end platform of its kind, built to scale project development across the project lifecycle: planning, financing, procurement and operations. Odyssey has $1.3 billion of financing for distributed renewable energy projects on the platform, with financing available from development finance institutions, donors, international and regional banks, infrastructure funds, and other types of capital providers. 

Earlier this year, Odyssey launched their procurement marketplace, Odyssey Procure, across Nigeria, South Africa and East Africa. Odyssey Procure offers a digital, streamlined procurement solution for renewable energy companies to unlock better pricing, equipment finance, and faster lead times. 

By leveraging their network of 2,000-plus renewable energy companies, Odyssey helps private and concessional financiers access projects that were previously out of reach. The platform offers advanced software tools to efficiently plan projects, aggregate portfolios, and streamline diligence between developers and investors. After projects have been built, Odyssey’s suite of remote monitoring and control hardware and software enables renewable energy companies to share asset performance data, ensuring that investors have full visibility into investment outcomes. 

“By building tools for financiers and renewable energy companies across every stage of development, Odyssey is positioned as the system of record for DRE projects in emerging markets,” said Nick Grossman, partner, Union Square Ventures. “Odyssey’s platform streamlines transactions across all stakeholders and presents powerful network efforts that will unlock industry scale.”

To  meet net-zero emissions goals by 2050, investment  in energy infrastructure in emerging markets will need to increase sixfold over the coming  years – to  $1 trillion per year (BlackRock). To date, 70% of the world’s population, mostly in developing economies, receives only 1.5% of global investments. The off-grid sector, which is Odyssey’s focus, saw a tripling in average transaction size over the past five years. 

About Odyssey  

Odyssey is accelerating the clean energy transition in emerging markets. The Odyssey platform provides an end-to-end solution for renewable energy companies and financiers, with a tool suite for planning, financing, procurement and operations. Odyssey is facilitating more than $1.3B of capital for the distributed energy sector, with more than 2,000 companies on the platform. For more information, visit  odysseyenergysolutions.com. 

Media Contact 
Chris Allieri
[email protected] 

SOURCE Odyssey

The funding round was led by crypto asset venture firm Castle Island Ventures

WILMINGTON, Del., May 19, 2023 — PYOR (Power Your Own Research), a pioneer in enabling high-fidelity data and insights for the digital assets industry, today announced $4 million USD of funding in its seed round. The raise was led by Castle Island Ventures, with further investment from Hash3, Antler, Future Perfect Venture, Force Ventures, CoinSwitch Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, and prominent angel investor Balaji Srinivasan.

Commenting, Krishna Hegde, Co-Founder of PYOR, said: “Since launching PYOR last year, we’ve been laser-focused on building the industry standard for digital asset platforms. Unlike most asset classes, the digital assets segment is retail-led and, as a result, institutional-grade infrastructure for decision-making has thus far been limited. While market capitalization of digital assets is in excess of $1 trillion, there remains a glaring need for effective data infrastructure to facilitate institutional participation. We look forward to leveraging the capital raised to strengthen our mission and continue developing in the global digital assets ecosystem.”

Leveraging capital from this funding round, PYOR will drive the expansion of its core infrastructure and product platform by building out its interpretation layer for digital assets and accelerating global institutional participation in digital assets. This will be enabled through high-fidelity data and insights supported by high-quality execution. The funds will also be used to expand the team and hire across a number of new roles. 

Sean Judge, General Partner at Castle Island Ventures, said: “The PYOR team is building critical auditable infrastructure for the crypto industry. We are thrilled to partner with Krishna, Sarmad, Sharan, and Yadunandan. Their experience ushering in crypto investors at CoinSwitch highlighted the need for standardized, institutional-grade data and analytics to bring in the next wave of crypto investors.”

Founded in August 2022, PYOR aims to provide key insights on digital assets through a tailor-made desktop analytics interface. The founding team, Krishna Hegde, Sarmad Nazki, Sharan Nair, and Yadunandan Batchu, have more than five decades of combined experience within both the digital assets and traditional finance sectors. This collective experience with established global financial services firms such as Barclays, KPMG, EY, and multiple Indian unicorns, as well as building digital asset companies, will provide PYOR with the tools necessary to ensure the mainstream adoption of digital assets.

It’s been a busy start to 2023 for the PYOR team. The company, currently in private beta, recently announced the launch of its Terminal product. The plug and play data terminal enables institutions to access fundamental blockchain data and write private queries through a tailor-made dashboard that suits their needs.

For more information, visit pyor.xyz

Krishna Hegde and Sharan Nair, Co-Founders of PYOR, will be available for interview

About PYOR

PYOR (Power Your Own Research) is a pioneer in enabling high-fidelity data and insights for the digital assets industry, offering comprehensive and accurate digital assets data tailor-made for institutions. PYOR was founded in 2022 by an impressive team of experts with extensive experience building successful crypto projects and several large Indian unicorns. The institutional-grade digital assets platform provides the infrastructure layer necessary to support institutional investments and to evolve digital assets to the standard of traditional asset classes. PYOR aims to accelerate global institutional participation in Web3 by enabling high-fidelity insights and data via a desktop analytics tool. For more information, visit https://www.pyor.xyz.

SOURCE PYOR

Final Approval from U.S. Bureau of Land Management for largest clean energy infrastructure project in American history; Full construction anticipated to commence in summer 2023

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., May 18, 2023 — Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy), a leader in renewable energy, welcomes the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management’s Record of Decision on the SunZia Transmission project, which will enable over 3,500 MW of New Mexico wind power from the SunZia Wind project to provide clean, reliable, and affordable electricity across Western states.

Today’s Record of Decision by the Bureau of Land Management marks an important milestone for the SunZia Transmission project. After over 16 years of development including rigorous regulatory and environmental review, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process is complete. Full construction is anticipated to commence in the summer of 2023.

“This is a historic day for the advancement of America’s clean energy goals as SunZia receives its major federal routing permit, clearing the way to bring online enough renewable power for 3 million Americans,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We’re proud that SunZia is the culmination of over a decade of collaboration with communities, residents, landowners, environmental groups, wildlife organizations, and federal agencies. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, specifically the New Mexico State office, did a thorough and professional job managing this robust environmental NEPA process review to a close. SunZia will implement industry-leading measures for environmental mitigation, including emerging technology and long-term conservation research. More than 2,000 workers will now roll up their sleeves and get to work on America’s largest clean energy infrastructure project, which we look forward to completing in 2026.”

SunZia Transmission is setting a precedent with a gold standard in environmental mitigation efforts developed hand-in-hand with the environmental community. These range from restoring thousands of acres of wildlife habitat to investing in emerging technology and long-term conservation research. SunZia Wind has also established robust environmental best practices to reduce project impacts and study effective habitat restoration strategies in partnership with local and state experts.

“Climate change is the number one threat to birds’ survival, and projects like SunZia are key to reducing carbon pollution and creating a cleaner future for people and wildlife,” said Garry George, Director of the National Audubon Society’s Clean Energy Initiative. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Pattern Energy and other conservation groups to responsibly expand our nation’s clean energy and transmission infrastructure in ways that avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts on birds and communities.”

“We welcome this important milestone for the SunZia project that will unlock New Mexico’s vast renewable wind resource,” said Fernando Martinez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA). “Pattern Energy has been an excellent partner and we see SunZia as the model for planning and developing critical transmission projects that will advance our transition to clean energy.”

SunZia Transmission is a 550-mile ± 525 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line between central New Mexico and south-central Arizona with the capacity to transport 3,000 MW of clean, renewable energy. SunZia Transmission will open access to the western energy markets to SunZia Wind, the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere, which is comprised of more than 3,500 MW of new wind generation located in Torrance, Lincoln, and San Miguel Counties in New Mexico.

Pattern Energy recently announced that the SunZia Transmission and SunZia Wind projects are expected to generate $20.5 billion dollars in total economic benefit, which includes over $8 billion of direct capital investment, at no added cost to ratepayers, according to the results of an independent study conducted by the research firm Energy, Economic & Environment Consultants LLC. Together, the projects will generate an expected $1.3 billion in fiscal impacts that will go to governments, communities, and schools. These benefits are generated through sales and use taxes, property taxes, community benefit payments, and land payments to federal and state agencies.

The Record of Decision also includes an updated Preferred Alternative Route for the adjacent RioSol Transmission Line, a 500-kV High Voltage Alternating Current project that will have a capacity of 1,500 MW and will bring additional clean resources to western markets.

About Pattern Energy
Pattern Energy is one of the world’s largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects. Its operational portfolio includes 38 renewable energy facilities that use proven, best-in-class technology with an operating capacity of more than 6,000 MW in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico. Pattern Energy is guided by a long-term commitment to serve customers, protect the environment, and strengthen communities. For more information, visit www.patternenergy.com.

Contacts:

Matt Dallas                                                                 
Pattern Energy                                                           
917-363-1333                                                             
[email protected]       

SOURCE Pattern Energy Group LP

LOS ANGELES, May 18, 2023 — BuildOps, the only all-in-one management software built specifically for the modern commercial contractor, today announced it has raised $50 million in additional funding. The funding effort was led by Fika Ventures and 01 Advisors, a venture capital firm backed by former Twitter CEO, Dick Costolo, who has also joined the Board. The funds will further their explosive growth and cement BuildOps as the market leader revolutionizing the world of commercial specialty contractors.

This brings the total amount of funding BuildOps has raised to over $100 Million from high-profile investors including Fika Ventures, 01 Advisors, Next47, Founders Fund, B Capital Group, CBRE executives, the State of Michigan, Telstra Ventures, Gopher Asset Management, Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols, former President of Salesforce Gavin Patterson, and CAA founder Michael Ovitz. The company has repeatedly impressed investors by achieving triple-digit growth rates over the past several years.

BuildOps is a purpose-built technology platform that integrates scheduling, dispatching, inventory management, contracts, workflow, purchasing, and invoicing into a single software suite for commercial contractors of all sizes, ranging from a dozen employees to several thousand.

“At BuildOps, we are on a mission to deliver a true all-in-one solution built on the latest technology to the people who keep our schools, hospitals, and communities running,” said Alok Chanani, BuildOps Co-founder and CEO. “We are privileged to work closely with some of the country’s top commercial contractors.”

BuildOps software is the primary success engine to drive massive efficiencies for commercial service and project-oriented trade contractors. The platform’s tools specifically meet the needs of these contractors’ workflows and address industry-wide challenges like supply chain delays and the skilled labor shortage. Customers are seeing significant and measurable top-line growth, cost reductions, and overall profitability gains by using the BuildOps platform.

The industry response and customer impact caught the attention of Dick Costolo and Adam Bain, Co-Managing Partners at 01 Advisors. As the former CEO and COO of Twitter, the two are no strangers to hyper-growth, having scaled the company tremendously in users and international expansion while catapulting revenue from $300 Million to over $2 Billion under their leadership.

“The construction and commercial contractor industry is being transformed by BuildOps game-changing technology, and the passion the leadership team has brought to bear,” shared Dick. “We are massive believers in the team and their impact on the industry – particularly for any sophisticated enterprise or private equity player – they cannot operate without a best-in-class platform, and BuildOps is the heartbeat of their businesses. It’s incredible to witness their growth. We are so excited to partner with Alok and the rest of the team to fuel BuildOps to an IPO.”

This exceptional vote of confidence is echoed by Liquid 2 Ventures Managing Partner and former National Football League superstar, Joe Montana.

“Liquid 2 Ventures has an investment thesis in supporting the blue-collar trades. I just love the idea of making their lives far easier and better,” said Montana. “You have one solution that does it all and talks seamlessly to every single part of their business, from parts to ordering to inventory, and more. There are very few world-class technology solutions for commercial subcontractors like BuildOps and we believe in the leadership.”

“BuildOps has quickly become integral to our portfolio of world-class service companies, particularly when it comes to servicing our large enterprise customers,” said Joel Lehman, President of Smart Care – Climate Solutions, a national repair and service provider for commercial foodservice, refrigeration, HVAC and cold storage equipment with service coverage spanning 80+% of the US population. “We happily converted four separate systems and replaced them all with BuildOps which resulted in an immediate impact to service ticket efficiency, thus decreasing our days to resolve. This, along with dozens of other optimizations, has led to a dramatic lift in profit margin and revenue. It’s now the foundation for our operations and we are rolling it out across our entire portfolio.”

BuildOps’ exponential trajectory confirms the desperate need for a modern, cloud-based solution built for the commercial contractor,” said Scott Nolan of Founders Fund, a venture capital firm co-founded by Peter Thiel. “Before BuildOps, commercial contractors didn’t have great options for software to run their whole business. We’re thrilled to support BuildOps and their industry-leading technology that serves the people keeping the country running.”

About BuildOps
BuildOps is a fast-paced, high-growth technology company committed to transforming a $300B+ industry through an innovative all-in-one SaaS platform. We’re taking commercial specialty contractors from the world of pen and paper and legacy platforms to world-class cloud-based, data-driven operations.

Media Inquiries:
Kori Sato
[email protected]

SOURCE BuildOps

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 18, 2023 — Plymouth Growth, a leading growth equity firm, is pleased to announce the successful closing of Plymouth Growth V, LP, with approximately $125MM in committed capital. Plymouth Fund V is exclusively focused on investing in high-growth, B2B software and tech-enabled services companies throughout the North American mid-continent.

Plymouth’s fifth fund – led by Partners Jeff Barry, Brook Critchfield, Kevin Terrasi, and Evan Ufer – is the firm’s largest to date with commitments nearly double its prior fund and serves as a testament to the firm’s track record. With a focus on B2B technology, Plymouth Growth has a long history of identifying promising companies and working with management teams to help them achieve successful outcomes.

“We are thrilled to close Plymouth Fund V and continue our mission of partnering with exceptional software and technology companies,” said Evan Ufer, Partner at Plymouth Growth. “Having successfully achieved our target for Fund V in a challenging environment, we are truly grateful for the trust and support our investors have in our firm and its vision.”

“We are proud of our track record and the role we have played in helping to build some of the region’s most successful tech companies,” said Brook Critchfield, Partner at Plymouth Growth. “Our expanding investment team is excited to build on this momentum in Fund V and continue joining forces with exceptional leadership teams.”

With this new capital, Kathleen Kaulins recently joined the firm as a senior member of the investment team. Kathleen, a Michigan native, came to Plymouth from Vistara Growth, where she served as Investment Director. Prior to working as an investor, she spent more than 10 years as an operator at two New York City-based technology startups where she led several different functions including finance, strategy, operations, and product. Kathleen began her career as an investment banker at UBS.

In addition to Kathleen, the firm has doubled its investment team in the past two years – adding Michelle Erikson, Senior Associate, Alison Todak, Director of Platform, and Caroline Wolanin, Analyst – to support its accelerated investment activities. 

Fund V has already invested in six growth-stage technology companies, including most recently Forj and CloseSimple, and will continue to make $5MM to $15MM investments in the next wave of B2B businesses looking to scale.

About Plymouth Growth

Plymouth Growth invests in mid-continent B2B software and technology companies with proven business models, rapid growth, and strong teams – that are ready to scale. The Plymouth team brings decades of experience as operators, advisors, and investors, and understands that while metrics matter, it’s people that are critical to growth. Based in Ann Arbor, MI, and actively investing out of its fifth fund, Plymouth Growth helps teams achieve smart, proven, growth. For more information about Plymouth Growth and its investments, please visit https://plymouthgp.com/.

SOURCE Plymouth Growth

Dr. Bukhari is excited to join forces by investing in and becoming an All Y’alls Foods Medical Advisor to help promote and develop healthier alternatives to animal-based products.

CROSS ROADS, Texas, May 18, 2023 — All Y’alls Foods, makers of Plant-based It’s Jerky Y’all in Prickly Pear Teriyaki, Prickly Pear Chipotle, and Black Pepper & Sea Salt, as well as plant-based Bacony Bits, has announced its first investor, board-certified vascular surgeon Rizwan H Bukhari, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Rizwan has seen the ravaging effects of poor lifestyle choices on his patients’ health. Cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, such as obesity, tobacco use, hypertension, and diabetes, stem mainly from the foods we eat and our lifestyle choices.

Dr. Bukhari said, “I am excited to join forces by investing in and becoming All Y’alls Foods Medical Advisor to help promote and develop healthier alternatives to animal-based products.” 

He is also board certified in lifestyle medicine, and he promotes a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition, to help his patients and the general public prevent, halt, and sometimes even reverse disease. He owns the North Texas Vascular Center and treats various vascular issues, including aneurysms, carotid artery stenosis, lower extremity arterial blockages, gangrene, dialysis access grafts, and varicose veins.

Why Now? 

“We celebrate our 5th anniversary on May 18th, and I’ve boot-strapped All Y’alls Foods myself the whole time. Now with the help of investors, it is time to grow!” says Texas native and Founder of All Y’alls Foods Brett Christoffel. “When folks were putting out crazy press releases about changing the world and growing at all costs, I had my nose to the grindstone, offering plant-based jerky; a delicious alternative to beef jerky in the great state of Texas – beef capital of the world. 

“Replacing beef jerky is a big goal, but it’s working! By focusing on smart growth and delivering enjoyable bold, uniquely flavored proteins that are better for people, animals, and our planet, we are tapping into what consumers want: a great taste that doesn’t harm personal or planetary health. 

“Sales exceed expectations, with 2023 becoming the year we achieve stable profitability. Since my team and I have built a solid foundation, it is time to ramp up as quickly as possible. Having Dr. Riz, a capable, mission-aligned investor who gets it, as our Medical Advisor is incredibly timely and meaningful.”

Healthy for People, Planet, and Animals, and That’s No Bull

All the protein found in meat comes from the plants the animals consume, as they do not produce protein but rather process it. All Y’alls Foods skips the middle critter and goes directly to the plants for protein. In doing so, they sell no cholesterol, saturated animal fat, or any possible antibiotics or glyphosate found in the flesh of cows. With more protein, calcium, magnesium, & iron than beef, All Y’alls proteins are full of fiber and phytonutrients. They only use 1/13th of the land, fuel, and water to produce them compared to animal jerky. 

All Y’alls Foods is based in Texas and founded in 2018 by Brett Christoffel to offer plant-based proteins to delight & nourish consumers, support animal welfare, and be kinder to the planet. All snacks are protein and fiber-packed, gluten and cholesterol-free, and made from whole non-GMO soybeans. A portion of every sale goes to helping rescued animals at Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. Currently producing It’s Jerky Y’all in Prickly Pear Teriyaki, Prickly Pear Chipotle, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, and It’s Big and Crunchy Bacony Bits Y’all.

For more information, please watch this video or visit www.AllYallsFoods.com. Connect with All Y’alls Foods on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok. 

You can purchase All Y’alls Foods directly from the website, through Amazon.com, H-E-B grocery stores, and in natural, specialty, and vegan stores nationwide. 

For more food and founder pictures, click here. 

Contact:
Christie Carter
Chief Marketing Officer
913-735-0244
[email protected] 

SOURCE All Y’alls Foods