Portfolio Highlights
Our recent investment, Flock AI, has raised $6M in seed funding in a round led by Work-Bench. Flock AI, founded by Manvitha Mallela and Malavika Reddy, is an AI-native visual commerce platform built specifically for fashion and retail. Flock is building the AI-native content engine for retail, replacing traditional photo shoots with brand-accurate imagery and video at scale, while fitting directly into how creative and merchandising teams already work. With Flock, brands can create imagery that’s consistent with specific brand guidelines and tailored to every customer, channel, and context - all without adding resources, headcount or time. This funding will enable Flock to continue its mission to tailor visual commerce for every single shopper by enabling creatives at billion-dollar brands to generate product imagery on digital models without requiring a traditional photoshoot.
We have also recently invested in SEAL Robotics, which brings robotics automation to manual processes at shipping ports and rail terminals. Their robotic arm performs tasks such as twistlock and pin handling to secure shipping containers on vessels and trains. These activities are currently performed largely manually, under high physical strain, adverse weather conditions and significant time pressure.
SEAL Robotics has just closed $2.1M in pre-seed funding from Creator Fund, Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, and January Ventures. Co-founder and CEO Marie-Elisabeth was a robotics engineer from the Technical University of Munich and worked on a container ship in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Co-founder and CTO Daniel is a leading roboticist at one of Germany’s most exciting hubs for robotic discovery called German Aerospace Center (Germany’s equivalent to NASA).
Statusphere, a platform that scales micro-influencer marketing, has secured $18M in Series A funding with participation by Volition Capital, HearstLab, and 1984 Ventures. Founder Kristen Wiley noted that, “Human-generated content is quickly becoming the foundation of how brands are discovered, trusted, and remembered, especially as AI reshapes search and commerce.” This round of funding will allow Statusphere to continue building the infrastructure to support that shift as they work with the world’s biggest brands.
Menopause-care startup Elektra Health has been named to the Digital Health New York Digital Health 100 List for 2026. Recognized in the Women’s Health Category alongside companies like Evvy, Oula, Oova, Pomelo Care, and Twentyeight Health. In its 7th year, the Digital Health 100 spotlights the region’s most innovative and high-impact digital health startups.
Portfolio News
Guidewheel’s Lauren Dunford delivered the keynote address at MD&M West. See her explain how J&J achieved a 35% productivity leap using AI.
Unitary’s CEO Sasha Haco gave a keynote alongside VP Sales Nasri EL-Sayegh on how to deploy AI in legacy systems at InsureTech Connect in London.
Goodword has launched The State of Human Connection 2026, a deep dive into how modern leaders are navigating the “Trust Deficit”.
Clarity Pediatrics co-founder and CEO Christina LaMontagne joined Daniel Isenberg for a recent episode of his ScaleApp Podcast.
In Healthcare Business Today, Oula Health’s CEO, Adrianne Nickerson, wrote about why health systems need to rethink maternity care delivery.
What we’re reading
The SaaSacre of 2026 and how AI is killing SaaS
Founder playbook for early-stage growth hacking
Is being a VC-backed founder now “low status”?
10 Bold Predictions for A.I.’s Year Ahead
Goodword’s State of Human Connection in 2026
Where we were
Maren Bannon spoke at SuperReturn Saudi Arabia on a panel discussion on how managers are differentiating strategies to attract capital with Deepali Nangia from Speedinvest, Turki Al-Dayel from Growth Catalyst, Dan Bowyer from SuperSeed, Matt Penneycard from Ada Ventures and Rasha Alsager from Jada Fund of Funds.
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