Vertical Venture Partners Announces the 2018 University of California Fortune 500 Startup Showcase Winners
Milo Sensors (UCSB), Sensorygen (UCR), and Ateios (UCSD) present to 75 Fortune 500 CIOs and CTOs and share $150,000 in Seed funding.
18 University of California companies showcased.
November 9, 2018 – Menlo Park, CA – Vertical Venture Partners (“VVP”) announced today the three Seed funding winners from across the University of California’s 10 campus system. The winners competed in an exhaustive, five month, UC-only Startup Showcase culminating in a pitch competition to 75 Fortune 500 CIOs and CTOs at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California.
Unlike many such competitions, VVP offered the participants the opportunity to learn, negotiate and receive an actual equity Seed investment from a Sand Hill Road venture capital firm in a process that was specifically designed to acknowledge and support the University of California’s emphasis on the educational aspects of investor interaction.
That process began in June with campus visits by VVP and the solicitation of startups offering innovation and market disruption. More than 100 executive summaries were received in July and were analyzed and characterized in detail across specific categories such as:
- Vertical Market
- Product Space
- Revenue Stage
- Funding Stage/Funding to Date/Financing Sought
- Accelerator/Incubator/Mentor
- Non-dilutive Financing
- IP/Patent/Proprietary/Barrier to Entry
- Market Size/TAM SAM SOM
- Key Team Member Data/History
- Customer Traction
- Development Status
- Value Proposition
- Competitor/Differentiation
Of these, 40 were selected in August by the VVP partners for a detailed review and scoring process rewarding strength of innovation and potential for market disruption, amongst other investability factors. Detailed improvement feedback was provided to all entrants that asked for it and a representative, redacted sample set was worked up into four detailed case studies that were provided to the UC campuses.
Of these 40, 18 were selected for an invitation to present to 75 Fortune 500 CIOs/CTOs in November. During October VVP provided each presenter and team with intensive, one-on-one slide deck and presentation skill assessment and coaching, and additionally provided business, technical and marketing language development improvements. All 18 highly polished participants presented on November 2nd.
Because of the strength of the participants, and in this case alignment with VVP, five runner ups have been selected and invited to make an investor presentation to VVP:
CellOnyx (UCI), CureMatch (UCSD), FarmSense (UCR), Nanome (UCSD) and Pinpoint Science (UCSC).
About Vertical Venture Partners
Vertical Venture Partners (“VVP”) is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm founded in 2015 by Dave Schwab, a 20-year veteran in early stage technology investing.
VVP focuses on making Seed and Series A investments in B2B technology companies targeting pain points in specific vertical sectors as opposed to those providing horizontal technologies to many industry sectors.
The VVP team has decades of operating and investment experience gained from diverse backgrounds in venture capital, research & development, investment banking and advanced technology.
Please visit www.vvp.vc to learn more.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Media contact: Doreen Thawley; doreen@vvp.vc
Nov. 9, 2018
About Milo Sensors
Milo Sensors has developed novel transdermal sensing technology that allows for continuous biometric monitoring. By tapping into the superhighway of small molecules that naturally diffuse through the skin, the patented technology aims to provide meaningful insights into health & wellness, without the need for a single drop of blood. It represents a monumental leap in wearable capability, from simple step-counting to noninvasive biochemical sensing. Milo Sensors’ ION™ Platform includes a wrist-worn biometric sensor that provides an option for self or supervised monitoring for awareness of one’s alcohol consumption. Users will receive notifications via a smartphone app that is paired with the dime-sized sensor.
About Sensorygen
Sensorygen develops natural broad-spectrum insect repellents to protect over 1 billion people at risk of insect transmitted disease as well as 30% of global agriculture crops currently destroyed by insects. Leveraging computational neurobiology, the Sensorygen Digital Screen has been designed for novel chemical discovery that is different from traditional screening. The Sensorygen approach is a specific and sensitive screen that couples digital biology with real biology. By following the Digital Screen with bioassays appropriate for the chemical desired, we not only speed the discovery process but we ensure that the result is validated in the real world.
About Ateios
Ateios has developed a revolutionary battery technology that will reshape electronics. With its proprietary, platform technology based on nanocomposite ink formulation, Ateios’ first all-printed, ultra-thin, flexible battery will enable new form-factors that were once unimaginable. With Ateios’ technology, the battery is no longer a product’s design constraint because Ateios gives the freedom of designing the battery around the product.