SJF Invests in Validic: SJF Ventures March 2014 Bulletin

Jay OwenGreen Prosperity

 

We are pleased to share sjf Ventures’ March 2014 Bulletin.  The fund recently invested in Validic, a mobile data provider for healthcare companies.  sjf also helped lead a $28 million Series C financing of Aseptia.  Please read about these items and other SJF-related activities below.

 

Sincerely,

The SJF Team

NEW INVESTMENTS

SJF Invests in Validic 

 

SJF Ventures is pleased to announce its recent investment in Validic, a Durham, NC-based mobile health technology company and leader in providing access to standardized and actionable data across a growing spectrum of mobile health apps, wearables and in-home medical devices.  Validic’s platform offers customers the ability to effectively use mobile health data to inform efficient care delivery, account for incentive-based wellness programs and improve personalized health care and patient outcomes.  The company offers solutions for global wellness companies, healthcare providers, payers, pharmaceuticals and mHealth app developers. 

 

“As we’ve investigated the rapid growth of mobile health apps, devices and health solutions entering the market, we see the increasing need to streamline data access in a cost-efficient way,” said SJF Managing Director Cody Nystrom.  “The Validic team has developed the leading platform for addressing a serious pain point in the market, and we are excited to back them in this next phase of growth.”  SJF led the investment in Validic, with existing angel investors also participating in the financing.  For more information, please read the press release.

 

PORTFOLIO NEWS

Aseptia

Aseptia Closes Series C Financing to Fuel Growth

 

Aseptia announced the closing of a $28 million Series C Preferred Stock financing to support the growth of its operation in Troy, NC.  Investors in the financing include SJF Ventures, Lookout Capital, and two SJF limited partners – Prudential and the F.B. Heron Foundation.  Aseptia has a novel, patented technology enabling the production of shelf-stable food products that maintain the flavors and nutrients of fresh food without the use of preservatives or refrigeration.  For more details, please read the press release.

Community Energy

Community Energy Develops 120 MW

Solar Project

 

Community Energy announced that its Comanche Solar project will supply 120 megawatts of solar generation to Xcel Energy, comprising the largest part of a 170 megawatt portfolio of solar generation approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in December 2013.  The project, which is valued at over $200 million, will be the largest U.S. solar generating facility east of the Rocky Mountains.  Read more.

Rustic Crust Logo

Rustic Crust Rebuilding from Fire

 

Rustic Crust’s bakery was destroyed by a fire in early March.  Fortunately, no one was injured, and production is expected to resume in just a few weeks.  All of Rustic Crust’s employees will continue to be paid during the rebuilding, and the company is planning to come back bigger and better!  Rustic Crust produces all natural and organic pizza crusts and sauces, as well as American Flatbread pizzas.  Read more about the company’s reaction and about the company’s crusts and flatbread pizzas.

MediaMath logo

MediaMath’s Founder Recognized as Leading Ad-Tech Visionary

 

MediaMath’s founder and CEO, Joe Zawadazki, was named as the top advertising technology visionary by The Rayno Report.  Built as the industry’s first demand-side platform, MediaMath now serves over 3,500 brands from its offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, London and Singapore.  Read more

EnTouch Controls Wins Connected World Award for the First M2M Solution for Building Automation

 

In accepting the building automation award, EnTouch CEO Greg Fasullo said, “Our M2M technology and cloud architecture are directly responsible for our ability to develop an energy management and facility intelligence solution that delivers significant energy and maintenance savings in a cost effective way for our customer base.”  EnTouch was also recently profiled by Bloomberg Businessweek for providing commercial properties with automation similar that which Nest provides for homes.  Please click to read more about the award andrecent article.

Think Through Learning Boosts Scores

 

The Chicago Board of Education recently authorized an agreement with Think Through Learning to support diverse learners in multiple grades.  Also, this month NBC News-Austin featured the company after learning of the program’s extraordinary effectiveness in Elgin Middle.  In one year, Elgin reported a 20 percent increase in test scores among African American students and a 10 percent increase among students from low-income families.  More about the Chicago Board agreement and Elgin program

Versify Reaches Cleantech Award Finalist

 

Versify has been selected as one of three finalists for PACT’s CleanTech Company of the Year, based on Versify’s renewable energy and efficiency improvements in thermal generation.   More about Versify. 

eRecyclingCorps’ Collections Jump in 2013

 

eRecyclingCorps and its joint ventures have surpassed 20 million devices collected for re-use and recycling since the company was founded in 2009, with a record collection of 10 million devices collected in 2013 alone.  Read more

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

SJF is co-organizing a lunch event with the RTP Cleantech Cluster on April 20 to discuss commercializing and financing cleantech ventures.  The event features speakers from Schneider Electric and Aster Capital, as well as Dave Kirkpatrick from SJF.  Register here

 

Dave Kirkpatrick will be speaking at the Impact Capitalism Summit organized by Watershed Capital in Chicago on April 29.  More about the event.

 

Stephanie Nieman will be attending the Investors’ Circle Beyond the Pitch event in Philadelphia on May 15.  More about the event

 

Stephanie Nieman with be a judge at the SVCIC competition on March 28 and VCIC Global Finals competition April 11-12 hosted by UNC.  More info on SVCICand VCIC.

 

FEATURED SJF VENTURES INVESTORS

The F.B. Heron Foundation

 

The F.B. Heron Foundation is an investor in both SJF Ventures II and III and recently co-invested with the fund in Aseptia.  Since 1992, Heron’s mission has been to help people and communities help themselves, especially those at the bottom of the economic ladder.  The Heron Foundation is a long-time leader in impact investing and operates through a single capital deployment office, removing the traditional foundation’s distinction between investing and grantmaking.  Heron’s investment approach is to align 100% of its capital with its mission.  Read more.

 

RS Group

 

SJF Ventures III LP RS Group was recently featured inAlliance magazine highlighting the family office’s commitment to move 100% of its assets into mission-aligned investments, especially those that combat climate change.  Read the article.

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