Dorm Room Fund is the strongest community of entrepreneurial students in the nation. Built by students and powered by First Round, we provide founders with a strong network of investors, world-class mentors, and a $20,000 check.

Dorm Room Fund

Third Sphere is Pre-Seed and Seed stage fund focused on rapid, scalable climate action and targeting outsized impact and outsized returns.   Fund strategy: Climate action - Track record of over 100 portfolio companies that unlock GHG reduction and resilience via strategies like electrification that don’t ask for premiums, just better products and services such as Cove Tool (building design), OneWheel (consumer EV), and Gradient (home hvac). First-in Capital - focus on ownership in pre-seed/seed stage teams and markets where we can help unlock institutional funding and multiple opportunities to expand ownership before Series A.  Earned access - GPs (Shaun, Stonly, and Shilpi) have 9 years together with public reputation and ranks including; top 1% of investors on NFX for climatetech; #1 ranked early stage fund by Climate 50; named in the  top 10 of VCs who founders love the most by Techcrunch   Repeatable differentiation - Proprietary curated network with over 12k people, enabling 1k annual 1:1 introductions, along with access to asset finance.

Third Sphere

MetaProp is a New York-based venture capital firm focused on the real estate technology (“PropTech”) industry. Founded in 2015, MetaProp’s investment team has invested in 175+ technology companies across the real estate value chain. The firm manages multiple funds for both financial and strategic real estate investors that represent a pilot- and test-ready sandbox of 20+ billion square feet across every real estate asset type and global market. The firm’s investment activities are complemented by pioneering community leadership including the PropTech Place innovation hub, MetaProp Accelerator at Columbia University programs, global events including NYC Real Estate Tech Week, and publications Global PropTech Confidence Index and PropTech 101.

MetaProp

1776 Ventures is a global seed fund investing in companies in the following sectors: education, energy, smart cities, transportation, food/agriculture, fintech, and healthcare.

1776 Ventures

Columbia University is a research institution and an Ivy League school located in New York City. It connects its research and teaching with the city's resources, attracts a diverse international faculty and student body, and supports global research and education. The university fosters academic partnerships worldwide and advances knowledge across all disciplines, sharing the outcomes of its work globally.

Columbia University

Rudin Ventures is the venture arm of the Rudin Family. Using a large real estate portfolio as a testing ground, Rudin Ventures primarily invests in real estate tech companies.

Rudin Ventures

Elemental fills two gaps that are fundamental to tackling climate change: funding first-of-a-kind projects for climate technologies in real communities, and embedding equity and access into climate solutions.

Elemental Impact

2150 backs technology companies who aim to shape the sustainable cities of the future. It was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark.

2150

The Partnership Fund for New York City is the investment arm of the Partnership for New York City. It invests in NYC based ventures, both for-profit and non-profit, with an overall job creation priority.

Partnership Fund for New York City

''The Schmidt Family Foundation is a private charitable organization dedicated to helping people help themselves. Programs that enrich the community, help people, and promote excellence are a key focus. The Foundation seeks to be responsive to programs that will nurture and strengthen the community. Founded in 1986, the Schmidt Family Foundation provides funding to local organizations as a way to give back to the community which Charles E. and Dorothy F. Schmidt were a part of for so many years.''

Schmidt Family Foundation

Kelvin

Kelvin is an energy management and electrification platform for radiator-heated buildings. The Radiator Labs system uses smart thermostatic radiator enclosures (Cozys) networked to central heating controls to eliminate fuel waste, reduce building emissions, and improve tenant comfort. Its hybrid electrification platform enables buildings to electrify 60-80% of their space-heating requirements for 20% of the cost of typical electrification alternatives. Buildings outfitted with the Radiator Labs Hybrid Electrification technology can be programmed to optimize heating fuel sources based on energy pricing, building energy letter grades, and carbon fines. The Radiator Labs hybrid electrification technology would enable all radiator-heated buildings to meet NYC 2030 emission caps at a significantly reduced cost. Radiator Labs' technology has been validated by NYSERDA to save 25.5%, on average, in heating costs and was included in the 2019 New York State Technical Resource Manual (TRM).  Radiator Labs is a recipient of the 2012 MIT Clean energy prize, the 2014 Popular Science Innovation Award, the 2014 Verizon Powerful Answers Award, the 2017 Architizer A+ Award, The 1776 Challenge Cup, and the 2020 New York City Department of Buildings Carbon Neutrality Innovation Challenge. Radiator Labs is also a member of the inaugural cohort of The Clean Fight, powered by NYSERDA and the New Energy Nexus.

Radiator Labs, now known as Kelvin, is a company that provides innovative solutions for optimizing heating distribution and improving energy efficiency in legacy buildings. Their flagship product, The Cozy, is a smart radiator cover that addresses overheating issues in steam-heated buildings. The Cozy offers apartment-level and building-wide temperature controls, enhancing resident comfort while reducing carbon emissions and generating notable financial savings for building owners and operators.

ClearGen and Kelvin Announce Exclusive Partnership; ClearGen to Finance up to $100M in Energy Efficiency Projects

A Bright Look Back on 2020

Night sweats to climate tech: Kelvin eyes heat pumps and nabs $30M

Technologies that automate and optimize building operations using data-driven insights.

Smart Building Technology

Radiator Labs

Kelvin Group and Southfield Capital Announce the Strategic Acquisition of Advanced Examination Services

Radiator Labs, now known as Kelvin, is a company that provides innovative solutions for optimizing heating distribution and improving energy efficiency in legacy buildings. Their flagship product, The Cozy, is a smart radiator cover that addresses overheating issues in steam-heated buildings. The Cozy offers apartment-level and building-wide temperature controls, enhancing resident comfort while reducing carbon emissions and generating notable financial savings for building owners and operators.
Kelvin's technology stands at the forefront of a partnership with ClearGen LLC, a provider of capital for innovative energy solutions. In March 2024, ClearGen committed up to USD 100 million to finance the deployment of The Cozy in legacy multi-family buildings and campus properties, enabling energy efficiency and comfort improvements without disruptive infrastructure changes.
The Cozy's smart radiator covers have proven effective in reducing energy consumption and costs, with over 30,000 units sold as of March 2024. Kelvin's solutions align with emerging climate change regulations in urban areas like New York, Boston, and Washington D.C., which penalize building owners for exceeding carbon emissions limits. By deploying The Cozy, building owners can achieve compliance and realize an average heating bill savings of 25%.
Kelvin has identified a substantial market opportunity, with over 24 million legacy housing units in the US alone, representing a potential revenue of USD 4.392 billion annually. The company plans to expand its offerings later in 2024 to include heat pumps, a crucial technology for building decarbonization.

Verkada is a leading provider of a cloud-based physical security platform designed to protect people and assets. The company offers an integrated suite of solutions comprising video security cameras, door-based access control, environmental sensors, alarms, visitor management, and mailroom management. Verkada's hybrid cloud architecture leverages edge-based processing and cloud computing capabilities to deliver real-time insights and seamless remote access.
Verkada's innovative camera lineup includes a wide range of models suitable for indoor and outdoor deployments, with resolutions ranging from 2MP to 4K and onboard storage capacity of up to 365 days. The cameras feature powerful analytics like people and vehicle detection, enabling users to search and filter footage based on various attributes.
Verkada's Command platform serves as a centralized, user-friendly interface for managing and monitoring all devices across multiple locations. It offers advanced features such as face search, cross-camera tracking, and proactive alerts, empowering organizations to streamline investigations and enhance overall security posture.
As of June 2024, Verkada's platform is trusted by over 24,000 organizations worldwide, including several Fortune 500 companies. The company has continually expanded its product offerings and capabilities, introducing solutions like a multisensor camera, advanced air quality sensors, and a 16-door access controller in November 2022 to meet evolving customer needs.

Verkada

Cloudastructure is a cloud-based video surveillance provider that offers an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) powered platform. The platform utilizes proprietary technology to enable real-time monitoring, detection, and analysis of video footage. It offers features such as facial recognition, age and gender prediction, vehicle detection and color recognition, license plate recognition, object counting, and firearm detection. Cloudastructure's solution operates on a scalable cloud architecture, eliminating the need for on-premises hardware and associated costs.
The platform provides advanced search capabilities, customizable alerts and notifications, and integrates with various security systems. In January 2022, Cloudastructure acquired Visionful, a smart parking technology solution, to enhance its offerings with parking management and analytics capabilities. The company also announced plans to acquire Infrastructure Proving Grounds (IPG), an IoT cybersecurity monitoring service, to strengthen its cybersecurity offerings.
As of January 2022, Cloudastructure reported an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over USD 1.3 million, representing a 1400% growth from the previous year. The company's sales pipeline grew from USD 60,000 in January 2021 to USD 10.5 million by January 2022, reflecting significant market traction.
In March 2023, Cloudastructure integrated remote guarding capabilities into its platform, enabling real-time intervention and deterrence of suspicious activities through virtual patrols, voice-down alerts, and escalation to law enforcement when necessary. The remote guarding feature has become a key differentiator, included in over 75% of the company's proposals as of August 2023.

Cloudastructure

Faceter is a computer vision surveillance technology that leverages a decentralized fog network of miners to provide smart security solutions for households and businesses worldwide. Their facial recognition technology, which has been independently tested and proven to have a 99.78% accuracy rate, enables users to set up their own CCTV systems using old smartphones or IP cameras. By activating facial recognition on these devices, Faceter allows users to detect potential threats and monitor their premises effectively.
The Faceter platform operates on a token economy, where users can contribute their GPU power to the decentralized network and earn FACE tokens in return. These tokens can then be used to pay for the computing power required to run the facial recognition and surveillance capabilities. Faceter's technology offers a range of features, including facial recognition, age detection, and person re-identification across multiple cameras.
In addition to its smart security solutions, Faceter provides easy integration with existing CCTV systems and apps, allowing users to enhance their surveillance capabilities seamlessly. The platform also offers a cloud-based storage solution for video data, ensuring secure and reliable access to recorded footage.
In February 2022, Faceter introduced a mobile video surveillance service that eliminates the need for additional equipment like servers. This service utilizes a cloud-based platform for storing and analyzing video data, providing a cost-effective and secure alternative to traditional surveillance systems.

Faceter

Blink Identity is a company that provides a privacy-focused facial recognition technology for access control and identification purposes. Their system utilizes proprietary biometric facial recognition software combined with specialized hardware to accurately identify individuals at full walking speed, even in varying lighting conditions. The technology does not store photographs; instead, it converts facial images into unique encrypted templates for comparison against enrolled templates securely stored in an encrypted database.
Blink Identity offers a "VIP Lane" service at venues, allowing streamlined entry for guests who have enrolled by providing their name, email address, and a forward-facing photograph taken with their cellphone camera. This photograph is converted into a template and associated with the user's ticket or event details. At the venue, high-speed machine vision cameras capture images of attendees, convert them into templates, and match them against the enrolled templates, facilitating expedited access while preventing fraud.
The company prioritizes data security and privacy, adhering to strict policies and procedures. In April 2022, Blink Identity successfully completed the Service Organization Control (SOC) two Type one audit, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining robust security controls for data processing and handling.

Blink identity

Augury is a leading provider of AI-based machine health solutions that enable manufacturers to predict and prevent industrial machine failures, thereby improving machine performance. The company's technology combines the internet of Things (IoT), AI, and human expertise to monitor machines continuously, diagnose issues, prescribe corrective actions, and guide users in implementing those actions.
Augury offers two primary solutions: Machine Health for Critical Equipment (MH CR) and Machine Health for Supporting Equipment (MH SE). MH CR provides precise fault diagnostics, root cause analysis, and detailed instructions to avert machine failures and optimize performance, backed by Augury's reliability engineers. MH SE enables users to quickly determine the severity of potential issues and perform proactive maintenance.
The process involves installing wireless sensors on machines to capture data, which is then transmitted to Augury's secure cloud for analysis by advanced AI algorithms. Diagnostic reports are sent to users, providing insights, recommended actions, and user guides. As of October 2022, Augury had diagnosed over 100,000 machines with 99.9% accurate diagnosis, helping global customers achieve 3-10x return on investment within months.
In December 2019, Augury received an USD 8 million investment from Qualcomm Ventures' AI Fund, recognizing its leadership in the Industrial internet of Things (IIoT). The investment aimed to accelerate the transformation of the industrial sector by leveraging 5G technologies for improved machine health solutions.

Augury

Platforms that automate building management. They gather and analyze data from multiple components, including hardware and sensors, and use a combination of technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, and machine learning for data-driven, proactive, and real-time building intelligence and controls.

Solutions that automatically adjust energy consumption using optimization algorithms, taking into account factors such as energy demand, weather, occupant comfort, and utility prices. These systems aim to reduce energy consumption, cost, and emissions without compromising occupant experience.

Smart lighting solutions include providers of hardware (e.g., smart light bulbs, smart windows, and shades) and lighting-as-a-service.

Smart HVAC solutions include sensors that integrate with building automation systems and specialized HVAC equipment that uses data gathered by sensors to manage temperature, humidity, and air flow. They aim to enhance occupant experience through improved comfort and indoor air quality whilst optimizing energy consumption and utility costs.

Providers of smart water management solutions including irrigation, leak detection, water health monitoring, and water usage analysis.

Developers of smart security solutions including security cameras, sensors, alarms, and access control combined with cloud-based software, and providers of video surveillance-as-a-service and access control-as-a-service.

Occupant experience platforms connect building owners, operators, and occupants to share information and feedback on comfort, maintenance, and safety. Rating systems allow building operators to measure, manage, and disclose key indicators such as ESG performance, digital connectivity and health and safety, assess their exposure to climate risk, and avail themselves of sustainable finance opportunities.

Providers of smart elevators and escalators as well as people-sensing platforms.

Technologies that monitor restroom usage, supplies, traffic, and maintenance.

Companies that use GenAI as a core part of their smart building product offering

Smart building technology companies use GenAI to optimize energy usage, enhance occupant comfort, and streamline building management processes

Smart buildings are a component of smart cities

Companies aim to provide sustainable solutions for energy and water usage

Smart building tech includes reducing energy and water consumption through recycling

Internet-enabled monitors and sensors optimize energy and water use and manage occupancy and security

Smart building tech products can monitor energy consumption and occupancy and adjust usage accordingly

Certain functions, such as HVAC, can be personalized

Radiator Labs

Sources

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless