Creative Ventures is a deep tech venture firm investing in early-stage companies solving humanity’s most critical crises.  Led by a team of world-class experts, our deep tech acumen is informed by rigorous research, unmatched market understanding, and the dedication to lead our companies to success. Today’s problems can’t be solved by yesterday’s solutions. Let’s get Creative.

Creative Ventures

The Ecosystem Integrity Fund (“EIF”) is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies contributing to environmental sustainability. It seeks to demonstrate that there is no trade-off between having a positive impact and achieving outstanding financial returns.  The movement toward environmental sustainability is making incremental improvements to the largest industries in the world.  Over the next several decades, the economy will be transformed by this movement. Sustainability is fundamentally about making things better: more efficient, more functional, less toxic, less costly.  This is the next phase of the Industrial Revolution.

Ecosystem Integrity Fund

Radicle Impact is an investment fund that partners with exceptional people to build businesses where financial success creates meaningful social change.

Radicle Impact

AiiM Partners invests in technology-enabled companies addressing climate change and equity/access, targeting a $17 trillion market opportunity in oceans/water, air/energy and land/agriculture. AiiM Partners' team has a combined 160 years of investment, operating, and industry experience in building global, successful businesses. Women founders and CEOs form half of the AiiM Partners Fund assets while over half of the assets are with people of color.

Alpha Impact Investment Management Partners

ID8 Investments is an Investment Firm Focused on Partnering with Next-Generation Consumer and Technology Companies.

ID8 Investments

Vericool

Vericool is a provider of cold chain packaging services intended to manufacture compostable coolers for sustainable shipment, storage and delivery. The company's services offer a line of packaging products that include customized, compostable, recyclable, sustainable and eco-friendly shipment boxes that have inbuilt temperature sensors for long-time storage, enabling logistics and warehouse operators to improve cold chain shipping of non-durable goods without depending on external freezers.

Vericool is a producer of compostable and recyclable thermal shippers. These are cold chain packaging solution alternatives to traditional Styrofoam. The company’s patented green technology manufacturing process has created a range of products, including the Vericooler, which claims to be the world’s first biodegradable and recyclable cooler, thermal and water-resistant packaging boxes, and shipping envelopes. Vericool’s products are applicable across the biomedical, life sciences, pharmaceutical, food packaging, and food delivery industries. Vericool’s production facility is located in California.

Earth-friendly biotech solutions for the textile, packaging and construction industries.

Bio-based Materials

Vericool, Inc., founded in 2015 in Livermore, California, specializes in developing eco-friendly packaging solutions. The company's flagship product, the Vericooler, was introduced in 2017 as the world's first environmentally friendly cooler. Vericool's mission is to replace traditional polluting packaging materials, particularly polystyrene (Styrofoam), which is rarely recycled and can take up to 500 years to decompose in landfills. The Vericooler uses starch-based insulation material, making it 100% recyclable and compostable. In December 2020, Vericool announced the development of a shipping cooler specifically designed for Covid-19 vaccines and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. This innovative cooler can maintain temperatures ranging from -20°C to -70°C for up to 96 hours, accommodating eight to 16 syringe dosages in its initial design. The company's commitment to sustainability extends beyond its products; Vericool actively employs convicted felons as part of its efforts to reduce prison recidivism.

Vericooler: The original eco-friendly cooler passes milestone now available in over 2,000 stores

Vericool introduces 100% recyclable and compostable shipping cooler for COVID-19 vaccines

Making cold chains faster, smarter, and cooler.

Cold Chain Innovation

Vericool raises $19.1 million for its plant-based packaging replacement for plastic coolers

Vericool is a producer of compostable and recyclable thermal shippers. These are cold chain packaging solution alternatives to traditional Styrofoam. The company’s patented green technology manufacturing process has created a range of products, including the Vericooler, which claims to be the world’s first biodegradable and recyclable cooler, thermal and water-resistant packaging boxes, and shipping envelopes. Vericool’s products are applicable across the biomedical, life sciences, pharmaceutical, food packaging, and food delivery industries. Vericool’s production facility is located in California.Key customers and partnershipsIn January 2018, Vericool partnered with Raised Real, a subscription meal delivery service for children, to use the “Vericooler III” packaging solution to ship its products. In May 2018, the company announced a USD 10 million packaging partnership with ButcherBox, a premium meat delivery service, to use “Vericooler I” packaging. Furthermore, in June 2018, Vericool partnered with frozen confection company Dream Pops to use “Vericooler I” as its shipping packaging solution. In November 2020, Vericool developed a recyclable cooler for shipping Covid-19 vaccines. In June 2021, the company partnered with Red Jacket Orchards, a premium fruits and juices company; to introduce Vericool packaging for its online orders.Funding and financialsVericool raised USD 19.1 million in Series A funding in April 2020 from investors including Radicle Impact Partners and The Ecosystem Integrity Fund, among others. The company intended to use the new funding to support the business growth.

<div>
 
 Bolt Threads manufactures vegan &ldquo;spider&rdquo; silk and mycelium-based materials. Bolt Threads develops isolated silk proteins from proteins inspired by spider silk through a yeast fermentation process. The company&rsquo;s Microsilk products are sold under its clothing brand, Best Made Co. The company has also developed another biomaterial using mushroom-based mycelium, an alternative leather product branded as Mylo, which was expected to be produced on a larger scale.&nbsp;
 
 
 In September 2021, Bolt Threads announced its plans to produce Mylo on a commercial scale by the end of 2022 and expected to collaborate with mushroom farmers to heighten its mycelium crops. Though the company reported 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19867">
 halting production of Mylo
 </a>
 in June 2023 due to inflationary pressure and lack of funding, in October 2023, the company announced entering a 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22431">
 SPAC deal
 </a>
 to go public on the Nasdaq.&nbsp;
 
 
 For its Microsilk product, Bolt had a production capacity of 32,000 sq ft per annum as of 2018. Since Microsilk remains significantly more expensive than traditional silk, the founders were seeking ways to scale up.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 For its Microsilk product, Bolt Threads launched its first collaboration in 2017 with fashion designer Stella McCartney and introduced its second prototype in the form of a biodegradable tennis dress.
 &nbsp;
 
 
 The leather alternative Mylo has been used in collaborations with Stella McCartney, Seattle-based leather bag manufacturer Chester Wallace, and Canadian athletic apparel retailer Lululemon. In October 2020, the Mylo Consortium was also formed including Adidas, Stella McCartney, Kering, and Lululemon, who collectively have made a seven-figure investment into Bolt Threads to produce Mylo. In return for their investments, these brands would have access to a large supply of the product.&nbsp;
 
 
 Stella McCartney has been experimenting with Mylo to create clothing prototypes with plans to use the material in upcoming collections. Adidas used Mylo to produce high-performance footwear for the first time in April 2021 by making a vegan version of its &ldquo;Stan Smith&rdquo; sneaker design that dates back to 1965 and had plans to expand the use of Mylo material in its other products including handbags, wallets, shoes, jackets. In February 2022, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8404">
 Lululemon
 </a>
 launched a Mylo-based yoga bag collection, which included a multipurpose yoga bag and a storage bag for workout gear. Mylo was also used by Danish luxury brand Ganni for the launch of its limited edition Mylo-based wallet range and one-of-a-kind saddle-bags in June 2022. Ganni&rsquo;s partnership with Bolt Threads included plans to release more Mylo-based products in Q1 2023. With growing demand for its Mylo product, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8884">
 in February 2022, 
 </a>
 the company partnered with Mycelium Materials Europe (MME) for the commercial production of Mylo but had not been able to materialize its plans.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s last funding round was a USD 123 million Series D in January 2018 led by Baillie Gifford. The funds were used to commercialize the company&rsquo;s Microsilk&nbsp;products.
 
 
 
</div>

Bolt Threads

MycoWorks is a manufacturer of alternative leather using mushroom-based fungi. Its proprietary brand, Reishi, is manufactured using a patented process called “Fine Mycelium”, which uses fungi’s capacity to bind to itself and carbon-based materials in producing durable three-dimensional material. The benefits of Reishi, according to MycoWorks, include its tensile strength (the force needed to pull material to its breaking point) at 10 Megapascals (MPa), compared to the average cowhide tensile strength of 8.5 MPa. Reishi is also customizable (in terms of sizing and specifications) allowing growing direct-to-design products that eliminate waste from cutting and trimming.Mycoworks operates three Reishi plants as of January 2022. The third plant in California has an annual production capacity of 80,000 sq ft of material per year, increased the company’s production tenfold, and reportedly reached a milestone of producing 10,000 trays of Fine Mycelium after a year of operation. The company is also building a new USD 107 million worth manufacturing facility in Union, South Carolina, with operations expected to commence in 2023. The new facility reportedly is expected to produce several million sq ft of Fine Mycelium per year. In August 2023, the company announced opening a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20757">136,000 square foot plant </a>&nbsp;which will produce Reishi that has been embraced by luxury brands like Hermès and Ligne Roset for various applications and was expected to begin operation on September 20, 2023.Reishi remains in the prototype development and testing phase. The company announced that the material is currently being tested in clothing, shoe, wallet, and handbag design. Key customers and partnershipsThe company indicated in November 2020 that the first luxury fashion and footwear products containing Reishi will be launched in partnership with leading fashion and footwear brands in the coming months. MycoWorks also partnered with Hermès, the French luxury goods manufacturer, in March 2021 to use a material named “Sylvania”(a Fine Mycelium-based material developed by the two companies over three years) in a sustainable version of Hermès’s “Victoria” travel bag, by the end of 2021. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24584">November 2023</a>, the company partnered with YUME YUME for interactive Reishi-based installation at Stedelijk Museum. Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7804">In January 2022</a>, MycoWorks raised USD 125 million in a Series C funding round led by Prime Movers Lab. The funding was expected to accelerate commercial production of Reishi and support in R&amp;D, technology development, and hiring new employees.

MycoWorks

Checkerspot is a manufacturer of microalgae-based performance materials which are used to produce consumer products, including skis and surfboards. The company modifies microalgae’s genes to derive new molecular building blocks and then bioengineers production of consumer products. Microbes are optimized to biomanufacture unique, natural structural oils that were previously not accessible on a viable, commercial scale. The company’s primary focus is on high-performance polyurethanes and coatings made from bio-based oil via fabrication.The company’s commercialized products include Algal Core (a light-weight urethane-based composite) and Algal Wall (cast urethane), both products are offered under the WNDR Alpine brand while algal oil is sold under the miDori bioWick. In February 2021, WNDR Alpine, Checkerspot’s outdoor brand, received the B Corp Certification, private certification granted to for-profit companies by the B Lab, a global non-profit organization formed to support the movement of using businesses as a force for good. Key customers and partnershipsThe company has partnered with Beyond Surface Technologies (BST) to commercialize miDori BioWick, an algal oil used in BST’s wicking textile finish. As of August 2020, the company’s co-development partners also included W.L. Gore and DIC Corporation.Funding and financialsIn its latest funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16362">February 2023, </a>Checkerspot raised USD 55 million in Series C funding led by ArrowMark Partners to accelerate the development and commercialization of biobased alternatives for everyday products and expand into markets, such as industrial applications, personal care, and food and nutrition.

Checkerspot

Mi Terro converts milk waste into sustainable yarn, using a self-developed technology known as Pro-Act that extracts casein protein molecules from milk. The protein is purified and undergoes a dynamic flow shear spinning process, converting the casein to sustainable fiber. The resulting yarn is claimed to be three times softer than cotton and has applications in textiles, food packaging, bedding, personal care, and medical sectors. Mi Terro has also developed a limited-release ocean-waste duffle bag. Key customers and partnershipsThe company has partnered with Nike, Danone, Toyoshima, DFA, Mitsubishi, Lair East Labs, Dole, Budweiser, and Harada. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23179">October 2023</a>, the company partnered with Lipton to develop dissolvable tea pods. Funding and financialsThe company completed two rounds of funding in 2020, raising USD 100,000 in January 2020 and USD 50,000 in March 2020. In January 2021, the company also won the Meda Million Dollar Challenge and received a USD 300,000 prize. In March 2022, the company raised USD 1.5 million in a Seed round led by Astanor to scale up production.

Mi Terro

Modern Meadow develops collagen-based materials from plant proteins, using a range of biofabrication processes including the creation of bio alloys, solution dyeing, protein design, and fermentation. The focus of the company is on the luxury branded market with its fully biodegradable proprietary brand, “ZOA”. Modern Meadow also reports that it is developing “Bioleather1 (BL1)”, an alternative to chrome tanned bovine leather made using its proprietary BioAlloy process. According to research published by the company in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8431">February 2022 </a>, BL1 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80% and 20% compared to traditional and synthetic leather respectively. It also reduces water consumption from groundwater sources, land use, and the subsequent degradation of water bodies during the process by 95% compared to conventional leather production.In April 2020, Modern Meadow announced plans to commence commercial production later that year and was actively looking for manufacturing partners. As of the same date, Modern Meadow employed between 70-90 staff at its 72,000 sq ft factory in New Jersey.Key customers and partnershipsModern Meadow announced a partnership with Evonik in March 2018, to develop and scale-up the commercial production of fermentation-based products.In April 2021, the company reported that it would announce collaborations with fashion brands and industry partners during the following six to nine months. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15657">January 2023 </a>, Modern Meadow partnered with Taiwan-based sustainable fabric company, Singtex to develop biomaterials for various applications, beginning with a sustainable, waterproof, membrane-based material for the outdoor apparel market. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16786">February 2023 </a>, the company partnered with US luxury brand, Tory Burch, to launch Tory Burch’s first plant-based leather alternative tote, the Ella Bio, powered by Modern Meadow technology, Bio-Alloy.In June 2023, it also formed a strategic partnership with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19178">Navis TubeTex </a>, a provider of textile machinery, to develop a sustainable textile manufacturing process. During the same month, it also formed a strategic partnership with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19868">BASF </a>to create an animal-free material called Bio-VERA that replicates the look, feel, and aging properties of traditional leather, suede, or chamois.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30500">June 2024</a>, the company partnered with Earthletica to unveil the Bronte Jacket which used Bio-Alloy Shield technology.Funding and financialsIn April 2021, the company raised USD 130 million in a Series C funding round led by Key Partners Capital to (i) develop the company's biofabrication technology, used in creating an alternative to fossil-fuel-based textile coatings; and (ii) scale-up and commercialize its collagen-based leather material.

Modern Meadow

Developers of materials with applications across apparel, automobile, home goods, etc.

Developers of non-leather material alternatives such as wool, silk, and viscose—mostly for apparel

Developers of alternatives to plastic and other materials used in packaging

Developers of alternative materials for industrial applications such as sporting goods, electronic components, and automotive parts

Reuses waste to create bio-based materials

Sustainable alternatives to materials like animal leather, silk, plastic

Vericool, Inc., founded in 2015 in Livermore, California, specializes in developing eco-friendly packaging solutions. The company's flagship product, the Vericooler, was introduced in 2017 as the world's first environmentally friendly cooler. Vericool's mission is to replace traditional polluting packaging materials, particularly polystyrene (Styrofoam), which is rarely recycled and can take up to 500 years to decompose in landfills. The Vericooler uses starch-based insulation material, making it 100% recyclable and compostable. In December 2020, Vericool announced the development of a shipping cooler specifically designed for Covid-19 vaccines and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. This innovative cooler can maintain temperatures ranging from -20°C to -70°C for up to 96 hours, accommodating eight to 16 syringe dosages in its initial design. The company's commitment to sustainability extends beyond its products; Vericool actively employs convicted felons as part of its efforts to reduce prison recidivism.

Transparent Path is a logistics technology company that provides real-time, end-to-end shipment visibility solutions to reduce costs, risks, and environmental impact in supply chains. The company's platform utilizes advanced technologies including 5G, IoT, AI, and cloud computing to monitor shipments continuously. Transparent Path's system tracks various parameters such as location, temperature, humidity, tilt, shock, acceleration, light exposure, and door openings. This comprehensive monitoring helps ensure product quality and freshness, particularly for perishable goods in industries like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, biomedical products, sensitive chemicals, and high-value assets.
The company's platform is designed to facilitate collaboration and seamless handoffs throughout the supply chain, tracking changes in custody without requiring additional infrastructure. Transparent Path offers a unique, patent-pending freshness prediction metric called FreshScore, which uses proprietary machine-learning algorithms. The system aims to prevent lost loads, provide evidence for meeting service-level agreements, and help businesses reclaim costs lost to supply chain inefficiencies. Transparent Path's flexible pricing model allows customers to use and reuse trackers as needed, paying only for the trackers they require on a monthly basis.
Key customers and partnerships
Transparent Path has worked with Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. Rod Wieber noted that the company's technology has been added to loads shipped across the nation to food banks in the Feeding America network over the past year. The ability to track load location and monitor temperature has provided assurance that food arrives in optimal condition for quick distribution to those in need. Wieber stated that Transparent Path's sensors have exceeded expectations in terms of performance and reliability.

Transparent Path

Modality Solutions, founded in 2011, is a leading biopharmaceutical cold chain engineering firm specializing in the validation, optimization, and regulatory approval of temperature-sensitive therapies. The company focuses on integrating cold chain operations, developing transport validation strategies, and supporting global regulatory applications for biopharmaceutical products. Modality Solutions' core offering is its unique Advantage Transport Simulation Laboratory in Bloomington, Indiana, which operates under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality system. This lab is the only one of its kind that concurrently tests across five hazards that can impact drugs during transport: temperature, vibration, shock, pressure, and humidity.
The company's services include engineering consulting, systems integration, and simulation laboratory testing from drug discovery through distribution. Modality Solutions employs a team of chemical, biomedical, and mechanical engineers with expertise in cold chain management, package engineering, and regulatory compliance. Their approach combines best practices in process validation, systems qualification, and risk assessment to ensure product quality and patient safety. In 2021, Modality Solutions reported a 64% growth rate and was ranked No. 179 on the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Texas list. The company has also been recognized on Inc. Magazine's national list of fastest-growing private companies for three consecutive years, with a reported revenue growth of 120% between 2015 and 2018.
Key customers and partnerships
Modality Solutions serves a diverse range of clients in the biopharmaceutical industry, including emerging biopharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, cell and gene therapy developers, and companies working on drug-device combination products. Some of their notable clients include Teva, Immunomedics, Atara Bio, CSL Plasma, Abbott Vascular, and Regeneron. The company also works with public health organizations, assisting in the deployment of vaccines and therapeutics. Additionally, Modality Solutions collaborates with regulatory consultants and biopharmaceutical investors to provide cold chain validation services and strengthen due diligence processes for portfolio businesses.

Modality Solutions

Moffett Automation specializes in automated pallet storage solutions, with their flagship product being the Moffett Taxi System. The company's technology focuses on maximizing storage capacity in warehouses, allowing businesses to store more pallets per square meter than other automated storage solutions available globally. Moffett Automation's system is designed to utilize warehouse space efficiently, from floor to roof, enabling companies to scale their storage capabilities. The company combines innovative technology with seven decades of experience in the field to develop their solutions. Their automated storage system aims to streamline various aspects of warehousing operations, potentially leading to increased profits and operational efficiency for their clients.

Moffett Automated Solutions

NewCold is a global leader in advanced food logistics, specializing in automated cold storage and distribution solutions. The company operates state-of-the-art automated warehouses across Europe, Australia, and North America, with a total capacity of over 1.3 million pallet positions as of 2024. NewCold's facilities utilize proprietary software and technology to ensure food safety and quality while being approximately 50% more energy-efficient than traditional cold stores. The company's automated systems enable high-volume storage and retrieval, with some facilities capable of handling over 11,000 pallet movements per day.
NewCold's warehouses feature vertical layouts optimized for pallet storage, with some facilities standing over 14 stories tall. The company's technology includes automated pallet handling systems, unmanned stacker cranes, conveyors, and automated truck unloading systems. NewCold's proprietary warehouse management software and control systems are developed in-house, allowing for seamless integration with customers' ERP systems. The company also offers transportation services, utilizing a fleet of over 200 trucks and 500 trailers as part of its end-to-end supply chain solutions.
In recent years, NewCold has significantly expanded its presence in North America. In October 2023, the company opened a USD 300 million facility in Lebanon, Indiana, which is set to be one of the largest and most advanced cold storage facilities in the world. NewCold also operates facilities in Tacoma, Washington, and Burley, Idaho. The company has announced plans to add 25 more facilities in North America by 2030 to meet growing demand.

NewCold

CryoLogistics offers SnowSHIP technology for shipping perishable goods with precise temperature control from source to destination. The company's solution incorporates embedded IoT connectivity to ensure the safety, security, and traceability of goods throughout the supply chain. SnowSHIP utilizes one of nature's most abundant natural refrigerants, which helps lower a company's carbon footprint and positions users as climate-friendly service providers. This technology aims to provide an innovative approach to temperature-controlled logistics, addressing the needs of businesses dealing with perishable items.

CryoLogistics

Companies providing cold chain storage solutions, such as refrigerated facilities and warehouses for the secure storage of temperature-sensitive goods

Companies offering technologies to track and maintain precise temperature conditions throughout the entire supply chain, such as IoT sensors and temperature monitoring devices

Companies that design and produce packaging solutions to safeguard the integrity of temperature-sensitive products during transport

Companies that facilitate the safe and controlled movement of temperature-sensitive goods from one location to another, employing specialized equipment and logistics

Companies that provide technology-driven solutions to optimize and manage parts or all of the cold chain process

Virtual cold chain models are developed to assess the efficiency and efficacy of cold chain alternatives.

Temperature monitoring solutions include IoT sensors for monitoring products during transportation and storage.

Cold chain innovations provide real-time monitoring into the condition of products during transit.

AI/ML aid cold chain optimization by utilizing modeling capabilities in selecting the best cold chain alternatives.

Blockchain-based cold chain solutions enables supply chain transparency,  food safety, and cold chain compliance.

Certain packaging solutions contribute towards a circular economy by creating insulated packaging using repurposed materials.

Cold chain innovations improve the performance of cold chains and thus reduce waste, thus contributing to sustainability.

Vericool

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