2021 was a year for the EvoNexus history books! Over the course of 12 months, EvoNexus portfolio companies raised $517 million and saw approximately $1 billion across 5 exits. Our current portfolio of companies secured $93 million!
Throughout the year, we saw startup teams grow, new products launch, and people begin returning to the office. We also experienced exciting growth within EvoNexus, expanded our Board of Directors and Selection Committee, and welcomed new sponsors. It goes without saying, but as a not-for-profit incubator, our success is a result of the community around us. It would also not be possible without our steadfast corporate partners that financially support EvoNexus and provide partnership opportunities for our startups.
Continue below to learn more about:
2021 Portfolio Recap
Admitted Startups
Mergers & Acquisitions
Funding Rounds
News-Worthy Moments
EvoNexus Team and Board of Directors
Call for applications
Are you a Founder or do you known someone who would be a great fit for EvoNexus? We are currently accepting rolling applications for all three of our portfolios – FinTech, CommTech & Embedded Tech, and MedTech. Follow the link below to begin our application process. We look forward to learning more about your innovations!
Our triumphs are a result of our close partnerships with the world’s leading influential companies in CommTech & Embedded Tech, MedTech, and FinTech, as well as with angel, seed, and other early-stage investors! EvoNexus, as a non-profit, further succeeds thanks to the support we receive from our volunteers and selection committee members, and top providers of professional services. If you are involved with a company that should be connected with EvoNexus, click on the button below to connect with us.
With a 3% acceptance rate, EvoNexus portfolio companies go through an extensive application process. Our rigor results in high-quality startups that are positioned to succeed and grow within our network. Just this past year, we added 13 new companies to our portfolio, who we expect to flourish in 2022.
In our FinTech portfolio, we welcomed Pontoro, Noonum, and most recently Ionia, a flexible, next-gen payments platform.
Congratulations to these 5 companies on their successful exits in 2021! 15% of companies that go through the EvoNexus incubator exit in this fashion.
StemoniX, a company empowering drug discovery through their cell-based models, merged with Cancer Genetics, Inc., an emerging leader in novel drug discovery techniques. The company has been renamed Vyant Bio, with StemoniX acting as a subsidiary.
Omniome, a DNA sequencing platform company, was acquired by PacBio for $800 million.
Astroprint, a 3D printing cloud platform, was acquired by BCN3D for an undisclosed amount.
Citadel Defense, a developer of counter-unmanned aerial systems, was acquired by BlueHalo for an undisclosed amount.
SnapCheck, a payment solution to eliminate paper checks, was acquired by Payrock for an undisclosed amount.
While we don’t have the space to cover them all, here are some highlights from our current and alumni portfolio companies who successfully closed funding rounds in 2021.
Biolinq, the developer of a glucose sensing wearable device, raised a $100 million Series B led by RiverVest Venture Partners.
Pontoro, the creator of an institutional-grade digital asset securitization and liquidity platform, raised over a$6 million Preferred Seed round led by Ulu Ventures with participation from Franklin Templeton, Banca Intesa Sanpaolo’s Neva Ventures group, Illuminate Financial, Adit Ventures, Fin Venture Capital, Viking Maccabee Ventures, Bloccelerate Ventures, Nevcaut Ventures, Quest Venture Partners, and others.
Zerigo Health, which delivers the only connected light therapy solution for treating chronic skin conditions at home or on the go, raised a $43 million Series B led by 7wireVentures, joined by General Catalyst, Dragoneer, Cigna Ventures, Leverage Health Solutions, and Leaps by Bayer.
InBrace, an orthodontics company whose Smartwire invisible braces technology is hidden behind a patient’s teeth, raised a $102 million Series D led by Farallon Capital Management and Marshall Wace.
Fabric8Labs, which specializes in metal 3D printing, raised a $19.3 million Series A, led by Intel Capital, with participation from Lam Capital, TDK Ventures, SE Ventures, and others.
SOCi, a provider of a localized marketing platform built for multi-location marketers, raised an $80 million Series D led by JMI Equity.
Lobus, an artist equity management platform utilizing NFTs, raised a $6 million Seed round led by Upside Partnership with participation from 8VC, Franklin Templeton, Boost VC, Weekend Fund, Dream Machine and Shatter Fund, amongst others.
Attack IQ, a cybersecurity company that provides companies with breach and attack simulation solutions, raised a $44 million Series C, led by Atlantic Bridge, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, and Gaingels, amongst others.
The partnerships, achievements, and recognition that our companies earn throughout their journey, tell the story of how the company got to where it is. Here we celebrate some of our companies’ successes across 2021!
Brelyon, announced a strategic partnership with GameWorks, in which Brelyon will offer its headset-less virtual reality gaming experience at GameWorks locations nationwide.
Advanced Image Robotics successfully debuted their camera-to-cloud AIR One remote video production system at the La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival.
Unum ID co-founders Aidan and Liam McCarty, were recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 in consumer technology.
Carlsmed, successfully performed the first aprevo® patient specific spinal surgery.
Cardea Bio CEO Dr. Kiana Aran, won the 2021 Nature Research Award for Inspiring Women in Science.
Atlazo entered a partnership with InnerScope Hearing Technologies, to develop next-generation hearing aids and hearable products, that utilize Atlazo’s patented AI hardware platform.
UCAP Power, Inc. acquired, amongst other Maxwell Technologies assets, the Maxwell brand, and the Maxwell Technologies Korea business from Tesla.
Propel(x) CEO Swati Chaturvedi, was recognized by NYC FinTech Women as an Inspiring Female in FinTech.
We are excited to announce Dr. Gene Dantsker as our new President & Chief Operating Officer! Gene has been involved with EvoNexus since 2014, when he joined our Selection Committee. In 2017, Gene became an Executive in Residence with EvoNexus, and in 2020, we welcomed him as our Chief MedTech Officer. We are so excited to enter this new chapter with Gene!
To the EvoNexus Board of Directors, we welcomed:
Dave Hickey – VP of Verizon Business Group West Area, Verizon