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April is a time of spring, of fresh starts and new beginnings. That seems fitting one year into COVID-19 global pandemic. And, indeed, hope buds all around us -- our loved ones getting vaccinated, encouraging Hodevelopments coming out of #InfrastructureWeek and the shy, but steady appearance of springtime across the country.
Here in the Bay Area, Team Incite is enjoying the bright bursts of California poppies and time outside. We’ve also been busy helping leaders across our companies, nonprofits and civic causes as they gear up for a busy 2021 and we all begin to imagine what a new, and better “normal” might look like as the threat of COVID wanes.
We hope that their stories uplift you and give you more reasons to be hopeful -- this month and beyond.
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Marty Odlin started Running Tide to fight the decline of marine life by “using a combination of robotics, sensors and machine learning, he is building an aquaculture operation that is selling oysters now and eventually clams. He is also using that system to grow kelp, with the goal of producing enough of this seaweed to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and permanently sequester it by burying it on the ocean floor, and sell carbon offsets."
The climate crisis demands technological innovations and “hard hats and steel toes.” KEEP READING.
We’re thrilled to partner with Marty and his team in this venture into the blue economy, and we can’t wait for the springtime orders to be open!
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Every year, Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization, looks for brilliant minds tackling issues of climate, justice, and sustainability from every imaginable angle. Among the 1,000 nominations for 2021, two of our portfolio founders were featured! Check them out and learn more about what they’re building to save our planet:
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Matanya Horowitz, AMP Robotics
The business of recycling has become kind of a dumpster fire: Sorting junk like bottles, cans, and containers is mostly done by hand — a dangerous, expensive, slow job. And the payoff may not be worth it, given the sagging prices for some used materials like plastic. To fix that trashy situation, Matanya Horowitz put robots on the job...KEEP READING.
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Vince Romanin, Treau
Air-conditioning is not merely a first-world problem, says engineer Vince Romanin. As the globe heats up and people flock to cities in some of the world’s steamier regions, efficient AC becomes a necessity for climate adaptation...KEEP READING.
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Jenifer Carroll Foy is a mom of twins, a former public defender and exemplary delegate for the Commonwealth. She’s also running to be the first black, female Governor of Virginia. Her policies are rooted in lived experience. She is no stranger to hardship and to naysayers. She just knows she can prove them all wrong:
"I understand the challenges that everyday Virginians face because I've lived it, and it's about time that we have a working mom representing working families in Richmond," she said. "The wealthy and well connected have a lot of representation, and now it's our time, now it's our turn."
Jenn’s campaign has raised $1.8M in the first quarter of 2021, a clear sign that there is growing momentum and resources that will propel her to the finish line.
And, just this past week, Clean Energy Virginia endorsed Jenn -- a major milestone in her campaign for Governor. Clean Virginia was formed in 2018 to combat the influence of Dominion Energy, the state-regulated utility many progressives see as exerting undue control. Jenn has pledged to never take a dime from Dominion Energy, exemplifying her unwavering commitment to work for all Virginians, not just the corporate interests.
Take a minute to learn why we believe she is the absolute best choice for Virginia. And consider how you can help Jenn, and all of Virginia, win.
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In March 2020, Hannu Rajaniemi pivoted his biotech company Helix Nanotechnologies’ focus from cancer therapies to Covid-19 vaccines. Rajaniemi’s then-six-person start-up wasn’t going to be able to compete with the likes of Pfizer and AstraZeneca, but HelixNano, as it’s known, had a different goal: Create a better, second-generation vaccine against the novel coronavirus...KEEP READING.
We remember meeting Hannu right as he had pivoted his company--his forward-thinking and proactive approach to what we were only beginning to understand in COVID-19 was compelling. We’re encouraged by the progress HelixNano has made in just one year. Cheers to science and those who use it for the good of everyone!
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We are a whole year into a global pandemic that changed many of our personal and professional priorities - especially for moms, who have been forced out of work in record numbers.
It’s never been more clear that we need and deserve permanent and comprehensive policies to prioritize care taking - particularly paid family and medical leave. Many working people are struggling trying to stay healthy, care for their families, and make ends meet. At Incite, we believe that everyone deserves time to recover from illness, take care of an ill family member, or welcome a new child into their family.
That’s why we signed on to the PL+US’s letter to Congress demanding they prioritize a national paid family and medical leave policy, now. We’re proud to join more than 200 other businesses in this effort.
Find out more HERE.
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Two upcoming workshops from our venture portfolio company, Kindbody. Check them out!
Kindbody: Fertility Unfiltered
April 7th at 3pm PT
RSVP HERE
Kindbody: Sharing is Caring
April 22nd at 4pm PT
RSVP HERE
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