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Strawberry Creek Ventures Community Newsletter — August 2022

Content at the intersection of entrepreneurship, venture capital, and our UC Berkeley community.

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Written by

Matt Caspari

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IN THIS ISSUE: Our investment in Synthesis AI; portfolio news on Evabot, RapidSOS, Freewire, and Capella Space; the largest gift in Berkeley Haas history; and more.

Strawberry Creek Ventures Fund 6 Opening Soon!

Stay tuned for Strawberry Creek Fund 6 opening this fall. In the meantime, if you have any investing questions, connect with us for a short 1×1 call.

Strawberry Creek Portfolio Spotlights

Synthesis AI is pioneering synthetic data to build a more capable computer vision model. Through a proprietary combination of generative neural networks and cinematic CGI pipelines, its platform creates optimized image data at vastly increased speed and reduced cost compared to current approaches. Strawberry Creek deployed capital in the company’s $17 million Series A led by 468 Capital. This most recent round of capital will help Synthesis grow its world-class team and introduce new products.

MeliBio makes 100% plant-based honey without the environmental damage caused by commercial beehives. Strawberry Creek Ventures deployed capital in the company’s $5.7 million Seed round led by Astanor Ventures.

If you are in the San Francisco area, visit Restaurant BAIA to try two recently launched menu items utilizing MeliBio’s honey — Panna Cotta and Bruschetta. Click below to book a reservation.

Strawberry Creek Portfolio Companies in the News

FOR CURRENT INVESTORS

Thinking of becoming an investor? Access Materials »

The Anatomy of a Venture Exit

Our latest eGuide explores four different exit strategies — initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions, special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), and liquidation using examples from our portfolio. Visit our Club portal to read the piece and other exclusive content from Managing Partner Matt Caspari and our team. Visit Club Portal »

Campus and Community Update

The Haas School of Business announced that its top-ranked two-year undergraduate business program will expand to become a four-year program, supported by a $30 million gift (the largest single gift in the school’s history) from Haas alumnus Warren “Ned” Spieker, BS 66, and his wife, Carol, BA 66. The new program, coined the Spieker Undergraduate Business Program, will open for enrollment in August 2024. Read More »

What’s New at Alumni Ventures

AV Talent Referrals

Interested in joining a cutting-edge startup or know someone who might be? Our portfolio companies are growing and always looking for high-caliber talent. Check out their open positions on our job board. If you find a match, fill out this short form, and we will try to make a personal referral. Visit Job Board »

Contact [email protected] for additional information. To see additional risk factors and investment considerations, visit av-funds.com/disclosures.

Written by

Matt Caspari

Matt is a two-time venture-backed founder/CEO with a decade of startup operating experience. Before joining Strawberry Creek Ventures, he was an Investing Partner at Spike Ventures, where he participated in over twenty investments. Matt holds an MBA with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a BS in Biochemistry from Georgetown University.

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