OpenSky Ventures

Exciting update from the Levanta team. Looking forward to their continued success!

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) around the corner, many brands are eager to use the holiday season as an opportunity to connect with and interact with as many customers as possible. Customer acquisition is a key point of focus, but the ability to retain customers after the BFCM rush is extremely valuable and can sometimes be overlooked. Two of OpenSky’s portfolio companies, Siena AI and Mantle take different approaches in addressing that issue. Siena AI is an autonomous AI customer service bot that feels like an empathetic human. Dealing with an influx of post-Black Friday customer inquiries might be a bit overwhelming, but Siena helps by handling any issues with efficiency, personalization, and care. The ability to quickly and carefully resolve those issues can build trust and loyalty with consumers and provides members of the team more bandwidth to focus on other parts of the business. From tracking important revenue metrics to segmenting customers, Mantle allows Shopify brands to grow their businesses by helping them understand and interact with customers in an easier way. Mantle provides access to meaningful and actionable insights by predicting user behavior and identifying trends within Shopify. Let us know in the comments if there are any tools that you’re excited to use with your customers to manage the BFCM rush.

Great things happening at Reactiv! We are excited to continue the journey with this dedicated team of innovators and builders.

We’re thrilled to announce an early-stage investment in Haven, an accounting solution for start-ups that provides exceptional service and custom dashboards, removing the familiar bookkeeping and tax headaches founders dread. Haven is a New York City based solution launched last year by Cyrus Shirazi, Michael Brod, and Taylor Schwarz. OpenSky is excited about the potential of the offering as it resonates with founders at all early stages within any industry. Their relationship first approach coupled with their exceptional accounting expertise allows new companies quick, painless bookkeeping services so they can focus their time and energy on building something great. If you’re a founder looking for a modern accounting solution tailored directly to start-ups, we’d be happy to connect you!

Imagine knowing exactly how your competitors are performing, down to their best-selling products and revenue drivers. That's the power of Daash Intelligence, and why we're excited to be an early investor in this innovative tool. Founded in 2022 by a powerhouse trio—Philip Smolin, Justin Stewart, and Melissa Munnerlyn—Daash is transforming how brands make decisions. Their platform combines multiple data sources to model sales performance, market share, and emerging trends with unprecedented accuracy. Why did we invest in their pre-seed round back in Q3 of 2023? It's simple: ➝ Daash unlocks insights previously accessible only to retail giants. Their AI-driven engine combines multiple data sources to deliver real-time analysis of market share, sales performance, and emerging trends. For our portfolio companies, this means making decisions with the same level of insight as industry leaders. ➝ With dozens of leading brands currently onboard, including SACHEU and Summer Fridays, Daash is proving its worth in the fast-growing e-commerce analytics space (which is projected to hit $15.89 billion by 2028). ➝ The Daash team brings decades of experience in B2B SaaS, advertising tech, and predictive analytics. Their track record in translating complex data into actionable insights is unparalleled. With $2.75 million in seed funding, Daash is already transforming retail decision-making. Brands using Daash can: • Identify competitor strengths and weaknesses • Spot emerging market trends earlier • Optimize product positioning and inventory management Daash isn't just a tool—it's the difference between following trends and setting them. This is retail intelligence, democratized.

Fall is everyone's favorite season. Even in Venture Capital. At OpenSky Ventures, we're observing clear signals of a surge in fall investment opportunities. The latter half of the year, particularly Q4 is ripe for dealmaking in the VC world. What's driving this autumnal surge? 1. Post-Summer Focus The end of vacation season brings a renewed sense of purpose. Teams return to their desks refreshed and ready to execute plans that have been simmering over the summer months. This energy translates into a flurry of activity, with a noticeable uptick in both startup pitches and investor meetings. 2. Q4 Budget Utilization As the year-end approaches, companies look to maximize their annual budgets. This often leads to accelerated spending and increased investment activity. We see a particular boost in corporate VC initiatives, as firms seek to deploy capital strategically before the new fiscal year. 3. Strategic Planning for the New Year Fall is prime time to set the stage for future growth. Startups are eager to secure funding and fuel their expansion plans for the coming year. Simultaneously, VCs feel the pressure to close deals and solidify their portfolio positions before the fiscal clock resets. At OpenSky, we're not just observers of these trends—we're active participants. Our investment strategy is directly informed by this seasonal shift. We plan to: ➝ Ramp up our deal flow pipeline for Q4 ➝ Allocate a significant portion of our annual investment budget to fall opportunities ➝ Focus on sectors showing the highest growth potential in Q4 We're particularly excited about startups that are positioning themselves to capitalize on this fall momentum. Companies that can demonstrate market readiness, scalable solutions, and strategic Q4 plans are prime candidates for our portfolio. Are you an entrepreneur gearing up for the fall funding rush? Or an investor looking to optimize your Q4 strategy? Let's connect.

Imagine a world where your morning coffee is obsolete, replaced by a shot of pure cognitive enhancement. A world where "afternoon slump" is a forgotten phrase, and peak mental performance is just a sip away. Welcome to the future of productivity, brought to you by Magic Mind. We made an early-stage investment in Magic Mind in June 2023, recognizing the immense potential of this unique brand. Our decision was driven by 3 key factors: 1. The rapidly heating up health and wellness space 2. Our focus on brands that promote healthy lifestyles 3. Magic Mind's innovative approach to productivity enhancement Why Magic Mind stood out: ➝ Innovative Product: The world's first productivity shot—a 2oz herbal supplement combining 12+ nootropics, adaptogens, and vitamins. It's designed to provide sustained energy, enhanced focus, and decreased anxiety with only 50mg of caffeine. ➝ Quality Ingredients: Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and keto-friendly, featuring Matcha, Agave, Bacopa Monnieri, Lion's mane, and Ashwagandha. ➝ Growing Market: Tapping into the massive coffee ($127B) and energy drink ($86B) markets, with the energy shot category alone growing at high single-digit percentages year over year. ➝ Impressive Traction: Rapid growth in D2C sales, with healthy 55% margins and an expanding retail presence. ➝ Strong Brand Identity: Resonating with health-conscious professionals and entrepreneurs looking for a cleaner alternative to traditional energy drinks. ➝ Founder's Story: Nearly a decade of recipe development, inspired by a personal health scare from excessive caffeine consumption and stress. We're thrilled to see Magic Mind's continued success in transforming how people approach productivity and mental clarity. Their commitment to using high-quality, natural ingredients aligns with the growing consumer preference for clean-label products and our vision of investing in health-promoting brands. As Magic Mind expands its reach and product line, we're excited to support its journey in revolutionizing the way people fuel their minds and tackle their days. Here's to unlocking your full potential—one shot at a time.

53% of consumers are willing to pay more for AI that delivers higher quality results and outputs. This speaks volumes about where the market is heading—and directly informs our investment strategy at OpenSky Ventures. But quality isn't the only factor at play. Speed and personalization also appear prominently in consumer preferences: ➝ 29% would pay more for faster AI ➝ 27% value AI that's personal to them These numbers reveal an important point: AI users have varied priorities. The most effective tools will perform well in multiple areas. In the AI space, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. At OpenSky, we look beyond single features. We assess the complete range of AI capabilities, focusing on tools that deliver high-quality results. This approach led us to invest in companies like Reactiv and Siena AI. Why emphasize quality and results? It's simple, that's where the market is heading. When over half of consumers are willing to open their wallets for better results, that indicates a shift towards valuing performance over empty promises. Reactiv and Siena AI fit this model. They're developing AI solutions that don't just work quickly or offer basic customization, they elevate output quality across various commerce applications. We're excited to see companies changing the face of commerce with AI in ways that benefit businesses and consumers. Are you seeing similar trends in willingness to pay for quality? 

We're always on the lookout for disruptive innovations. That's why we made an early-stage investment in Nomadica in Q3 2022—a decision that's proving fruitful as they reshape the premium wine market. Why Nomadica caught our eye: ➝ Innovative approach: Sommelier-quality wines in sustainable, convenient packaging ➝ Market potential: Tapping into health-conscious and eco-friendly consumer trends ➝ Impressive metrics: Up to 84% reduced carbon footprint vs. traditional bottles ➝ Scalable model: Positioned for growth in the beverage space Nomadica's potential to capture market share and drive change in the industry is exciting. Their premium products, sustainability focus, and innovative packaging align perfectly with emerging consumer preferences. We're proud to support Nomadica's journey and look forward to their continued success in redefining the wine experience. Cheers to the future of wine! 🥂

The early-stage investing market is heating up and OpenSky is right in the thick of it. Here's our portfolio snapshot to-date: ➝ 15 portfolio companies (11 ecommerce infrastructure, 4 consumer) ➝ 3 follow-on investments ➝ 15 of our 18 checks have been at the pre-seed or seed stage Deals are on the rise, and early-stage exits are largely outperforming other VC stages. As we move into Q3 and Q4 of this year we continue to seek exciting early-stage opportunities in the consumer and commerce infrastructure space that are disrupting the market and match our fund thesis. If you're building something innovative or want to discuss the evolution of early-stage investing, drop us a DM. What trends are you seeing in the early-stage ecosystem in '24?