Alakai ventures
We are early stage investors that search for breakout technology, superior founders, and niche opportunities in growth sectors. We provide both passive and active capital to support each companies growth through direct or fund investment.
Investment portfolio
Technology
Figure AI
Figure is working to develop a humanoid robot to address the labor shortage in the U.S. The robot, which weighs 60kg and can carry up to 20kg, is designed to assist in industries with physically demanding or dangerous tasks. The company’s progress includes a $70 million Series A raise and its first robot prototype taking steps. Figure has already made deals with companies like BMW and plans to use AI to enhance the robot’s capabilities. In 2024, it raised $675 million in Series B funding, bringing its valuation to $2.6 billion.
SandboxAQ
SandboxAQ develops quantum software for various industries, including cryptography, biopharma, and geolocation sensors. It focuses on post-quantum encryption to protect against quantum computer threats and is also working on medical applications like advanced heart monitors. SandboxAQ has secured contracts with major organizations like the U.S. Air Force and is collaborating with companies like NVIDIA and Boeing to integrate quantum technology into their systems.
Provi
Provi is an innovative platform for the beverage alcohol industry that simplifies the ordering process for bars, restaurants, and liquor stores. By linking businesses directly with wholesalers and distributors, Provi enables seamless inventory management and quicker order fulfillment. It’s designed to eliminate the complexities of alcohol distribution and make the ordering process faster, more efficient, and cost-effective.
LeafLink
LeafLink is a leading technology platform for the wholesale cannabis industry, connecting cannabis producers and retailers. With an extensive network of licensed suppliers and dispensaries, LeafLink provides a streamlined marketplace where businesses can place orders, track inventory, and manage logistics. The platform also offers analytics to help companies improve their operations, making it an indispensable tool in the cannabis supply chain.
Sensor Industries
Sensor Industries is a company that specializes in providing a wide range of industrial sensors and monitoring solutions. Their product offerings include sensors for temperature, pressure, level, humidity, and other environmental parameters. These sensors are used across various industries such as manufacturing, automation, agriculture, and energy. The company focuses on delivering high-quality, reliable sensor solutions designed to improve operational efficiency, safety, and data collection for businesses and industrial applications.
Affective Software
Affective Software is a company that focuses on providing AI-driven software solutions for emotional intelligence and sentiment analysis. Their platform leverages advanced machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to analyze text, voice, and video to gauge emotional states, sentiment, and engagement. The software is used in customer experience management, marketing, and employee well-being, enabling businesses to better understand customer emotions, improve service interactions, and enhance user engagement. Affective Software aims to offer actionable insights that help organizations create more empathetic and responsive environments.
Parkway Ventures
Parkway Ventures is an investment firm focused on high-growth ventures in the technology and innovation sectors. By leveraging deep market insights and a collaborative approach, Parkway Ventures aims to identify and nurture startups that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries and create long-term value.
Nosara Capital
Nosara Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in online marketplaces globally.
Tred
An online auto dealer, is now known as Private Seller Exchange (PSX) and is part of the Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book family. TRED was a platform that connected buyers and sellers for private, person-to-person transactions. TRED offered the same protection and security as a dealer, while handling the paperwork and ensuring payment.
OXOS
OXOS has developed a portable X-ray device that is small, lightweight, and low-cost, emitting 80% less radiation than traditional X-rays. It provides both still and full-motion X-ray images and can be operated with minimal training. Its portability allows doctors to perform X-rays in their own offices, reducing costs for both doctors and patients. The device has been adopted by sports teams like the NBA and NFL, and OXOS aims to expand its impact globally, particularly in regions without access to X-rays. The company has achieved significant revenue from its first-generation device and is working on its second generation for wider industrial use.
Gemba
Gemba is a VR-based executive education platform that uses AI, VR, and simulation to help global companies through digital transformation. It provides immersive, collaborative training experiences, allowing executives to virtually visit factories and learn from best practices. Notable clients include Philips, Pfizer, Nike, and others. Gemba launched a new platform in 2023, Gemba 2.0, which includes new features for enterprise learning. The company continues to expand with clients in various industries, including defense and automotive.
R4 Technologies
R4 is a data science company offering AI-driven business solutions. Its platform helps businesses make better decisions by providing insights into yield management, especially in industries like manufacturing and logistics. The company has secured several contracts with the U.S. military and other enterprises and continues to grow through its innovative AI platform.
Persefoni
Persefoni is a carbon accounting platform that helps large companies and financial institutions manage and report their carbon footprints. The company raised $50 million in Series C-1 funding in 2023 and launched PersefoniGPT, an AI tool for carbon management. Persefoni continues to attract high-profile clients and has seen rapid growth in both revenue and customer base.
TestFit
TestFit provides AI-powered software that helps architects design buildings more efficiently. It offers tools for simulating building designs and configurations, enabling architects to optimize layouts in minutes. TestFit has grown rapidly in 2023, expanding its customer base and revenue significantly. It is becoming a leader in generative AI for architecture.
Wambi
Wambi offers a healthcare employee recognition platform that uses patient and peer feedback to improve healthcare culture and incentivize compassionate care. The company has seen strong growth in 2023, expanding its user base and securing contracts with major healthcare systems. Wambi’s platform aims to promote collaboration and improve employee performance in healthcare environments.
Siera.ai
Siera.ai develops IoT solutions for warehouse vehicles, adding advanced safety and automation features like collision prevention and autonomous mobile robots. The company’s technology is already being used by major corporations like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Siera.ai has seen impressive growth, with a 188% increase in ARR and significant expansion into new partnerships.
Chiper
Chiper is a fast-growing e-commerce platform aimed at informal retailers in Latin America. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help small businesses manage their inventory, orders, and logistics. With an emphasis on digitizing supply chains, Chiper connects local store owners to suppliers in a seamless, tech-driven way, enabling them to compete with larger retail chains.
Reibus
Reibus is revolutionizing the industrial metals supply chain by providing an online marketplace where buyers and sellers can transact directly. By streamlining the purchasing process, Reibus reduces overhead costs and inefficiencies typically found in the metal industry. The platform also offers transparent pricing, inventory management, and logistics, making it easier for businesses to source and distribute materials.
Alerzo
Alerzo is a technology-driven platform that helps informal retailers in emerging markets, particularly in Africa, manage their businesses more effectively. Through its app, Alerzo provides small retailers with a range of tools for managing inventory, processing payments, and receiving product deliveries. By offering access to technology and financial services, Alerzo empowers businesses to grow and succeed in competitive markets.
Safi
Safi provides solar-powered energy solutions to off-grid communities, particularly in emerging markets. Through affordable solar products and financing plans, Safi is transforming energy access for underserved populations, enabling businesses and households to adopt renewable energy. Safi’s solutions are designed to improve the quality of life by offering sustainable alternatives to unreliable grid power.
Nitex
Nitex is a technology platform that streamlines the textile supply chain. It connects manufacturers and suppliers, providing a transparent marketplace for buyers and sellers to exchange materials, goods, and services. With a focus on increasing efficiency, Nitex also helps businesses manage production timelines and minimize waste, making it an essential tool for companies in the textile industry.
Toolbx
Toolbx is a digital platform designed for the construction industry, offering a convenient way for contractors and construction businesses to order materials, manage deliveries, and track project timelines. The platform simplifies supply chain management, allowing construction professionals to focus on their work while Toolbx handles the logistics and procurement of construction materials.
MaxRetail
Max Retail is an innovative retail platform that helps small businesses and independent retailers manage their inventory, sales, and customer interactions. By providing tools for both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores, Max Retail supports retailers in managing their operations more efficiently, helping them thrive in a competitive and ever-changing retail environment.
Tunelark
Tunelark offers a unique digital music education platform, connecting music students with expert teachers for online lessons. With a user-friendly interface and a wide range of instruments and music styles, Tunelark makes learning music accessible to students of all levels, regardless of location. The platform features interactive tools and personalized lesson plans designed to enhance the learning experience.
Worth AI
Worth AI is an underwriting platform that leverages AI algorithms to deliver lightning-fast processing times, unparalleled accuracy, and a unique user experience. Our patent-pending platform provides: – Real-time data on the SMB market. – Enabling advanced risk modeling.
TAE Technologies
TAE is a leading developer of fusion energy technology, focused on creating commercial fusion reactors. The company is working on its Norman and Copernicus reactors, which aim to provide clean, sustainable energy. In addition, TAE is also advancing battery and radiation therapy technologies for medical use, with promising results in cancer treatment. TAE continues to gain support from major investors like Goldman Sachs and Alphabet, and has made significant strides in the fusion energy sector.
Food & Beverage / Hospitality
Tavern Law
Tavern Law celebrates the history and evolution of American drinking culture, from the legalization of public drinking in bars and saloons to the prohibition era and the revival of cocktail craftsmanship. The restaurant draws inspiration from the Golden Age of cocktails, which was nearly destroyed by the Volstead Act in 1919. Despite Prohibition, speakeasies flourished, keeping the art of bartending alive. Today, Tavern Law honors this legacy by preserving and advancing the craft of cocktails, fine wine, and culinary arts, celebrating the passion of bartenders, historians, and enthusiasts who have kept these traditions thriving.
Lamp & Shade
Playfully yet eloquently named, Lamp & Shade Craft Kitchen and Cocktails got its inspiration from the idea to hangout and throw some shade in conversation while paying homage to the history of its building, previously The Lamp Shade Fair, well-known by locals for over 50 years.
Orange County Brewers
Orange County Brewers is Central Florida’s premier craft beer destination, proudly providing a one-of-a-kind craft beer experience. With locations in Lake Mary and Orlando International Airport, Orange County Brewers is your ultimate Central Florida brewery dedicated to helping you raise a glass to wherever life takes you!
Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods is a food technology company known for creating plant-based alternatives to animal products, particularly its flagship product, the Impossible Burger. The company uses innovative science and technology to develop plant-based ingredients that mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of traditional meat, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture. Impossible Foods focuses on sustainability by using ingredients like soy protein, coconut oil, and potato protein to create plant-based products that appeal to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. The company’s mission is to create a more sustainable food system by offering delicious, meat-like alternatives that help address climate change, deforestation, and animal welfare concerns.
Jungle Tea
Jungle Tea specializes in ethically sourced, premium teas from around the world. The company’s focus is on sustainability, fair trade practices, and providing its customers with a unique and flavorful experience. With a range of teas carefully curated for health benefits and taste, Jungle Tea aims to bring the serenity of nature to every cup.
Our Team
Nick Jones
Nick Jones has been investing in startups and growth-stage companies for over 10 years, focusing in the tech and hospitality sectors. His investments have led to several successful exits and liquidity events. He has played both active and passive roles in each investment dependent on the needs of the investment. Nick is also the CEO of Alakai Capital, a real estate private equity firm that has built or developed over 70 commercial assets, all of which have provided attractive returns for its partners.
Throughout his career, Nick has built a reputation for identifying high-potential opportunities and executing strategies that maximize value.
Nick graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida while competing on the World Tour as a professional wakeboarder. He was featured in numerous magazine and video publications throughout is career while being one of two riders on the USA National Team. He earned a podium finish at Worlds in 2011 and was ranked 4th on the World Tour that same year. He remains actively involved in professional organizations and networks that foster innovation and growth.
Nick Jones
Founding Partner
Mark O'Shea
Mark O’Shea is the Co-Founder and Partner of Alakai Ventures. With over a decade of experience private equity, finance, and commercial real estate, Mark specializes in guiding investment strategies, driving growth, and delivering exceptional value. His expertise spans financial structuring, corporate strategy, asset management, and investment syndications.
Mark’s track record includes advising on acquisitions, scaling businesses, and optimizing asset performance across diverse sectors. As an active investor, Mark is passionate about identifying transformative opportunities and fostering innovation that delivers sustainable long-term returns.
Mark holds a degree with honors in behavioral psychology and brings a unique perspective to business leadership and team dynamics. Based in Washington State with his wife and two children, he also serves as Managing Partner for numerous LLCs and regularly consults with start-ups and small business owners, helping them achieve their growth objectives.
Mark O'Shea
Founding Partner
Tyler Peterson
Coming soon.
Tyler Peterson
Partner
Rob
Coming soon.