The Urban Innovation Fund is a venture capital firm that provides seed capital and regulatory support to entrepreneurs solving what they feel are tough urban challenges. The Urban Innovation fund works to help their portfolio companies grow and to provide value for those companies.
With 82% of Americans living in cities, and two-thirds of the world's population urbanizing by 2050, there are a growing number of challenges facing urban dwellers. The Urban Innovation Fund invests in startups enhancing the livability, sustainability, and economic vitality of cities. They focus their investments on the transportation, energy and water, real estate technology, business services, financial technology, health and public safety, government technology, civic technology, food systems and the future of work sectors.
Timeline
Funded Companies
Valor Water AnalyticsValor Water Analytics is a company developing customized financial data and dashboard tools for water utilities and businesses. It participated in the W15 cohort of Y Combinator.
San Francisco
Catch (company)Catch is a company providing a benefits management platform for handling taxes, retirement, time off, health insurance, and student loan refinancing.
Boston
VoatzBlockchain company
DropcountrDropcountr is a California-based enterprise software company.
California
Ethic (company)Ethic is a New York-based company founded by Johny Mair.
New York
Ride ReportRide Report provides cities a software platform for running bike and scooter share programs.
Portland, Oregon
BookNook
The Town KitchenThe Town Kitchen is an Oakland, California-based company.
Oakland, California
Visage (company)Visage is an artificial intelligence company founded by Joss Leufrancois.
Milk StorkMilk Stork is a Palo Alto, California-based e-commerce company.
Palo Alto, California
ApanaApana is a Bellingham, Washington-based commercial building company.
Bellingham, Washington
Stop, Breathe & Think, PBCAssociated investment funds
People
Andrew Felbinger
Associate
Clara Brenner
Founder and Managing Partner
Julie Lein
Founder and Managing Partner
Further reading
How Urban Innovation Fund picks and grows companies | MIT Sloan
Dylan Walsh
Web
December 4, 2019
Documentaries, videos and podcasts
21st Century Solutions: Urban Innovation Fund co-founders awarded
August 26, 2016
Companies
References
Urban Innovation Fund
CompanyCompany attributes
Venture capital
Sustainability
Financial services
Clara Brenner
Julie LeinVenture Capital Firm attributes
3DEN
Bumblebee Spaces
OpenLattice
Local Bushel
The Minte
JiffyCategories
Related Topics
Contributors
- 1
Aleksander Holm
Interested in understanding the world we live in. - 2
Melanie Manipula
Researcher, writer and a former librarian - 3
Jed Christiansen
Special Projects & Business Development at Golden, Founder - Seed-DB. - 4
Henry Ogolla
Passionate about reading and writing. - 5
Aime Anne Nisay
QA Engineer of web and mobile applications - 6
Julius John Villarisco
Every day is a new learning for me, new opportunity every time. Never limit my self, think outside the box.