MVP Ventures

ARRIS Composites, known for its cutting-edge carbon fiber technology, has been selected by the US Military for a study of advanced continuous fiber composite soles in military boots. The company’s new high-performance insoles (released last October for consumers) combine carbon fiber propulsion plates with Pebax elastomer foam to enhance comfort and reduce strain during everyday activities.  ARRIS’ work with the military aims to enhance soldier performance and reduce fatigue through advanced composite materials. As part of a US Army study, the company has integrated continuous fiber-reinforced plates into warm-weather combat boots, with testing underway to assess their impact on running economy and biomechanics. The findings, expected in 2025, could lead to redesigned military footwear that minimizes musculoskeletal injuries.    Read more about what ARRIS has been up to — including a collaboration with Brooks Running on the Hyperion Elite 4 running shoe — here:  https://lnkd.in/e4BQqR3f

If you or your company are navigating immigration, Alma just launched its new website for you!

The BBC recently published a great article on the growing post-pandemic trend of turning vacant office space into thriving indoor garden space — and highlighted our portfolio company Area 2 Farms as one of the innovative players in the movement.

 In Arlington, VA, the Area 2 team is growing over 180 organic varieties of greens, root vegetables, and herbs — serving consumers within a 10-mile radius. Unlike traditional agriculture, the company can focus on selecting crops for nutrition and flavor, not just durability for long-haul transport. By cutting transport costs and emissions, they're proving that hyper-local farming isn't just sustainable—it’s the future of food production. As demand for fresh, local produce rises, indoor farms like Area 2 are transforming cities worldwide, turning vacant offices into food hubs that are efficient, eco-friendly, and community-driven. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gvQ5K4Yj

A three-month pilot of Hayden AI’s automated bus stop enforcement system in Braga, Portugal, uncovered 7,999 parking violations — highlighting a major challenge for public transit efficiency and passenger safety. Conducted in partnership with the EIT - European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the pilot revealed that blocked bus stops force passengers to navigate active roadways and prevent safe deployment of wheelchair ramps. 
 Hayden’s technology, already in use in cities like New York and Los Angeles, helps authorities monitor and enforce violations effectively. Braga’s success has paved the way for further pilots, including a new initiative in Barcelona. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gvZKVS4K

Turing has announced it achieved a major milestone in 2024: profitability with a $300M annual revenue run rate — nearly tripling its ARR in just one year. Turing’s focus on advancing frontier AI models in reasoning, coding, and STEM, along with its ability to build transformative enterprise applications, positions it at the forefront of the rapidly evolving AI landscape. In 2025, the company plans to advance its AGI capabilities through two core business lines: Turing AGI Advancement, which pushes the limits of AI model performance, and Turing Intelligence, which turns those advancements into impactful solutions. With measurable success like cutting healthcare supply chain costs by 15% and reducing pharma discovery time from 250+ hours to just 2-3 hours, Turing has proven its ability to deliver value. We’re thrilled to see the great results Turing has been bringing in and to see the company well-positioned to continue driving innovation and making a significant impact across industries in 2025. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gv4BHHks

Hayden AI has been recognized as a #GovTech100 company for 2025 — marking its fifth consecutive year on the prestigious list! The annual GovTech 100 is a list of 100 companies focused on, making a difference in, and selling to state and local government agencies across the US. This accolade highlights Hayden AI’s commitment to innovation in transit zone enforcement, improving safety, reliability, and sustainability for transit systems worldwide. With significant expansions in the U.S. and internationally, the company’s vision AI platform has gained adoption in major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tallinn, Estonia, enhancing public transit efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 2024 was a milestone year for Hayden AI, with achievements including new partnerships in Europe, recognition as a Top GreenTech Company by TIME Magazine, and winning the Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility competition. As Hayden AI continues to innovate, it’s paving the way for smarter, safer, and greener cities. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e3dkgJ8J

Stoke Space, the innovative rocket company developing the world’s first 100% reusable medium-lift rocket, has raised $260 million in Series C funding — more than doubling its total funding to $480 million. The round saw participation from prominent investors like Breakthrough Energy , Point72 Ventures, Seven Seven Six 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣, and Y Combinator, highlighting growing confidence in Stoke's mission to deliver ultra-low-cost, on-demand space transportation. This investment will drive the completion of the Nova launch vehicle and the transformation of Cape Canaveral’s historic Launch Complex 14 into a hub for sustainable space innovation. With recent breakthroughs like the successful vertical test of its full-flow staged combustion engine — one of only two globally — and its groundbreaking actively cooled metallic reentry heat shield, Stoke is redefining reusable rocket technology. Stoke’s work marks a pivotal moment for the space economy, unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth both on and beyond Earth. 🌍✨ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ezCt-MrY

It’s a great week for the MVP Ventures portfolio! Loft Orbital has raised $170M in a Series C funding round co-led by Tikehau Capital and AXIAL Partners, with participation from Foundation Capital, Uncork Capital, Bpifrance, and others. The funding will support the expansion of manufacturing facilities, increased use of artificial intelligence, and Loft Orbital’s mission to simplify access to space. With over 30 sold-out satellites and $500M in lifetime bookings (on just $160M of capital raised prior to this Series C), the company serves major customers like NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Microsoft, BAE Systems, the U.S. Space Force, and more through its modular Hub payload adapter and Cockpit mission operations software. Currently, Loft has five satellites in orbit hosting payloads for 25+ companies, including a dedicated platform for orbital AI experiments, YAM-6. As our team has been with Loft since its Series A, we’re thrilled with the huge progress they have made and are excited to see them continue this momentum in transforming the commercial space industry. Read a great blog post by the founders Pierre-Damien Vaujour and Alex Greenberg reflecting on the journey to this point and what’s to come here: https://lnkd.in/gUYM6jfx And watch Alex on Bloomberg discussing the latest round and the Golden Age of commercial space here: https://lnkd.in/ghSBAWYy

Raspberry AI, the gen-AI design platform that’s revolutionizing the $2T fashion industry, just closed a $24M Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, with plans to expand its team and expand to new markets like home, furniture, and cosmetics. Since launching its product last year, Raspberry AI already counts 70 brands — from mass-market to luxury in fashion and footwear — as customers and has become a key component of the design process in companies like Under Armour, Li & Fung, Gruppo Teddy, and luxury designer MCM WORLDWIDE.    This rapid growth highlights Raspberry AI’s potential to redefine how fashion and product design evolve in a tech-driven world, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what comes next. Congrats to CEO Cheryl Liu and the whole Raspberry AI team! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ganPCRPh

As strategic competition demands larger surface fleets, the naval industry faces challenges in balancing new vessel construction with maintaining existing ships. While the UK Royal Navy is shifting to a smaller forward-presence model, the US Navy is turning to Gecko Robotics’ cutting-edge solutions to address maintenance inefficiencies. Gecko’s AI-driven "AIR" solution uses sensor-equipped robots to create high-fidelity digital twins of ship hulls, enabling predictive and efficient maintenance. Gecko’s new methods cut labor by 85% in mapping hulls, and the US Navy indicated that their technology saved the service “more than four months of maintenance time.” By leveraging AI and robotics, Gecko Robotics is helping the US Navy maintain fleet readiness while optimizing resources — setting a new standard for naval maintenance in this era of strategic demand. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ehx3Subv