Primordial—GrepBeat’s sister company under the Colopy Ventures umbrella—held its first quarterly Investor Meet & Greet yesterday in downtown Durham. Primordial is a VC firm that focuses on investing in early-stage software startups located in or around the Triangle.
Jenn Summe, Director of Primordial, manages day-to-
day operations. She evaluates startups for potential investment and also supports companies that Primordial decides to invest in.
“A lot of this business is relationship-building and so it’s important to have dedicated time just for that effort,” Summe said.
Yesterday’s event introduced the first five members of Primordial’s 2023 cohort of startups to local angel investors, VCs and ecosystem leaders. Four of the startups gave a brief presentation. They were, in order:
- Coworks is a coworking and flexible workspace management platform. DeShawn Brown, the CEO and Co-Founder, said people want a flexible work style. The web-based software and mobile app manage and scale coworking spaces by enabling room scheduling, billing, and more. (We first profiled Coworks in January, 2019, and Brown has also been a guest on the Friday Nooner.)
- Bristles uses AI to bring creative ideas to life, starting in the home category. Tina Tang, Bristles’ CEO and Co-Founder, said her company helps people visualize home DIY projects in the form of an easy-to-use mobile app. It enables users to see what different design choices—various paint colors, materials, etc.—will look like before they commit. (We first profiled Bristles in November, 2021, and Tang has also been a guest on the Friday Nooner.)
- TSV Analytics is focused on helping social media marketers keep up with current trends on different platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok. Trevor Ferree, the CEO and Co-Founder, said his company is providing analytics by incorporating AI to streamline the social media marketing process for brands. TSV Analytics is also allowing brands to improve their social feed optimization in order to show up on search results on social media platforms. (We first profiled TSV Analytics in March, 2022.)
- Social Cascade is enabling healthcare providers to retain more patients, which is cheaper than obtaining new “customers” just as it is in traditional industries. Scott McQuiggan, the CEO and Co-Founder, said his company is helping healthcare providers to reach Gen Z and Millennials through social media. Social Cascade is starting in pediatrics and working largely with independent or outpatient physician clinics. (We first profiled Social Cascade in August, 2022, and Co-Founder/COO Lucy Kosturko was also a guest on the Friday Nooner.)
Primordial added a fifth member to its 2023 cohort just two weeks ago with an investment in Raleigh-based MyMatR, which makes a smart waste container that automatically sorts trash as recycling or waste. MyMatR Founder and CEO John Starke also attended the event. (We first profiled MyMatR in June, 2021, and you can find Primordial’s announcement of the investment here.)
Ferree said the Investor Meet & Greet was a positive experience centered around networking: “I think the event was great to bring the ecosystem together and network with people I hadn’t had the chance to meet yet.”
McQuiggan said the event was a success in his eyes: “It’s nice to have that intimate opportunity to have deeper conversations than you might have in a much larger venue.”
