At KingsCrowd, we want to be part of the democratization of startup investing. We also want to do what we can to uplift underrepresented founders. To those goals, we have put together all the KingsCrowd deals and founder profiles from May 2021 that feature traditionally underrepresented founders.

Deals to Watch

Oracle Health

Heart disease accounts for nearly 660,000 deaths per year. Oracle Health is working to prevent heart attacks through its subdermal cardiac monitor. Oracle’s device is a small but complex sensor that can be inserted above the heart in a simple, two-minute office procedure. It keeps track of heart and lung activity to prevent expensive and dangerous hospital visits. The tech is differentiated from its competitors’ and should provide a high-quality monitoring solution that uses AI analysis to reduce the burden on patients and doctors.

Lora DiCarlo

Sex toys in the United States contribute to a more than $5 billion market, with toys targeting women making up the majority of demand. Lora DiCarlo is attempting to achieve mainstream brand recognition in this highly fragmented market. The sexual wellness company creates toys designed for women, by women. At this time, Lora DiCarlo has rolled out eleven different products and has raised more than $5 million in prior capital. The direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model already has a global footprint in more than 30 different countries, massively expanding the company’s serviceable obtainable market.

Neutral Deals

iPill (closed)

In 2019, an estimated 50,000 Americans died from overdosing on opioids. Prescription opioid addiction is an absolutely massive problem, disproportionately but not solely affecting males under 50. iPill is addressing the opioid crisis with an eminently practical approach. The iPill solution is a storage device connected to a phone app which dispenses prescription pills on a medically managed schedule. By actively ensuring that prescriptions are followed, the device controls usage of opioids and has proven effectively tamper-proof. It is single-use and upon detection of interference can destroy the pills, preventing the patient from using them.

Microsalt

The American Heart Association says that nine out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium. Much of this sodium intake comes from overly salted snack foods. In order to change this, Microsalt has created a patented salt nanoparticle that provides the taste of salt but with 50% less sodium. MicroSalt operates as both a B2B and B2C company. The company sells its patented salt to various businesses who use the salt in their packaged food products as well as running SaltMe!, MicroSalt’s own potato chip line. At the moment, MicroSalt’s line of potato chips is available in 71 stores across the northeast U.S as well as Texas.

Skillsoniq

Skillsoniq is looking to disrupt modern hiring and recruiting practices. SkillSoniq has created an app to connect freelance workers via AI with projects they are well-qualified for. The companies those freelancers work with can also use the work to see if the individual would be a good long-term fit. Freelance work is expanding, and the recruitment market offers ample opportunities for a company like SkillSoniq.

Predictiv

Predictiv looks to use DNA-sequencing to create an exact digital copy of its customer’s genetic material. It would then use that copy to gain insights into future health problems, responses to various drugs, and knowledge of its customer’s specific genes. The company wants to predict future health problems, and it plans to embrace a B2B2C business model in order to access a large market.

Naboso

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), 77% of Americans say they experience foot pain. Ill-fitting shoes are often the source of this pain, and insoles are meant to address this problem. Nabosco is an emerging player in this market, seeking to both relieve foot pain and reconnect consumers to their natural, barefooted state. Naboso is providing “sensory products to optimise movement,” including insoles, mats, and foot exercise tools. The products are textured to stimulate nerve endings in the feet, which reactivates and reconnects them to the brain to improve balance and foot function overall.

Clocr

Clocr is a digital legacy planning platform that allows individuals to create wills for their online accounts, manage their beneficiaries, and stay connected with their loved ones. The platform is legally-compliant and secure. Sree Chintala and Apoorva Chintala founded Clocr in November of 2018. Clocr has three pending patents and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Techconnect.

NoBaked Cookie Dough

NoBaked Cookie Dough makes cookie dough that can be eaten raw or baked. Products include ten flavors of dairy-free and gluten-free cookie dough. Megan Feeman and Jimmy Feeman founded NoBaked Cookie Dough in 2017. NoBaked Cookie Dough reported a 1,534% growth in sales in 2020, with more than 66% of revenue coming from online sales. The company has also been recognized as the number one bestseller in the Refrigerated Doughs category on Amazon.

Petzbe

Petzbe is a social media app that connects pet owners to share their pet’s lives from the pet’s perspective. The app also allows companies to connect with a dedicated pet audience to sell products. Andrea Nerep founded Petzbe in 2017. Petzbe has more than 450,000 users and has been featured in several major outlets, including Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine.

Honeybee Burger

Honeybee Burger is an emerging quick-serve, plant-based restaurant franchise operating out of LA. The plant-based burger company was founded by Adam Weiss in February of 2021. Honeybee Burger has already established itself in LA and managed to remain profitable during 2020 despite the pandemic. The current round of StartEngine has been rated a Neutral Deal and has a valuation cap of $12 million.

Kyndoo

Kyndoo has created a platform that helps influencers leverage unstructured data from social media to create effective marketing campaigns. The platform, Kyndex, works like a credit score for influencers and measures the authenticity of an influencer’s audience. Kelly McDonald and Jin Yu founded Kyndoo in 2018. The company is backed by 500startups and Gaingels. The current round on Wefunder has been rated a Neutral Deal.

Founder Profiles

ParkNav

Parknav has developed an AI-powered technology to solve the parking challenges of modern cities. The solution can be used for any street to identify available on-street parking in real-time. Eyal Amir founded Parknav in July of 2009. Parknav has partnered with Microsoft Ventures Accelerator and Volkswagen PlugAndPlay and serves large customers including BMW, Siemens, and Deutsche Telekom. 

Pakt

Pakt makes unique, refined travel gear for modern travelers. Pakt products are environment-friendly and meant to last. Malcolm Fontier founded Pakt in December of 2012. Pakt has generated $4.6 million in lifetime revenue and has sold more than 24,000 units to date. The revenue grew by 32% year-over-year, and sustained growth throughout COVID. The team is currently raising capital on the Republic platform with a $9 million valuation cap via Crowd SAFE.