ASPER GROUP ROLE: Investment & Advisory

Acquisition of Bridge (formerly Proof Network Ventures, a combination of Tipsi and 150ELM ) in June 2020 by SevenFifty Technologies makes the venture the leading source of end-to-end uniform, validated, and highly transparent beverage alcohol value chain data, data-driven solutions, and e-commerce platforms for the US beverage alcohol industry.

ABOUT SEVENFIFTY TECHNOLOGIES

Communication/Collaboration Platform, Data Analytics, and e-Commerce Solutions Provider for the Beverage Alcohol Industry & Data Solutions for the U.S. Beverage Alcohol Industry

SevenFifty Technologies is the premier, leading online marketplace and data platform for the three-tier US beverage alcohol supply chain and, through its June 2020 acquisition of Bridge (formerly, ProofNetwork, itself a merger of Tipsi and 150ELM and subsequently acquiring Drync), offers expanded capabilities as a provider of technology and data-driven solutions specializing in e-commerce platforms for independent retailers of wine, beer, and spirits.

SevenFifty is focused on developing and delivering best-in-class e-commerce tools to full value chain, from importers and producers through distributors and on vastly expanding its services as a developer of intuitive, easy-to-use custom-branded web and mobile e-commerce applications designed to help retailers extend their physical premises and capture increasing online sales with a Progressive Web App (PWA) technology stack designed to work across any platform.  With the Bridge team and technology, SevenFifty will fast-track the rollout of its new e-commerce platform, SevenFifty Storefronts.

SevenFifty raised $8.5m in 2016, led by Formation 8, followed by $4.6m in October 2019.

ASPER GROUP ROLE: investment, fund raising, advisory

Experiential e-commerce platform for luxury Brands and retailers, focused on building the shopping interface for the new generation of the web using VR/AR technologies. Enables immersive, branded, and contextual online virtual stores that increase customer engagement, conversion, and loyalty.

ABOUNT OBSESS

Immersive E-commerce Experiences

Obsess is a platform for experiential e-commerce, building the shopping interface for the new generation of the web using VR and AR technologies.   In replacing today's flat, tedious  e-commerce interface introduced by Amazon 20-plus years ago, the Obsess 3-D Commerce Cloud enables beautiful, branded , and immersive online stores that increase customer engagement, loyalty, and conversion (see the Obsess experience).  Experiential e-commerce is expected to be one of the primary drivers fueling the growth of online shopping in discovery-oriented categories such as fashion, home, and lifestyle and the acceleration of the offline-to-online purchasing shift over the next 5 years.  

Obsess founder, Neha Singh, has an engineering and product background from MIT, Google, and Vogue.   The team has extensive experience in 3D development and design.  Customers include Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel, (& all OTB Brands), Ralph Lauren, Coach, Christian Dior, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, AT&T, Sam’s Club, Party City, among others. 

Obsess concluded an October ‘20 seed series raise of $2.5m led by Venture Realty Fund, WXR Fund and Jump Capital, joined by Asper Group, Village Global, Techstars, Asimov Ventures, and other angels.

ASPER GROUP ROLE: Investment, advisory, governance

Cloud app and blockchain platform for secure enterprise information/document sharing and security services ... positioned as the "go-to" place for setting up and closing deals and intercompany arrangements among financial institutions, corporates, advisory and legal firms.

ABOUT CAPLINKED

Simple and Secure Document Sharing

CapLinked  provides an effective means to securely share information across multiple enterprises, making it easier, faster and safer to manage business transactions in the cloud.  CapLinked  is building out its cloud-based portfolio, including the web application enterprise platform of document-sharing tools and well as its SaaS/API-powered offering .  

CapLinked is currently developing TransitNet, a platform to provide companies that issue securities on the blockchain with post-issuance services and tools to manage reporting, governance, and title verification. In connection with this effort, CapLinked has raised funding from a number of leading blockchain-focused funds including Alphabit Fund, Translunar One, Kenetic Capital, NextProtocol Ventures, and BKCM.

Globally-recognized customers in over 40 countries use CapLinked .  Principal use cases include:  due diligence, client onboarding/KYC, licensing, business development and corporate development repository, investor reporting, deal marketing, and all manner of other secure document sharing.  Among other recognitions, Inc. named CapLinked to its list of "5 Back-office Tech Innovations."

CapLinked has completed several funding rounds to drive an expanded product roadmap realization and the recently-announced blockchain initiative, together with aggressive customer acquisition and revenue ramp plans. 

ASPER GROUP ROLE: investment, fund raising, advisory

AI-based restaurant marketing and ordering platform focusing on increasing delivery revenutes, average order size, frequency, customer excitement/engagement, and profitability. And, GoParrot allows restaurants to transition from the high-cost, low-transparency 3rd-party ordering schemes (Grubhub, among others) to their own branded, proprietary ordering and customer loyalty platform

ABOUT GO PARROT

Online Ordering, Made Smart

GoParrot is addressing the $55 billion U.S. restaurant online ordering sector by providing an AI-driven marketing and ordering platform focused on buidling restaurant brand profile, sales, and profitability.   The GoParrot platform is generating significant value for restaurant groups by increasing delivery revenues, average order size, frequency, customer excitement/engagement, and profitability .   GoParrot assists restaurants in transitioning from high-cost 3rd-party delivery apps (e.g., Grubhub) to their own propriety ordering interfaces.  With GoParrot, restaurants own the content, the customer relatioships and the data....using all to motivate frequency, loyalty, and retention.  And, it's interfaces and chat-based messaging are cool....the way people  communicate!   

GoParrot is a rapid build phase, now working with leading chains such as Bareburger, Dos Toros and Westville, among others.  GoParrot has access to 400k restaurants through partnerships with industry leaders such as Toast PoS and Square who help acquire and onboard new customers efficidently and scale quickly.

To see GoParrot in action:  Bareburger Store;  Westville store; or, order now from Westville via Facebook Messenger.

The founders have strong AI and data/engineering expertise, as well as 15-plus years of startup experience. 

ASPER GROUP ROLE: Investment, fund raising, advisory & governance

ABOUT HAWTHORNE MARKETS

Grocery/Fresh Market Retailer with Integrated App

Hawthorne’s is a highly differentiated e-commerce/ marketplace (fresh/organic, nutritious food and value-conscious center-store staples), combining an e-grocery platform/app and in-store shopping/collection point ... competitively differentiated, bringing high growth and superior economics. 

ASPER GROUP ROLE: Investment, advisory

Focused on a portfolio of non-CSD, ready-to-drink tea addressing the quality/mid-price quadrant and with well-known brand name with profile to carry flavor expansion and potential alcohol mix (investment, advisory).  Initial investment in 6/16, exited 12/17 (following NASDAQ listing), at 1.6x.