Make in LA Announces New Investments in Hardware Startups, Crosses $1MM in Seed Funding
Three innovative new hardware startups garner invaluable benefits to help fuel development, testing and go-to-market strategy from Los Angeles hardware accelerator.
Make in LA, an early-stage hardware accelerator and venture capital seed fund that is building the epicenter of hardware startups in Los Angeles, today announced new investments in two hardware start-ups; 3D-SensIR, and Amped Innovation. Each company received $75,000 plus access to valuable resources including use of the on-site makerspace, access to mentor capital, and a network of suppliers and manufactures who will help finalize their hardware designs and start to scale operations. Make in LA is committed to making early stage investments solely in hardware companies with high growth potential. Make in LA plans to continue to invest significantly in new portfolio companies plus follow-on investments to help fuel Los Angeles’ start-up ecosystem.
“Early stage hardware businesses are remarkably cash constrained and require a unique level of support that is not inherent today in other funds and accelerators,” said Noramay Cadena, co-founder and managing director of Make in LA. “We are enthusiastic about the future for 3D-SensIR and Amped Innovation, and we welcome them to our community. We are committed to our mission to grow the Los Angeles hardware entrepreneurship and hardware ecosystem.”
Amped Innovation: Co-founded by female entrepreneur/hardware engineer Andi Kleissner and partner/CEO Kurt Kuhlman, Amped Innovation is developing a solar home power center that will be affordable for a majority of the 1.2 billion underserved people who lack access to electricity, and is a robust solution that encompasses design, distribution, and finance. Amped is focused on renewable energies that are cheaper and safer than kerosene.
3D-SensIR: Founded by Rengarajan Sudharsanan, entrepreneur and former director of Boeing Company Spectrolab Inc., 3D-SensIR is a 3D mapping startup. Established in 2016, the company designs and builds handheld/mobile smart 3D camera systems that capture reality and transform it into photorealistic 3D models directly on site. By generating detailed scene information containing high-definition imagery and measurement data, 3D-SensIR can greatly increase a user’s ability to capture and interact with a scene digitally in real time.
“Among the hundreds of accelerator applications we reviewed for our recent Cohort 3 round, Amped Innovation stood out for its socially responsible solar home power for people living in poverty with no access to electricity,” said Shaun Arora, co-founder and general manager of Make in LA. “All of these founders represent the principled leadership ideal that thrives well in the world of hardware.”
“Hardware is misunderstood by so many investors,” said Arora. “However, a well-executed process in the right hands can be a strong competitive moat, and that is the edge that hardware programs like Make in LA give to our portfolio companies.”
Since its founding in 2015, Make in LA has funded, mentored and graduated hardware startups via two accelerator Cohorts, with founders working across IoT, robotics, wearables, VR, health, and sports and lifestyle innovation. Their intensive four-month program helps hardware startups turn their ideas into working products.
Make in LA is currently expanding its operations with a dramatically expanded new 35,700 sq. ft. workspace to accommodate the diverse needs of current and future portfolio companies. The new office features collaborative offices (co-working space), nine private offices, nine meetings rooms, a 300-person event space, a biotech wetlab, on-site logistics, espresso bar and much more.
