Q1: Highlighting COVID-19 Responses from the Portfolio

First, we would like to extend our deepest well wishes to you, your family and your organizations, as we all soldier through the impact of COVID-19.

While we have remained active and will share our transactions and portfolio activities in Q2, we want to keep the focus on initiatives created by portfolio companies to make progress and chart a path towards COVID-19 detection, analysis, and treatments as well as support services.

• DarwinAI created an open-source AI platform to help aid in the discovery of a cure by using neural networks to spot COVID-19 in chest x-rays.
• AlayaCare partnered with Freshii to provide healthy food options to seniors. They also launched a series of free webinars with Home Health Care News to educate the community on virtual care in the age of COVID-19.
• Clearbanc created a tool called Runway to help startups analyze their business and pick a funding plan.
• AON3D are using their 3D printers and technology in high-performance thermoplastics to design face shields to protect medical staff.
• Flare Systems is helping minimize risks in shifting to a remote workforce by providing free distance data-security access through their platform.
• Scanwell Health and Lemonaid Health are working together in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to develop and distribute a test for at-home use.
• BenchSci is using AI to curate and organize datasets for all scientists working on vaccines and cures by publishing its AI-Derived Experimental Data and Reagent Insights.
• Sonder is offering 40% off for stays of over 14 days for those needing a place to stay during the crisis.
• Top Hat is making its digital learning platform free of use for the remainder of the semester, including free textbooks, free remote tests and exams, and access to Top Hat support services.
• ResQ has launched ResQ helps to provide meals from partner restaurants and match them with frontline workers and people impacted by COVID-19 in the Toronto area.
• Lightspeed HQ provided $500 for each employee to buy from local businesses through Lightspeed Local

Please also see these other posts from the Inovia Team. We hope these materials and ideas serve you well as we all step into a wildly unscripted future.

• The impending new normal — Chris Arsenault
• Startup Business Planning For COVID-19 — Dan Freedman