Anzu's July newsletter shares a new investment in Framework Computer, a new Customer Success Center from AM Batteries, and new core products from both CytoTronics and Nirrin Technologies.
Framework is setting a new standard in the laptop industry with their ultra-modular, upgradeable, and repairable laptops. Unlike the traditional name-brand models that consumers frequently replace year-over-year, Framework's vision is to make their computer the last one you'll ever need to buy. This approach not only champions sustainability but also significantly reduces e-waste, aligning perfectly with today’s global environmental goals. Up to 80% of an electronic device's environmental impact over its lifetime comes from its initial manufacturing, and enhancing product longevity can offer a substantial reduction.
Framework’s initial products, such as the Framework 13 laptop, resemble popular light-weight laptops on the market today but stand out with their remarkable level of repairability and customizability, allowing users or service technicians to easily maintain and extend the lifespan of their devices. The company’s commitment to modularity and upgradeability includes a diverse range of expansion cards for customizable ports, networking, and storage. They have also pioneered technology enabling the upgrade of CPUs, displays, webcams, and even discrete GPUs as these components wear out or new features emerge.
Since the company’s launch in 2020 and the first product’s availability in mid-2021, Framework has achieved remarkable market traction, selling tens of thousands of laptops to customers with minimal advertising spend. They have recently begun shipping their second flagship product, a 16” laptop targeted toward enthusiasts and gamers, which entered 2024 with substantial pre-order interest. Beyond the Framework 13 and Framework 16 laptops, the company has an ambitious roadmap for other consumer electronics, also designed with a focus on product longevity and ownership.
Framework’s commitment to corporate ESG and e-waste reduction has attracted strong interest from small and medium-sized businesses, seeking sustainable alternatives for fleet-wide adoption.
As investors, we are excited to support their journey and look forward to seeing Framework continue to innovate and lead the way in sustainable consumer electronics. If you have any questions or are interested in trying out Framework for your business, please feel free to reach out.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Kan, Partner at Anzu Partners
IN MEMORIAM
On July 21, our community lost Rob Kaizerman, one of the most transformative and generous talents in the Anzu Partners portfolio. Rob was the first senior hire that Anzu ever made at a portfolio company – bringing his high standards, role model work ethic and warm spirit.
Rob's team leadership started at home, as husband of nearly 27 years to Maria and father to seven children and grandfather to nine grandchildren. He brought that same spirit of commitment to each work "family" he built - at Axsun Technologies and for the last three and a half years as COO of BioSkryb, and here at Anzu. We are all better for having him in our lives.
Rob passed away after a brief battle with cancer, surrounded by family.
We will carry forward his commitment to family, his team and the mission by supporting his family and our BioSkryb colleagues in this moment, as we continue to drive forward his mission of enabling precision medicine at life science laboratories around the world. His obituary is available here.
With gratitude,
David, David, and Whitney
PORTFOLIO COMPANY UPDATES
CytoTronics Revealed Pixel Octo for High-Throughput Cell Biology Discovery Applications
CytoTronics, a pioneer of semiconductor-based platforms for discovery in cell biology, introduced its high-throughput Pixel™ Octo system at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR 2024) in Hamburg, Germany.
This new addition to the Pixel lineup integrates the company’s semiconductor-to-live-cell interface in an environmental controlled benchtop system to deliver live cell measurements for up to eight 96-well Pixel plates simultaneously. When paired with laboratory robotic automation, the Pixel Octo offers full scalability in high-throughput cell biology applications. The ISSCR conference also marks the European reveal of CytoTronics’ product portfolio, including the entry-level Pixel Primo, a single plate reader that brings accessibility to researchers for under US$30,000.
To learn more about Pixel or enroll in the early access program, visit www.cytotronics.com.
Nirrin Technologies Launched Atlas for At-line Analysis at the Point of Sampling
Nirrin Technologies, adeveloper of analytical tools poised to transform bioprocess analysis, announced the launch of their Atlas™ systemfor at-line excipient and product titer quantitation in downstream bioprocessing applications.
Powered by Nirrin’s proprietary high-precision tunable laser spectroscopy™ (HPTLS) technology, Atlas enables simultaneous analysis of buffer excipients, such as surfactants and amino acids, and high concentration proteins, such as monoclonal antibodies, peptides and vaccines in one minute throughout the bioprocess. This easy-to-use system delivers critical data with the accuracy and sensitivity of HPLC — bringing the power of the core lab right to the point of sampling.
XGS Energy Acquired Premier Geothermal Drilling Services Company Capuano Engineering
XGS Energy, an innovator in geothermal energy technology and project development, acquired Capuano Engineering Company, a global geothermal drilling and completion services company. With the additional expertise of Capuano Engineering Founder, President, and CEO Louis (Lou) Capuano, Jr. and team, XGS will advance its proprietary closed-loop heat-harvesting technology to the field and deliver next-generation geothermal projects across the globe.
“In my work with the XGS team, I have consistently been impressed by the potential of their technology to drive the next wave of geothermal scale globally,” said Lou Capuano Jr. in the press release. “By combining XGS’ disruptive technology with our extensive operational experience, I believe we have the opportunity to lead the next-generation geothermal market. I am excited to be a part of the future of geothermal.”
AM Batteries Opened New Customer Success Center Program with $2.23M Grant from Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative
AM Batteries (AMB), a pioneer in the field of lithium-ion dry-electrode technologies, has established a new Customer Success Center, a ground-breaking initiative aimed at providing unparalleled support and value to its customers. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to help customers test and qualify their materials on AM Batteries’ dry-electrode manufacturing process in a dry-room manufacturing environment, ensuring optimal electrode and battery performance.
The $2.23 million award from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), a program run by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), is instrumental in supporting the establishment of the center. The M2I2 program works to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization in various manufacturing sectors and helps support cross-collaboration among companies, universities, national labs, and other institutions. Additionally, the company continues to be bolstered by its strong investor group, ensuring sustained growth and development.
GelSight Released GelSight Mobile 3.8 Software Package
GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, announced the release of its GelSight Mobile™ 3.8 software package. The new features in GelSight Mobile 3.8 improve users’ experience and surface analysis capabilities by offering colored heightmaps in the 2D live view and custom report annotations that help users make more informed decisions about the surface characteristics of any material, anywhere. Additionally, an updated API expands on GelSight’s platform and improves the capabilities of partners’ robotics and systems integrations. After capturing a surface scan, GelSight Mobile 3.8 provides an enhanced, visually intuitive analysis view with new colored heightmap overlays.
GelSight Mobile 3.8 also adds custom notes for PDF reports. These custom notes allow for better annotation of GelSight’s industry leading surface analysis reports, improving users’ communication within organizations and with their partners and suppliers. These user-defined notations ensure every detail is captured and can be saved in reports even after they are closed. In addition to these new features, GelSight also continues to make improvements to the GelSight Mobile user interface that make the experience smoother and more reliable.
Xendee, a provider of the leading design and operation platform for distributed energy systems and Electric Vehicle (EV) fast-charging infrastructure, has completed multiple projects of its OPERATE controller software technology, showing significant cost savings over existing hardware and rule-based microgrid controller technologies.
Through its standardized, research-based approach, Xendee’s microgrid modeling software has shown significant reductions in design times of up to 90% during the feasibility study and technical design process compared with manual and traditional approaches. Now with the same methodologies in the background as the DESIGN product, and with smart AI-enabled forecasting, Xendee is releasing OPERATE, the next and final step for microgrid deployment – their adaptive Model Predictive Controller (MPC). This adaptive software-based microgrid control technology can achieve up to 80% cost savings compared to existing hardware and rule-based microgrid controllers during real-time operation and is now available for asset owners and integration partners (e.g. SCADA systems, etc.) looking to partner with Xendee and implement OPERATE.
Please reach out toinfo@anzupartners.comif you’re interested in meeting with us at any of these events.
ADDITIONAL ANZU & PC MEDIA COVERAGE
Anzu Partners was mentioned in an opinion piece in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, by Tim Lieuwen, the Head of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech.
AM Batteries was featured in a Bloomberg story about EV battery breakthroughs.
To stay up to date on the latest news from both Anzu and our portfolio companies, follow us on social media.
ABOUT ANZU PARTNERS
Anzu Partners is an investment firm that focuses on industrial and life science technology companies with the potential to transform their industries. Anzu works with entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize technological innovations by providing capital alongside deep expertise in business development, market positioning, intellectual property, global connectivity, and operations. For more information, please visit https://anzupartners. com/.
The information contained in this newsletter is being provided by Anzu Partners for informational purposes only. The information was obtained from various sources, but Anzu Partners cannot assure its accuracy. This is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation for an offer to buy an interest in any fund managed by Anzu Partners. Any such offer or solicitation will only be made to qualified potential investors pursuant to a private placement memorandum. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.
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