Better Ventures Central Llc
Impact investorOakland · Pre-Seed–Growth · 4 people tracked
Investment thesis
Better Ventures backs mission-driven founders using AI, software, biology, and materials science to reshape core industries for the benefit of both people and planet. Its focus areas include climate and industrial decarbonization (electrification, biomanufacturing, green chemistry, recycling), the future of food and health systems (reversing chronic disease, extending healthspan, personalized proactive care, and food-as-health), and the future of work and skills (AI-enabled talent development and productivity for healthcare, manufacturing, and skilled trades). The firm believes purpose gives mission-driven companies a built-in competitive advantage and emphasizes AI applications for the real economy rather than only knowledge workers.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 4 people
from public directories
What they invest in
from 47 of 56 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×16Healthtech ×12Enterprise Software ×11Biotech ×10SaaS ×9Deep Tech ×7FoodTech ×6Climate Tech ×5
HQs:United States×26Kenya×1
Investments · 56 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAfrica's Talking provides communication and payments APIs (voice, SMS, airtime) for developers and businesses to build mobile engagement solutions across Africa.
Developer ToolsFintechSaaS
CareInsights (formerly Agathos) is a mobile-first platform that delivers personalized peer-comparison insights on clinical metrics directly to physicians via text to drive improvements in care quality and reduce costs.
Digital HealthEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechBoulder, US
Andrew Trees(Executive Officer, Director)MARK BAKKEN(Director)ELISE MILLER HOFFMAN(Director)STEVE WAYE(Executive Officer, Director)
Beni is a search and discovery platform that aggregates 300 million secondhand deals across resale marketplaces, allowing consumers to find used items from their favorite brands at lower prices through web, mobile app, and browser extension.
Circular EconomyConsumerMarketplaces
Katharine Sanner(Executive Officer)
BookNook provides live, synchronous reading and math tutoring support for K–8 students through small-group instruction integrated into school districts' existing programs.
EdTech
Clay Health and Care provides concierge medicine services focused on longevity, offering comprehensive health assessments, personalized lifestyle guidance, and medical care to individuals in Nevada.
HealthtechLongevityWellness & FitnessNevada, US
HealthtechChicago, US
Critical Loop builds software and hardware solutions for energy infrastructure, applying aerospace engineering rigor to grid-scale challenges in utilities and enterprise markets.
Climate TechEnergyEnterprise Software
Bala Ramamurthy(CEO and Co-Founder)Lydia Maher(CTO and Co-Founder)Joseph Malchow(Director)Andrew Grinalds(Executive Officer)
Dimension Bio is a biotechnology company that designs and manufactures regenerative therapeutics using its BioNidum™ platform to restore tissue function lost to disease, trauma, or aging.
BiotechHealthtechNew MaterialsChicago, US
Caralynn Nowinski Collens, M.D.(Co-founder & CEO)Ramille Shah, Ph.D.(Co-founder & CSO)Rima Chakrabarti(Director)Ramille Shah(Director)Caralynn Collens(Executive Officer, Director)
Doowii provides an AI-based data consolidation and analytics platform for education institutions that aggregates data from multiple sources to enable administrators and staff to obtain insights without requiring specialized analytics teams.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEdTechLos Angeles, US
EDEN provides an online quoting platform for residential HVAC contractors that calculates heating and cooling loads, recommends equipment, and displays stacked rebates and tax credits to increase customer conversion rates.
Construction TechEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Eko develops FDA-cleared digital stethoscopes and AI-powered software that enables healthcare professionals to detect and diagnose cardiovascular disease with greater accuracy.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
Connor Landgraf(Co-Founder and CEO)Tyler CrouchJason Bellet(Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer)
An AI-powered returns management portal for Shopify merchants that automates returns processing, prevents fraud, and optimizes exchange and refund decisions to reduce costs and boost customer retention in ecommerce.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceSaaSAustin, US
Bailey Newton(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardYenn Lei(Director)Ryan Broshar(Director)
Hicap provides a unified API platform that routes AI requests to 100+ language models across multiple providers, with built-in observability, cost optimization, and access controls.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeveloper Tools
K4Connect provides a patented integration and data coordination platform called FusionOS that connects disparate systems in senior living communities, along with K4Community, an enterprise SaaS suite offering staff efficiency tools, resident engagement apps, and smart home solutions.
Enterprise SoftwareHealthtechSaaSMorrisville, US
Manish Agarwal(Director)F. Scott Moody(Director)Mike Weller(Executive Officer, Director)Cary Burch(Director)Steven F. Lux(Director)Louis Rajczi(Director)
KETOS develops an automated water quality and monitoring platform combining hardware, connectivity, software, and services to test water safety and efficiency for cities and businesses.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareIoT<UNKNOWN>, US
Meena Sankaran(Executive Officer, Director)Heidi Patel(Director)Veery Maxwell(Director)Ollen Douglass(Director)
LeadGenius provides AI-powered contact intelligence and data sourcing for go-to-market teams to identify and engage target customers.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSales TechSan Francisco, US
Anand Kulkarni(Founder/CEO)inPrayag Narula(Founder)inPhilipp Gutheim(Founder/COO)inDave Rolnitzky(Founder/CPO)inMark GodleyZeb Couch
Meati produces meat alternatives made from mycelium, the root structure of fungi, offering a plant-based protein source with complete amino acids and additional nutritional benefits.
ConsumerFoodTech
Metabolic Psychiatry Labs offers mental health treatment that addresses root causes in the brain and body, targeting conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder through metabolic interventions including nutrition, insulin resistance management, and inflammation reduction.
Digital HealthHealthtechMental Health
Mimio is a fasting mimetic supplement formulated to replicate the cellular benefits of a 36-hour fast without requiring actual fasting.
BiotechHealthtechLongevityWellness & Fitness
Wes Selke(Director)Christopher Rhodes(Executive Officer, Director)Caitlin Beatty(Executive Officer, Director)
Mission Barns produces cultivated meat products, primarily pork-based items like meatballs, bacon, and sausages, combining lab-grown pork fat with plant protein for consumers seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional meat.
Climate TechFoodTechBerkeley, US
Ilan Eitan Fischer(Executive Officer, Director)David Bowman(Director)
NBD Nano develops advanced coatings, additives, and adhesives using nanotechnology to enhance product surfaces across various industries.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechDeep TechNew MaterialsBoston, US
Deckard Sorensen(CEO & Co-Founder)Miguel Galvez(President & Co-founder)JOHN CHEN, PH.D.(Director)DAVID ANDERSON, PH.D(Director)NOBI KAMBE, PH.D.(Director)
Neru Health provides an AI-powered operations platform for durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers to automate patient onboarding, compliance management, therapy adherence monitoring, and equipment resupply workflows.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHealthtech
NuCicer develops improved crop varieties through selective breeding, starting with high-protein chickpeas designed for better nutrition.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningFoodTechDavis, US
Paimun Amini(Director)inKathryn Cook(Executive Officer, Director)inDouglas Cook(Executive Officer, Director)
Oasys provides practice management and AI-powered documentation software for mental health practitioners and clinics.
Digital HealthMental HealthSaaSSan Francisco, US
One.bio develops food products designed to provide beneficial molecular signals to support health and address chronic inflammatory disease.
BiotechFoodTechHealthtechWellness & Fitness
Matt Amicucci(Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer)Matt Barnard(Co-Founder & CEO)
Pluton develops a soil-surface biological nutrient system powered by photosynthetic microbes that delivers nitrogen and improves phosphorus availability for crops while reducing nutrient loss.
AgTechBiotechClimate TechDeep Tech
Charlie Walch(Executive Officer, Director)Barry Goldman(Executive Officer, Director)Glendon Schuster(Director)
Rock Rabbit provides an AI-powered platform that simplifies the application, verification, and payment of energy efficiency incentives for contractors, installers, and equipment manufacturers.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechConstruction TechEnergyPropTechSaaSPalo Alto, US
Aimee Gotway Bailey(Executive Officer)
BoardAnthony Oni(Director)Riyad Muradov(Director)
Sail Internet is a fiber-based internet service provider serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley since 2015.
Fremont, US
Kevin Fisher(Chief Product Officer)George GinisDana Wayne Tom(Executive Officer, Director)Ashmeet Sidana(Director)Clint Korver(Director)
Specifx provides data enrichment software for HVAC assets, enabling organizations to instantly retrieve high-resolution metadata (specifications, features, performance) from basic nameplate data for single or thousands of commercial and industrial HVAC systems.
Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareIoT
Synop provides an all-in-one platform for managing electric vehicle fleets and charging infrastructure, optimizing performance and energy management for commercial fleet operators.
EnergyEnterprise SoftwareSaaSCarmel, US
Gagandeep Dhillon(Executive Officer, Director)Andrew Blejde(Executive Officer, Director)
UNLESS Collective designs and sells clothing and footwear made from sustainably-sourced, plant-based materials with a take-back program for end-of-life recycling or composting.
Circular EconomyConsumerDirect to Consumer
Unnatural Products is a drug discovery platform company that develops synthetic macrocycles to target previously undruggable disease targets.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesSanta Cruz, US
Cameron Pye(Co-Founder & CEO)Joshua Schwochert(Co-Founder & CSO)Vasudev Bailey(Director)
UtilityAPI provides data infrastructure and API services for the utility industry, enabling utilities, solution providers, and program administrators to securely share and access customer utility data.
Data & InfrastructureEnergyEnterprise Software
Elena Lucas(Cofounder)Nneka Kibuule(Director)Devin Hampton(Executive Officer, Director)Lynne Wander(Executive Officer)Arthur Vos(Director)Daniel Roesler(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Better Ventures Central Llc invest at?
- Better Ventures Central Llc invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
- What is Better Ventures Central Llc's typical check size?
- Better Ventures Central Llc typically writes checks of $500K – $1.5M.
- What sectors does Better Ventures Central Llc focus on?
- Better Ventures Central Llc focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Digital Health, EdTech, FoodTech, Future of Work, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good, Longevity, New Materials, Wellness & Fitness.
- Where is Better Ventures Central Llc located?
- Better Ventures Central Llc is headquartered in Oakland, US.
- Does Better Ventures Central Llc lead rounds?
- Yes, Better Ventures Central Llc leads investment rounds.
Images
Co-investors · 12
Bee Partners is an early-stage venture firm that backs technical founders at inception, before product, revenue, or market recognition. Over 15 years it has invested in nearly 100 companies with a focus on AI, hardware, and deep technology.
Impact America Fund invests in technology companies led by and serving overlooked communities and people of color, aiming to increase agency and participation in the American economy.
Lever VC is a venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs building the future of food and agriculture, backing companies across food technology, agtech, and sustainable food production.
Playground Global is a venture capital firm that invests in deep tech companies built by scientists and engineers, spanning next-generation compute, automation, energy, and computational biology.
Buoyant Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on the intelligence layer of energy, grid, data center, and industrial infrastructure, targeting improvements in infrastructure efficiency.
Mayfield Fund is a venture capital firm publishing perspectives on artificial intelligence, focusing on what it calls the Collaborative Intelligence era where humans and AI work together.
BITKRAFT Ventures is a global investment platform focused on gaming, interactive media, and related technologies, investing at the intersection of physical and digital worlds it calls 'Synthetic Reality.'
Wildcat Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that backs technology entrepreneurs aiming to create new market categories.
Unpopular Ventures is an investment firm that backs standout startups found off the beaten path, favoring opportunities that are contrarian or unpopular early on.
Builders VC is a venture firm run by operators and investors that backs founders solving complex, mission-critical problems in industries dominated by legacy systems.
finway is a Berlin-based software company providing spend and finance management tools for businesses, including invoice processing, multi-step approval workflows, purchase order syncing, bank connections, and debit cards. Its product targets companies handling 100 or more incoming invoices per month.
Contrarian Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing climate tech founders, providing full-stack support through initiatives like the Energy Tech Summit, The Climate Brick, and Climate50.
Firms observed investing alongside Better Ventures Central Llc, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Better Ventures Central Llc's recorded portfolio.
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