Welcome back to the Great North Ventures newsletter! We have some great funding news, insights for founders and investors from our partners, and a former Yahoo and Disney exec on our podcast, Una Fox!
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FactoryFix has raised a $10M Series A. The company has grown it’s revenue by over 400% in the past year, and expanded its talent network to more than 300,000. Grotech Ventures led the round which included Great North Ventures, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Hyde Park Venture Partners, Capital Midwest, and JFF Labs.
“The manufacturing industry in the US is buzzing right now. Every company we talk to has turned down business at some point because they didn’t have enough qualified people to fulfill the order,” said CEO Patrick O’Rahilly.
If you’re interested in a humorous take on the state of American manufacturing, check out FactoryFix’s off-beat, “The Office” style YouTube comedy series.
In Episode 9 of “Execution is King” we feature Una Fox, a Chief Global Data & Analytics Officer and former Yahoo and Disney exec. Una provides great guidance for founders on what it means to really be data-driven, and how to build that into your venture from the beginning.
“You know, startup a founder might be thinking, ‘Well, there’s only two of us here. What does that mean?’ It means that you have to bring the data to any discussion and stand up, any meeting when you’re getting together.”
Who does Una see executing? A VR wellness company called Tripp.
Visit the Great North Ventures website for some fresh insights from our Managing Partners.
Pradip Madan talks about the outlook for Rapid Consumer Detection Technologies in 2022. Spoiler alert: The outlook is good.
Rob Weber talks through whether founders should start with a native mobile app or a web app. Spoiler alert: the title gives it away. “Start With a Mobile App, Not a Website”.
Portfolio Updates
FactoryFix, a Recruiting Platform for Manufacturers to Hire Workers, Raises $10M Series A
Allergy Amulet Secures NSF Funding for Lactose Detection
NextGem’s waitlist is open for early users. If you’re interested in trading cards or testing the app, check it out.
TeamGenius has released Hockey Labs, a new youth hockey training app.
131 Open Positions
See all open positions on the Great North Ventures careers page
Dispatch is hiring for 74 positions
Structural is hiring for 3 positions
FactoryFix is hiring for 4 positions
TeamGenius is hiring for 1 position
Pitchly is hiring for 4 positions
PrintWithMe is hiring for 8 positions
Parallax is hiring for 5 positions
Branch is hiring for 17 positions
Inhabitr is hiring for 2 positions
Clinician Nexus is hiring for 1 position
NoiseAware is hiring for 1 position
PartySlate is hiring for 6 positions
Flywheel is hiring for 2 positions
NextGem is hiring for 2 positions
Backhouse Brands is hiring for 1 position
Commercial real-estate (CRE), a $12 trillion industry, has been slow to use new technologies and data that can boost economic returns. During a recent Quarterly Spotlight event held by Great North Ventures, Tony Lesicka, CEO and Founder of Coverlease, and Pradip Madan, Managing Partner at Great North Ventures, discussed opportunities in CRE available from better use of data and analytics.
View the video, or read the summary below to learn about CRE data and how we should look at this going forward to maximize the potential of this industry.
Lack of transparency has rendered useful data inaccessible. Tony thinks this problem is solvable more easily and quickly than many people think. Lessons learned in how to anonymize data from industries such as healthcare can be useful. In healthcare, anonymized data is key to clinical trials and accelerated drug discovery. Similarly, CRE data can be anonymized.
There is some critical information that can bring value to the industry which can help with the use of this data and making it more mainstream. This revolves around pricing measures and how to effectively price this CRE in order to make better decisions for you and your company.
This is all provided by data and can be related to a zillow “zestimate” which provides a price estimate based off the data available. This cannot be done without the data in place and is something that can provide extreme value to the users of CRE in order to make better decisions within the industry.
The information is important because it will make the industry more uniform. In CRE every deal and property is looked at in a little different way and every contract is written up just a little differently. If this data is made available it will allow for an easier to use and understand the industry.
This would end up making the pricing and buying/selling of CRE more streamlined and easier to get fair and equitable deals. Ultimately a more uniform industry which is caused by the use of this information will help to mitigate risk for investors and increase opportunities due to the increased knowledge of what things are worth.
This information has been blocked because there is no sort of standardization of data across the United States without this it can be very difficult to purpose the data that is available in a way people can understand and use it. This problem is rooted deeper than just this though, there has been an ongoing battle forever in the real-estate industry around privacy and confidentiality.
This is the root of why CRE data is not more available and there are even still 10 states in the United States that are considered non-disclosure states for sale data on CRE. This can be fixed but this is something that is only a matter of opinion on how and when it will be fixed.
This is a slow process and will take time to figure out, but per this discussion Tony talks about a few key things that need to happen in order for this problem to be fixed.
First there is the Legal, Regulatory, and Business Considerations which he discussed which could have a big impact on the use of this data and could shift a lot of things in the industry. One main thing to be looked at is those non-disclosure states. That is something that could be changed to make the data more available to use within CRE.
Second was to fix the ongoing problem of data transparency and the normalization of this data to be used in the industry.
Lastly, from a business standpoint just slowly implementing best practices in low-friction markets to help get customers and people realizing that it is ok and possible to use this data for the benefit of us all.
What CRE could look like with a truly scalable system in place 5-10 years down the line
This discussion was wrapped up with a question about what the future of CRE could look like with a fully-implemented scalable system in place.
There are a few key things to note that look exciting for the future of CRE within this question and something that can help show signs of growth for this industry going forward. This would allow for increased ease of use for everyone involved in CRE. Landlords and property managers would be able to focus their time on more valuable items and ultimately increase the bottom line.
This would allow for everyone involved with CRE to be more informed and allow for better decision making. Ultimately this industry would look a lot more uniform and easier to enter and be a part of due to the increased simplicity and understandability of CRE which will grow the industry and have lasting positive effects on the country and the globe.
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April Newsletter
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June Newsletter
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Demystifying Startup HR
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Head of Finance & Fund Administration- Venture Capital Firm (Remote)
![Learn about HR in startups.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/startup-hr.jpg)
Demystifying Startup HR
![August Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/August_22_Newsletter.png)
3 Portfolio Companies Make Inc. 5000 + Quicklly & Instacart Expand
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/july_newsletter.png)
iraLogix closes $22M + Branch expands with Uber
![iraLogix Closes Series C](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/iraLogix_series_c.jpg)
iraLogix closes $22M Series C
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/June-Newsletter.png)
Flywheel lands Gates Foundation grant
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Venture Capital Analyst
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Orazio Buzza, Founder and CEO of Fooda – on Episode 13, “Execution is King”
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$40M Fund II Raised!
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Eric Martell, Founder of Pear Commerce: Episode 13, Execution is King
![Great North Ventures Raises $40M Fund II](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/News-Template-replae-Background-Image-2.png)
Great North Ventures Raises $40 Million Fund II
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Investment Thesis: Fund II Strategy
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Investment Theme: Community-Driven Applications
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Investment Theme: Digital Transformation Through AI
![Fund II Theses: Solving Labor Problems](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fund-II-Theses-4.png)
Investment Theme: Solving Labor Problems
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Trends in the Gig Economy + Work in the Metaverse
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Portfolio raises $125M + talking fundraising with Branch CEO
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Omnia Fishing closes $4M round, joins Great North portfolio!
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Atif Siddiqi, Founder/CEO of Branch: Episode 11, Execution is King
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Michael Martocci, CEO and Founder of SwagUp: Episode 10, Execution is King
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Yardstik new to portfolio, closes $8M Series A
![NextGem News](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NextGem-News.png)
First venture studio startup comes out of stealth!
![January Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/January-Newsletter.png)
Insights for founders from a data guru, + FactoryFix raises a Series A!
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Una Fox: Episode 9, Execution is King
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Start With a Mobile App, Not a Website
![December Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/December-Newsletter.png)
2ndKitchen acquired by SoftBank-backed REEF + advice from an early Googler
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Joe Sriver, 4giving: Episode 8, Execution is King
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2ndKitchen Acquired by REEF
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Venture studio startup jobs + advice for founders from founders
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Best Advice from the Great North Annual Event: Episode 7, Execution is King
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Newsletter: Do you fit our investing themes?
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Jonathan Treble, PrintWithMe: Episode 6, Execution is King
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Anna Mason, Revolution: Episode 5, Execution is King
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Mynul Khan, FieldNation: Episode 4, Execution is King
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Nick Moran, New Stack Ventures: Episode 3, Execution is King
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Molly Pyle, Center on Rural Innovation (CORI): Episode 2, Execution is King
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Justin Kaufenberg, Rally Ventures: Execution is King Episode 1
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Newsletter: “Podcast Launched: Execution is King!”
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“Execution is King” – the Great North Ventures Podcast
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Newsletter: Fund II is open for business!
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Unlocking the Potential of Anonymized Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Data
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Fund II is open for Business!
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Mike Schulte Promoted to Venture Partner
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New Name + New Venture Studio
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Great North Launches Startup Studio
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We Don’t Need No [full-time MBA] Education
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How the University of Minnesota is Embracing Startup Culture
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Top Stories of 2020, iraLogix, and LaunchMN Calls for Mentors
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Building Capacity for Innovation
![August Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/August-Newsletter.png)
Seizing Opportunity in a Recession, Allergy Amulet, and Twin Cities Startup Week
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/July-Newsletter.png)
Recessionary times, a record-setting IPO, and Minnesota’s Resilient Startups
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Minnesota's Resilient Startups
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July 4th, Equitable American Dream-ing, and Robots Diagnosing COVID
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Jumpstart, the Startup School, and Branch Wins a Webby!
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COVID-19 Trends, the Great North response, and our Founders Survey
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Giving in the Time of Coronavirus
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COVID-19 Resources for Startups, State-by-State
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COVID-19, the CARES Act, and startups stepping up
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New Business Preservation Act
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Digital Future Boardroom, PartySlate, and The Lean Startup School
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Great North Labs’s Startup Summit 2020
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Great North Labs's Startup Summit 2020
![Great North Labs January Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/January-Newsletter.png)
World Economic Forum, NoiseAware, and the Startup School reboot
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Great North Labs at the World Economic Forum 2020 in Davos
![Top 5 Stories of 2019](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/December-Newsletter-Featured-Image.png)
Top 5 Stories of 2019
![November Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/November-Newsletter.jpg)
Taking the Founders Pledge, Inhabitr, and gBETA Pitch Night
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Founders Pledge: Support the Organizations that Support You
![Great North Labs's October Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/October-Newsletter-.png)
BETA Showcase, Greater MN, and Launch MN comes to St. Cloud
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7 Places to Spot Us at Startup Week
![September Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/September-Newsletter.png)
The Greater MN Meetup, Parallax, and Exponential Medicine
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Greater MN at the big show, Neela Mollgaard heads Launch MN, and Misty’s roadtrip.
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/July-Newsletter.png)
Talking VC, tech kids, and Forge North’s Horizon
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June: Great North Labs’s first fund raised!
![May Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/May.png)
May: Innovation Ecosystems, SingularityU Kickoff, and PrintWithMe
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April: Minnebar Recap, ZenLord Pro, and Supporting Entrepreneurs
![Minnebar14](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Minnebar14-1200x400.png)
MinneBar 14 Recap
![Tech Madness 2019](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Tech-Madness-1200x457.jpg)
Dispatch and 2ndKitchen claim Tech Madness titles
![Minnesota Innovation Collaborative](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-04-at-6.12.37-PM-1200x402.png)
Minnesota Innovation Collaborative
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/March.jpg)
March: Minnebar, Hockey + Hustlers, and Innovation Workshops
![Great North Labs at CES](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/My-Post.jpg)
Great North Labs at CES
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Dec.-Jan.: Top Posts from 2018, pepr, Glowe, and Misty Robotics
![Top Posts 2018](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Top-Posts-2018.jpg)
Carried Interest: Top Posts from 2018
![Oct.-Nov. Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Oct._Nov.-Newsletter-Copy.jpg)
Oct.-Nov.: Singularity University, Exponential Tech, and the State of Innovation
![The Digital Transformation Summit will take place on July 25th in Minneapolis.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Digital-Transformation-Summit-2018-e1605573289717-1200x392.png)
Digital Transformation Summit, July 25th in Minneapolis
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/June-Newsletter.jpg)
June: Silicon Lakes, FactoryFix, and the Digital Transformation Summit
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Putting the “Silicon” in Silicon Lakes
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Digital Manufacturing and Logistics
![May Newsletter Copy](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/May-Newsletter-Copy.jpg)
May: Team Genius, IoT, and the Future of Everything
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IoT 3.0
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Healthcare Innovation
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/March-Newsletter.jpg)
March: Exponential Tech, the “Goldilocks Zone”, and Minnebar 13
![February Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/February-Newsletter.jpg)
February: Team Expansion, Dispatch, and Startup School Events
![Great North Labs Newsletter December 2017](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Headerlogo.png)
Great North Labs Newsletter – December 2017
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A Letter To My Younger Self
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Great North Labs Newsletter
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Great North Labs Featured on Tech.mn
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Great North Labs Featured in St Cloud Times
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Great North Labs – Featured on BizJournals.com
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