Checkerspot Closes $13M Series A Funding Round

Checkerspot-MicroalgaeCheckerspot, Inc., a Berkeley, Calif.-based materials innovation company, closed its $13m Series A financing.

The round was led by Builders VC, with participation from Breakout Ventures, Viking Global Investors, KdT Ventures, Plug and Play Ventures, Sahsen Ventures, and Godfrey Capital, among others. In conjunction with the funding, Jim Kim, general partner of Builders VC, will join the Board of Directors.

Co-founded by Charles Dimmler and Scott Franklin, Checkerspot Checkerspot is a materials innovation company that that integrates biotechnology, chemistry and fabrication to expand the palette of materials available to product designers, and enable a more intentional way to design performance materials for specific applications. The technology platform enables the design of new materials, at the molecular level. Through applications development, the company prototypes and iterates on specific product embodiments.
A 2018 graduate of the Illumina Accelerator, Checkerspot focuses on two classes of materials: polyurethanes and textile finishes, each of which is derived from novel triglycerides (oils) from microalgae.
The company’s initial commercial progress has focused on high value consumer applications, including a performance textile wicking finish now marketed in partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies. Through other commercial relationships, it is set to expand into other industrial verticals where performance materials can competitively differentiate products and brands.
Last year, Checkerspot and DIC Corporation announced a Joint Development Agreement to create a new class of novel, high performance polyols.

FinSMEs

16/04/2019

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