Natuur co-founders Zachary Van Cleave, left, and Taylor Spradling pose with some of their products at the company’s Sloan’s Lake location. (BusinessDen file)
Startup funding was up nearly $800 million last month compared to June.
According to a tally of Form Ds filed with the SEC last month, 44 startups around Colorado raised $937.2 million, compared to last month’s $149.1 million and July 2022’s $293.7 million. (You can see our sortable spreadsheet here).
BusinessDen defines a startup as a business that’s less than 10 years old and excludes publicly traded companies, real estate ventures and funds.
Denver startups raised the majority of the cash, bringing in $883.9 million across 19 deals. Companies outside of Denver and Boulder raised $38.7 million across 19 deals and Boulder startups raised $14.6 million across six deals.
Here are some highlights from July:
Natuur (Denver): $250,000
In line with the smoothie bar’s early goals, the 1-year old company raised $250,000 of a $1 million goal last month to expand the brand to Texas.
Founders Zachary Van Cleave and Tyler Spradling opened Natuur at 3712 W. 32nd Ave. in the Highlands last summer. One month after opening, the duo announced a second location in Sloan’s Lake.
“These first two locations were a test case of, does this business have the growth potential that we think it does?” Van Cleave said. “The last year was dialing in everything operationally … getting all the nuts and bolts in place to be able to scale at the level we want to.”
Now, Van Cleave said they’re opening three stores in Texas and planning a further expansion in Denver. He said he and Spradling hope to open three to five locations a year.
“People are coming through our doors more often compared to our competitors because we’re not a franchise, we’re a couple local guys,” Van Cleave said. “People still love local.”
Soona (Denver): $2.58 million
The media production company said in an SEC filing it sold $2.5 million in securities last month, which co-founder Liz Giorgi told BusinessDen was the result of renegotiating “some debt that was venture debt.”
Giorgi and Hayley Anderson founded Soona in 2018. The startup produces content such as marketing photos or videos for other brands. Companies fill out booking details like the number of photos and videos, ship Soona their products and join the photo shoot online.
Soona also has a studio in Platt Park for those who prefer in-person work. The space is equipped with four sets: a living room, a kitchen, a backdrop and a flexible room, BusinessDen previously reported. It also has studios in California, Texas and Minnesota.
According to its website, photos are $39 each and videos are $93. It also offers general packs, such as the Amazon pack (which is tailored to Amazon’s marketing requirements), which is $269 for three lifestyle photos and four white photos of one product.
SEC filings indicate the company has raised $18 million to date.
Loving Home Technologies (Littleton): $1.64 million
The 2-year old technology startup raised $1.6 million last month.
Loving Home Technologies created a social media site for families and communities as a one-stop shop for planning and information. Through its site, families can post various community things such as potluck signups, team snack schedules and party invitations.
According to its website, full access for a community with unlimited posts is $10 a month. It also offers the plus package for $6 a month, which includes unlimited posts but no community board.
According to SEC filings, this is Loving Home Technologies’ first capital raise.
Natuur co-founders Zachary Van Cleave, left, and Taylor Spradling pose with some of their products at the company’s Sloan’s Lake location. (BusinessDen file)
Startup funding was up nearly $800 million last month compared to June.
According to a tally of Form Ds filed with the SEC last month, 44 startups around Colorado raised $937.2 million, compared to last month’s $149.1 million and July 2022’s $293.7 million. (You can see our sortable spreadsheet here).
BusinessDen defines a startup as a business that’s less than 10 years old and excludes publicly traded companies, real estate ventures and funds.
Denver startups raised the majority of the cash, bringing in $883.9 million across 19 deals. Companies outside of Denver and Boulder raised $38.7 million across 19 deals and Boulder startups raised $14.6 million across six deals.
Here are some highlights from July:
Natuur (Denver): $250,000
In line with the smoothie bar’s early goals, the 1-year old company raised $250,000 of a $1 million goal last month to expand the brand to Texas.
Founders Zachary Van Cleave and Tyler Spradling opened Natuur at 3712 W. 32nd Ave. in the Highlands last summer. One month after opening, the duo announced a second location in Sloan’s Lake.
“These first two locations were a test case of, does this business have the growth potential that we think it does?” Van Cleave said. “The last year was dialing in everything operationally … getting all the nuts and bolts in place to be able to scale at the level we want to.”
Now, Van Cleave said they’re opening three stores in Texas and planning a further expansion in Denver. He said he and Spradling hope to open three to five locations a year.
“People are coming through our doors more often compared to our competitors because we’re not a franchise, we’re a couple local guys,” Van Cleave said. “People still love local.”
Soona (Denver): $2.58 million
The media production company said in an SEC filing it sold $2.5 million in securities last month, which co-founder Liz Giorgi told BusinessDen was the result of renegotiating “some debt that was venture debt.”
Giorgi and Hayley Anderson founded Soona in 2018. The startup produces content such as marketing photos or videos for other brands. Companies fill out booking details like the number of photos and videos, ship Soona their products and join the photo shoot online.
Soona also has a studio in Platt Park for those who prefer in-person work. The space is equipped with four sets: a living room, a kitchen, a backdrop and a flexible room, BusinessDen previously reported. It also has studios in California, Texas and Minnesota.
According to its website, photos are $39 each and videos are $93. It also offers general packs, such as the Amazon pack (which is tailored to Amazon’s marketing requirements), which is $269 for three lifestyle photos and four white photos of one product.
SEC filings indicate the company has raised $18 million to date.
Loving Home Technologies (Littleton): $1.64 million
The 2-year old technology startup raised $1.6 million last month.
Loving Home Technologies created a social media site for families and communities as a one-stop shop for planning and information. Through its site, families can post various community things such as potluck signups, team snack schedules and party invitations.
According to its website, full access for a community with unlimited posts is $10 a month. It also offers the plus package for $6 a month, which includes unlimited posts but no community board.
According to SEC filings, this is Loving Home Technologies’ first capital raise.
