Urban Innovation Fund

The Urban Innovation Fund, established in 2016 and based in San Francisco, is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments. It provides seed funding and regulatory support to startups addressing significant urban challenges, with the aim of fostering scalable solutions that enhance urban living. The firm targets various sectors, including transportation, climate, civic engagement, education, financial technology, public health, and food systems. As urbanization continues to rise, with a substantial portion of the global population expected to live in cities by 2050, the Urban Innovation Fund is committed to helping entrepreneurs develop innovative solutions that can transform urban environments and create impactful businesses.

Clara Brenner

Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Jenieri Cyrus

Senior Associate

Andrew Felbinger

Principal

Julie Lein

Co-Founder and Managing Partner

May Samali

Senior Associate

Past deals in Smart Cities

Joyride

Seed Round in 2021
Joyride powers the largest global network of micromobility operators. They offer turnkey software solutions for dockless bike-share and electric scooter operators. Their platform includes a white-label mobile application for end-users and a web-based dashboard for fleet operators. They currently power customers in 100-plus markets worldwide, and their management software enables an any-sized business to launch their fleet within 24 hours and seamlessly scale their operations from five to 500,000-plus vehicles.

Ride Report

Series A in 2020
Ride Report is a shared mobility management platform designed to support cities in launching, managing, and evaluating shared transportation programs, including scooters, bikes, and cars. The platform offers tools for processing, anonymizing, and aggregating mobility data, allowing cities to view vehicle locations in real-time. It provides automated alerts for compliance issues, such as when an operator exceeds their limit or when a vehicle is improperly parked. By equipping municipalities with these capabilities, Ride Report enhances the ability to manage policies, analyze travel patterns, and track operator fees, ultimately fostering more equitable, efficient, and sustainable urban transportation solutions. The platform continuously evolves, incorporating new features to adapt to technological advancements in the shared mobility sector.

Ride Report

Seed Round in 2019
Ride Report is a shared mobility management platform designed to support cities in launching, managing, and evaluating shared transportation programs, including scooters, bikes, and cars. The platform offers tools for processing, anonymizing, and aggregating mobility data, allowing cities to view vehicle locations in real-time. It provides automated alerts for compliance issues, such as when an operator exceeds their limit or when a vehicle is improperly parked. By equipping municipalities with these capabilities, Ride Report enhances the ability to manage policies, analyze travel patterns, and track operator fees, ultimately fostering more equitable, efficient, and sustainable urban transportation solutions. The platform continuously evolves, incorporating new features to adapt to technological advancements in the shared mobility sector.

Safari AI

Seed Round in 2018
Safari AI, operating under the name curbFlow Inc., has developed a platform aimed at enhancing curbside management for commercial vehicle operators, including delivery services like DoorDash and UPS. The company provides a software solution that allows these operators to make real-time reservations for passenger and goods pickups and drop-offs. By utilizing computer vision technology, curbFlow enables users to identify available curb space instantly through its application, which functions as a real-time traffic management tool for curbside activities. The platform integrates with retail merchants who host curbFlow's computer vision devices, allowing for the seamless sharing of available curb space information with delivery drivers via a mobile app or API. Founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, curbFlow aims to expand its network of IoT devices to address various urban challenges by delivering real-time data solutions.

Dropcountr

Seed Round in 2017
Dropcountr, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that has developed a mobile application designed to help homeowners monitor and manage their water usage. The Dropcountr app allows users to track their water consumption against personal goals, obtain rebates from utilities, understand tiered pricing, and identify potential leaks before they lead to higher bills. Additionally, the application provides valuable insights to utility staff, enabling them to understand customer behavior and communicate effectively with users. Founded in 2013, Dropcountr aims to foster a connection between water utilities and their customers, promoting efficient water use and cost savings for both parties.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.