Venture Grade, a student venture capital fund based at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, has announced new investments in two regional companies that facilitate the making of advanced maps: 3D Planeta and KorrAI.
In a statement, the young investors said they have invested $12,500 in each venture, after being impressed by the companies’ management teams and their growth and exiting prospects.
Fredericton-based 3D Planeta’s software allows viewing of 3D maps based on aerial, satellite, and underwater imagery. Company CEO and co-founder Norm Couturier is a serial entrepreneur in technology startups, while COO and co-founder Tom Batty has worked with 3D modelling and simulations during almost forty years in the Canadian Armed Forces.
KorrAI is a Halifax-based mineral exploration and mining technology company that provides a Data-as-a-Service platform that assembles geological data into digital maps. Company co-founder and CEO Rahul Anand is a serial entrepreneur with artificial intelligence and data science expertise, while co-founder and CIO Rob McEwan’s expertise is in the earth sciences field.
Founded in 2016, the Venture Grade fund is raised and managed by graduate and undergraduate students. The fund is connected to Silicon Valley’s C100 group, Boston’s Canadian Entrepreneurs in New England, and local VC funds, including Innovacorp, Build Ventures and Concrete Ventures.