Daniel Schreiber

What do creative technologists build? At Baukunst, we’ve spent the last few years answering that question in real time. We are a collective of builders — operators, designers, engineers, and investors — committed to advancing the art of building at the frontiers of technology and design. We lead pre-seed rounds with conviction, often as the first institutional capital a founder takes, and we invest deeply in the messy, magical early days of company creation. This deck is the portfolio behind that philosophy, or rather that portfolio that has grown up out of it. We have chosen to champion these companies, and they chosen to co-create with us. These are companies built by creative technologists, founders who think in systems, design for real people, and push beyond the familiar. 

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Eclipse is proud to be leading Jetson's $50M Series A, partnering with Stephen Lake, Aaron Grant and Matthew Bailey, to deliver the electric home of the future. Jetson is on a mission to power the entire home more efficiently, affordably, and cleanly by reinventing the products and process by which energy infrastructure is installed, financed, serviced, and managed. Starting with heat pumps (the core energy-consuming infrastructure of the home that accounts for $300B in annual consumer spend), Jetson is building a vertically integrated, software-driven home energy ecosystem. This approach is a complete departure from the fragmented, largely manual home energy industry that exists today. Jetson isn't just delivering the economic and environmental benefits of electricity; it's transforming the customer experience. They believe every homeowner deserves an Apple-level experience for critical home infrastructure service, from quote, to install, to operations — and with up to 50% lower cost. A little more than a year after launching, the company is already in more than 1,000 homes across the U.S. and Canada. This is after a breakout 2025 with over 10x growth and a 75 Net-Promoter-Score. Beyond the incredible execution and massive opportunity, Jetson hits home personally for me, for 3 big reasons. First, as a fellow University of Waterloo 🇨🇦 Engineer, I’ve seen Stephen, Aaron, and Matthew execute on trailblazing full-stack products for over a decade. They’re an immensely talented, focused, and grounded team who has irreplaceable chemistry and taste. Second, from my time founding Kojo and investing in the built environment, I've seen firsthand that the existing value chain of installers, suppliers and manufacturers can only gain so much efficiency with new tech. The Jetson team is working from first-principles and owning everything from the hardware, firmware, consumer facing software, all the way to the crews, trucks and warehouse operations. This end-to-end control allows them to deliver a best-in-class product experience, while also shortening the value chain and passing significant cost savings to the customers. Finally, in addition to this great team and opportunity, we’re investing alongside some of our favorite people. Alex Kolicich (8VC), Eric Meyer, Caroline C. (Activate Capital), Mike McCauley (Garage Capital), Mike Winterfield (Active Impact Investments) and Garry Tan. Read all about the investment here: https://lnkd.in/g4MZJS5j Read Sean Silcoff's coverage in the Globe and Mail: https://lnkd.in/gmGzPx54 Jiten Behl, Michael Laser, Charly M., Lior Susan, Aidan Madigan-Curtis, Greg Reichow, Seth Winterroth, Kaitlyn Glancy, Greg Lyon, Angela Hayward, Laura Spaventa Lewis, Heather Mack, Mary Wells

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Working with NRF to pursue our patent strategy is an important step in recognizing that proprietary AI systems and workflows are becoming a new form of intellectual property for modern firms. Great to partner with George, John McBride, and the team at Norton Rose Fulbright as we work at the frontier of how AI can transform investment decision-making in venture capital. At Decasonic, we believe the next generation of companies will reinvent with AI workflows and systems how organizations operate, how leaders make decisions, and how teams collaborate with intelligent systems. In going through this streamlined process, it's clear to me that many more startups should clarify their IP strategy. Our internally developed AI platform, RLEN, reflects that philosophy. We are building AI not to automate tasks and flourish outcomes, in collaborative ways for human and AI teammates. This enables our investors to test ideas, explore alternative perspectives, and reach deeper insights faster when navigating uncertainty. More broadly, we are seeing trailblazing work across industries and cities as leaders experiment with how AI can reshape communities, companies, and countries. Leadership with AI forever transforms. We are still in the early innings. Appreciate the partnership and collaboration from the Norton Rose Fulbright team as we continue inventing and innovating. Special shoutout to my colleague Abdul Al Ali who's listed as a co-inventor.

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**Bridging Fashion and Technology: Alta's $11M Vision** Jenny Wang's innovative approach at Alta aims to redefine personal styling by merging technology with user-centric solutions. This $11M investment from prominent figures reaffirms the demand for tools that simplify style choices in our fast-paced digital era. At ElevenX Capital, we believe that the intersection of technology and personal experiences is where significant value lies. How can investors further support startups transforming traditional industries through tech? #investing #innovation #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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Explore how strategic mergers and acquisitions are transforming insurance platforms' future in the InsurTech industry. Discover insights in the Everest Group's blog. #InsurTech #InsuranceInnovation https://buff.ly/xAw55ky

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It goes by a lot of names: MSO, synthetic rollup, business-in-a-box. But earning a right to sharing in customers' upside is unique vertical strategy. Shopify, Honor, Compass, DoorDash, TaskRabbit, OpenDoor, Grow Therapy. What does it take to win that level of customer trust early? Sometimes, it means doing things that don't scale. Services can play a big role. We asked Dan Friedman, founder of another champion of the model: Moxie Get Dan's take in this clip from our latest episode.

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Thrilled to announce the official launch of Landfall IP. I love the innovation process, and truly wanted to improve the experience, give something back, and open it up to far more innovators. After almost 20 years of working inside traditional systems, one thing became clear: the process is not where it needs to be, as it hasn't kept up with the pace of modern innovation. So we stepped back and reimagined the process from first principles. AI where it creates clarity and speed. Senior expertise where it determines outcomes. The result is a faster, more insightful, and measurably better patent experience. For startups, this means something important: you now get early visibility into patentability, strategy, and risk before you spend serious dollars. Our Discovery Agent makes that possible, and it’s free to try. Proud of what we are building, and even more excited for what’s ahead. Website: https://landfallip.com/ Video: https://lnkd.in/g_AvJXzB #Innovation #LegalTech #AIinLaw #PatentLaw #StartupEcosystem #VCs #AInative

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For years, AI in insurance meant automating the back office: faster quotes, smoother workflows, fewer manual tasks. That was a great start, but speed alone won’t win in an increasingly competitive market. What excites me now is the shift toward AI that actually drives revenue. Tools like Outmarket AI, CoverForce, and Liberate are helping brokers prioritize high-conversion submissions, align with carrier appetite, and re-engage dormant leads. It’s not just about efficiency anymore. It’s about enabling smarter growth. At Fika Ventures, we’re excited by platforms that combine automation with intelligence. The winners in this space won’t just move faster. They’ll move with precision. Read more of my thoughts in the blog below 👇 https://lnkd.in/gNZ255GQ

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🚨 New Generation Space Podcast Episode Alert 🚨 Portfolio Spotlight with CEO Mike Gulla of Adaptive Insurance 🌍 Host Leah Martin chatted with Mike Gulla, CEO of Adaptive Insurance, a Texas-based startup using AI-driven parametric insurance to tackle climate risk head-on. Fresh off a $5M Seed round, Mike shares how Adaptive is helping communities and businesses stay resilient in the face of increasingly extreme weather. Lewis Alun Jones, Generation Space’s VP of Investment also joined the conversation, to unpack why Adaptive is a standout in the space. 🔗 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eXNBtWkv

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Really important point Dave. Regulations may force change, but trust is what sustains platforms longterm. Privacy first, on-device protection shows that safeguarding children doesn’t require surveillance alone and that’s a critical distinction more developers need to understand and adopt.

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Couldn't be more bullish on Equal Parts and Michael Witte, congrats on the $23m Series A and pumped to have Inspired Capital and Mark Batsiyan join the cap table. Max Ventures is a proud day zero investor. I’m generally skeptical of the VC trend of “roll up businesses + deploy AI = venture returns,” but Equal Parts is both a compelling exception and an illustrative use case for how this strategy can work. 1) Real operating results, quickly. Since founding in March 2025, Equal Parts has driven ~40% revenue growth across acquired agencies and nearly 50% bottom-line improvement. Independent insurance agencies are deeply under-served technologically — but these gains are still very notable by any standard. 2) Platform, not just roll-up. Their operating platform gives agencies shared infrastructure and automation that accelerates scale. It also supports new agency formation and spin-outs from large carriers — creating a broader ecosystem effect. At scale, this starts to look like a “Shopify-ication” for independent insurance businesses (h/t Ryan Darnell for the framing 😁). 3) Timing tailwinds. The industry faces a generational transition, with roughly half of agency owners expected to retire in the next decade. Equal Parts provides an exit path that preserves culture and autonomy while upgrading operations — increasing both acquisition supply and tech adoption among next-gen owners (who are hopefully more apt to adopt tech). 4) Team Quality. Michael Witte, Mike Meller and Graham Yennie are exceptional operators — which is ultimately what makes a thesis like this executable. Takeaway an AI-enabled roll-up winning strategy: (a) a structurally under-served industry, (b) a real operating platform that benefits acquisitions, existing businesses, and new entrants, (c) demographic tailwinds, and (d) of course high-caliber operators = 🚀🚀🚀. https://lnkd.in/dzxQR2s2

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Most insurtechs make the same mistake: they try to replace brokers instead of making them better. The reality is, brokers don’t need more software. They need clarity – clarity around census complexity, hidden risk patterns, plan tradeoffs, and recommendations they can defend. That’s why we built Innov8 differently. Not to 'disrupt' brokers, but to help them: ✅ Win more RFPs with data-backed stories ✅ Defend renewals by quantifying cost drivers ✅ Cut hours of manual census and spreadsheet work Innov8 turns raw census and claims data into clean, normalized datasets, clear risk and cost insights, and visual, employer-ready explanations. When a broker can explain why costs are changing and what to do next – they win. We don’t sell insurance. We help brokers tell a better story with the data they already have. #Benefits #Brokers #Insurtech #Healthcare #AI"

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Our team recently hosted an insightful discussion with John McBride of Norton Rose Fulbright during our annual Web3 Frensgiving, focusing on the 'Frontier of AI Patents' and the AI-work we're developing internally at Decasonic. I am grateful to our partners and the entire community for attending. Key takeaways from the fireside chat highlighted that successful AI strategy demands anchoring development to a problem, prioritizing Human-AI collaboration, viewing AI as an amplifier of specialization, and embracing continuous iteration. This confirms the critical role of open-source models and the patent office's efforts to streamline innovation.

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Tomorrow I'm joining some of the most exciting companies in climate risk and insurance for the Virtual Climate Showcase, hosted by Scout InsurTech and InnSure. This group is doing seriously important work - Fast Hazard, Orbital Sentry, LocationHealth, Property Guardian, Delos Insurance Solutions, and FutureProof Technologies. Each tackling a piece of a problem the industry can't afford to ignore. Tenax ai's piece: property-level risk intelligence that gives insurers the granular, verifiable data they need to make risk selection and underwriting decisions with confidence, instead of pulling back from entire markets. If you're in underwriting, risk, or resilience, come join the conversation! https://lnkd.in/gcQ2QRJC

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Every founder we invest in signs an Impact Pact. Written into our investment documents. Legally binding. Not as marketing. As requirement. Most impact funds talk about doing good. We structure it into every deal. The concept is simple: paying it forward. We share access to capital with founders the traditional VC ecosystem overlooks. In return, we expect our founders to pay it forward in three areas: Wealth sharing: How are you distributing ownership beyond the executive team? In 2024, our portfolio generated over $400 million in wealth creation—$342 million for BIPOC and women founders, plus $65 million in employee equity. Supplier diversity: How much spending goes to companies founded by people of color or women? Our portfolio directed $9 million to diverse suppliers last year—30% BIPOC-owned, 35% women-owned. Diversity goals: Not quotas. Intentionality. 92% of our founders are BIPOC. 81% of their employees are BIPOC. 77% of the $39.7 million in compensation went to BIPOC team members. Here's what makes this different: It's legally binding. Not in a deck. In the documents we both sign. It's specific. No vague language. Measurable commitments. It compounds. Year over year, these numbers grow because the structure demands it. The question I always get: "Does this work? Or is it virtue signaling?" Fair question. Here's the data: Our portfolio created 436 jobs in 2024 — a 48% compound annual growth rate since 2021. These aren't just any jobs. They're pathways to wealth in communities excluded from venture-backed opportunity. The paying-it-forward model creates a multiplier effect. When our founders prioritize diverse suppliers, those suppliers gain revenue and credibility that help them win more business. When our founders build inclusive teams, they tap talent pools competitors ignore. When our founders share equity broadly, retention improves and alignment deepens. Each company becomes a node in a network of shared access—not just a single investment, but a catalyst for ecosystem-wide change. Why structure impact this way? Because impact that isn't measured doesn't compound. When you invest in a founder, you're not just buying equity in one company. You're investing in their commitment to pay it forward — through the vendors they choose, the teams they build, the wealth they share. The Impact Pact ensures impact is intentional, measurable, and compounding. Returns are not concessionary. Our current Fund I: 34.8% gross IRR. 1.75x return multiple. More than two times above the median for comparable VC funds. The Impact Pact isn't altruism. It's a structured method for paying forward the access we provide and capturing the returns that come when overlooked founders get their shot. Fund II is open with the Impact Pact built into every deal. Same structure. Same accountability. Same thesis: that paying it forward isn't charity. It's alpha. If you're an LP who believes in compounding returns and compounding impact, let's talk.

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This woman built tech that can spot bipolar episodes, detect postpartum depression, and keep her diabetic son alive. Vivienne Ming is a theoretical neuroscientist, a serial entrepreneur, and a self-proclaimed “mad scientist.” Her obsession? Maximizing human potential. Vivienne was born Evan Campbell Smith. By her early twenties, she had dropped out of college, fallen into depression, and was contemplating suicide. Then she made a decision: if she was going to keep living, she was going to do something substantial. She flipped a coin between economics and cognitive science. It landed on cognitive science. She went back to UC San Diego, earned a degree in cognitive neuroscience, then completed a PhD in psychology and theoretical neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon. While in grad school, she met Norma, a fellow PhD student. They fell in love. And one night, Vivienne told her the truth. “My secret is that I wish I were a woman.” Norma didn’t run. She listened. Vivienne underwent hormone therapy after conceiving their first child, Baxter, and completed gender confirmation surgery in 2008. They later had a second child, Thalia. Over the next two decades, Vivienne launched six startups, and served as chief scientist at two others. She invented AI systems that could: - Predict manic episodes in bipolar patients - Reunite refugee orphans with surviving relatives - Help autistic children learn to read facial expressions - Manage her son’s diabetes in real-time - Identify and mitigate bias in hiring - Improve cognitive recovery in TBI and dementia patients - Assess student creativity and emotional intelligence In 2011, she co-founded Socos Labs, her fifth company, a “mad science incubator” focused on the intersection of neuroscience, AI, education, and human development. Then she built The Human Trust, a nonprofit data trust that works on complex social challenges: disability, economic exclusion, algorithmic justice… She also co-founded Dionysus Health, where she helped create the world’s first biological test for postpartum depression, using AI and epigenetics to identify risk before symptoms appear. Throughout it all, her central thesis never changed. AI is not the end of the world. It’s not salvation either. It’s a tool, it’s only as useful as the humans who wield it. The real danger, she says, is that we’ll use AI to do just enough. That we’ll automate away our creativity. Flatten our curiosity. Become passive operators of tools we don’t fully understand. When writing her latest book, Robot-Proof, she fed every chapter into Gemini. But not to edit. “I tell it: You’re my nemesis. Tear this apart. Tell me where I’m wrong. Then I run it again: Now you’re a bored reader. Show me where you got lost.” Her work has earned her a spot on the BBC 100 Women list, Inc. Magazine’s 10 Women to Watch in Tech, and more than a dozen research and innovation awards. 💡 Follow Justine Juillard for daily #femalefounder spotlights

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Talking to users and thoughtfully integrating their needs and wants was woven through everything we did at IDEO—threaded through every prototype and product decision. Reading my colleagues Joanne and Leo's latest work brought that to mind. They describe a future where research runs continuously, with AI agents recruiting participants and instantly surfacing insights. Synthetic personas, carefully trained on consumer signals, mirror human behavior closely enough to extend live studies and compress timelines from weeks to hours. Today user research mostly runs in fits and starts, prohibitively expensive and locked away in dedicated project cycles when it could be a constant companion, seamlessly integrated into the product development process. Joanne and Leo lay out the full vision here: https://lnkd.in/gEUBSG_J

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Today Isembard announced a $50m Series A fundraise led by Union Square Ventures, less than a year after Notion Capital led their Seed round. 💥This is a company right at the intersection of AI & supply chain sovereignty & they’re exceeding even our most optimistic expectations. By the end of the year they will have 25 factories across the UK, US, Germany, France & Ukraine. 💥Isembard is rapidly scaling its network of AI-first factories for precision manufacturing at the same time as market demand is accelerating. Macro forces (reshoring, rising defence spend, concentration risk in Asia, and the growth of neo-primes) are structurally increasing demand for fast, local, flexible manufacturing that the current industry is unable to deliver on. 💥The innovation is in the way the company builds and franchises factories as a product with tightly integrated units of machines, software, robotics, & process intelligence that turn design files into certified components with speed & reliability. 💥Their AI software platform, MasonOS, connects all sites into a single operating system, replacing fragmented shops with standardised, high-performance industrial nodes & enabling real-time quoting, predictable delivery, & low defect rates. By owning the full production stack, Isembard delivers premium manufacturing performance with the scalability & flexibility of a software platform. 💥We are at the top of the AI hype cycle and there are understandable concerns about the ROI on the vast sums of money being invested into this new super-cycle. But, the ROI for Isembard is both clear and compelling. They will deliver components 10x faster and at 50% of the cost of current suppliers. They will also build a de-centralised, global network of factories to meet the growing demand for national or regional sovereignty. 💥This is a company with a clear vision to disrupt a massive, fragmented $1.8tn component manufacturing market. Today marks another huge stride towards that vision. And they are only just getting started. We’re thrilled to be on this journey with Alexander Fitzgerald & the team & we’re also excited to welcome Rebecca Kaden & USV into the investor base. Notion Capital Union Square Ventures Alexander Fitzgerald Rebecca Kaden Maximilian Eichler Stephen Millard Britt Mulder

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🧠 Shared insights on The Intersect about how Vibes AI is tackling the "Triple Brain Health Epidemic" - mental health struggles, cognitive decline, and digital overload affecting millions. Building the MANTRA AI model aims to address what traditional systems weren't built for: prevention at scale. 40% of cognitive decline is preventable, yet 70% of workers report cognitive fatigue. Innovation meets impact. 💡 #AI #MentalHealth #BrainHealth #DigitalWellness #Prevention

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