Uprise Invests $160K in Manufacturing Startup

Uprise has invested $160K in Baru (hellobaru.com), a manufacturing startup revolutionizing how hard goods are customized and produced, creating a more efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing process through smart technology.

"I'm thrilled to partner with Uprise. They have a wealth of expertise working with fast-growth companies," said Baru Founder Tino Go.

The $160K investment will propel Baru's marketing and sales efforts in their first year going to market with a beautiful line of modern furniture. Each piece is customizable, made from high-quality materials, manufactured within 60 miles of customers' homes, and delivered within two weeks. Additional product categories will roll out in the future.

"Uprise looks for investment opportunities that use technology to transform industries and provide social and environmental benefits. Baru's business model not only offers customers a superior product via utilizing new technology but also creates local jobs and is environmentally friendly," said Malinda Gagnon, Uprise CEO.

Uprise joins a group of Silicon Valley-based investors, including John Dean, former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, and John Davidson, a serial technology entrepreneur whose latest company was acquired by Siemens.

Headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, Baru leverages the downtime of advanced manufacturing robotics across the United States by partnering with local manufacturers to produce high-quality hard goods close to where customers live. Baru's patent-pending technology immediately translates customized product specifications from a unique order to the manufacturing shop closest to the customer. Utilizing local manufacturers creates local jobs and drastically reduces products’ carbon footprint.

Baru and Uprise expect that this model will be the future of manufacturing. Brian Gagnon, CTO at Uprise and ex-VMware, said, "Manufacturing is ready for a similar virtualization revolution as data centers were when VMware launched."

Baru is currently raising a round of funding to scale the company. Any inquiries may be directed to Baru founder, Tino Go. tino@hellobaru.com