Global Risk & Storytelling, Navigating the New Venture Landscape, Fundings: Red Rabbit Robotics, Lowental Hybrid, Hidden Level
05 February 2025 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
In this episode, of 'Securing Our Future,' host Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Nicholas Fitzgerald, a strategic advisor to global corporations, law and private-equity firms, sovereigns, and others facing high-stakes reputational, commercial, PR, regulatory, and policy challenges. His focus areas include international crisis and issues management; commercial dispute and litigation communications; public affairs; and special situations. He is a problem-solver skilled at developing and executing custom strategies that secure critical outcomes for clients.
Together, Jeremy and Nick dive into how commercial and national security sectors collaborate to drive innovation. They discuss the implications of the new administration with a senior consultant from a global risk management company. Topics include the impact of the new administration on fintech, defense tech, and digital assets, strategies for startups and incumbents to align with new policies, and the importance of storytelling in public and government relations. Gain insights into how companies can effectively navigate the evolving political landscape to achieve their strategic objectives.
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Hubble Network: We’re excited to celebrate Hubble Network as it joins the Zephyr Project, an open-source project under the Linux Foundation, as a Silver member. Zephyr develops a secure, connected, and flexible RTOS designed for future-proof, resource-constrained devices. It's easy to deploy and manage, and has become a trusted ecosystem, built by developers for developers.s
Zephyr RTOS offers an expanding collection of software libraries suitable for a wide range of applications and industries, including Industrial IoT, wearables, machine learning, and more. It’s designed with a focus on extensive chipset support, robust security, reliability, long-term support releases, and a growing open-source ecosystem.
From Hubble Network CEO, Alex Haro, “At Hubble Network, we are fundamentally changing what’s possible with Bluetooth devices[.] By offering an SDK that transforms standard BLE chips into globally connected devices, we are breaking down barriers to connectivity and enabling our customers to innovate without limits. Whether it’s monitoring sensors in remote locations or tracking assets in dynamic environments, Hubble ensures reliable communication where other networks fall short. We are excited to partner with the Zephyr Project to bring this vision to life, combining their expertise in open source embedded development with our mission to make global connectivity accessible to all.”
Building a Sustainable Edge in Venture Capital: Why Size Isn’t Everything
At New North Ventures, we agree with the growing sentiment: smaller, more specialized venture funds often outperform their larger counterparts. However, it's not just about being smaller—it’s about having a long-term competitive advantage that allows a fund to punch above its weight.
In the ever-evolving world of venture capital, allocators are often drawn to larger, more established funds. But there’s a key irony: smaller, specialist funds often deliver superior returns. So, what’s the secret? It’s all about having an unfair advantage. Whether you're sourcing opportunities, supporting portfolio companies, or leveraging your network, the right strategy can make all the difference.
Our Approach: Sourcing, Support, and Network
We’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about how we differentiate ourselves. We’ve built an edge that’s not just competitive—it’s sustainable, and it’s what allows us to consistently identify and nurture the next wave of innovation.
Sourcing: We focus on identifying "hidden gems"—companies and founders that others might overlook. By being deeply embedded in niche sectors, we use relationships and insights to source opportunities early, giving us a head start before the competition.
Support: Investing isn’t just about writing checks. We take a hands-on approach with our portfolio companies, building relationships and trust and helping them scale through strategic guidance, connecting them with the right partners, and providing ongoing support as they navigate growth challenges. This isn’t just about investment; it’s about creating long-term value that lasts well beyond the initial funding round.
Network: The right connections matter more than ever. At New North, we’ve intentionally built a network that spans industries, government, and corporate partners. This gives our portfolio companies access to critical resources, from funding to strategic partnerships and customers, all of which are vital for long-term success.
Our Structural Advantage
In addition to our approach, we also benefit from a unique structural advantage—our partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Office of Strategic Capital. This gives us a significant edge in terms of cost of capital, providing our portfolio with the flexibility they need to grow and scale effectively.
Impact Investing
Beyond just financial returns, we’re deeply committed to impact investing. We seek out companies that not only have strong growth potential but also align with the national interest and work to solve real-world challenges. This is an integral part of our philosophy—investing in innovation that creates meaningful, positive change in the world.
As Jeremy, our co-founder, has pointed out, every venture fund needs a compelling reason why it’s the best. For us, it’s about more than just competing in the market. It’s about building long-term, sustainable value that goes beyond the bottom line. At New North Ventures, we don’t just aim to compete; we aim to lead, innovate, and make a difference.
What’s your edge?
More links to explore:
Founded: 2024
Key People: CEO Lingkang Zhang
Elevator Pitch: Developer of an autonomous humanoid labor robot intended to serve residential and commercial sectors.
Funding: The company raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Varrock Ventures on February 3, 2025.
Founded: 2018
Key People: CEO Doron Fridman
Elevator Pitch: Developer of a hybrid propulsion system designed to provide an in-house closed-loop design, integration, and test bench experiments, all perfectly adapted to UAV needs and requirements.
Funding: The company raised $5 million of seed funding in a deal led by Ace Capital Partners on February 3, 2025.
Key People: CEO Jeffrey Cole
Founded: 2018
Elevator Pitch: Developer of airspace custom-built sensor technology designed to provide safety through sensing tools.
Funding: The company raised $100 million of venture funding from Lockheed Martin Ventures and DFJ Growth on February 3, 2025.
Look for a new episode of the Securing the Future Podcast wherever you listen. In our most recent episode, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Nicholas Fitzgerald a strategic advisor to global corporations, law and private-equity firms, sovereigns, and others facing high-stakes reputational, commercial, PR, regulatory, and policy challenges. Together, they dive into how commercial and national security sectors collaborate to drive innovation.