NYA News - May 2025: Landmark Month of Investment for NYA Despite Market UncertaintiesNYA Invests Nearly $3m in April, Interviews with NYA's John Younger and Aline's Brent Farese, TechCrunch - Q1 2025 Startup Investing
Despite market uncertainties, threats of tariffs and suggestions of a recession, April was a landmark month for New York Angels. Members invested nearly $3 million, which makes this one of our most active periods ever. We believe that this proves that innovation at early-stage companies is vibrant and great founders are not constrained by macro-economic worries.
New York Angels Members invested nearly $3 million for one of NYA's biggest months ever.
APRIL INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
New York Angels members recently participated in Atraverse's Series A round - marking their fourth investment in the company since May 2023. Atraverse's HOTWIRE medical device, which received FDA 510(k) clearance last year, has been praised as a top-performing tool for accessing the left side of the heart. Designed to work with any sheath, this radiofrequency-based guidewire offers 25% brighter ultrasound visibility and twice the stiffness for improved control. It has already been used in over 130 successful heart procedures. NYA Members Mauri Rosenthal and Tom Hirschfeld led this latest round of funding.
Kind Designs has created 3D-Printing Living Seawalls that are structurally identical to concrete seawalls but also function like reefs, dissipate waves and improve the quality of water. These help protect coastal communities and function as artificial reefs, collect data and dissipate waves. Kit McQuiston and James Dooley managed closing the investment for NYA Members.
FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT
Aline CEO & Co-Founder Brent Farese spent ten years as a lawyer in private practice and as Assistant General Counsel for a software company in New York City. This experience combined with his background in software engineering and AI gives him the technical expertise needed to found Aline, a legal AI software company. Brent shares how fundraising always takes longer than expected and why he appreciates New York Angels' structured investment process.
COMPANY NEWS
ACTIVE PROTECTIVE
ActiveProtective received FDA Marketing Authorization for its revolutionary Tango Belt designed for older adults. This wearable medical device utilizes sensors to monitor motion and deploy airbags during serious hip-impacting falls. ReadPress Release
COMPANY NEWS GAMEWAY
Gameway received the 2025 LAX Outstanding Hospitality Award. Gameway was recognized for exceeding expectations in 2024 and receiving consistent 4+ star online reviews and excellent guest greetings at the door. See All LAX Winners
NYA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
John Younger joined New York Angels in 2021 and focuses on companies in the life science, medtech, and healthcare sectors. He leads ArgoPond, a boutique advisory and operational firm that supports management teams, boards of directors, and investors navigating strategic inflection points — including turnaround, turbulence, and scaling challenges. John shares how he stepped into a 14-month restructuring CEO role at a company in which NYA had invested, why it’s important for founders to be realistic, and how he reads a company’s scientific papers before considering investing.
MEMBER EVENTS ANGELS WALK IN CENTRAL PARK
The New York Angels Member Engagement team hosts regular events for members to learn, connect, and further build our NYA community. This month, the team designed a walk and talk for Members on a beautiful day in Central Park to enjoy the flowers in bloom. After their walk in the park, Members connected over lunch at the Central Park Boathouse.
CRUNCHBASE
THE START OF STARTUP INVESTING AT THE BEGINNING OF 2025
In Q1 2025, global venture funding grew to its strongest quarter since Q2 2022 for a total increase of +54% YOY. This growth was driven by late-stage investment, while early-stage investment declined to its lowest quarter in the last five quarters.The total number of deals and the total amount both declined for early-stage investing vs. last quarter and last year. Overall, North America investments were strong, while both Europe and Asia declined.
UPCOMING MEMBER MEETINGS
Investment Forum (Hybrid):
• May 19th (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
June Screening (Hybrid):
• June 9th (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
MEMBER EVENTS
Angel Groups x Plug and Play Preview Day
• May 13th (1:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
FOUNDER DEADLINES
June Screening Application:
• May 12th
*New York Angels, Inc. ("NYA") is a not-for-profit corporation that is funded by membership dues for individuals and/or entities that NYA has designated as members as well as from certain sponsors. Its purposes include providing administrative support to its members. NYA does not invest in companies. Investments, if made, are made by individual members of NYA.
