🎧 Listen on Spotify: Next Big Thing Radar Podcast
Freeland Spirits
Sector: Alcohol & Vice
Platform: WEFUNDER
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
Freeland Spirits is a women-founded Portland distillery producing premium craft spirits inspired by the Pacific Northwest.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Craft spirits with strong regional identity continue gaining market share as consumers shift toward authentic, small-batch brands.
Snapshot
Award-winning Portland distillery
Strong distribution footprint across the U.S.
Clear premium brand positioning
Existing commercial traction, not a concept-stage play
My Take
Freeland already behaves like a scaled craft brand. It’s a grounded, real-business pick with room to grow.
Kadeya
Sector: Food & Beverage
Platform: WEFUNDER
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
Kadeya builds fully automated beverage vending systems that eliminate single-use plastic through reusable stainless-steel bottles cleaned and refilled onsite.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Companies are under pressure to cut plastic waste, but hydration remains essential. Kadeya solves both sustainability and operational cost.
Notable Investors
Refashiond Ventures, Zachary Smith, Brendan Wallace, Andy Dunn, Hugo Barra.
Snapshot
Plastic-free beverage vending
Preorders and pipeline from enterprise customers
Clear cost and environmental benefits
Positioned at the intersection of sustainability + automation
My Take
This is infrastructure, not a novelty. It tackles a huge and growing corporate mandate around waste and efficiency.
Swell Watercraft
Sector: Consumer Goods / Retail
Platform: WEFUNDER
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
Swell Watercraft designs and manufactures advanced sit-on-top kayaks in the U.S., focused on performance, durability, and stability.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Outdoor recreation demand remains strong, driven by consumers upgrading to premium equipment with better engineering.
Snapshot
U.S.-made performance kayaks
Recognized brand in paddlesports
Clear product differentiation
Operates in a durable outdoor category
My Take
A straightforward, grounded consumer play with a defined audience and strong product identity.
DNA Chat Corporation
Sector: Biotech / Health & Fitness
Platform: WEFUNDER
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
DNA Chat builds technology that integrates DNA-based precision medicine into routine doctor visits, giving clinicians genetic insights at the point of care.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Precision medicine is moving toward mainstream adoption, and clinicians need simpler tools to use genomic data in everyday decision-making.
Snapshot
Focused on integrating genetics into clinical workflows
Cost advantages for employers and clinics
Patent-pending technology
Targets a large and expanding market
My Take
If they can deliver frictionless clinical integration, this moves from “helpful” to “infrastructure.”
Series Crusoe
Sector: AI
Platform: START ENGINE
Minimum Investment: $15,015
What They Do
Series Crusoe provides structured access to Crusoe, a company building energy-efficient compute infrastructure for large-scale AI workloads.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
AI compute demand is colliding with energy constraints. Infrastructure that improves both cost and efficiency is becoming strategically important.
Snapshot
Access vehicle to a fast-growing compute provider
Focus on high-demand AI and HPC workloads
Positioned in a critical part of the AI stack
Higher minimum investment consistent with its structure
My Take
A “picks and shovels” play in AI — compute infrastructure is where many capacity bottlenecks sit.
Series Groq-QP-1
Sector: AI Hardware / Accelerated Computing
Platform: START ENGINE
Minimum Investment: $15,000
What They Do
Series Groq-QP-1 gives investors exposure to Groq, a company focused on ultra-fast inference hardware powered by its LPU architecture.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
As models grow, inference—not training—is becoming the primary performance bottleneck. Groq is optimized for exactly that challenge.
Snapshot
Built around real-time inference performance
Distinct hardware design vs traditional GPUs
Clear relevance as AI workloads scale
Structured access via StartEngine
My Take
Real-time AI needs purpose-built hardware. Groq is one of the few companies pushing a fundamentally different architecture.
MightyFly
Sector: Robotics
Platform: REPUBLIC
Minimum Investment: $250
What They Do
MightyFly builds autonomous hybrid-electric eVTOL cargo aircraft designed for time-sensitive shipments that fall between drone scale and traditional air freight.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Expedited delivery is massive, underserved, and difficult to automate. eVTOL cargo fills a meaningful mid-mile and long-range gap.
Snapshot
Targets medical, industrial, and high-value logistics
Larger payload and range than standard drones
Positioned in a multi-billion-dollar market
Accessible minimum investment
My Take
A compelling logistics automation play — the “missing middle” between drone delivery and planes.
Kara Water
Sector: Climate Tech / Water Tech
Platform: START ENGINE
Minimum Investment: —
What They Do
Kara Water develops air-to-water systems that turn humidity into mineralized drinking water for homes, businesses, and commercial environments.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Water scarcity and infrastructure stress are rising globally. Decentralized water production offers resilience where traditional systems fall short.
Snapshot
Consumer devices with strong branding
Large preorder volume
Expanding from home units into larger infrastructure
Positioned in a fast-growing climate tech category
My Take
Air-to-water is shifting from novelty to necessity. Kara has traction and brand recognition in a category with long-term tailwinds.
Wrap-Up
This week’s radar focuses on real-world problems: plastic waste, water scarcity, logistics automation, compute bottlenecks, and precision medicine.
These startups are building systems that matter — not just apps.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice or investment solicitation.