Ardesta
VC Fund
Ann Arbor, United States
Ardesta is a VC fund in Ann Arbor focused on Sensor and Software. Ardesta, LLC founded in 1999 Overview: Ardesta, LLC is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in investments in start up or seed, early stage, mid venture, or late venture, bridge, and mezzanine financing. The firm also seeks to invest in middle market companies. It seeks to invest in small technology products for the areas ofcommunications, energy, environmental safety/security, and medical diagnostics and treatment. Ardesta, LLC was founded in 1999 and is headquartered at Ann Arbor, Michigan with an additional office in Hinsdale, Illinois.Did we know the bridge financing aspect?The Ardesta Ventures I, LP venture capital fund focuses on investments in nanotechnology, life sciences and alternative energy technology companies based in the Midwest.Co-founding partners of the new Ardesta Ventures I, Rick Snyder, Chris Rizik and Steve Johns, have together raised over $180 million since 1997 with two previous ventures, Avalon Technologies LLC and Ardesta LLC. They have a strong network of close relationships with universities, research institutions and companies in Michigan. Snyder, former President and COO of Gateway Computers, is a member of the University of Michiganâ€:tm:s Technology Transfer National Advisory Board and the Chairman of the Board of Ann Arbor SPARK. Rizik serves as President and Chairman of NextEnergy, the Detroit nonprofit alternative energy incubator and maintains strong ties with Wayne State University. The principals of Ardesta Ventures I have shown a commitment to building and growing technology companies in Michigan. To date, they have invested in 15 companies in the state and expanded employment at those companies more than ten-fold.Including this investment, a total of up to $62.5 million of investments in venture capital, mezzanine, and private equity funds have been approved through the 21st Century Investment Fund since January.
- Total investments:
- 8
- Last investment:
- Lead investor:
- 0%
Last updated:
For AI agents: llms.txt
Industries Ardesta invests in
Stages Ardesta invests in
Countries Ardesta invests in
Contacts
| Name | Phone | Socials | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Robert Mehalso
|
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Investment Focus
Industry
- Sensor 1 (13%)
- Software 1 (13%)
- Wireless 1 (13%)
- Analytics 1 (13%)
- Manufacturing 1 (13%)
Stage
- Series B 3 (38%)
- Series C 2 (25%)
- Funding Round 1 (13%)
- Debt Financing 1 (13%)
Team
| Name | Title | Investments | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Robert Mehalso
Director
|
Director | Total investments: 0 | Find email |
Investments
| Company | Description | Round | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
Sensaphone
|
Sensaphone provides enterprise-class wireless sensor networks solutions for mission critical applications. It offers SensiNet platform, a general purpose wireless sensor network for a range of applications in industrial and commercial environments; wireless smart sensors that provide customers with the real-time process, equipment status, andenvironmental information for analysis and decision making; and Services Gateway, a self-contained network management and access appliance that provides data access and external communications for SensiNet. The company also provides Mesh Router, an intelligent repeater that optimizes and extends the operating range of a SensiNet wireless sensor; SensiNet software that connects to external systems, such as custom and software, legacy applications, or web-based applications through a set of web-standard interfaces; and SensiNet technology, a mesh networking protocol that automatically manages the Sensicast mesh network, as well as provides mesh network performance in collecting, routing, and delivering sensor data. In addition, it offers general purpose temperature monitoring kits and power monitoring kits. The company provides various temperature and humidity monitoring, as well as data center temperature, power, and ventilation monitoring solutions. Sensicast Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Distribute Wireless Network, Inc. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Needham, Massachusetts. | $250K / Debt Financing / Feb 15, 2008 | |
Discera
|
Discera, Inc. is a fabless analog semiconductor company, manufactures and distributes silicon resonators to radio frequency (RF) and timing control markets. It provides CMOS resonator based oscillators, RF circuits, clock frequency devices, and resonator-based frequency control components. The companies products are used in consumer and mobileproducts, such as cellular radios, cameras, MP3 players, GPS, disk drives, and TV players, as well as used in military equipment. It sells its products through distributors in the United States and internationally. | $17.5M / Series C / Mar 26, 2007 | |
|
Sensaphone
|
Sensaphone provides enterprise-class wireless sensor networks solutions for mission critical applications. It offers SensiNet platform, a general purpose wireless sensor network for a range of applications in industrial and commercial environments; wireless smart sensors that provide customers with the real-time process, equipment status, andenvironmental information for analysis and decision making; and Services Gateway, a self-contained network management and access appliance that provides data access and external communications for SensiNet. The company also provides Mesh Router, an intelligent repeater that optimizes and extends the operating range of a SensiNet wireless sensor; SensiNet software that connects to external systems, such as custom and software, legacy applications, or web-based applications through a set of web-standard interfaces; and SensiNet technology, a mesh networking protocol that automatically manages the Sensicast mesh network, as well as provides mesh network performance in collecting, routing, and delivering sensor data. In addition, it offers general purpose temperature monitoring kits and power monitoring kits. The company provides various temperature and humidity monitoring, as well as data center temperature, power, and ventilation monitoring solutions. Sensicast Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Distribute Wireless Network, Inc. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Needham, Massachusetts. | $13M / Series B / Sep 26, 2005 | |
|
Discera
|
Discera, Inc. is a fabless analog semiconductor company, manufactures and distributes silicon resonators to radio frequency (RF) and timing control markets. It provides CMOS resonator based oscillators, RF circuits, clock frequency devices, and resonator-based frequency control components. The companies products are used in consumer and mobileproducts, such as cellular radios, cameras, MP3 players, GPS, disk drives, and TV players, as well as used in military equipment. It sells its products through distributors in the United States and internationally. | $7M / Sep 01, 2005 | |
Sensicore
|
Sensicore, Inc. develops smart sensor systems and sensor networks that automate water testing, data collection, and analysis for drinking and industrial applications. It offers WaterPOINT, a handheld screening tool and water tester that provides a profile of various chemistry measurements, allowing users to conduct various tests at sites, as wellas allows municipalities to manage resources; and WaterNOW, a Web-based data visualization, analysis, and decision support system that enable users to manage water system and data collected by WaterPOINT and other sources. The company also provides sensor kits and bundles, which include disinfection and disinfection/DPD chlorine drinking water test kits, and basic water test kits; and colorimetric test kits, including aluminum, bromine, chloride, copper, cyanide, fluoride, iron, manganese, molybdate, nitrate, nitrite, ortho-phosphate, silica, sulfate, sulfide, and zinc vacuum ampoules. In addition, the company offers accessories, such as portable thermal printers, communications cables, power inverters, and power supply products. It offers products for measuring and monitoring water quality, including incoming water quality and boiler feed monitoring; cooling tower monitoring and process control; filtration system performance monitoring; cleaning and rinse control system monitoring; product testing and control; and food and beverage applications. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As of March 31, 2008, Sensicore, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of GE Analytical Instruments, Inc. | $12M / Series C / Aug 29, 2005 | |
HandyLab
|
HandyLab is a medical technology company that develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic assays and automation platformsThe company’s proprietary platform reduces the time, cost, and complexity of testing while improving the quality of results. Using patented real-time microfluidic PCR technology, its products are positioned to decentralizenucleic acid testing.HandyLab was founded in 2000 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was acquired by Becton, Dickinson and Company in 2009. | $1.9M / Series C / Apr 27, 2004 | |
|
Discera
|
Discera, Inc. is a fabless analog semiconductor company, manufactures and distributes silicon resonators to radio frequency (RF) and timing control markets. It provides CMOS resonator based oscillators, RF circuits, clock frequency devices, and resonator-based frequency control components. The companies products are used in consumer and mobileproducts, such as cellular radios, cameras, MP3 players, GPS, disk drives, and TV players, as well as used in military equipment. It sells its products through distributors in the United States and internationally. | $12M / Series B / Apr 07, 2004 | |
|
Sensicore
|
Sensicore, Inc. develops smart sensor systems and sensor networks that automate water testing, data collection, and analysis for drinking and industrial applications. It offers WaterPOINT, a handheld screening tool and water tester that provides a profile of various chemistry measurements, allowing users to conduct various tests at sites, as wellas allows municipalities to manage resources; and WaterNOW, a Web-based data visualization, analysis, and decision support system that enable users to manage water system and data collected by WaterPOINT and other sources. The company also provides sensor kits and bundles, which include disinfection and disinfection/DPD chlorine drinking water test kits, and basic water test kits; and colorimetric test kits, including aluminum, bromine, chloride, copper, cyanide, fluoride, iron, manganese, molybdate, nitrate, nitrite, ortho-phosphate, silica, sulfate, sulfide, and zinc vacuum ampoules. In addition, the company offers accessories, such as portable thermal printers, communications cables, power inverters, and power supply products. It offers products for measuring and monitoring water quality, including incoming water quality and boiler feed monitoring; cooling tower monitoring and process control; filtration system performance monitoring; cleaning and rinse control system monitoring; product testing and control; and food and beverage applications. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As of March 31, 2008, Sensicore, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of GE Analytical Instruments, Inc. | $6.5M / Series B / Jul 28, 2003 |
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FAQ
What does Ardesta invest in?
Ardesta invests primarily in Sensor, Software and Wireless startups, most often at Series B and Series C stage. Most of the 8 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.
How do I contact Ardesta?
Public channels for Ardesta include the website linked on this profile. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.
Who are the partners at Ardesta?
The team at Ardesta includes Robert Mehalso (Director). The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.
Is Shizune's investor data accurate?
Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.
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