Two New York startups announced funding today. Riven Corp, a stealth company founded by former Radical AI team members, raised $4.5M according to an SEC filing. Separately, clothing care company WashWise closed a $1.2M pre-seed round led by a group of investors including FJ Labs.
What we know about Riven Corp
The SEC filing reveals a total offering of $4,930,075, with nine investors participating in this close. Kurt Breitenkamp and Orion Cohen founded the company in 2025 after leaving the Radical AI team. Beyond that, Riven Corp remains in stealth mode. The company has not disclosed what it is building or when it plans to emerge publicly.
The Radical AI connection is the most notable signal. That team worked on AI alignment and ethics research, though whether Riven Corp continues in that direction or pivots to commercial AI applications remains unknown.
WashWise bets on fabric care between washes
WashWise takes a different bet entirely. The company sells fabric spray products designed to refresh garments between washes. Founder Maria Cabral Menezes started the company in 2026 and has already assembled a notable investor roster.
FJ Labs and Singh Capital led the round, joined by angels including Alex Jekowsky, Jack Abraham, Brian Tate, Gigi Howard, Nina Farran, Mia Tonelli, Taylor James, and Brown Girl Angels. Jack Abraham brings operational experience as a repeat founder. FJ Labs, Fabrice Grinda's fund, has backed hundreds of consumer and marketplace companies.
The premise is simple. Consumers overwash clothes, shortening garment life and wasting water. A spray that removes odors and refreshes fabric extends the time between washes. Whether this becomes a habit for consumers or remains a niche product will determine whether WashWise can grow beyond its pre-seed.
Two very different plays
These two raises share little beyond geography and timing. Riven Corp operates in stealth with AI-adjacent founders and nearly four times the capital. WashWise is a consumer product company with a tangible SKU and a clearer path to revenue, but a harder path to venture scale.
Logicity's Take
The Riven Corp raise is the one to watch. Former Radical AI talent raising $4.5M in stealth suggests something technically ambitious, though the AI infrastructure space is crowded and well-funded. WashWise faces a different challenge: convincing consumers to change a daily habit. Pre-seed is early enough that the thesis is still cheap to test. Both companies declined to share more details.
What happens next
For Riven Corp, the question is when it exits stealth and what it reveals. Nine investors in a $4.5M round suggests conviction from people who know what the company is building, even if the public does not. For WashWise, the next milestone is proving repeat purchase. A spray is only a venture-scale business if customers buy it again and again.
Another recent funding round in the AI-adjacent security space
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Source: AlleyWatch
Manaal Khan
Tech & Innovation Writer
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