Cortado Ventures Doubleshot Newsletter: September 2025

by | Sep 10, 2025 | Media, Newsletters

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

This month, our Managing Partner Nathaniel Harding appeared on Freedom 96.9’s First News to spotlight the rapid rise of venture capital in Oklahoma and the Midcontinent. We launched our NextGen Insights Blog series with a sharp debut piece by Raeed Zainuddin exploring how data is reshaping the future of venture. Internship applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are now open as we invest in the next generation of leaders across investment, analytics, and marketing. Our portfolio highlight is Volt, whose messaging platform is streamlining communication with clarity and impact. Across the board, our portcos are making national headlines, from PatchRx’s acquisition to major wins for NUVIEW, CorriXR Therapeutics, Tobe Energy, Watkins-Conti Products, Motive, Boddle, and AI Driller. We round it out with a Builder Highlight on Spark!, a pre-accelerator program helping founders go from concept to launch through an intensive 10-week experience.

Newsletter Elements

  • Cortado News
    • Nathaniel Harding Appears on Freedom’s First News
    • NextGen Insights Blog by Raeed Zainuddin
    • Now Accepting 2026-2027 Internship Applications
  • Portco News
    • Portco Highlight: Volt
    • Portcos In The News
      • PatchRX
      • NUVIEW
      • CorriXR Therapeutics
      • Tobe Energy
      • Watkins-Conti Products
      • Motive
      • Boddle Learning
      • AI Driller
    • Portco Jobs
  • Ecosystem News & Events
    • Builder Highlight: Spark!
    • Upcoming Events

Cortado News

Nathaniel Harding on the Future of VC in Oklahoma

Our Managing Partner, Nathaniel Harding, recently joined Freedom 96.9 First News with Jason Doyle to talk about the rise of venture capital in Oklahoma and the Midcontinent. In the conversation, Nathaniel highlighted Cortado’s distinction as the first VC firm with three consecutive Kauffman Fellows, the rapid growth of Oklahoma’s venture ecosystem from $20M to $320M AUM in just five years, and the momentum of the Midcon VC Summit, which recently brought 450 leaders from 36 states and over $1T in AUM to Tulsa. His message was clear: venture capital is no longer just a coastal story – it’s thriving here in the heartland.

Listen to Nathaniel’s full feature here.

NextGen Insights: Data & the Future of Venture

We’re kicking off our NextGen Blog series with a sharp perspective from summer intern Raeed Zainuddin: Can Data Predict the Future of Venture?

In his piece, Raeed explores how data analytics is reshaping private markets, from sourcing deals to modeling outcomes, and why the future of venture will be guided not just by intuition, but by tested, data-driven foresight.

Subscribe to our Medium page, Cortado Ventures Insights, to read Raeed’s full article, catch upcoming posts from Elianna Huang and Joy Akande, and revisit past NextGen Insights blogs on topics ranging from biotech funding to inclusive investing.

Read Raeed’s full blog post here.

Now Accepting Internship Applications

We’re now accepting applications for our 2026–2027 internship cohorts. This paid, in-person internship is designed for students and recent grads eager to get hands-on experience in venture capital, high-growth startups, and the Midcontinent innovation ecosystem.

Interns work directly with our team across three tracks:

  • Investment: Deal sourcing, diligence, and portfolio research
  • Data Analytics: Dashboards, metrics, and insights
  • Marketing & Events: Content creation, communications, and event production

We’re looking for curious, proactive, and collaborative applicants from all academic backgrounds.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 12:00 PM CT
Apply now: https://forms.gle/hpzAJkQnvyBZgCLr8

Portco News

Portco Highlight: Volt

This month, we’re spotlighting Volt, a company streamlining the way organizations communicate with their audiences through high-end, intuitive text software. By elevating messaging into a premium, effective experience, Volt is helping organizations reach people where they are with impact and clarity.

Portcos In The News

PatchRx Acquired by Custom Health

PatchRx was recently acquired by Custom Health, marking a major strategic milestone. The acquisition expands Custom Health’s capabilities and highlights PatchRx’s success in medication adherence innovation.

Read the full story on PatchRx’s acquisition here.

NUVIEW Receives $5M Dollar Award from U.S. Department of Defense

NUVIEW has secured a $5 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate development of its space-based LiDAR constellation. This innovative technology will capture high-resolution 3D maps of Earth with critical applications across defense, national security, and commercial sectors.

Read the full story on NUVIEW’s $5M award here.

CorriXR Therapeutics Secures $1M Investment from State of Delaware

CorriXR Therapeutics secured a $1 million investment from the State of Delaware, providing critical support for its next stage of growth. The funding validates investor confidence in CorriXR’s therapeutic innovations and pipeline.

Read more about CorriXR’s investment here.

Tobe Energy Pushes Green Hydrogen Innovation

Following the announcement of our lead investment in their $1.8M seed round, Tobe Energy has been highlighted in Fortune’s Term Sheet, Axios Pro Rata, and the StrictlyVC newsletter, underscoring growing national recognition of their work.

Most notably, CleanTechnica featured Tobe in a deep dive on the growing role of green hydrogen in the U.S. energy transition, spotlighting the company’s breakthrough electrolysis technology that reduces costs and boosts efficiency.

From Oklahoma to the national stage, Tobe Energy is redefining how hydrogen can be produced and scaled, with big implications for industrial decarbonization, clean energy security, and the Midcontinent’s role in the future of energy.

Read our full press release on our investment with Tobe and each of their recent features: CleanTechnica Feature | Fortune Term Sheet | Axios | Strictly VC

Watkins-Conti Products’ Yōni.Fit Available in HAC, Inc. Pharmacies Across Oklahoma

Watkins-Conti Products announced its flagship device, Yōni.Fit, is now available at HAC, Inc. pharmacies across Oklahoma. Pharmacies include Homeland, United, and CashSaver. This marks a key milestone in expanding access to innovative solutions for women’s pelvic health.

Read more about Watkins-Conti Products’ expansion here.

Motive Becomes Sole Global Partner Supporting Nissan Across North America

Motive is officially the only global partner supporting the entire Nissan portfolio across North America. They are now the Certified Website Provider for INFINITI USA, adding to their earlier partnerships with Nissan Canada, INFINITI Canada, and Nissan USA.

Read more about Motive’s latest win here.

Boddle Expands Platform to Include NGSS-Aligned Science

Already a leader in gamified math learning, Boddle has officially expanded its platform to include science for grades K–6. This new content is fully NGSS-aligned, free, and designed to fit seamlessly into classrooms, giving teachers a powerful tool to spark curiosity and help students explore big ideas without extra prep.

By adding Science alongside Math and ELA, Boddle is broadening its impact in classrooms and strengthening its position as a core edtech solution for schools across the country.

Read more about Boddle’s newest addition here.

AI Driller integrates with ZoneVu by Ubiterra

AI Driller announces integration with ZoneVu by Ubiterra, combining real-time geosteering with AI-driven drilling and completions insights in one streamlined workflow.

This collaboration strengthens AI Driller’s role in bringing advanced intelligence and automation to the energy sector, helping operators make faster, smarter decisions and improving efficiency in well planning and drilling.

Read more about AI Driller’s latest integration here.

Portco Jobs

Our portfolio companies are growing. Explore open roles across sectors from engineering and sales to data science and operations.

Ecosystem News & Events

Builder Highlight: Spark!

Spark! is a pre-accelerator program based in Little Rock, Arkansas that equips early-stage founders with the tools, training, and connections to launch and grow their businesses. Through an intensive 10-week program, Spark! guides entrepreneurs through the fundamentals of building a startup, from refining their business model and sharpening their pitch to developing go-to-market strategies and strengthening leadership skills.

The program stands out for its commitment to building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Arkansas, bringing together mentors, investors, and industry experts to support founders every step of the way. By fostering collaboration and hands-on learning, Spark! creates an environment where ideas can take root, gain traction, and grow into sustainable, impactful businesses.

Read More

Ecosystem Events