Crystal Gurin

C2 Ventures is the original investment firm in industries that are often considered dirty, dull, and dangerous. We are a specialized early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in enterprise SaaS companies and robotics that apply artificial intelligence to transform industries characterized by dirt, dullness, and danger. We believe the next wave of enterprise value creation will emerge not from flashy consumer apps but from practical solutions to real-world problems in overlooked sectors: construction, manufacturing, waste management, logistics, field service, and similar industries where work is hard and software adoption remains low. Our portfolio reflects our conviction that AI, both predictive and generative, delivers the most value when embedded thoughtfully into existing workflows. Two-thirds of our companies employ machine learning as core technology, half utilize computer vision for real-time data collection, and 40% of our recent investments leverage generative AI capabilities. What sets our companies apart isnt just technological sophistication but their unwavering focus on the end user: creating interfaces non-technical personnel can quickly grasp, reporting tools that mirror existing business processes, and delivering AI-generated insights in formats that directly connect to bottom-line results. We partner with founders who understand that in the dirty, dull, and dangerous sectors, successful AI integration isnt about replacing human workers; its about amplifying their capabilities with tools designed for how they actually work.

The News Project (TNP) is comprised of a team of journalists, technologists, designers and news business professionals who provide technology, resources and expertise to help you launch, operate and grow viable* news and information properties. Among industry leaders working with TNP is the world’s most trusted news organization, The Associated Press. We are developing a state-of-the-art technology platform, bundling business-critical partnerships and services that will support dynamic and sustainable models for non-profit and commercial journalism ventures to succeed in today’s challenging media ecosystem. Our approach, services and tools will enable brand new ways to launch or upgrade news and information products to significant scale more quickly and efficiently than ever before. With these capabilities, we will enable a new kind of news network made up of powerful and healthy news businesses covering specific, critical topics.

C2 Ventures is the original investment firm in industries that are often considered dirty, dull, and dangerous. We are a specialized early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in enterprise SaaS companies and robotics that apply artificial intelligence to transform industries characterized by dirt, dullness, and danger. We believe the next wave of enterprise value creation will emerge not from flashy consumer apps but from practical solutions to real-world problems in overlooked sectors: construction, manufacturing, waste management, logistics, field service, and similar industries where work is hard and software adoption remains low. Our portfolio reflects our conviction that AI, both predictive and generative, delivers the most value when embedded thoughtfully into existing workflows. Two-thirds of our companies employ machine learning as core technology, half utilize computer vision for real-time data collection, and 40% of our recent investments leverage generative AI capabilities. What sets our companies apart isnt just technological sophistication but their unwavering focus on the end user: creating interfaces non-technical personnel can quickly grasp, reporting tools that mirror existing business processes, and delivering AI-generated insights in formats that directly connect to bottom-line results. We partner with founders who understand that in the dirty, dull, and dangerous sectors, successful AI integration isnt about replacing human workers; its about amplifying their capabilities with tools designed for how they actually work.

The News Project (TNP) is comprised of a team of journalists, technologists, designers and news business professionals who provide technology, resources and expertise to help you launch, operate and grow viable* news and information properties. Among industry leaders working with TNP is the world’s most trusted news organization, The Associated Press. We are developing a state-of-the-art technology platform, bundling business-critical partnerships and services that will support dynamic and sustainable models for non-profit and commercial journalism ventures to succeed in today’s challenging media ecosystem. Our approach, services and tools will enable brand new ways to launch or upgrade news and information products to significant scale more quickly and efficiently than ever before. With these capabilities, we will enable a new kind of news network made up of powerful and healthy news businesses covering specific, critical topics.