Conserv Closes $3M Series A Funding Round Led by Benson Capital Partners

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. , May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conserv, a Birmingham-based art and culture startup, today announced the completion of a $3 million Series A funding round. Conserv will use the funds to expand its operations in the United States and Europe to enable preservation professionals with the environmental data they need to preserve shared cultural heritage in museums, libraries, archives, and historic properties. The funding round was led by Benson Capital Partners, a New Orleans-based venture capital fund.

"At Benson Capital we believe that a focused team, with great technology, in the right market is a winner. The Conserv solutions stand out for these reasons. In a sea of generic sensor companies, their solutions are built by and for preservation professionals. We're excited about the technology, the team, and the mission at Conserv" said Caroline Crumley, Director at Benson Capital Partners.

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Massachusetts State Libraries, Museum of Modern Art, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute are among the collections using Conserv's platform to increase the effectiveness of their environmental monitoring efforts. Conserv has grown from 25 to over 300 customers in the last 18 months.

"At Conserv, we believe that collecting organizations should have access to cost-effective technology to help preserve our shared cultural heritage," said Austin Senseman, Founder and CEO of Conserv. "COVID-19 has accelerated a shift in an organization's expectations for cost-saving, remote-enabled solutions. We want to provide all collecting organizations, regardless of size or geography, with an exceptional experience for managing the data that drives preservation outcomes."

The Conserv platform combines traditional environmental data from wireless sensors and pest management data to give preservation professionals an overview of risks facing their collections. LoRaWAN-based sensors allow for simple wireless setup and maintenance in complex environments. Conserv's environmental monitoring platform is a highly differentiated solution that lowers financial and functional barriers for collections to have world class monitoring.

In preparation to close the round in May, Conserv has built a team of experts. Yadin Larochette, formerly Museum and Conservation Liaison at Tru Vue, joined as President; Dave Masom, formerly VP Product at Pack Health, joined as Chief Product Officer. The team has grown to eleven employees, with four full-time conservators on staff.

Additional institutional investors from this and previous rounds include Bonaventure Capital, Timberline Holdings, and Jemison Investment Company along with an incredible group of angel investors from around the United States. This round was helped along by the excellent work of John Steiner at Steiner Law LLC.

Conserv was founded in 2018 in Birmingham, AL by Austin Senseman (CEO) and Nathan McMinn (CTO). The company was helped along greatly in its first two years by the efforts of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama's (EDPA) Launchpad program which provided $150,000 of non-dilutive funding.

For more information on Conserv's innovative solutions for preservation visit https://conserv.io

Contact: Austin Senseman, CEO 
Phone: 205-222-2847
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Conserv