SugarCap Recap: Every Maverick Needs Their Goose, Fund III Launch, Livble Aquisition

Great companies are built by co-founder duos with complementary strengths, shared trust, and a united vision. Other highlights: Sugar Capital Fund III launch, Livble acquired.

“Always two there are, no more, no less.” — Yoda, Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace (1999)

After 25 years building companies and 5 years funding them, I've noticed something: the biggest successes rarely come from single founders. They come from dynamic duos - pairs of people who think completely differently but want the same thing.

Think Maverick and Goose. The hotshot pilot had killer instinct, but his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) managed systems, watched for threats, and kept them both alive. Maverick could fly, but Goose made him flyable. When they worked in sync, they were unbeatable. When Goose died, Maverick didn't just lose a partner - he lost his edge.

Every successful founder I've worked alongside, whether as a co-founder or investor, has found their Goose. The best ones will tell you it changed everything.

Maybe you're thinking: "But my business is successful, and it's just me." That's fair. But ask yourself honestly - are you operating at real scale? Most solo founders can build profitable businesses, attract initial customers, even raise money. But without a Goose, you can only take the marketing prowess so far. The ceiling isn't success - it's the size of success.

Read more on AirSugar, Brian's blog.

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Sugar Capital News

💰 Sugar Capital Raises $75M Third Fund As Brian Sugar Declares “Consumer Is Back.” Fund III will aim to invest $1.5–$2 million into 25 early-stage companies, with half of the fund reserved for follow-on investments. Sugar emphasizes early ownership and doubling down on promising startups within the first 18 months. Beauty Independent

🏡 RealPage has acquired Sugar Capital Portfolio company, Livble, to enhance its LOFT and Buildium platforms, allowing residents to split rent payments into up to four installments per month for greater financial flexibility and convenience. This integration supports over three million units already using LOFT and reinforces RealPage’s goal of simplifying the resident experience by consolidating leasing, payments, and rewards into a single platform. The acquisition reflects a shared vision between RealPage and Livble to scale flexible payment solutions and promote financial wellness for renters across the multifamily housing sector. The Fintech Times

🛍️ Remark raised $16 million in Series A funding to scale its AI-powered “expert personas” for ecommerce. The platform blends real human product experts with AI models trained on their tone and knowledge, offering shoppers personalized guidance directly on brand websites. This approach helps brands replicate the in-store experience online, driving 28% conversion rates and a 10% lift in revenue . With over 60,000 certified experts and strong early results, including quadrupled revenue and full client retention, Remark will use the funding to grow into new verticals, enhance AI capabilities, and expand its expert network. TechCrunch + Pymnts

🧸 Grüns skyrocketed to a $500 million valuation just two years after launching its green gummy superfood supplement. Shipping 4 million gummies a day and turning profitable within 14 months, the brand closed a $35 million Series B to expand its product lineup and scale presence at Sprouts, Target, Walmart and beyond. Backed by social-driven buzz, agile R&D, and retail muscle, Grüns is revolutionizing the supplement game with convenient, nutrient-dense gummies you actually want to take. Inc + Modern Retail

💆‍♀️ Jupiter, the premium scalp-care brand founded in 2020, raised a strategic investment from True Beauty Ventures alongside earlier seed funding. Known for its clinically backed, beauty-forward dandruff and dry-scalp line, Jupiter just launched in 1,100 Target stores with fresh packaging and accessible pricing. With sales up 115% in 2024 and projected $20 million in revenue, the brand is reshaping a stale category by delivering salon-grade solutions that consumers are proud to showcase, and True Beauty Ventures is betting it will continue disrupting with style and substance. Women’s Wear Daily + Beauty Matter

💦 Magna’s electrolyte powder was featured in POPSUGAR’s Heat-Wave Essentials as a go-to for clean, effective hydration during scorching summer days. Packed with sodium and potassium, the no-sugar mix supports energy and focus without added junk. With a light flavor and travel-friendly format, Magna is emerging as a standout in the hydration space, offering a functional, feel-good solution for staying refreshed on the go. POPSUGAR

👩‍💻 Reflex is enabling a gig-economy platform that lets retailers book trained retail staff on-demand with as little as two hours' notice. The startup has quickly scaled to 40 U.S. cities, secured $15 million in funding, and supports national brands, all while simplifying HR, payments, and labor management for stores. The Business Journals

🌟 Starface debuted its first-ever fashion collaboration with Heaven by Marc Jacobs, launching a limited-edition pack of its cult-favorite pimple patches reimagined with bold, tattoo-inspired designs. The $19 set includes 32 hydrocolloid patches featuring edgy icons like spiders, piercings, and Heaven’s signature two-headed bear, all housed in a mirrored compact styled after Starface’s iconic yellow case. Backed by a Gen Z–driven campaign starring Lil Uzi Vert, Grimes, and beabadoobee, the launch blends skincare with self-expression, furthering Starface’s mission to destigmatize acne and turn treatment into a statement. Vogue + Marie Claire + HypeBae

🫒 Brightland launched Everyday Oils in user-friendly squeeze bottles — priced at $19.99 for 750 ml, and heading to Whole Foods in August. The move shifts focus from “special‑occasion” glass bottles to a more accessible everyday option, while maintaining their farm-to-bottle quality from California olives. Food Network + Fortune + Fast Company

📺 Archive implemented an AI-powered marketing stunt that “hijacked” Times Square brand campaigns as live product demos. Their proprietary machine-vision engine monitors major brand ads (like Coca‑Cola, Spotify, Nike) in real time and displays counter-metrics, showing untagged user-generated content, on digital billboards. The activation turned heads in the ad world, generating viral buzz and landing high-value brand meetings on the spot. Archive + YouTube

🍀 Lucky Energy secured a $14 million Series A1 and added Red Bull veteran Dan Ginsberg to its board, reinforcing its clean-label, rebel-hearted mission. Already in over 10,000 stores with plans for 25,000 by year-end, the brand is winning on taste, bold marketing, and a growing product lineup—just as Forbes dubbed it “a rebel brand disrupting the energy-drink market.” Forbes

🧖‍♀️ Exponent Beauty is gaining buzz for its innovative powder-to-serum system, recently profiled in the WSJ as a top-choice DIY skincare solution. Positioned at the intersection of efficacy, freshness, and sustainability, Exponent is making clinical skincare more accessible and effective for at-home use. The Wall Street Journal

🧴 Kinship’s Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 32 was named a top pick by Harper’s Bazaar for sensitive skin, thanks to its gentle mineral formula and breakout-friendly ingredients. Designed for daily wear, it blends easily with no white cast, making it a standout for those seeking clean, skin-loving sun protection that looks as good as it feels. Harper’s Bazaar

👃 Snif’s new “Swede Tooth” fragrance captures the wild, nostalgic joy of Swedish candy with bold watermelon and raspberry sweetness, softened by violet, cedarwood, and musk. After 20+ formula tweaks, the $65 gourmand scent launched with playful packaging and rave reviews, fitting into the booming trend of clean, candy-forward perfumes perfect for summer. Trend Hunter

🐺 Black Wolf Nation scaled from a $85,000 startup to a $35 million brand in six years by launching straightforward, problem-solving grooming products for men. With a strong white-label manufacturing partner and social-savvy marketing, their lineup, selling in CVS, Best Buy, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, salons, and barbers, addresses real issues like acne and razor bumps. Positioned within a booming $115 billion men’s grooming market, Black Wolf is carving out serious market share through simplicity, confidence, and accessibility. U.S. Chamber of Commerce

🔨 Builder.io is navigating renewed attention following the collapse of similarly named Builder.ai, which drew criticism for its misleading AI claims. In contrast, Builder.io is reinforcing its commitment to transparency and genuine innovation, helping leading brands like Everlane and Afterpay build high-performance digital experiences using visual development tools and real AI enhancements. Tribune

🖥 Orita released a guide to Revenue per Recipient (RPR), helping brands see beyond click rates to focus on real revenue impact. Their framework explains how RPR is shaped by both email engagement and on-site conversion, and why a drop in RPR can signal problems on a website, not just on email campaigns. Orita also highlights the power of AI-driven segmentation to improve email click rates and offers free audits to help marketers pinpoint whether issues lie in email strategy or site experience. Orita