A disinfection technology firm undergoing a big growth spurt just raised millions of dollars for more hiring and international expansion.
Orlando-based Violet Defense Group Inc. raised $6 million, according to an amended U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission document filed Sept. 14.
The maker of ultraviolet light systems for disinfection and agriculture has raised at least $20 million since it was founded in 2012, landing customers across the country and growing its staff to 20 employees.
The funds will help Violet Defense grow in multiple areas, Vice President of Marketing Jessica Jones told Orlando Inno. That includes further research and development at Violet Defense, agriculture lighting subsidiary Violet Gro and ecoSPEARS, an Altamonte Springs-based water and soil decontamination startup Violet Defense is partnered with.
“This round will be used to support expansion of the team, international expansion of Violet Defense Group and increased research and development efforts across the portfolio,” Jones said. She did not specify how much the company plans to expand its staff.
The company raised the money as part of an ongoing Series B round that’s expected to close by the end of September, Jones said. Kirenaga Partners LLC, an investment firm co-headquartered in Orlando and Bronxville, New York, led this portion of the round. Kirenaga is a longtime investor in Violet Defense, and Kirenaga Managing Partner Terry Berland is also Violet Defense’s CEO.
Investment capital often is critical for startups since it funds companies as they scale up while also providing business expertise and industry connections.
This deal may mean more growth at Violet Defense. Between January 2020 and March 2021, the firm’s revenue increased 10-fold, Berland previously told Orlando Business Journal.
Meanwhile, the company has landed big-name partners and customers. Violet Defense technology will be used in the Orlando Magic AdventHealth Training Center that will open in 2022. Plus, the company in 2020 landed a licensing agreement with lighting giant Acuity Brands Inc.
Interest in disinfection technology surged as a result of public health concerns spiking amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the focus in that industry shifted to long-term solutions, such as the implementation of disinfection technology into the design of new buildings, according to Rob Panepinto, co-founder and managing partner of clean tech advisement firm ForgeGreen Bio. "Will there be another Covid, or something different?"
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