# BrightSpec funding: rounds and investors

> BrightSpec has raised $20M across 2 rounds since 2015. Investors include National Science Foundation. Every round with its source.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/company/brightspec (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

United States · [Series C startup](https://millionrounds.com/companies)

# Who invested in *BrightSpec*

2 rounds we have observed, with the one investor named in them. Every figure came from a named source, and where the company reported a raise to the SEC itself, that is shown beside it.

Big Data & Analytics

Funding summary Updated 26 Oct 2026

**$20M** raised across 2 rounds since 2015, from 2 sources

**$1.6M** Venture **$18M** Series C

- **Latest round:** Series C, $18M Dec 2022
- **Step-up i:** 11.9×
- **Investors:** 1

See who backed them

## The funding story

Each circle is a round, placed by date and sized by amount. The line above is the running total.

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

**$1.6M** Venture

**$18M** Series C

- **First round:** Venture, $1.6M
- **Biggest round:** $18M
- **Between rounds:** 7.5 years

## The rounds

- **Dec 2022** Series C **$18M** *1 new* [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) Source recorded SEC filing: $7.5M sold, first sale Dec 2022
- **May 2015** Venture **$1.6M** No investor was named in the report. From a historical funding record SEC filing: $1.6M sold, first sale May 2015

## Founders and team

From BrightSpec's own website: 2 founders, 9 on the team.

**Dave McDaniel** Founder and Chief Software Architect

**Dr. Justin Neill** Founder and Chief Technology Officer

- **Rick Gordon** Chief Executive Officer
- **Colin Merrifield** Vice President Product
- **Dr. Christopher Thompson** Vice President Commercial Development
- **Kristine Bissell** Vice President of Business Development
- **Lis Rhodes** Vice President Finance and Operations
- **Dan Kidle** Board Director
- **David Cash** Board Director
- **Jenny Rooke** Board Director
- **Tim Germann** Board Director

## Everyone who backed them

[National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) Government **1** round

Missing a round, or an investor who was in one? [Tell us](https://millionrounds.com/corrections?slug=brightspec).

## Also claim to have backed them

These 2 firms list BrightSpec as a portfolio company on their own websites, but no report of a round names them. They are the firms' own claims, kept apart from the rounds above.

[Genoa Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/genoa-ventures) VC firm Per its own site

[Medvest Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/medvest-capital) VC firm Per its own site

## Quick answers about BrightSpec

### Who invested in BrightSpec?

BrightSpec's investors include National Science Foundation.

### How much has BrightSpec raised?

BrightSpec has raised $20M across 2 rounds since 2015.

### When did BrightSpec last raise?

BrightSpec's most recent round was a Series C of $18M in Dec 2022.

### What was BrightSpec's biggest round?

Its most recent round, $18M in Dec 2022, is also its largest on record.

### Who backed BrightSpec first?

BrightSpec's first round on record, in Dec 2022, was backed by National Science Foundation.

### What stage is BrightSpec at?

BrightSpec's latest named round is a Series C, in Dec 2022.

### Where is BrightSpec based?

BrightSpec is based in the United States.

## Companies like BrightSpec

In the same sector, and raised in the last eighteen months.

[**SpaceX** $42B · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/spacex)[**STRIVE** $1.3B · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/strive)[**Xona** $512M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/xona)[**DrizzleX** $9.1M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/drizzlex)[**Prism Data** $25M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/prism-data)[**Homa** $5.0M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/homa)

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