INTERLEAVE is an advisory and investment vehicle. I'm James Pace. INTERLEAVE has worked mostly in IoT, embedded, and cloud-connected embedded tools, but increasingly in AI and some other things, too.

Background: I helped build out the first high-speed consumer internet at cable modem ISP @Home Network (IPO: 1997); did Hard Things at ur-cloud compute company Loudcloud (IPO: 2001); helped build massive IPv6 wireless mesh networks for smart grids and cities at Silver Spring Networks (IPO: 2013); co-founded Runtime (EXIT: 2018), an early device-to-cloud IoT platform predicated on open source. LinkedIn

Since exiting Runtime in 2019, I started INTERLEAVE and have been involved with the following early stage companies:

Who What Role The latest
Aira Security (2026) Enforcement layer for AI agents
I
 Pre-Seed
Spotflow (2026) Observability, OTA upgrade, more
A
 Pre-Seed
Ainekko (2025) AI inference at the edge (IoT). hella open source
IA
 Seed
Kapital (2025) Mexican fintech challenger bank
I
 $100M Series C (2025)
SWERV (2025) Make bad air good with residential ERV
IA
 Pre-Seed
Trustero (2025) Multi-agent AI for continuous compliance
BA
 $10M Series A (2024)
Diligent.bio (2025) Agentic diligence engine for life sciences investing
A
 Pre-Seed
Embeint (2024) ML/AI over very low power wireless
A
 Pre-Seed
Golioth (2021) IoT infrastructure as code
IA
 EXIT → Canonical (2026)
Kadence Bio (2021) Very novel therapeutics (!)
IA
 $10M Series A (2025)
Mercury (2021) Startup, high growth banking
I
 $300M Series C (2025)
NetRise (2021) Software supply chain (IoT) security
I
 $10M Series A (2025)
Wyde LabsWyde Labs (2021) Solving proximity with UWB
IAB
 WIND DOWN (2022)
Memfault (2020) Observability and OTA for connected devices
IA
 EXIT → Nordic Semiconductor (2025)
EraDBEraDB (2020) Fast, novel time series DB
A
 EXIT → ServiceNow (2022)
TempowTempow (2020) OS for TrueWireless earbuds
A
 EXIT → Google (2021)

Legend: I=Invest  A=Advise  B=Board

Services

01 —

Advisory

Ongoing guidance for founders on fundraising, product strategy, technical architecture, the first 10 hires, and communicating with boards and investors.

02 —

Consulting

Project-based engagements — fundraising, go-to-market planning, competitive positioning. The same as Advisory, but more intensive with cash comp.

03 —

Investing

Pre-seed and seed investments at the intersection of hardware and software. Strong preference for open-source angles and teams that ship.

Contact

Building something in AI, IoT, embedded systems, developer tools, or early-stage hardware? Conversations are direct and commitments mean something.