Montreal's Rozvelt Secures $3.1 Million CAD Seed Round Led by Angel Benoit Robert

Montreal-based Rozvelt has raised $3.1 million CAD in seed funding from a group of angel investors led by Benoit Robert, a partner at wealth management firm Evovest. The company announced the round on Monday, according to Startup Researcher. Rozvelt will use the capital to develop breathable headgear for military, law enforcement and first responder markets, and to start production of its consumer Vektr product in Canada this fall.

Rozvelt's Shift From Hunting Gear to Defense Headgear

Rozvelt originally designed its Vektr consumer headgear to filter odor particles exhaled by the wearer while leaving inhaled particles unaffected. The product connects magnetically to an adjustable band that wraps around the head, with a removal clasp near each ear. The company marketed the headgear to hunters, wildlife photographers and nature observers who want to conceal their scent.

Co-founder and CEO Nicholas Monette said the pivot began when Rozvelt presented at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, run by the US Firearm Industry Trade Association. At the event, hunters and defense companies approached the team and said there was a bigger problem the masks could tackle. They explained that shooting a gun can expose people to lead particles from ammunition, which are associated with health issues like cardiovascular disease, hypertension and kidney failure.

Those industry contacts suggested Rozvelt make its headgear dynamic, allowing it to switch between filtering exhales to stop the wearer's scent and filtering inhales to protect the wearer from dangerous particles. Beyond lead exposure, the masks could serve as personal protective equipment fit for combat and other hazardous environments. That is now what the company plans to focus on with its fresh funding.

The new funding will be directed toward broadening Rozvelt's breathable headgear product line for military, law enforcement and first responder customers. Rozvelt has also established a partnership and planned distribution agreement with Japan's Seaprex, an industrial marine manufacturer with defense applications.

Although the company launched last year during the Canada-US trade war, Monette said its Canadian brand has been a tailwind in Europe and Asia. The startup attended major defense events including the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Poland, a NATO conference in Luxembourg, and SEECAT in Japan. Monette added that Rozvelt is looking to sell to the Canadian Armed Forces as soon as possible and remains open to pursuing deals with the US military.

Rozvelt's expansion comes amid tens of billions of defense dollars committed by Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government and an explosion in support programs for companies making dual-use technologies. Monette noted that Canada's defense gold rush was not what prompted the switch, since international interest came first.

Rozvelt's Vektr Production Timeline

Rozvelt plans to start production of its consumer Vektr product in Canada this fall, the company said. The company has also established a partnership and planned distribution agreement with Japan's Seaprex, an industrial marine manufacturer with defense applications.