Each week, we’ll round up startup news from the UNC journalism students behind North Carolina Business News Wire. To read all of the students’ work covering public and private companies around the state, sign up for the daily newsletter.

Raleigh-based FilterEasy raises $6.9 million

By Chris Roush

A Raleigh-based company that ships air filters on a regular basis to homeowners has raised $6.9 million in a private equity offering, according to a filing Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

FilterEasy Inc. raised the money from 35 investors, according to the filing. It has now raised a total of $11.4 million, having raised $4.2 million in July 2016.

Investors include Arsenal Venture Partners with participation from NC State Endowment Fund, Bonaventure Capital, Cofounders Capital, IDEA Fund Partners, John Replogle, and Triangle Angel Partners, according to the company.

The company was founded in 2014 and delivers air filters to homes on a schedule determined by the purchaser.

Its website offers air filters in over 40 different sizes and three quality levels, which covers most residential needs. Homeowners sign up for the service, select a filter size and tell FilterEasy their delivery schedule, such as every three months.

CEO Thad Tarkington and COO Kevin Barry founded the company while attending North Carolina State University. As the business model proved successful and the business grew rapidly, Tarkington and Barry shifted their focus from school to business.

Private companies similar to FilterEasy, which rely on a Reg D exemption, aren’t required to register securities offerings with the SEC, but instead they must file a Form D electronically with the SEC after they sell the securities.

Chapel Hill-based BioFluidica raises $4.1 million

By Chris Roush

A Chapel Hill-based biotechnology company has raised $4.1 million in a private equity offering, according to a filing Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

BioFluidica Inc. raised the money from nine investors, according to the filing. It raised $2 million in 2016.

The company’s diagnostic platform provides a non-invasive procedure that can be applied to many diseases where there is a need for improved diagnostics.

The platform has been validated for six different cancer types, stroke and infectious diseases.

Its founder is UNC-Chapel Hill biomedical engineering and chemistry professor Steven A. Soper, who is the company’s chief technology officer.

He is a worldwide recognized pioneer in the development of diagnostic platforms with over 12 years of experiences in the CTC research area along with being the author of five patents currently licensed by BioFluidica.

BioFluidica’s Chief Executive Officer is Rolf Muller. Prior to joining BioFluidica, he was the co-founder and president of Biomatrica, which he developed into a leader in biopreservation technologies for diagnostic and health care companies.

Private companies similar to BioFluidica, which rely on a Reg D exemption, aren’t required to register securities offerings with the SEC, but instead they must file a Form D electronically with the SEC after they sell the securities.

Charlotte-based Airwavz Solutions raises $3.5 million

By Chris Roush

A Charlotte-based telecommunications company has raised an additional $3.58 million in a private debt offering, according to a filing Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Airwavz Solutions Inc. raised the money from 37 investors, according to the filing. The company raised $1.5 million in October 2016.

The company designs, develops, owns and operates wireless infrastructure platforms as a service for building owners.

Approximately 80 percent of mobile data consumption originates or terminates inside buildings, and only a small fraction of buildings have adequate wireless infrastructure, according to the company.

The company’s CEO is Brad Davis, a 25-year telecommunications and technology veteran with experience in corporate, private equity and early stage growth companies. He was named to that position in May.

Most recently, Davis served as CEO of ProctorFree, an online identity and machine learning company.

Davis is the former President and CEO of DukeNet Communications LLC, a regional fiber optic network company.

When named president in 2003, the business was in decline and valued at $45 million. By 2010, he led the sale of DukeNet at an enterprise value of $274 million, creating a joint venture with Alinda Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm.

Private companies similar to Airwavz Solutions, which rely on a Reg D exemption, aren’t required to register securities offerings with the SEC, but instead they must file a Form D electronically with the SEC after they sell the securities.

Pittsboro-based sleep apnea company raises $520,000

By Chris Roush

A company developing a strapless and adhesive mask for sleep apnea patients has raised $520,000 in a private equity offering, according to a filing Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Snap CPAP LLC raised the money from 14 investors, according to the filing. The company also raised $50,000 in January 2016.

The Pittsboro, North Carolina-based company was founded in 2015 and has developed a mask that’s 25 percent lighter than a nasal pillow mask. It’s small and light and leaves no marks on your face.

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes people to stop breathing while they are asleep. At affects approximately 2 percent of the population and is most common in people between the ages of 55 and 60.

Its founder is Stuart Heatherington, who is CEO of Bleep LLC.

Heatherington is a part-time novelist. His first book, “The Weight of Glass,” is available on Amazon Kindle. At present he is a member of the South Carolina Writers Workshop and Raleigh Write 2 Publish. He attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he graduated with a BA in history and developed a love of writing.

Private companies similar to Snap CPAP, which rely on a Reg D exemption, aren’t required to register securities offerings with the SEC, but instead they must file a Form D electronically with the SEC after they sell the securities.

Raleigh-based Altopa raises $175,000

By Chris Roush

A Raleigh-based company developing a device to mix and dispense botanical oils has raised $175,000 in a debt and option raise, according to a filing Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Altopa Inc. raised the money from nine investors, and is seeking to raise an additional $825,000, according to the filing.

Altopa has developed a countertop delivery device for mixing and dispensing botanical oils to create customized botanical oil blends for on-demand, single-use consumption. Oblend allows its users to develop their own shampoos, vitamins and perfumes.

It’s targeting chronic pain patients, health-conscious consumers and doctors seeking alternative treatments.

The company was founded in 2016. According to the Oblend website, the device will launch in Spring 2018.

One of its co-founders is Nicole Wicker, who was chief financial officer of TearScience Inc. in Morrisville from 2008 to 2014.

She helped the company raise over $125 million through a variety of funding vehicles, including an equity round, royalty funding and venture debt.

Private companies similar to Altopa, which rely on a Reg D exemption, aren’t required to register securities offerings with the SEC, but instead they must file a Form D electronically with the SEC after they sell the securities.