Diamond Brew Closes Oversubscribed Pre-Seed Round

Diamond Brew, the Chicago-based maker of a shelf-stable coffee pod that requires no brewing machine, closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round, the company said Wednesday.

Investors include G/7 Venture Studio, Filipp Chebotarev of Cambridge Companies SPG, Beckett Industries, SGL Acquisitions, music executive Charlie Walk, Kingsland Capital Group, Nobel Partners, and Daniel Faierman of Habitat Partners. A group of NFL players, including Sean Clifford and DeAndre Hopkins, also participated. Seasoned CPG operators Alex Sourry, Lily Rogath, and Dom Purpura joined the round – Purpura's brand Mela was recently acquired.

Launched in late 2024, Diamond Brew uses a proprietary flash-freezing process with liquid nitrogen to lock in freshly brewed espresso's flavor profile. The hexagon-shaped pods are shelf-stable and come in three varieties: Craft Espresso, Midnight Roast, and Decaf Bliss. No machine is needed to brew them, the company said.

The coffee pod market has long been dominated by Keurig and Nespresso, both of which require proprietary brewing machines. Diamond Brew's pod eliminates that hardware dependency, potentially opening the product to a broader audience. The company targets consumers who want the convenience of a pod without the countertop footprint.

The pre-seed round came together as investors from sports, venture studios, and consumer packaged goods backed a product that sits at the intersection of convenience and coffee. The company did not disclose the amount raised.