Growth is prioritized where contribution margin, customer lifetime value, and capital efficiency align.

Capital raised in this phase is allocated toward scalable direct-to-consumer growth and measurable operating improvement.

1. Direct to Consumer Acquisition Efficiency

• Optimize paid media performance
• Improve customer acquisition cost relative to lifetime value
• Strengthen repeat purchase behavior and retention

2. Contribution Margin Expansion

• Improve production efficiency
• Optimize packaging and fulfillment economics
• Scale volume within defined margin thresholds

3. Working Capital Discipline

• Align inventory growth with demand
• Maintain lean operational overhead
• Preserve flexibility for strategic opportunities

4. Selective Channel Expansion

• Evaluate retail partnerships only when margin criteria are met
• Expand from a position of proven direct to consumer strength

Capital deployment decisions are milestone driven and tied to measurable performance thresholds.

The company has established compliant production partnerships, protected intellectual property, national direct-to-consumer capability, and real-world operating data, materially reducing execution risk ahead of this growth phase.

Operational Validation

Elevate Quantum D9 has established national direct-to-consumer availability with demonstrated repeat purchase behavior and scalable ecommerce capability.

Since launch, the company has:

• Built a fully operational national ecommerce platform with integrated fulfillment
• Established repeat purchase behavior within its customer base
• Secured select retail placements while maintaining direct to consumer margin discipline
• Completed intellectual property protection for key brand assets
• Demonstrated scalable production capacity through established manufacturing partners

Prior portfolio execution established manufacturing, distribution, and regulatory experience that supports the current growth strategy.

The company deliberately built operational infrastructure prior to accelerating growth. Market testing has informed production planning, pricing strategy, and customer acquisition optimization. This foundation positions Elevate Quantum D9 to scale within a defined operating framework rather than early stage experimentation.

Over the past year, the company reallocated capital and operational focus toward the higher growth, higher margin alcohol free functional beverage category. Elevate Quantum D9 launched in early 2025 as the lead brand within this strategy.

Production and distribution operate within applicable federal and state regulatory frameworks.

Elevate Quantum D9 operates within a structurally expanding category supported by favorable margin dynamics and accelerating consumer adoption. The brand combines super premium positioning with national ecommerce capability and disciplined cost structure.

Direct-To-Consumer distribution provides scalable economics, while selective retail expansion enhances visibility without compromising contribution margin.

This phase of expansion builds upon established infrastructure rather than early stage experimentation.

Elevate Quantum D9 is the company’s primary growth engine. Near-term capital and operational focus remain centered on scaling direct-to-consumer performance to expand contribution margin, strengthen customer data ownership, and increase repeat purchase behavior.

Rather than accelerating wholesale prematurely, the company is prioritizing efficient DTC growth, optimizing production economics through controlled volume scaling, and improving unit margins. This disciplined approach enables intelligent expansion while preserving capital flexibility.

The broader portfolio, including Day To Day Light and Broken Step Hard Lemonade, remains positioned as strategic optionality. These assets may be activated through licensing, partnership, or selective distribution when capital structure and market timing align.

Additional products such as Day To Day Zero, Wrestling Bear and Quantum Roast D9 expand long-term category flexibility without requiring near-term capital deployment.

This strategy emphasizes margin discipline first, measured expansion second, and scalable growth built on validated demand.

Bernhard Taras Ventures operates within multiple beverage categories, with current capital and operational focus directed toward the higher growth, higher margin alcohol free functional segment. The company’s portfolio development over the past several years has established production infrastructure, regulatory experience, and distribution capability that now supports scalable direct to consumer expansion.

Bernhard Taras Ventures is entering a focused growth phase centered on scaling Elevate Quantum D9 through disciplined direct-to-consumer expansion. This is not a broad capital raise. It is a targeted financing designed to accelerate customer acquisition, strengthen contribution margin, and build enterprise value within a defined operating framework.

We are raising capital through a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), offering a streamlined structure for participation ahead of the next valuation milestone. This phase is about accelerating growth from strength rather than building from inception.

Capital will be deployed toward increasing production efficiency, expanding customer acquisition, improving retention, and selectively evaluating distribution partnerships when demand and margin support expansion. Additional capital directly supports measurable operating progress.

At Bernhard Taras Ventures, transparency and alignment are central to how we operate. Investors receive clear communication regarding strategy, financial performance, capital deployment, and milestone progression. Growth is pursued deliberately, with emphasis on contribution margin, capital efficiency, and long-term value creation.

Participation in this round is limited and intentional. We are seeking partners who value disciplined execution, thoughtful scaling, and long-term positioning within an evolving beverage landscape.

If you would like to review the opportunity in greater detail, including financials and structure, I welcome the conversation.

864 640 0953
chad.webb@bernhard-taras.com

Cheers,
Chad Webb