Back in 2018, Eterneva co-founders Adelle Archer and Garrett Ozar had a huge vision. They set out to raise a seed round, but not just from any investor. They needed partners who truly understood their mission. The goal was ambitious: bring the entire memorial diamond growth process in-house. This meant building a state-of-the-art lab and inviting customers to be part of the journey. They found the perfect partner in Brant Barton, co-founder of Bazaarvoice, who has a deep understanding of building companies that connect with people on a human level.

It’s a level of transparency never before seen in the decade old memorial diamond industry, but one both Archer and Ozar felt passionate about.

After all, it’s the exact experience Archer received when she caught a flight to Europe and stood by as her friend Tracey’s ashes were transformed into a diamond.

It’s why Etenerva films every single part of the process –– to give as close as an in-person experience as possible to loved ones.

This gives so many people peace of mind, but beyond that, it helps those who are deeply grieving as well as their friends and family.

Over the last three years, Archer and Ozar have watched Eterneva customers completely shift and add meaning to the experience of loss, often by launching legacy projects and participating in grief rituals.

   
But, to bring diamond machines in house, specifically those that grow diamonds one at a time –– well, that was going to be both a financial and engineering marvel.

And Archer and Ozar needed investors who understand both technology and the consumer market.

Enter Brant Barton, co-founder of Bazaarvoice and, most recently, board chair of 1% for the Planet and one of several early Eterneva investors. His background in technology mixed with a consumer understanding of empathy, action, and sustainability made him a key strategic partner for Archer and Ozar.

We got the opportunity to sit down for a quick interview with the busy Austinite to discuss his own experiences around loss, why he chose to invest, and what he sees for Eterneva in 2020 and beyond.

From Personal Loss to a Powerful Mission

The way our society deals with death has never really made much sense to me.

Like many others, I've been to a fair number of memorial services and funerals, and the experience has always struck me as very strange and discomforting.

The formality and ceremony and morbidity of it all.

I was very close to my grandparents, and when I lost them and went to their services and saw them buried, it just felt so sterile to me. In that setting, I wasn’t very moved –– and I was extremely close to them.

That memory has always stuck with me, that intuitive feeling that something is off, that something isn’t right, that there is a better way to do this, has always been in the back of my mind.

Brant Barton's Entrepreneurial Journey

That feeling—that there has to be a better way to honor our loved ones—is what drives us at Eterneva. It’s also what connected Brant to our mission. His professional life has been dedicated to building companies that listen to people and reflect their experiences back to them in a meaningful way. From creating platforms for customer feedback to championing environmental causes, his career shows a deep understanding of how to blend technology with genuine human connection. This unique background makes him not just an investor, but a true partner in helping us change the conversation around loss and remembrance.

Founding and Growing Bazaarvoice

Long before he joined Eterneva’s journey, Brant made a significant mark on the tech world when he co-founded Bazaarvoice. The company was built on a simple but powerful idea: giving customers a platform to share their honest opinions through ratings and reviews. This focus on authentic feedback helped over 1,200 brands better understand and engage with their communities. By building a business centered on the customer's voice, Brant demonstrated a keen ability to create technology that serves a fundamental human need for connection and expression, a skill that aligns perfectly with creating a more personal memorial experience.

Leadership in Socially-Conscious Companies

Brant’s work extends beyond just technology; it’s deeply rooted in social responsibility. He served as the board chair of 1% for the Planet, an incredible organization that encourages businesses to donate 1% of their sales to environmental causes. Under this initiative, thousands of member companies have contributed more than $250 million to charities working to protect our planet. His leadership in a socially-conscious company shows a commitment to using business as a force for good. This dedication to purpose-driven work is one of the many reasons his partnership with Eterneva, a company focused on bringing comfort and meaning during difficult times, feels so natural.

Advising the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

With years of experience building successful, mission-driven companies, Brant now dedicates much of his time to guiding the next wave of innovators. He is a sought-after advisor for entrepreneurs, offering his expertise on everything from the initial spark of an idea to growing a team and navigating major business deals. His ability to advise on crucial topics for founders makes him an invaluable mentor. For Eterneva, having his strategic guidance has been instrumental as we continue to grow our community and refine the deeply personal journey of creating a memorial diamond.

Discovering the Eterneva Mission

My former business partner and co-founder of Bazaarvoice, Brett Hurt, sent me a message last year suggesting that I check out Eterneva. I took one look at the company’s home page and was immediately intrigued.

A few days later, I spoke with Adelle for almost an hour and was inspired by her personal connection to the idea and her focus on disrupting the “death industry” in a positive way.

For me, the passion that Adelle and Garrett had for the difference they were making in the space was contagious. I’d never heard of anything like making diamonds from ashes, and loved the idea of someone honoring a loved one’s life in this way.

The Growing Need for Meaningful Remembrance

Great ideas can succeed or fail based on timing, and I think memorial diamonds are just now entering their window of opportunity.

There is a generational shift happening, a different attitude toward death that is taking root in our culture.

Whether it’s better helping those who are grieving, or better planning for your own death so that those you love aren’t left high and dry –– things are changing.

Environmental concerns are a major factor as well.

Memorial diamonds like the ones Eterneva makes are lab-grown diamonds, and I love the idea that people will further accept and even come to prefer lab-grown diamonds over mined ones by bringing memorial diamonds to market.

I bought my wife a wedding ring just like most every guy does, but I've never been a fan of jewelry because of the conditions that are involved in harvesting precious stones from the earth.

It's not a pretty industry, both environmentally and from a human rights standpoint.

I love being a small part of turning that industry upside down with an approach that's more environmentally friendly, more humanistic, easier to manage, less costly to all these different stakeholders, as well as less costly to the earth. Investing in Eterneva is a way of supporting the perfection and mainstreaming of that technology.

What's Next for Eterneva?

The challenge for Eterneva and their team is in creating and popularizing a new category.

Sure, there are competitors out there, but none approaching the market the way Eterneva is, none doing the legwork to prove the sincerity behind the grief coaching and grief wellness movement, none that have the personal story behind why they got started.

Eventually, I believe Eterneva will be a household name and memorial diamonds will be a default option for memorialization. Right now, of course, when you tell people about turning human or pet ashes to diamonds, you get a double-take. It’s often the first time someone has heard of such a thing.

That's because it hasn’t been presented to consumers broadly and effectively, yet. But in spite of this lack of awareness, no one I’ve shared Eterneva with has thought it was weird or wrong or something you shouldn’t do with a loved one’s ashes.

My wife, for instance, lost her father eight years ago and he was cremated. Her grandmother passed away in the last year, and she was cremated.

In talking about their lives, their legacies, and honoring them, she and I have talked about what she will want to do. For her, because she knows that ashes to diamonds is an option, she wants to combine their ashes to create a wearable reminder of them.

Brant Barton's Passion for Eterneva's Mission

At the end of the day, Eterneva sits on so many amazing, beautiful stories of remarkable lives and the way people honor those lives after they have passed.

So few people want to talk about death, and even fewer about what life looks like in grief. But those two topics are incredibly important. They are part of a larger mental health conversation.

When you combine that conversation with a process and product that helps flip the script on a market that damages the earth, I think you have a real, winning idea.

Eterneva helps people. Eterneva helps the planet. And I’m incredibly proud to be an Eterneva investor.

A Philosophy Rooted in "Customer Love"

Brant’s investment philosophy is deeply rooted in what he calls “customer love.” He believes the most successful companies are those built around genuinely understanding and responding to their customers' needs. As he puts it, "The biggest challenge for companies now is being ready to respond to customer questions and feedback once they start asking for it." This principle is the very foundation of Eterneva. We aren't just creating a beautiful product; we are providing a supportive, healing experience for people going through one of life's most difficult moments. This means being available, listening, and ensuring every family feels seen and heard throughout their entire journey with us, reflecting our deep commitment to our standards and transparency.

The Power of Customer Feedback and Transparency

That commitment to the customer experience naturally leads to radical transparency. Brant notes that leveraging customer feedback is key to shaping a meaningful service, and for us, that means showing our work. We know that we are being entrusted with something incredibly precious. That’s why we film every part of the memorial diamond creation process, from the moment the ashes arrive at our Austin lab to the final placement of the diamond. This isn't just about quality control; it's about providing peace of mind and allowing our customers to be part of their loved one's transformation. It’s a tangible way we build trust and offer a window into a process that is both scientific and deeply personal.

A Focused Approach to Marketing and Growth

When you’re building something entirely new, it’s easy to get sidetracked. Brant advises companies to "stay focused on their main goals and not get distracted by every new 'shiny object'." This is crucial for Eterneva as we establish a new tradition in memorialization. Our goal isn’t just to sell diamonds; it’s to change the conversation around death and grief, offering a path to celebrate a remarkable life. By concentrating on our unique value—the emotional connection and healing journey we facilitate—we can effectively grow and share this option with more families. This focus allows us to perfect the science and chemistry behind our diamonds while staying true to our core mission of helping people find brightness in loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should an investor's perspective matter to me? We believe that who supports a company says a lot about its values. Brant Barton’s story is important because he invests in businesses built on genuine human connection and purpose. His belief in our mission is a testament to the fact that Eterneva is more than just a company; it's a compassionate team dedicated to changing the way we honor remarkable lives. It shows our foundation is built on care, which is exactly what you deserve.

The article mentions transparency. What does that actually look like? Transparency is at the heart of everything we do, because we know we’re caring for someone incredibly precious. From the moment your loved one’s ashes or hair arrive at our Austin lab, you become part of their transformation. We provide regular updates with photos and videos at every single stage, so you can follow along and have complete peace of mind knowing exactly where they are and how they are being honored.

How does creating a memorial diamond fit into changing attitudes about death? Many people feel that traditional memorial services can be impersonal and don't fully capture the spirit of the person they lost. Creating a memorial diamond is about choosing a new kind of tradition, one that is deeply personal and celebratory. It allows you to create a tangible, beautiful reminder of your loved one that you can keep close forever, shifting the focus from loss to a continued, loving connection.

Are Eterneva diamonds an environmentally conscious choice? Yes, they are. Our diamonds are grown in a highly controlled lab environment, a process that is much more sustainable than traditional diamond mining. As Brant mentioned in his interview, the mining industry often has significant environmental and human rights costs. Choosing a lab-grown memorial diamond is a way to create a beautiful tribute that is gentle on the earth and honors your loved one’s legacy in a positive way.

I've never heard of this before. Is turning ashes into diamonds a new idea? While the science has been around for some time, the idea is still new to many people, and that's perfectly okay. What makes Eterneva truly different is our focus on the entire experience. We are the only memorial diamond company with a third-party validated lab in the U.S., and we pair the science with a journey of remembrance and healing. We are dedicated to making this option accessible, trustworthy, and deeply meaningful for every family we serve.

Key Takeaways

  • Modern memorials focus on celebration, not just ceremony: People are moving away from formal, impersonal rituals and choosing deeply personal ways to honor a loved one's unique story and legacy.
  • Transparency is a key part of the healing process: Witnessing the creation of a memorial diamond provides comfort and peace of mind, making you an active participant in your loved one's beautiful transformation.
  • Honoring a loved one can align with your values: Choosing a lab-grown memorial diamond offers a sustainable alternative to traditional options, allowing you to celebrate a life while also caring for the planet.

Related Articles