Blair Street Advisors invests in Kerno and adds chairman

Blair Street Advisors has invested in Kerno, Inc. and Blair Street Managing Member Thomas McKinney has joined Kerno’s board as chairman. The move adds operating and governance experience as Kerno expands its free beta for makers of physical products.

Why it matters: - Kerno is trying to replace spreadsheets and notebooks with software built for physical-product businesses. - The Blair Street investment brings capital and board-level experience at a stage when Kerno is refining its beta and preparing for broader growth. - Thomas McKinney’s chairman role adds governance support for a company targeting makers that need better control of formulas, inventory, production records, quality and costs.

What happened: - Blair Street Advisors invested in Kerno, Inc. on Aug. 21, 2026. - Thomas McKinney, Blair Street’s Managing Member, joined Kerno’s Board of Directors as chairman. - The announcement said the strategic investment adds experienced board leadership as Kerno expands its free beta for businesses that make physical products.

The details: - Kerno builds inventory and operations software for makers. - The platform is designed to manage formulas, ingredients, packaging, inventory, production records, quality-control requirements and product costs in one system. - Kerno is aimed at businesses that have outgrown scattered spreadsheets and notebooks but do not want oversized enterprise software. - McKinney is a lawyer, entrepreneur and advisor with more than 25 years of experience across manufacturing, healthcare, technology and other industries. - As chairman, McKinney will support Kerno’s long-term strategy, governance and development while the company works with beta users. - Kerno said the team includes Michael D. Savino, Ina Alvarez, Emilio Sosa and Sam Umaretiya. - The strategic relationship with Blair Street will support Kerno as it refines the platform using feedback from real product businesses. - The beta is intended for makers and growing product companies in candles, soap, skincare, cosmetics, food and beverages, specialty goods and other physical products made through repeatable production runs. - The beta is free for users while the system remains in beta, and Kerno did not announce a fixed end date. - Businesses can learn more and join through Kerno’s website at Kerno’s website. - Blair Street Advisors works with business owners, boards, family offices and funds on growth, operations, technology, marketing, ownership, governance and business structure. - Blair Street also selectively invests alongside clients.

Between the lines: - Kerno grew out of an operational problem inside Plumera Essentials, a candle and personal-care business. - Allison Savino used a spreadsheet to track growing complexity in materials, formulas, production and costs, and that system became difficult to trust. - Michael D. Savino said the company is building Kerno for the long run and that McKinney’s experience reinforces that goal. - McKinney said many makers know how to make products but lack a good system for running the business behind them. - Kerno is positioning itself as software that respects the complexity of producing physical goods without forcing smaller companies into enterprise tools.

What's next: - Kerno will continue working with beta users to find where workflows need to be clearer. - The company will use beta feedback to learn which production details matter most across industries. - Kerno is preparing for broader growth after the beta phase. - Businesses interested in participating can join through Kerno’s website.

The bottom line: - Blair Street’s investment and McKinney’s chairman role give Kerno more credibility and operational depth as it builds software for makers who need a better way to run production businesses.