NEWARK, Del., Feb. 28, 2023 — The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is pleased to announce approximately $1.7M in planned project activities through the Institute’s Global Health Fund (GHF) Project Call 6.1G for three new projects focused on the development of in vitro potency assays for vaccines being produced by mRNA and/or viral vector technologies. 

These projects were selected to best align with key focus areas identified by NIIMBL and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to address industry needs. The Global Health Fund was established by NIIMBL with funding contributed by BMGF to develop and implement innovative technologies for vaccine and biological manufacturing that will accelerate development timelines and lower the cost of manufacturing, all in furtherance of BMGF’s charitable objectives.

“NIIMBL is looking forward to adding these key projects to our GHF portfolio. These projects will allow us to further advance innovation in vaccine manufacturing, particularly around potency assays that are important for characterization of key quality aspects of vaccines,” says Chris Roberts, Associate Institute Director. “The recent pandemic highlighted several needs for vaccine development and manufacturing across multiple potential vaccine targets. These projects will make significant advances for vaccine manufacturing,” adds Roberts.

NIIMBL has awarded approximately 142 technical, workforce development, and Global Health Fund projects through the Project Call process with a total project investment of over $111M since 2017 when the Institute launched. The NIIMBL community is comprised of more than 200 members from academia, industry, government, and non-profit organizations. They all share the common goal of advancing biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

For a description of each project and to learn more about NIIMBL, visit the Project Call 6.1 website.

6.1 Project List

Project:
Versatile Platform for Speed and Simplicity in mRNA Potency Testing Draft
Lead: InDevR, Inc.

Project:
Advanced FISH Assay and Mechanism Hybrid Surrogate to Improve mRNA Vaccine Potency
Assessment and Prediction Draft
Lead: Northeastern University

Project:
Optimization of a mRNA Vaccine Potency Assay Platform for Global Use
Lead: PATH Center for Vaccines Innovation & Access

*All funding is subject to project agreement negotiations. 

About NIIMBL

The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a world-leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness in this industry. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA®, a diverse network of federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes, and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce with significant additional support from its members. 

Contact:
News Media
Maria X. Chacon
Director of Marketing and Communications
302-831-2337
[email protected]

SOURCE National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL)

STOCKHOLM, 28 février 2023 — Swedish Biofuels AB a annoncé aujourd’hui avoir reçu un investissement de la part de Mitsubishi Corporation afin d’accélérer conjointement le déploiement commercial de carburants renouvelables propres grâce à la technologie ATJ (Advanced Alcohol to Jet) de Swedish Biofuels.

Cette technologie permet de produire du carburant aviation durable entièrement formulé (fully formulated sustainable aviation fuel, FFSAF) à partir de diverses matières premières biogènes. Le FFSAF de Swedish Biofuels est différent des autres carburants aviation durables, car il ne s’agit pas d’un mélange de composants, mais d’un véritable carburant aviation prêt à l’emploi. Le FFSAF a été testé avec succès par des fabricants de moteurs dans le cadre des programmes DARP et FAA américains et du programme FMV suédois.

Swedish Biofuels ouvre désormais la voie grâce à la première technologie ATJ avancée au monde, avec pour objectif le remplacement total du kérosène fossile par le FFSAF.

Angelica Hull, directrice générale de Swedish Biofuels, a déclaré que la société était honorée par la décision d’investissement de Mitsubishi Corporation, qui fournit un partenariat stratégique exceptionnel à Swedish Biofuels, y compris l’accès aux matières premières, le soutien aux ventes, le marketing et les opérations commerciales. Grâce à ce partenariat, la société prévoit d’accélérer le déploiement de sa technologie avancée ATJ sur son marché national et au-delà.

À propos de Mitsubishi Corporation

Mitsubishi Corporation est une entreprise commerciale intégrée mondiale qui développe et exploite des entreprises dans pratiquement tous les secteurs, notamment le gaz naturel, les matériaux industriels, les solutions pétrolières et chimiques, les ressources minérales, les infrastructures industrielles, l’automobile et la mobilité, l’industrie alimentaire, l’industrie de consommation, les solutions énergétiques et le développement urbain.

À propos de Swedish Biofuels

Swedish Biofuels est une société basée à Stockholm qui s’efforce de contribuer à la sécurité mondiale en proposant une technologie innovante et de pointe pour fabriquer des produits respectueux de l’environnement, durables et de haute qualité répondant aux exigences et objectifs réglementaires.

Swedish Biofuels est à l’origine de la technologie ATJ originale, brevetée en 2004 Aujourd’hui, la société fournit des solutions sur mesure pour sa technologie ATJ avancée, avec pour objectif un rendement maximal des produits de carburant pour l’aviation et le transport terrestre.

www.swedishbiofuels.se

Contact

Sal Passanisi
Responsable du marketing et des projets
[email protected]
+46 703 573 800

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2010369/Swedish_Biofuels_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Swedish Biofuels AB

With Gable, companies let employees choose from over 2,000 office spaces and work alongside their teammates

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 28, 2023 — Gable, the startup that helps distributed companies manage office space for their workforce, today announced a $16M funding. On Gable’s portal, employees can see where their coworkers are working that day and book a desk alongside them while the company can manage budgets and monitor employee satisfaction. The funding is co-led by SemperVirens and Foundation Capital, with participation from Tishman Speyer Ventures, Ulu Ventures and January Ventures.

In the past three years, the way people work has changed dramatically. According to a recent McKinsey survey, 98 million U.S. workers now have the option to perform their jobs remotely. And a recent survey by Deloitte found that for 77% of respondents, a desire for greater workplace flexibility was a top driver for switching jobs. At the same time, an increasing number of employees are reporting burnout, disconnection, and disengagement.

“Most employees want flexibility, but they also want the ability to meet with coworkers and connect,” said Liza Mash Levin, co-founder, and CEO of Gable. “Meanwhile, companies find it hard to provide workspaces across locations, stay on top of budgets, and have insight into how the spaces are being utilized. That’s where Gable comes in.”

Gable enables employees to search and book from thousands of available workspaces within a predetermined budget. The custom portal allows anyone from the team to invite others to join them at any location and for employees to see where each other is working. Companies using Gable have seen employees’ interest in coming into the office jump by 75%. Just-released features extend the ability to reserve and manage events and book a desk at the company’s permanent offices.

The company was founded by Liza Mash Levin and Omri Haviv, former PM and engineering leaders at Microsoft. Gable was launched in 2020 just as COVID-19 began forcing companies to switch to remote work and fundamentally change how and where teams worked together.

The solution neatly addresses pain points faced by HR, People Operations, Real Estate and Workplace teams. Gable sources and vets each location and lets HR and Real Estate control how much they spend on flex spaces with a pay-as-you-go model and measure the effectiveness of their real estate spending while dramatically reducing real estate costs. The centralized management suite integrates with HRIS tools and Slack, saving People Operations tens of hours a month. Gable has rapidly grown with over 50 companies – such as Wheel and Docker – and 5,000 employees using the platform. Employees have reported a 4-5X increase in productivity, collaboration and satisfaction.

“The world of work is changing rapidly, and there is a growing need for creative, and powerful solutions that help companies build connected and engaged teams, while supporting flexibility,” said Colin Tobias, partner at SemperVirens. “The Gable team has built a differentiated, people-focused solution and we’re excited and proud to support them in powering the workplace of today and tomorrow.”

“Figuring out if, when and how people need to come together is a layered cake of operational questions around employee retention, productivity, real estate costs,” said Lauri Moore, partner at Foundation Capital. “Gable is not only building the platform — Liza, Omri, and team are leading the community for the new world of hybrid work, and we are proud to partner with them.”

Media Contact
Lazer Cohen
[email protected]
347-753-8256b

SOURCE Gable

MASTRY Ventures Co-founder Rudy Cline-Thomas becomes Chairman

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2023 — MASTRY Ventures announced today, in partnership with General Catalyst, that it has acquired a majority stake in Athletes First. Athletes First is the premier football agency representing athletes, coaches, front office personnel, and broadcasters. Founded in 2001 by Brian Murphy, Athletes First has set itself apart by brokering countless record-breaking contracts, representing eight Super Bowl MVPs, the most first round NFL draft picks for three years in a row, and a prestigious list of NFL and NCAA coaches and front office personnel. Athletes First’s roster of more than 450 clients includes Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, Aaron Donald, Derwin James, Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt Lafleur, LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly, and Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles. This partnership will expand opportunities for Athletes First’s clients to take their success to new levels beyond the field. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.

“Athletes First is not simply the name of our company, it is our culture, mission, and family,” said Brian Murphy, an Athletes First Founder and CEO. “MASTRY Ventures and General Catalyst are exceptional partners for us as their success is rooted in that same philosophy. This partnership will redefine the traditional continuum of representation services as we use our combined platforms and vision to help clients maximize their positive impact on families, communities, and the world.”

“Athletes have yet to capitalize on the full value and scale of their social reach and cultural impact. As we move into the next chapter, I look forward to building on the existing success of Athletes First, while focusing on empowering athletes beyond the field by transforming them from players to owners,” said Rudy Cline-Thomas, MASTRY Ventures Co-founder and Managing Partner. “This acquisition creates a tangible pathway for our clients to play the long game on their terms. MASTRY Ventures has long admired Athletes First, not just for building the world’s top football agency, but also for the intentional way they do business, their unique culture of putting athletes first, and genuine commitment to teamwork.”

MASTRY Ventures and General Catalyst plan to create new platforms in which Athletes First’s clients can unlock new opportunities, build enterprises, and establish greater ownership across various industries. MASTRY Ventures Co-founder Rudy Cline-Thomas will assume a pivotal role as Chairman of the largest NFL agency.

“The need for more diverse representation in the sports industry was a driving force in pursuing this partnership,” said Cline-Thomas. “The acquisition allows us to expand opportunities for our clients, create real value, and remove long-standing barriers to access.”

“We believe athletes are among the most important influencers and creators in society today. They need and deserve the tools, technology, and relationships to grow and build their personal enterprises and their impact. We have seen this shift happen before for artists, content creators and small businesses and how it’s unlocked incredible opportunity,” said Paul Kwan, Managing

Director at General Catalyst. “We are excited to collaborate with Athletes First and MASTRY Ventures to build a category defining company that helps athletes thrive and brings powerful positive change that endures.”

Brian Murphy will remain CEO and run day-to-day operations.

About Athletes First

Athletes First is a full-service management firm that has been representing elite players, coaches, personnel, and broadcasters since its inception in 2001. Based in Southern California, with satellite offices in New York City, NY, Gainesville, FL, Austin, TX and Atlanta, GA, Athletes First is a staple in the sports representation business. Athletes First has strategically grown its practice with the most widely experienced agent team in the industry composed of forward thinkers, trained attorneys, and master negotiators. Our mission is simple: Do the right things, with the right people, for the right reasons.

About MASTRY Ventures

MASTRY Ventures is a venture capital firm that leads early-stage investments. Our promise at MASTRY Ventures is to be a lot more than capital. Our network includes 100+ of the most impactful public and private company founders and CEOs, the brightest operators with deep technical and industry expertise, a roster of Midas List VCs, and the most progressive athletes and influencers shaping today’s world. We leverage our unique network to bend the risk curve for our companies. We develop partnerships, create distribution advantages, help build people strategies, and provide true rolled-up-sleeves support to help our founders succeed. And it doesn’t end there. Diversity, equity and inclusion is a MASTRY Ventures cornerstone. We are building a unique playbook to ensure access to diverse capital, governance and talent for our portfolio companies from day one.Our past portfolio includes Zoom, Pager Duty, Datadog, Robinhood, Carta, Coinbase, GOAT, Uber, Dapper Labs, Levels Health, Hippo, Madison Reed, Acorns, Papa, Pachama, Nurx, Hims, Shef to name a few.

About General Catalyst

General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures — for our entrepreneurs, our investors, our people, and society. We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond to build companies that withstand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York City, London, and Boston, the firm has helped support the growth of businesses such as: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Illumio, Lemonade, Livongo, Oscar, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, and Warby Parker. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com.

SOURCE MASTRY Ventures

Fundraise affirms SixThirty’s investment thesis and mandate to drive collaboration between incumbents and startups and triples assets committed to the firm.

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 28, 2023 — Today, SixThirty Ventures (“SixThirty”) announced the final close of SixThirty Fund III, anchored by category-leading corporate LPs including Edward Jones and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA). With the new fund, assets committed to SixThirty tripled, allowing the firm to make larger investments in early-stage companies at the intersection of finance, health and privacy.

Since its inception, SixThirty has made over 100 investments across 15 countries, and 50% of founders are women or people of color.  The Firm has steadily expanded its reach, with presences in Amsterdam and Hong Kong.

“Over the past 5 years we have built a global platform investing in big ideas in FinTech, InsurTech and Cybersecurity, applying a strategic playbook that marries the scale of category leaders with the speed of bold founders” said Atul Kamra, Managing Partner at SixThirty.

“SixThirty’s unique investment and collaboration platform brings together a deep network of advisors and corporations in finance, insurance and healthcare with innovative startup founders” said Molly Hoffmeyer, Director of Corporate Partnerships at SixThirty “Founders gain critical operating and go-to-market expertise, and the playbook drives tangible commercial opportunities for startups and incumbents alike.”

“We are in the speed-to-trust business”, said Kamra. “In the scaling of enterprise tech companies, speed to market is all the rage. The long pole in the tent is change and the underappreciated factor is trust. SixThirty accelerates speed to trust: de-risking execution and driving collaboration between portfolio companies and our corporate LPs,” he added. Joining Edward Jones and RGA as Fund III LPs are Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life), BNY Mellon | Pershing, Commerce Bancshares, Inc, Unum Group, and others.

Fund III is already active, with investments across the globe including: Sharegain (London/Tel Aviv), Sagewell (Boston), T-Care (St. Louis), CoverGo (Singapore), Angle Health (Salt Lake City) and Phylum (Denver).

Kamra shared: “2022 was by no means a cakewalk for raising a fund, and we learned a lot. For one, SixThirty’s investment thesis is more relevant than ever; the worlds of finance, healthcare and information security are colliding, making room for big, bold investible ideas. Concurrently, the modernization of financial services continues to provide strong tailwinds for incumbent and start-up collaboration and investments. Valuations have sobered from the heady days of 2021. It is the recipe for sustainable innovation and alpha.”

About SixThirty

SixThirty is a global venture capital firm that works with the bold on big ideas in fintech, insurtech, privacy, and digital health. SixThirty believes collaboration is at the heart of innovation and disruption. Their unique platform brings startups and institutions together to collaborate, creating a force multiplier for both. Learn more at sixthirty.co and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixthirtyventures.

SOURCE SixThirty Ventures

STOCKHOLM, 28. Februar 2023 — Swedish Biofuels AB gab heute eine Investition der Mitsubishi Corporation bekannt, um gemeinsam den kommerziellen Einsatz von sauberen erneuerbaren Kraftstoffen unter Verwendung der ATJ-Technologie (Advanced Alcohol to Jet) von Swedish Biofuels zu beschleunigen.

Mit dieser Technologie wird vollständig formulierter nachhaltiger Flugkraftstoff (FFSAF) aus einer Vielzahl von biogenen Rohstoffen hergestellt. Der FFSAF von Swedish Biofuels unterscheidet sich von anderen SAFs, da es sich nicht um eine Mischungskomponente, sondern um gebrauchsfertigen, echten Düsenkraftstoff handelt. Der FFSAF wurde von Triebwerksherstellern im Rahmen von Programmen der US-amerikanischen DARPA, der US-amerikanischen FAA und der schwedischen FMV erfolgreich getestet.

Swedish Biofuels ist nun Vorreiter mit der weltweit ersten fortschrittlichen ATJ-Technologie, die darauf abzielt, fossilen Flugzeugtreibstoff vollständig durch FFSAF zu ersetzen.

Dr. Angelica Hull, Geschäftsführerin von Swedish Biofuels, erklärte, das Unternehmen fühle sich durch die Investitionsentscheidung der Mitsubishi Corporation geehrt, die eine außergewöhnliche strategische Partnerschaft für Swedish Biofuels darstellt, einschließlich des Zugangs zu Rohstoffen, Vertriebsunterstützung, Marketing und kommerziellen Aktivitäten. Mit dieser Partnerschaft will das Unternehmen die Einführung seiner fortschrittlichen ATJ-Technologie in seinem Heimatmarkt und darüber hinaus beschleunigen.

Informationen zu Mitsubishi Corporation

Die Mitsubishi Corporation ist ein globales, integriertes Unternehmen, das Geschäftsbereiche in praktisch allen Branchen entwickelt und betreibt, darunter Erdgas, industrielle Werkstoffe, Erdöl- und Chemielösungen, mineralische Rohstoffe, industrielle Infrastruktur, Automobil und Mobilität, Lebensmittelindustrie, Konsumgüterindustrie, Energielösungen und Stadtentwicklung.

Informationen zu Swedish Biofuels 

Swedish Biofuels ist ein in Stockholm ansässiges Unternehmen, das sich dem Beitrag zur Weltsicherheit widmet, indem es innovative, hochmoderne Technologie anbietet, um grüne, nachhaltige und hochwertige Produkte herzustellen, die regulatorische Anforderungen und Ziele erfüllen.

Swedish Biofuels ist der Erfinder der originalen ATJ-Technologie, die 2004 patentiert wurde. Heute bietet das Unternehmen maßgeschneiderte Lösungen für seine fortschrittliche ATJ-Technologie und zielt auf den maximalen Ertrag von Kraftstoffprodukten für die Luftfahrt und den Bodentransport ab.

www.swedishbiofuels.se 

Kontakt 

Sal Passanisi
Leiter Strategische Projekte
[email protected]
+46 703 573 800

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2010369/Swedish_Biofuels_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Swedish Biofuels AB

REALLY to launch new phone service powered by a decentralized mobile network (DeWi), enabling the REALLY community to earn while demystifying the wireless shopping experience. The funding marks the largest telecommunications seed round in U.S. history.

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 28, 2023 — REALLY, an innovative platform bringing the sharing economy to mobile phone service founded by CEO Adam Lyons, the founder of TheZebra.com, today announces its $18 million seed round led by Polychain, Floodgate founding partner Mike Maples Jr.–a repeat investor in Lyons’ previous business ventures–and other strategic partners.

REALLY’s mobile network and infrastructure will create a blockchain-powered telecommunications community owned by the people using it, with an unparalleled focus on privacy, accessibility, and true anonymity for a 5G network. As a part of REALLY’s offering, today, the company is also launching the U.S.’s most comprehensive phone plan comparison tool, REALLY.com, allowing individuals to compare 56 carriers and 379 plans and switch to the service right for them. Among the industry experts leading the infrastructure and service build-out for REALLY are executives from AT&T, T-Mobile, GoogleFi, uShip, Indeed, Niche, and The Zebra.

“Smartphones and mobile networks have become indispensable, yet most people don’t love their service provider. We see a massive opportunity to fix this, and our mission is to create a brand in this industry that people trust and love,” said REALLY CEO, Adam Lyons. “We are building a better, more affordable phone service allowing communities to build equity and support their neighbors by using their cell phones. Those interested in putting a mini cell tower in their home or business will also have the opportunity to earn in USD. No other network exists that truly puts the ability to create and power the network in the hands of users like this.”

Consumers can compare phone plans and join REALLY DeWi by applying to become an Owner today at REALLY.com. REALLY Wireless is set to launch later this year.

“The ongoing and rapid adoption of Web3 and blockchain into our everyday lives has allowed for an unprecedented period of change in telecommunications,” said Mike Maples Jr., founding partner at Floodgate. “Adam and the team of industry experts that have assembled to make REALLY a reality have proven track records of excellence in their fields. We are excited to be able to play a part in this paradigm shift in telecommunications that will redefine how the industry functions.”

About REALLY:
Founded in 2022, REALLY is the latest venture from CEO Adam Lyons, founder of unicorn TheZebra.com, the top insurance comparison site in the United States. REALLY is paving the way for a new era of community-driven mobile ecosystems. In addition to launching the REALLY Wireless phone service and a decentralized mobile network (REALLY DeWi) that makes the sharing economy accessible to all, their easy-to-use compare, switch, and save platform, REALLY.com, helps to ensure all mobile device users have the best service and plan to fit their unique needs. By harnessing the latest infrastructure and blockchain technology breakthroughs, REALLY will offer consumers more choice, security, privacy, and coverage. REALLY’s $18M seed round marks the largest telecommunications seed round in U.S. history.

Contact:
Name: Gregory Russo
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE REALLY

No. 1 Employee Recognition Platform Provider Expands its Organizational Analytics Capabilities, Empowering Organizations to Make Data-Driven Decisions and Maximize Performance

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 28, 2023 — Bonusly, an engaging recognition and rewards platform that connects teams and enriches company culture, today announced it has received $18.9 million in Series B funding led by Ankona Capital. Prior investors FirstMark Capital, Access Venture Partners, and Next Frontier Capital also participated.

Bonusly, which is ranked by G2 as No. 1 in Employee Recognition and No. 3 in Employee Engagement, used by top-tier companies including Chobani, ZipRecruiter, Pender Veterinary, and SDMI. The Bonusly platform creates a culture of recognition in which employees receive an average of two meaningful, timely, detailed recognitions from peers and managers every week. After deploying Bonusly, more than nine in ten (93%) customers see improved employee engagement.

Recognition is crucial to employee retention. According to a 2022 survey of 2,000 respondents, 63% of workers feel unappreciated by their employer on a daily basis and 46% left a job because they felt unappreciated. Frequent, authentic recognition of their work can make an enormous difference. In fact, nearly two-thirds (65%) said they are likely to stay at a job if their coworkers and peers recognize their work, even if they have an unappreciative manager.

Especially in today’s volatile economic environment, organizations need an engaged and highly motivated workforce, along with accurate, current information about how their organizations truly work so they can be agile in making rapid, data-driven decisions to adapt as conditions change. Bonusly’s platform empowers real-time recognition to highlight accomplishments big and small in a very positive and public way, which fosters stronger cultures and builds resilient companies. The company also provides strong support for an organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs by recognizing and encouraging inclusiveness.

Additionally, while other employee engagement companies offer little more than gift card programs, Bonusly’s recognition platform captures and analyzes a treasure trove of real-time data on how organizations really work, communicate and connect, informing HR teams and managers so they can make powerful behavior change throughout an employee population. Bonusly’s proprietary graph database enables management to gain a keen understanding of how their company actually functions. With this information, HR and managers can better help team members continuously improve, foster collaboration and belonging, and assess behavior changes to predict turnover.

“We saw almost instant engagement with Bonusly after deployment, and the recognition our people have given and received has had a big positive impact on employee morale,” said Daniel McAdams, President at Andiamo. “We’ve seen significant, measurable increases in our employee retention and engagement rate, which has translated to greater productivity. And just as important is the rich, current data Bonusly provides on the interconnections within our organization. We’re a stronger organization thanks to Bonusly.”

Bonusly will use the new funding to enhance its recognition platform and continue to further build out its analytics capabilities. The company will also invest in sales and marketing to further expand go-to-market activities.

“Bonusly customers see significant, measurable improvement in employee engagement and morale with Bonusly,” said Newth Morris, Partner at Ankona Capital. “The organizational network data that Bonusly provides is both powerful and unique. But just as important is the leadership team’s approach to managing the company with incredible capital efficiency. Raphael founded and bootstrapped the company for nearly three years before raising capital, and that culture of making every dollar count continues to this day. It puts the company in a very strong position to address the challenges companies face motivating, retaining and understanding their workforce in a rapidly changing economic landscape.”

“This new capital will enable us to expand and build on the strong foundation we have in place, enabling companies to meet the constantly changing people challenges of today’s volatile economy,” said Raphael Crawford-Marks, founder and CEO of Bonusly. “Since our Series A, we have seen our valuation more than triple, despite the multiple compression that has occurred in today’s market — a strong recognition of the value we already provide and the even greater opportunity that lies ahead. We’re just getting started.”

About Bonusly
Thousands of companies worldwide rely on Bonusly to cultivate high-performing and motivated teams, regardless of their location, work setting, or industry. Bonusly serves as a crucial tool for investing in, and driving positive business outcomes from a company’s most critical asset — their people.

Bonusly’s engagement software is easy to use and enables companies to build stronger connections among and between teams, leading to increased collaboration and innovation among your workforce. Additionally, Bonusly provides exclusive insights at the individual, team, and company levels, empowering managers to make informed decisions regarding culture, professional growth, performance management, and employee retention. To learn more, please visit http://bonus.ly

About Ankona Capital
Ankona Capital is a southern California-based growth venture firm that invests $5 to $15 million into early growth-stage B2B software companies, which typically have $5–$15 million in recurring revenues. Ankona’s team of experienced investors and operating partners have over 50 years of combined software and investment experience. Ankona is focused on creating a winning, inclusive, and rewarding culture that caters to founders, provides resources and support to entrepreneurs and fosters opportunities for tech companies and investment outside of Silicon Valley. To learn more, visit ankona.com.

Press contact
Jeff Miller
Nonfiction Agency for Bonusly
[email protected]
541-207-6413

SOURCE Bonusly

ABC Brand / Design and MJ Unpacked forge a strategic partnership to give the leading cannabis CPG event a fresh new look

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2023 — MJ Unpacked, the only national cannabis trade event exclusively for brand and retail executives and accredited investors, returns to the Empire State at the New York Hilton Midtown on April 26^th to the 28^th with a fresh new look through a strategic partnership with ABC Brand / Design.

ABC Brand / Design was launched in February 2021 by co-founders Sam & Johanna Arellano, who bring decades of CPG branding and design experience to the cannabis space. Sam is a former CMO at Canndescent, a leading California flower brand, and their firm has worked with other leading cannabis brands such as Curaleaf, WUNDER, and Seed & Smith. They have also worked with mainstream CPG brands including Lululemon, Nike, Red Bull, Incase, HUF, among others.

“I have watched MJ Unpacked bring their event to market and, in a little more than a year, become one of the most exciting must-attend events in the industry,” noted Sam Arellano. “Given their trajectory, we knew we could lean in to support their brand to truly reflect their innovation and passion.”

Jage Media, producers of MJ Unpacked, launched the first live event in October of 2021 and have held three national events thus far. Kim Jage, co-founder and CMO, commented “Sam and his team at ABC Brand / Design nailed it. The rebrand best reflects who we are and where we’re going. We made a splash when we launched and have every intention of being iconic. Thanks to ABC Brand /Design, our new look supports the vision.”

MJ Unpacked will continue to deliver its flagship event with highly curated programming at a pivotal moment in New York as the state is rolling out its adult use cannabis market. Expected attendance is 3,000 highly curated delegates. The event features two distinct conference programs, the main Conference designed for operators and a venture summit exclusively for investors, fund managers, and family offices. The Brand Experience Hall will showcase leading cannabis brands from across the entire US cannabis ecosystem, alongside select industry suppliers relevant to the licensed operators. 

“The approach to the event design is to have the feel of an executive conference and the discovery of a trade event,” noted co-founder George Jage. “Aside from delivering a highly qualified audience, we prioritize the principles of hospitality in every aspect of the event and create unique experiences for our guests. This is a challenging time for the industry, but with the excitement surrounding expansion on the east coast, this is expected to be a sellout event.”

For more information on MJ Unpacked or to register, visit www.mjunpacked.com.

About ABC Brand / Design 
ABC is a brand strategy and design agency based in Los Angeles. Comprised of accomplished strategists, designers, and marketers with deep in-house experience at some of the world’s leading brands, ABC exists to support pioneering plant-wellness organizations through revenue generating advisory services and multidisciplinary design. Growth-minded, design thinkers at the intersection of culture and commerce. For more information visit abcbranddesign.com.

About Jage Media 
Founded by George Jage, former president and lead architect of MJBizDaily/MJBizCon and CEO of Dope Media, and Kim Jage, former EVP & CMO of World Tea Media, Jage Media launched in early 2020 and is poised to fill the critical gap where brands and retailers convene to drive the future of the industry, capture the next stage of market growth, and deliver a true return on investment and objectives. https://jagemedia.com 

Media Contact

MATTIO Communications

848.333.4442

[email protected]

SOURCE MJ Unpacked