NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., July 13, 2023 — Rosalind Franklin University (RFU) psychologist Brian Feinstein, PhD, is determined to improve the health of one of the nation’s most vulnerable populations — sexual minority youth, who are at higher risk of suicide and depression than their heterosexual peers. Those disparities, Dr. Feinstein says, are “rooted in exposure to rejection, discrimination and victimization.”

“I hope our research will shine a light on the need to understand and address the mental health challenges facing sexual minority youth,” he said. “We need to let them know they’re not alone.”

Dr. Feinstein, associate professor and director of the Sexuality, Health, and Gender Lab, has been awarded a five-year, $3.6 million grant by the National Institute of Mental Health to investigate the effects of sexual orientation-related rejection sensitivity — the expectation of rejection and accompanying feelings of anxiety — on the mental health of sexual minority adolescents.

“What we see with sexual minority people is that having a history of experiencing rejection because of one’s identity can contribute to developing a sense that people are going to continue to reject you in your day-to-day life,” Dr. Feinstein said. “That mindset can undermine mental health.”

The longitudinal and experience-sampling study will provide researchers with real-time data. A diverse cohort of 500 sexual minority adolescents ages 14-17 from across the U.S. will complete online surveys for 18 months, answering questions four times a day for six weeks via an app.

“We want to really understand these temporal dynamics — how experiencing, expecting and worrying about rejection influences their  mental health,” Dr. Feinstein said. “The knowledge we gain can help inform interventions that reduce health disparities in this population.”

The study will also connect participants with people who care about their mental health.

“A lot of them don’t have that,” Dr. Feinstein said. “Sexual minority adolescents are eager to connect with adults who want to hear what’s going on in their lives.”

Dr. Ronald Kaplan, RFU executive vice president for research, commended Dr. Feinstein’s lab for advancing an essential area of practice and research.

“RFU joins Dr. Feinstein and the National Institutes of Health in working to improve care for all sexual and gender minority populations,” he said.

ROSALIND FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY encompasses six colleges and more than 10 research centers and institutes. Learn more at rosalindfranklin.edu.

Media contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, [email protected]

SOURCE Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

$30M Beverage Brand Secures Additional Funding & Expands Retail Footprint in US

LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2023 — Barcode, the leading fitness drink for hydration, today announced Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and global basketball phenomenon, as the newest investor and brand partner. Wembanyama, nicknamed Wemby, is the most anticipated player in the league and has been described by LeBron James as “a generational talent.”

Wembanyama will play a vital role in sharing Barcode’s fundamental values, as well as participating in their philanthropic initiatives. The French, 7′ 3 ½ ” nineteen year old has taken an equity investment in the company, will be involved with research and development on future products and will appear as the face of the brand in digital, out of home and in-store advertising.

Born January 4, 2004, Wembanyama grew up in Le Chesnay, France and was raised by two professional athletes; his mother, Elodie, was a former professional basketball player in France and his father, Felix, was a triple jumper. Wembanyama has won silver medals as a member of the French National U-16 Team at the European Championship as well as with the U-19 Team at the World Championships. Last season, he played for the Levallois Metropolitans 92 and led his team to their first-ever appearance in the French League Finals.

“I’m conscious of the ingredients I put into my body to ensure I stay healthy and perform at the highest level,” said Wembanyama. “The partnership with Barcode allows me not only to be a spokesmodel, but a role model. I want to be elite, on and off the court, and want my body to be the healthiest it has ever been. That’s why I chose Barcode over anything else.” 

Barcode was developed by Mubarak “Bar” Malik, former New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers Director of Performance. Malik co-founded the company with NBA Champion, philanthropist and entrepreneur Kyle Kuzma to offer a healthier alternative to popular sports drinks. Barcode products are the first ever plant-based, all natural performance drink on the market with added benefits and ingredients, including Vitamin D, B6, B12, magnesium and ashwagandha and no added sugar. The beverage hydrates quickly for athletic performance, provides increased immunity for overall wellness and naturally tastes flavorful. Barcode has garnered attention from notable figures in the entertainment and sports industries such as Halle Berry, Derrick Rose, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kelly Rowland since its inception in 2020.  The product is currently available at Amazon, Erewhon Market, ShopRite, Bristol Farms, Gelsons, and  Central Market.

“Victor isn’t only going to change the Spurs, he’s going to change the game of basketball,” said Barcode co-founder Bar Malik. “We are thrilled to have him join the team and to promote the healthy lifestyle that has made him a global star, with the added help of Barcode.”

“I’m so proud of Barcode’s rapid growth, and having Victor join our team further places us as a breakout brand disrupting the beverage industry,” said Barcode co-founder and NBA Champion Kuzma. “Victor’s skillset and determination, on and off the court, align with our values at Barcode, and we’re excited to be working with him as he begins his NBA career and establishes himself as a successful businessman.”

Barcode has recently undergone a valuation of $30 million and has expanded its retail availability to include HEB, Krogers, Safeway/Albertsons,Buc-Cee’s and 7-Eleven, mainly in the Texas market. Additional funding has been secured from co-founder Kyle Kuzma and 10-time NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony will join Barcode as a new investor and Board Advisor, bringing over two decades of business acumen and seasoned investment experience to his role with the company. World renowned boxer Gervonta Davis will also join a rockstar roster of investors including Derek Fisher, Jordan Clarkson, Chelsea Gray, Jae’sean Tate, Isaiah Hartenstein, Wayne Ellington and Lexie Brown.

Photos Courtesy of Barcode: https://bit.ly/3rtz4iD 

About Barcode
Barcode, founded by Mubarak “Bar” Malik and Kyle Kuzma, is the first ever plant-based, all natural performance drink line on the market with added benefits and ingredients including Vitamin D, B6, B12, magnesium and Ashwagandaha and no added sugar. It is currently available at Amazon, Erewhon Market, ShopRite and Central Market. For more information on Barcode, visit drinkbarcode.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jesse Parker Stowell [email protected] 917-312-0694
Gabriella Moran [email protected] 972-890-5186

SOURCE Barcode

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 13, 2023 — OKX Ventures, the investment arm of the leading Web3 technology company OKX, has issued updates for July 13, 2023.

OKX Ventures Announces Investment in Aark Digital

OKX Ventures is proud to announce its recent investment in Aark Digital, a decentralized derivatives exchange built on Arbitrum.

Built for professional traders, Aark introduces features such as a new automated market maker architecture called parallel market maker (PMM) that enables the trading of 300+ pairs including super long-tail assets. PMM reflects liquidity from the order books of top centralized exchanges, making Aark more liquid than any other centralized or decentralized exchange.

Aark Digital is also the first peer-to-pool derivatives DEX to introduce delta-neutral liquidity pools. These are designed to greatly enhance capital efficiency, collateral options and liquidity pool size while providing users with an experience comparable to centralized exchanges. This innovative approach to liquidity provisioning provides increased flexibility and control, allowing liquidity pools to earn delta-neutral APR while maintaining their token balance.

OKX Ventures Founder Dora Yue said: “We are excited to announce this investment because the Aark team are passionate contributors to the derivatives space and are committed to creating a whole new experience for professional traders. Aark is a remarkable project for its product innovation, mechanism design and ability to reduce LP risk and increase returns.”

Over the past two years, OKX Ventures has invested in 300 projects across five continents with a fund size of approximately USD$1 billion, covering almost all investment tracks. OKX Ventures focuses on supporting cutting-edge blockchain innovation and exploring high-quality projects that demonstrate long-term value. It remains bullish on the ZK ecosystem, infrastructure, multi-chain and Web3 projects, and its recent investments in projects like Taiko, Berachain, Sei Network, Cetus Protocol and Alienswap reflect this emphasis.

About OKX Ventures

OKX Ventures is the investment arm of the second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume and Web3 technology company OKX, with an initial capital commitment of USD 100 million. It focuses on exploring the best blockchain projects on a global scale, supporting cutting-edge blockchain technology innovation, promoting the healthy development of the global blockchain industry, and investing in long-term structural value.

Through its commitment to supporting entrepreneurs who contribute to the development of the blockchain industry, OKX Ventures helps build innovative companies and brings global resources and historical experience to blockchain projects.

Find out more about OKX Ventures here.

About OKX

A leading global technology company driving the future of Web3, OKX provides a comprehensive suite of products to meet the needs of beginners and experts alike, including the OKX Wallet, NFT Marketplace and DEX.

OKX partners with a number of the world’s top brands and athletes, including: English Premier League champions Manchester City F.C., McLaren Formula 1, The Tribeca Festival, golfer Ian Poulter, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

As a leader building innovative technology products, OKX believes in challenging the status quo. The company recently launched a global brand campaign entitled, The System Needs a Rewrite, which advocates for a new paradigm led by Web3 self-managed technology to replace existing centralized systems.

To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com

Disclaimer

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE ANY INVESTMENT, TAX, OR LEGAL ADVICE, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSIDERED AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD DIGITAL ASSETS. DIGITAL ASSETS, INCLUDING STABLECOINS, INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, CAN FLUCTUATE GREATLY, AND CAN EVEN BECOME WORTHLESS. OKX IS NOT REGULATED BY THE FCA, THUS, PROTECTIONS SUCH AS THE FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN SERVICE OR FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPENSATION SCHEME WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE. YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND HOW CRYPTO WORKS AND WHETHER TRADING OR HOLDING DIGITAL ASSETS IS SUITABLE FOR YOU IN LIGHT OF YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION. THE VALUE OF YOUR DIGITAL ASSETS, INCLUDING STABLECOINS, CAN INCREASE OR DECREASE AND PROFITS MAY BE SUBJECT TO CAPITAL GAINS TAX. PAST PERFORMANCE DOES NOT INDICATE FUTURE RESULTS.  OKX IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PARTICULAR DEFI PROTOCOL, MAKES NO WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS OR UNDERTAKINGS RELATING TO ANY DEFI PROTOCOL’S OFFERINGS, AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT LOSS OR OTHER DAMAGE ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF ANY DEFI PROTOCOL. OKX WALLET IS AN AGGREGATOR; ALL DISPLAYED ESTIMATED RETURN RATES ARE PROVIDED BY THE DEFI PROTOCOL, AND ARE NOT GUARANTEED NOR INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RETURNS. PLEASE CONDUCT YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE INVESTING IN ANY DEFI PROTOCOL. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR LEGAL/TAX/INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

SOURCE OKX Ventures

Inaugural Fund Will Focus on Investments in High-Impact Early-Stage Startups and Venture Funds in Tech Bio, Life Sciences and AI

HOUSTON, July 13, 2023 — Modi Ventures, a newly launched venture partnership investing in fund managers and founders building companies shaping the future of humanity, today announced the close of its inaugural $32 million fund, Tech+Bio Fund I. The new fund will target innovative companies transforming business in Tech Bio, life science and healthcare AI.  Despite the challenging investment economy, the fund was raised in a short period of time and oversubscribed by $2 million. Andrew Yang, former presidential candidate and founder of Venture for America was named an advisor.

Modi Ventures was founded by Sahir Ali, a researcher, scientist and technologist recognized as a thought leader in the precision medicine and AI space. Sahir, who has a Ph.D. focused on the intersection of oncology and AI, has advised and led F500 companies in the healthcare, AI, and enterprise tech industries.

“Investing in next generation technologies has always been very lucrative,” said Sahir Ali, General Partner with Modi Ventures. “We are entering an era of software writing software (artificial intelligence), technology that can unravel our individual genetic makeup (gene sequencing), biotech that can reprogram our genes (gene editing), and a fundamental change in how medicine is practiced by leveraging all of the above (precision medicine). Tech Bio companies will revolutionize multiple trillion dollar industries, providing early investors with potential for great returns.”

The fund aims to invest into opportunities such as Tech Bio where companies are creating exponential technologies that are on the cusp of transforming health and technology. Tech Bio utilizes AI to analyze complex, heterogeneous information to disrupt and revolutionize the practice of medicine and delivery of health. This has immense potential in revolutionizing clinical trial design, drug development and precision medicine. McKinsey estimates that Tech Bio has the potential to transform the global economy with $2 trillion to $4 trillion of direct annual impact, where Tech Bio innovations could produce 60% of the world’s physical goods inputs and ease 45% of the world’s disease burden.

“Modi Ventures’ goal is to find solutions for some of the world’s most vexing problems that keep people unhealthy or struggling with illnesses that we can address collectively,” said Andrew Yang, Founder of Forward Party and Venture for America, and Advisor to Modi Ventures. “The leadership and results that Sahir and his team have already demonstrated are one reason I’m looking forward to being a part of this team as we bring life saving solutions to market and take advantage of AI and new tools to advance the human condition.”

Modi Ventures has created partnerships with successful funds such as Khosla Ventures, Section 32, Artis Ventures, Draper Associates and Antler Group.

Initial Investments by the Tech+Bio Fund I include

• Lapsi Health- A medical technology company that is screening, diagnosing, treating and monitoring in medicine through sound and auscultation (acquired from stethoscopes)
• Starling Medicine – A predictive technology platform for the early detection of bladder health issues
• Cyberdontics – Automated dental surgery using advanced imaging, AI and robotics

“Modi Ventures is investing in healthcare tech companies with immense potential to improve lives and I’m thrilled to be partnering with Sahir and Modi Ventures,” said Tim Draper, Founder, Draper Associates. “Working together we will be able to discover unique and innovative investments to collaborate on.”

About Modi Ventures
Modi Ventures Capital Management is a Texas-based investment firm investing in fund managers and founders building companies shaping the future of humanity. The company’s primary investment focus is into disruptive and emerging AI and Medical technology applications. Investments in successful funds include Khosla Ventures, Section 32, Artis Ventures, Draper Associates and Antler Global. Direct investments include Lapsi Health, Starling Medicine and Cyberdontics. For more information please visit www.modivc.com.

SOURCE Modi Ventures

Funds will enable the integration of new features, providing athletic directors with a central service to manage every aspect of their programs

NEW YORK, July 13, 2023 — Aktivate, the fastest-growing provider of scholastic sports management software, today announced the close of a $3.7M Series A funding round. The financing round was led by Will Ventures, Tal Ventures, and Benson Oak Ventures, with participation from 97212 and Tieferes Ventures. Aktivate’s total funding to date now sits at over $14M since its founding in 2020. Currently working with six of the top ten largest school districts in the nation, Aktivate is looking to grow by 200-300% in the next year and use the funds to enhance existing capabilities with new in-app integrations.

Over the last decade, the youth sports industry has grown by over 60% and multiplied in value to an estimated $30 to $40B annually. Despite this growth, many schools still struggle to find funding for athletic departments and rely on annual fundraisers to get the necessary financial support. Supplementing its core registration, scheduling, and communication capabilities, Aktivate’s integrated digital fundraising tool enables directors to keep track of donor information, donation goals, and statuses. By leveraging online crowdfunding, Aktivate users are able to dramatically increase their reach and secure significantly more funds than their in-person initiatives with a fraction of the effort. Collectively, Aktivate’s fundraising platform has helped raise over $35M.

“Aktivate’s fundraising solution is the digital evolution of the traditional school bake sale,” said Brian Reilly, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Will Ventures. “Due to obvious limitations for in-person fundraising, such as a smaller reach and a lack of consistent follow up, these efforts typically fall short of their goals. Aktivate accounts for these shortcomings and actually increases the outcome, which is invaluable to any athletic director who handles financing programs for hundreds, potentially thousands, of children.”

Aktivate is a central platform tailored to the needs and responsibilities of athletic directors in America’s school districts. One of the biggest pain points they face in scholastic sports is the frustration that comes with managing and monitoring multiple timelines and processes. Aktivate integrates essential undertakings into one place, managing pre/post-season registration, scheduling, communication and more. This system significantly reduces chances for error or noncompliance and allows directors and coaches alike to spend less time on paperwork, fundraising and logistics and more time hands-on with kids.

“Aktivate has been designed to be the swiss army knife to every scholastic sports community,” started Aktivate chairman and former CEO of AOL, Jon Miller. “Across industries, organizations are utilizing new technology to organize themselves and prevent errors; academics and educators shouldn’t be left behind. We are proud to offer our solutions at a price that is a fraction of competitors to accelerate access to modern technology to all.”

“We are the athletic director’s best friend, providing them the keys to build strong communities through scholastic sports” said Aktivate CEO Hesky Kutscher. “With this funding, we plan to continue scaling our platform to better meet the needs of sports departments in districts across the country, and provide the utmost value for our users.”

In 2022, Aktivate grew dramatically, seeing approximately 250% revenue growth YoY. In 2023, Aktivate’s platform passed the one million mark for active users and partnered with the likes of United Healthcare and NCSA College Recruiting (owned by Endeavor). With the potential for over 50 million users across the United States, Aktivate aims to grow another 200-300% in the next year. The company aims to release new products and services throughout the year and into Q1 2024.

For more information about Aktivate visit www.aktivate.com for info on its fundraising platform, visit www.aktivatefr.com

About Aktivate
Aktivate is the fastest-growing scholastic sports management and communication platform. Our mission is to help more kids live winning lives. By designing software that reduces the time, energy, and resources Athletic Departments need to responsibly manage all students participating in activities, we aim to help more kids experience the positive benefits of participating in extracurricular activities.

Our comprehensive sports management solution is used by approximately 1MM athletic directors, coaches, state athletic associations, athletes, and parents to manage the complex organizational and funding mechanics of scholastic sports and student activities.

SOURCE Aktivate

Round led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock will expand HawkEye 360’s leadership delivering radio frequency geospatial intelligence to government customers

HERNDON, Va., July 13, 2023 — HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s leading defense technology company for space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, announced today it has closed $58 million in new funding. The funding will be used to develop new space systems and expand analytics that support high-value defense missions. This Series D-1 round was led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) with additional funding provided by Manhattan Venture Partners and existing investors including Insight Partners, NightDragon, Strategic Development Fund (SDF), Razor’s Edge, Alumni Ventures, and Adage Capital.

“HawkEye 360 continues to make the world a safer place through advanced RF analytics – including addressing maritime, environmental, and national security needs,” said HawkEye 360 CEO John Serafini. “We’ve learned much over the past four years delivering data to the most demanding customers in the world. We’ll use this funding to drive our next steps in innovation. It speaks volumes that these leading investment firms are confident in the future of RF geospatial intelligence as a critical defense technology.”

“We invest in first-class startups that have proven innovative technology, where we can come alongside to accelerate their growth,” said Matt Singer, Managing Director, BlackRock. “Governments and commercial customers are asking for better intelligence and, with its full chain of control from orbit to analytics, Hawkeye 360 is leading the way for this new category of RF space-based data.”

HawkEye 360 has 21 satellites in orbit and plans to move to a new Block 3 satellite architecture starting with Cluster 14 and beyond. The company is also investing further in artificial intelligence, data fusion, and multi-intelligence orchestration to better extract value from the large amount of RF data being collected. The goal is to simplify analysis for its customers.

“HawkEye 360 has disrupted what used to be a static defense intelligence domain,” said Jared Carmel, Managing Partner and General Partner of Manhattan Venture Partners. “The company is the quintessential example of how a commercial operation could service the intelligence needs of the U.S. and our allies. They have built a growing market with government customers and are proof that private-sector innovation and leadership will help enable peace through strength, deter future conflict, and ensure global stability.”

WilmerHale acted as legal counsel for HawkEye 360 in connection with the transaction.

Goodwin Proctor LLP acted as legal counsel for BlackRock in connection with the transaction.

For more information about HawkEye 360, please visit www.he360.com.

About HawkEye 360

HawkEye 360 is a defense technology leader providing global knowledge of human activity and trends derived from revolutionary radio frequency (RF) geospatial intelligence. The company’s innovative space-based technology was developed to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. These RF data and analytics provide an information advantage allowing analysts to detect the first glimpse of suspicious behavior, trace the first sign of adversarial activity, and reveal the first sighting of ships attempting to vanish. HawkEye 360’s RF intelligence presents a quicker grasp of critical events and patterns of life, providing early warnings to drive tip-and-cue efforts, and providing leaders the insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

SOURCE HawkEye 360

The fund, with six initial investments, supports early-stage climate innovation with impact-first capital

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 13, 2023 — Prime Coalition, a nonprofit that steers and influences capital to support scalable solutions to climate change, and Azolla Ventures, an impact-first investing firm launched by Prime, have announced a $239 million blended fund. The new fund invests in companies that could significantly alter the trajectory of climate change, but are overlooked by traditional capital sources. Prime Coalition evaluates and governs impact and additionality for all potential investments and tracks and reports on accomplishment of impact, while Azolla Ventures assesses commercial potential and manages portfolio companies toward growth and maximal impact.

Azolla builds upon the track record of Prime Coalition’s previous impact-first investment programs, including Prime Impact Fund, which was built and deployed with the same investment managers. It blends catalytic, charitable capital with impact-aligned, market-rate capital to drive investment into solutions with deep potential for climate impact that are systemically overlooked by conventional financiers. Catalytic capital can be deployed to overcome risks that are a mis-fit for traditional venture capital. Through both initial investments and follow-on investments consistent with Prime’s mission requirements, Azolla is designed to embrace high risk at the earliest stages and help safeguard impact as companies scale.

“We founded Prime Coalition 10 years ago to support market-driven climate solutions that have massive potential but are overlooked by traditional finance,” said Sarah Kearney, founder and executive director of Prime Coalition. “Prime launched Azolla Ventures as our next approach to doing so for early-stage ventures, this time blending different types of capital under a single fund thesis. It is a celebration of difference: bringing together many different types of asset owners toward a shared, urgent mission, each aligned within their capital’s unique priorities and constraints.”

Investments made by the new Azolla Ventures fund must meet three investment criteria:

• Impact: Solutions must have the potential to reduce or remove at least 0.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions cumulatively by 2050;
• Additionality: Solutions must be unlikely to raise sufficient financial support from conventional investors at the time of Azolla’s initial investment; and
• Commercial potential: Solutions must have high potential for achieving commercial success at scale, ultimately enabling the envisioned impact. The fund’s investment should also position the solution to unlock additional capital as it matures.

“The catalytic capital at the heart of the Azolla fund enables us to invest differently – in our embrace of riskier ideas, in our ongoing impact stewardship as board members, and in the fund design itself,” said Johanna Wolfson, co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures. “For example, we’re proud that our carried interest as investment managers is influenced by how well we manage portfolio companies toward impact, which is assessed independently by Prime Coalition.”

Prime Coalition has been a long-time leader in catalyzing sustainable, effective, and scalable solutions to climate change. Based on Prime’s pre-investment impact assessment methodology, Prime co-developed an open-source tool called CRANE that assesses the climate impact of early-stage climate ventures, and Prime now serves as convener of Project Frame, an 800+ member community of climate investors seeking technical standards for impact measurement. Prime and Azolla’s joint governance of impact stewardship among portfolio companies marks a significant innovation in a growing movement to design investment systems that aim to prevent impact-washing and greenwashing.

“We need a wide range of approaches to prevent catastrophic climate change, which is why Azolla Ventures does not invest in one sector or vertical. We are privileged to partner with visionary company founders from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, who work tirelessly to drive climate solutions with the greatest impact,” said Amy Duffuor, co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures. “From attacking industrial emissions to sequestering carbon in the soil, these companies will revolutionize our systems and the relationship to our world.”

“While there’s a historic amount of capital focused on climate overall today, early-stage breakthroughs still risk falling through the cracks,” said Matthew Nordan, co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures. “Azolla Ventures exists to catalyze the game-changers that will usher in a new era for our planet.”

Initial Azolla investments include: Heaten, developing high-temperature heat pumps for industrial processes; Funga, optimizing the forest microbiome for improved carbon storage; Sitration, developing membranes for low-cost battery recycling; Carbon Reform, deploying carbon capture systems in buildings for improved air quality and energy savings; Calcarea, decarbonizing shipping; and Scalvy, modularizing electric vehicle drivetrains for faster EV deployment.

About Azolla Ventures
Azolla Ventures, launched by Prime Coalition in 2021, is an early stage investor in climate breakthroughs that could avert catastrophic climate change. At Azolla Ventures, we prioritize impact first: every investment holds the potential for large-scale greenhouse gas reductions and a more just climate for all. The team seeks out bold entrepreneurs from all corners and embraces opportunities outside of venture norms. Azolla Ventures manages the $239MM Azolla Fund I and the $50MM Prime Impact Fund. For more information about Azolla Ventures, please visit https://www.azollaventures.com.

About Prime Coalition
Prime Coalition is a nonprofit organization that steers and influences capital to support scalable solutions to climate change. Since 2014, Prime has steered over $300MM in partnership with 250+ catalytic investors. Prime Coalition’s first impact-first pooled vehicle, Prime Impact Fund, is a 100% catalytic capital fund that made its 16th and final investment in 2021. Prime Coalition now has over 30 companies in its venture portfolio in total. To influence capital, Prime collaborates to build open source tools and convenes Project Frame to organize investors to improve forward-looking emissions impact methodologies and reporting best practices for climate-driven investments. For more information about Prime Coalition, please visit https://www.primecoalition.org/.

Business Contact
[email protected]
[email protected]

SOURCE Prime Coalition and Azolla Ventures

Over $3 million has already been raised for the app-connected, hardware-enabled coffee brand that is redefining the at-home coffee experience

SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, 2023 — Spinn, the revolutionary coffee brand offering an app-connected coffee and espresso machine and the world’s largest coffee marketplace, announced today that it has launched a public campaign on Wefunder. The campaign officially kicked off today, July 13th at 9:00 am ET, and will allow the general public to invest in the successful startup alongside major venture capitalists.

Spinn raised nearly $3.5 million from over 200 investors in the initial private round, led by serial entrepreneur Eliott Kessas of Daring Foods alongside top VCs like Spark Capital, Amazon’s Alexa Fund, and Bar9 Ventures. The fundraise is now open to the general public, granting amateur investors the unique opportunity to join these key financial players in owning a piece of the future of coffee. 

Spinn’s one-touch solution to high-quality coffee is revolutionizing the $362B global coffee market. With a world-class team from Microsoft, Dyson, Sony, Philips, Blue Bottle and La Marzocco, Spinn’s vision is to build a connected ecosystem for exceptional specialty coffee, solidifying a truly unique cultural experience and ultimately connecting people and coffee.

“Spinn is so much more than just coffee,” said Roderick de Rode, Founder and CEO of Spinn. “We aim to elevate the in-home experience through revolutionary innovation and ambitious goals for a more sustainable future. We’re excited to allow our community to be a part of that.”

Spinn’s centrifugal brewing system and accessories, as well as access to the expansive Roaster Market, are available direct-to-consumer at spinn.com or via the Spinn app (for iOS and Android). To learn more about Spinn and stay informed about the brand’s latest news, innovations, and more, please visit spinn.com and follow along on social at @spinn.

About Spinn
Spinn is a hardware-enabled coffee marketplace redefining the home coffee experience with extraordinary craft, wireless convenience, and zero waste. Unlike other products on the market, the revolutionary, brilliantly connected Spinn Coffee Maker effortlessly crafts the perfect coffee, espresso, cold brew, and more all from the touch of an app. Built with pre-programmed recipes and customizable brew settings, Spinn makes barista-level coffee using its patented centrifugal brewing technology. Additionally, the brand defines a new and unique better-for-the-planet coffee maker category using whole coffee beans instead of disposable filters or pods, all while offering unrivaled convenience. Spinn also offers a unique Roaster Market where consumers can discover connected local brewers and access a world of coffee at their fingertips.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Power Digital Marketing
[email protected]

SOURCE Spinn

RALEIGH, N.C., July 13, 2023 — 10 Federal, a leading operator of self-storage facilities, is pleased to announce the successful capital raise of over $27 million during the second quarter of the year for their 4th Self Storage offering. This impressive achievement has propelled the total capital raised by 10 Federal to an impressive $60 million for the year.

The substantial capital infusion highlights the strong investor confidence in 10 Federal’s innovative business model and their consistent track record of delivering exceptional returns. These funds will further fuel the company’s growth strategy and facilitate the acquisition of self-storage assets in strategic markets.

“We are delighted to have raised over $27 million in the second quarter, reaching a total capital raise of $60 million for the year,” said Cliff Minsley, Co-Founder of 10 Federal. “These funds enable us to continue executing on our growth strategy and further expand our portfolio in key markets.”

In line with their expansion goals, 10 Federal recently completed the acquisition of a portfolio consisting of three properties located in the thriving Spartanburg, SC market. This acquisition marks the seventh property purchased by 10 Federal this year and the eleventh property within 10 Federal Self Storage Acquisition Company 4, LLC. The addition of these properties further strengthens 10 Federal’s presence in the Spartanburg market and demonstrates their commitment to providing high-quality self-storage solutions in the region.

The Spartanburg portfolio acquisition aligns with 10 Federal’s strategic focus on acquiring properties in high-demand markets with favorable growth dynamics. These properties offer significant upside potential and are poised to capitalize on the strong demand for self-storage solutions in the Spartanburg area.

“We are excited about the acquisition of this three-property portfolio in Spartanburg,” said Andrew Capranos, President of 10 Federal Storage. “These additions further strengthen our presence in the region and allow us to offer top-quality self-storage solutions to meet the growing demand in Spartanburg and surrounding areas.”

10 Federal’s success in raising capital and acquiring new properties demonstrates their commitment to delivering exceptional service and value to their customers. As the company continues to expand its footprint, it remains dedicated to providing innovative self-storage solutions backed by cutting-edge technology and a customer-centric approach.

10 Federal’s exceptional performance in capital raising and property acquisitions underscores their position as a trusted leader in the self-storage industry. As they continue to expand their portfolio, 10 Federal remains dedicated to delivering innovative storage solutions and exceptional customer experiences.

About 10 Federal:

10 Federal is a leading high-tech operator of self-storage facilities, specializing in fully automated properties . With a portfolio spanning 14 states and over 75 properties, 10 Federal leverages innovative technology and data-driven insights to deliver exceptional self-storage experiences while providing superior investor returns.

SOURCE 10 Federal