Monthly Archives: August 2023

NIKOLA SCORES BIG WIN IN HYDROGEN STATION REGULATORY GRANT FUNDING WITH AN ADDITIONAL $16.3M FOR A TOTAL OF $58.2M IN THE LAST 30 DAYS

$16.3 million in additional grants and government funding awards to date shows strong progress in hydrogen infrastructure plans, creating an open-network of commercial hydrogen refueling stations

PHOENIX, Aug. 1, 2023Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, today announced an additional $16.3 million has been awarded to Nikola to support seven open-network hydrogen refueling stations.

Nikola has now received $58.2 million in awards granted to support seven hydrogen refueling stations, which includes the recently announced $41.9 million Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) grant award, collectively representing six hydrogen refueling stations located along Calif. freight corridors within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, and Mojave Desert AQMD.

The recent awards include:

  • EnergIIZE West Sacramento California Energy Commission: $3.3 million*
  • Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee: $1.6 million
  • SacMetro AQMD: $7 million
  • South Coast AQMD: $4.4 million

*Conditionally awarded pending final approval.

The additional awards build on the strategic partnership with Voltera to develop up to 50 HYLA stations throughout North America over the next five years.

“The California grant awards and government funding demonstrate the strong support for the Nikola hydrogen infrastructure brand HYLA’s mission of establishing a comprehensive zero-emission transportation solution to help fleets achieve climate goals and improve air quality in the most impacted communities. We continue to be grateful for the leadership demonstrated by California agencies in supporting the buildout of a zero-emissions ecosystem,” said Carey Mendes, president, Nikola Energy. “Building an integrated, hydrogen ecosystem to support hydrogen fuel cell electric truck deployment and creating a scalable energy business, is a top priority for us.”

These awards and partnerships serve as key enablers for Nikola’s first-mover zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, and HYLA’s fueling infrastructure, with plans to create an open-network of commercial hydrogen refueling stations initially in California and eventually throughout North America. To support and achieve this growth, HYLA is also developing a fleet of hydrogen mobile fuelers to provide Hydrogen Flex Fueling (H2F2).

ABOUT NIKOLA CORPORATION
Nikola Corporation is globally transforming the transportation industry. As a designer and manufacturer of zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure, via the HYLA brand, Nikola is driven to revolutionize the economic and environmental impact of commerce as we know it today. For more information, visit www.nikolamotor.com.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws with respect to Nikola Corporation (the “Company”), including statements relating to the Company’s goals and strategy; the Company’s expectations related to the potential benefits from the various funding awards; any benefits potentially derived from the announced or future funding awards; the Company’s expectations regarding the production of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks; Nikola’s ability to develop a hydrogen fueling infrastructure via its HYLA brand and that infrastructures ability to provide sufficient volumes of hydrogen to support Nikola’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle demand; and Nikola’s ability to help fleets achieve climate goals and improve air quality in the most impacted communities. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: design and manufacturing changes and delays, including global shortages in parts and materials; general economic, financial, legal, regulatory, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; demand for and customer acceptance of the Company’s trucks; the execution and terms of definitive agreements; risks associated with development and testing of fuel-cell power modules and hydrogen storage systems; risks related to the rollout of the Company’s business and milestones and the timing of expected business milestones; the availability of and need for capital; and the factors, risks and uncertainties regarding the Company’s business described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 filed with the SEC, in addition to the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Nikola Corporation


1Bstories, Founded By Ex-Googlers, Secures $5.5 Million in Funding to Revolutionize AI Video Creation with Vidiofy

SINGAPORE, July 31, 2023 — 1Bstories, is a pioneering start-up founded by Anuvrat Rao, along with a team of esteemed ex-Google founding members, collectively having 23 years of experience developing and scaling products internationally, proudly announces its emergence from stealth mode. The company has successfully raised $5.5 million in a recent funding round from Northstar Group and 47 other VCs and angel investors to launch its breakthrough product, Vidiofy.

Vidiofy is a cutting-edge generative AI video tool designed specifically for publishers and brands seeking to enhance engagement with their communities, expand their social following, and create new revenue streams. With Vidiofy, businesses can effortlessly create hundreds of high-quality videos every month, eliminating barriers traditionally associated with video production, time and manpower.

“We are thrilled to officially introduce 1Bstories and unveil Vidiofy to the world,” said Anuvrat Rao, CEO and Founder of 1Bstories. “Our mission is to empower publishers and brands to seamlessly create captivating videos at scale, leveraging generative AI technology. Vidiofy is set to disrupt the industry by revolutionizing video creation, allowing businesses to create content like never before.”

Vidiofy offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that streamlines the entire video production process. Leveraging the power of generative AI, the platform enables publishers and brands to generate an extensive library of video content effortlessly from scratch or from an existing article or web page. From captivating social media clips to personalized marketing messages, Vidiofy equips businesses with the tools to maximize their online presence and achieve unparalleled levels of engagement.

Part of the team is Stacie Chan, ex-Googler, award-winning journalist, and Emmy-nominated actress. She was thrilled to join 1Bstories and bring her love of storytelling and technology into one bold vision. Alongside Stacie is the “godfather of tech” Ravi Hamsa, with an illustrious career of working with top tech companies like Uber, LinkedIn, InMobi, and Yahoo.

1Bstories’ growth has their investors showering them with praise. One high profile investor, Tom Blomfield, founder of Monzo said “1Bstories has an interesting vision for the future of AI video technology, and I’m thrilled to support their journey. With a talented management team at the helm, I’m excited to see what they do to online storytelling.”

Alongside Tom, was another prominent voice in the AI industry, Caesar Sengupta, Co-Founder & CEO of Arta finance who mentioned “Generative AI is going to transform most industries over the next few years. 1Bstories, with their cutting-edge AI video platform and a management team of industry veterans, is set to revolutionize the way we engage with video content. I’m excited to support their mission and witness their groundbreaking impact.”

Another high-profile investor, Ian Doody, co-founder of Powerhouse Capital also mentioned “Powerhouse is thrilled to partner with Anu Rao and the 1B team. We believe AI has the ability to drive personalized content at scale while delivering a better user experience. 1B’s Vidiofy product is a powerful tool that arms creators with additional capabilities to deliver deeper engagement and relevance with their audiences.  We are excited to support this team on the journey.”

“We believe deeply in 1Bstories and their pioneering product, Vidiofy. The revolutionary AI-powered video tool is destined to redefine the digital publishing landscape by enabling companies to churn out compelling, high-quality videos with unprecedented ease and efficiency. We foresee Vidiofy becoming the gold standard in AI video production, effortlessly bridging the gap between ambition and execution while creating new horizons of engagement and monetization.” said Quentin Reyes, Managing Director of Alpha Praetorian Capital, another VC investor in 1Bstories.

Other investors also include Tim Dattels who served as the Managing Partner for TPG Asia and Partner and Managing Director of Goldman Sachs.

1Bstories is already working with a wide variety of customers across verticals, from mainstream US news publishers to niche digital Australian publications to large telecommunication companies in Indonesia, and even real estate developers in Singapore. With the ability to quickly publish and translate content to over 20 languages, Vidiofy also helps their customers grow their brand internationally as well.

The $5.5 million investment will accelerate product development, expand the team, and drive widespread adoption of Vidiofy in the market.

To learn more about 1Bstories and Vidiofy, please visit www.1bstories.com.

About 1Bstories: 1Bstories is a content technology start-up founded by Anuvrat Rao and other ex-Google employees with over 23 collective years of experience. The company aims to tell 1 billion stories globally with the use of its innovative technologies and products built. With Vidiofy, their flagship product, 1Bstories aims to enable businesses to create engaging videos effortlessly and leverage the power of generative AI technology. For more information, visit www.1bstories.com.

SOURCE 1Bstories