Players learn AI skills by training fighters in flagship game AI Arena

TORONTO, Jan. 9, 2024 — ArenaX Labs, a technology company that aims to teach the world about artificial intelligence (AI) through the power of play, announced today it raised $6 million in a funding round led by Framework Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on gaming and decentralized finance that co-led ArenaX’s 2021 seed funding round.

Additional investors included SevenX Ventures, FunPlus / Xterio, and Moore Strategic Ventures.

The funding will be used to further develop AI Arena, a first-of-its-kind game where human players collect AI-powered characters and train them in fighting strategies.

“AI Arena marks a major advance in the fusion between technology and education: an innovative way for people without advanced technical expertise to learn about AI – and to have fun doing so,” said ArenaX Labs CEO Brandon Da Silva.

AI Arena is a player-versus-player (PVP) fighting game akin to Super Smash Bros. But instead of battling other humans, AI Arena players train characters to fight in their stead.

The greater the skills of its human trainer, the better the fighter the AI character becomes. In actual battles, AI characters fight autonomously.

Trainers develop strong bonds with their characters, acquiring a uniquely intimate understanding of AI. The game requires no coding skills and will be free to play, with a web3 version available for players who can compete for rewards.

“We’re doubling down on the ArenaX team because we think they have one of the most ingenious approaches to consumer AI,” said Framework Ventures co-founder Michael Anderson. “Most consumers still view AI as a novelty they may engage with on a surface level. The ArenaX team is flipping this narrative by creating products that encourage normal people to begin learning to train AI through the language of play.”

To learn more, visit https://aiarena.io. ArenaX Labs plans a beta launch on Arbitrum mainnet in early 2024. Players can try it now by pre-registering here.

Disclosures: Information contained herein is accurate as of the date of publication and is subject to change. This is not investment advice and readers should not construe discussion of any particular organization as a recommendation to purchase or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, any securities or digital assets related to such organization.

SOURCE ArenaX Labs

• Investors feature leading brain tumor venture philanthropy funds including the Brain Tumor Investment Fund (BTIF) and The Sontag Innovation The along with MEDA Angels, Varia Ventures and private investors.
• Investment catalyzed by positive results from Phase 2a study of SurVaxM in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM) published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
• Funding will support the ongoing Phase 2b clinical study and subsequent registration-related initiatives.

BUFFALO, N.Y., Jan. 9, 2024 — MimiVax, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of SurVaxM, a survivin-targeted vaccine therapy for glioblastoma and other cancers, today announced new investments from the venture philanthropy arms of leading brain tumor patient organizations, VC, private and existing investors.

The investments from the Brain Tumor Investment Fund (BTIF), an affiliate of the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), the Sontag Innovation Fund, LLC, a subsidiary of the Sontag Foundation, the MEDA Angels, LLC, Varia Ventures and private investors will support the ongoing phase 2b clinical study, subsequent registration-related work and prepare the company for commercialization of SurVaxM for ndGBM. Glioblastoma is a rare but deadly cancer with median overall survival of only about 16 months. SurVaxM was developed to bring a paradigm shift to a field that has seen little advancement in decades.

MimiVax is rapidly enrolling subjects in its SURVIVE trial [NCT05163080], a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of SurVaxM among patients with ndGBM at 11 cancer centers across the USA. This follows the successful Phase 2a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology having met its primary endpoint, achieving a median overall survival (mOS) of 25.9 months – and further reporting that 41% of the patients receiving SurVaxM survived at least 3 years, with several long term progression-free survivors.

Investment funding is designed to help MimiVax achieve its goal of revolutionizing the landscape of brain tumor treatment. “We are honored to receive significant investments from The Brain Tumor Investment Fund, The Sontag Innovation Fund, MEDA Angels, Varia Ventures along with our private investors. “Their confidence in our mission further propels our efforts to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those affected by brain tumors,” said Michael Ciesielski, CEO, MimiVax, Inc.

The Brain Tumor Investment Fund, known for its dedication to funding pioneering solutions in neuro-oncology, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. “Brain tumor patients and caregivers desperately need better outcomes. The results seen in previous trials of SurVaxM make us optimistic for the SURVIVE Phase 2b trial and the potential for a new treatment on the horizon” said John Higgins, Managing Director of BTIF.

The MEDA Angels, (part of the Tech Coast Angels (TCA) network) are a health-care focused investor group founded by physician, payers and scientist-angel investors, supported by a team of regulatory, reimbursement, legal and financial advisors.  “We knew the grave unmet need for game-changing therapy for glioblastoma, a devasting brain cancer with so limited average survival time of 16 months.  After review of MimiVax’ approach, targeting a strong epitope and the data through their Phase 2a, we became confident they were well worth backing.” -MEDA Angels

The Sontag Innovation Fund, building on the reputation of the Sontag Foundation as one of the largest private funders of brain tumor research in North America, is proud to have MimiVax as a portfolio company. “There is an extraordinary unmet need for new treatments that make a major impact in the brain tumor space. We are excited to play a role in the development of promising therapies like SurVaxM” said Scott Davis, Managing Director of the Sontag Innovation Fund.

MimiVax extends its gratitude to The Brain Tumor Investment Fund, The Sontag Innovation Fund, MEDA Angels, Varia Ventures and our private investors for their support and confidence in the company’s vision. This investment fortifies MimiVax’s position as a key player in the quest for innovative solutions in the fight against brain tumors.

About MimiVax, Inc
MimiVax, Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on immunotherapy research and clinical translation of new agents for cancer treatment.

The Company was formed to develop and commercialize its lead candidate SurVaxM. For more information on MimiVax, visit www.mimivax.com or email [email protected].

About SurVaxM
SurVaxM is a first-in-class, patented immunotherapy that targets survivin, a cell-survival protein. SurVaxM is delivered subcutaneously and stimulates a patients’ own immune response to control tumor growth and prevent future disease recurrence. Because survivin is present in many forms of cancer, SurVaxM could potentially have wide therapeutic applicability.

About the Brain Tumor Investment Fund
The Brain Tumor Investment Fund (BTIF) is the non-profit venture philanthropy arm of the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), the largest patient advocacy organization in the United States committed to curing brain tumors and improving the lives of patients and families.  BTIF BTIF) invests in innovative biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies developing promising new treatment opportunities for patients with brain cancer. (www.braintumorinvestmentfund.org)

About The Sontag Innovation Fund
The Sontag Innovation Fund, a wholly-owned venture subsidiary of The Sontag Foundation, one of the largest private funders of brain cancer research in the United States, made the investment. The Sontag Innovation Fund invests in early stage and innovative technologies with the potential to drive cures and improve the quality of life or life expectancy for brain cancer patients.  (www.sontagfoundation.org/innovation-fund/)

About MEDA Angels
The MEDA Angels are a healthcare-focused angel investor group that invests liberally across mid-seed and Series A healthcare opportunities: both disease management and prevention. Importantly, many startups see an investment by MEDA as validation of the merits of their technology, as potential users, and payer friendly products. (www.medaangels.com)

About Varia Ventures
Varia Ventures is a next generation venture capital platform for professional organizations interested in building wealth for themselves and their members through investing in a portfolio of highly curated, emerging companies, originating from their organizations.  Varia’s platform blends insights from key opinion leaders, strategic partners, and industry experts through its “end-to-end” technology solution designed to support early stage companies while providing compelling investment opportunities to its investors. (www.varia.com)

SOURCE MimiVax, Inc.

The accelerator will advance six startups’ climatetech solutions and foster potential development, investment, and commercial partnerships with Saint-Gobain

SOMERVILLE, Mass. and HOUSTON, Jan. 9, 2024 — Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech incubator in North America, and Saint-Gobain, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of materials and services for the construction and industrial markets, announce six startup participants for Greentown Go Build 2023—a Greentown Go program focused on accelerating startup-corporate partnerships to advance circularity and decarbonize the built environment.

Innovation in the building sector is critical to achieving decarbonization, as the sector is responsible for 40 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. To change this, we need innovations that reinvent how buildings and their materials are planned, built, sourced, and managed. That’s why Greentown and Saint-Gobain partnered to launch Go Build 2023, which specifically sought innovations to extend product life cycles, find alternative raw materials, and enable technologies for waste revalorization.

After a highly competitive selection and deliberation process that saw more than 100 applicants from 27 countries, a cohort of six cutting-edge startup participants was selected:

• Active Surfaces (Salem, Mass., U.S.) develops an ultra-lightweight, flexible solar technology for the built environment.
• Carbon Upcycling Technologies (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is a circular-decarbonization solution for hard-to-abate industries–-utilizing low-purity industrial CO₂ and industrial byproducts to decarbonize cement.
• Endeavor Composites, Inc. (Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.) intercepts landfill-destined post-industrial fibers and sustainably repurposes them into semi-finished goods for the composite industry.
• Hempitecture (Ketchum, Idaho, U.S.) manufactures and distributes biobased building materials, including a low-embodied-carbon insulation.
• Puro Renewables (Miami Beach, Fla., U.S.) upcycles carbon-negative biowaste for use in reducing the amount of fossil-fuel-based resin and carbon footprint in typical plastic products.
• ZS2 Technologies (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) creates magnesium-based advanced building products that can store up to one-fifth of their weight in CO₂ via a proprietary carbon-capture technology.

Selected startups will work closely with Saint-Gobain over six months to explore potential collaborations, including investment opportunities, development partnerships, and commercial partnerships. Throughout the program, startups will benefit from mentorship, networking opportunities, educational workshops, and partnership-focused programming to support collaboration. Participants will also receive desk space and membership at Greentown for the duration of the program.

Saint-Gobain is a longtime, dedicated partner of Greentown and its startup community. The company has made many science-based climate commitments, including reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, eliminating its production of waste that isn’t recovered, and excising non-recyclable raw materials. This is the third Greentown Go program partnership between Greentown and Saint-Gobain, following successful buildings-focused accelerators in 2019 and 2021—results from those programs can be found here and here.

“At Saint-Gobain, our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 is rooted in a long history of reducing our environmental impact and it’s also a true demonstration of our purpose, Making the World a Better Home,” said Basma Kharrat, vice president, external venturing, Saint-Gobain. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the Go Build finalists to help move sustainable practices forward while learning about current trends and future opportunities for a more sustainable built environment.”

Greentown Labs runs Greentown Go programs across five tracks: Go Make (manufacturing), Go Move (transportation), Go Energize (energy and electricity), Go Build (buildings), and Go Grow (food and agriculture). These startup-corporate partnerships programs challenge the status quo within each key greenhouse-gas-emitting sector as they accelerate partnerships between industry giants and innovators.

“Fostering mutually beneficial partnerships between corporates and startups is an essential piece of the work we do at Greentown Labs to help deploy new climatetech solutions and accelerate our collective decarbonization efforts,” said Greentown Labs CEO and President Kevin Knobloch. “Saint-Gobain is an exemplary partner in the Greentown Labs community, and we can’t wait to see the fruitful relationships and engagements that will undoubtedly result from this program.”

The Go Build 2023 cohort will participate in continuous mentoring and three workshops with Saint-Gobain, culminating in a showcase event in spring 2024 at Greentown’s Boston location. To learn more, visit the Go Build 2023 website.

About Greentown Labs
Greentown Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit catalyzing climate solutions through entrepreneurship, partnership, and collaboration. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate technologies. Driven by the mission of providing startups the community, connections, and resources they need to thrive, Greentown offers lab space, shared office space, machine shops, electronics labs, tool shops, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more. With incubators in Somerville, Mass. and Houston, Texas, Greentown is home to more than 200 startups and has supported more than 500 since the incubator’s founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 11,000 jobs and raised more than $5.7 billion in funding. For more information, visit www.greentownlabs.com or follow Greentown on LinkedIn.

Greentown Media Contact:
Julia Travaglini
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]

About Saint-Gobain
Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€51.2 billion in sales in 2022
168,000 employees, locations in 75 countries
Committed to achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050

For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on X @saintgobain

Saint-Gobain Media Contact:
Lauren Howe
[email protected]
978-400-3036

SOURCE Greentown Labs

ATLANTA, Jan. 9, 2024 — Mensura Capital, LLC (“Mensura”) today announced that it advised Rapid Prep, LLC (“Rapid Prep” or the “Company”) on its investment from Source Capital, LLC (“Source Capital”). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Rapid Prep (est. 2006), is a full-service provider of equipment rental and sales focused on the essential surface preparation and environmental needs of the nation’s industrial, maritime and defense industries. The Company provides a compelling customer value supported by its highly trained and experienced staff, the highest quality equipment in the industry, and its fabrication and manufacturing capabilities, backed by 24-hour service. Rapid Prep is strategically located in major maritime, navy and industrial centers, including its headquarters in North Kingstown, RI; Suffolk, VA; El Cajon, CA; and Lakewood, WA.

Coupling the Company’s customer service-oriented business model with Source Capital’s capital and expertise, management targets transformative growth, organically and through strategic acquisitions.

Source Capital is an Atlanta, GA based private investment firm that provides flexible equity and debt capital to middle market companies. The firm has a value-added investing approach that brings (i) patient capital focused on long-term value creation; (ii) collaborative partnerships with management teams and founders; and (iii) strategic and operational resources to its portfolio companies. Source Capital’s investment strategy targets healthy growing companies seeking a hands-on, growth-oriented partner. 

Mensura is an investment bank dedicated to maritime industries and the extended supply chain, providing complete strategic M&A sell-side representation. Mensura is singular in its client-focused and strategic approach, deploying expertise and skill in designing and implementing processes with a high rate of success ushering in both transformational opportunities and wealth for its clients. Mensura adheres to a philosophy “measured risk” (Latin: Mensura Sortis), better assuring that value is achieved, while reducing transactional risks through tightly managed and coordinated processes. Mensura is entirely distinguished from the broad, commodity-like market approach dominating the investment banking industry.

Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP provided legal counsel to Rapid Prep. King & Spalding LLP provided legal counsel to Source Capital.

Securities transactions are made through Mensura Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, visit www.mensuracapital.com.

Contact: Alex Graham [email protected]

SOURCE Mensura Capital

TEL AVIV, Israel and PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 9, 2024 — anecdotes, an innovative leader in enterprise GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance) technology, today announced that it has closed $25 million in a Series B round of funding, elevating the total capital raised to $55 million. Notably, Vertex and DTCP have joined as new investors, underscoring their belief in anecdotes’ unique enterprise offering and the motion of global expansion.

The round was led by Glilot Capital Partners, with strong support of existing investors Red Dot Capital Partners, Vintage Investment Partners, and Shasta Ventures, is a testament to the company’s resilience and outstanding traction, even amid market challenges. anecdotes has more than threefold its Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) over the past year, primarily driven by the expansion of the US customer base, which now includes prominent names such as Lifelabs, Snowflake, Coinbase, Aristocrat, SoFi, Grafana, Payscale, and more.

This financial milestone builds on the $25 million Series A raised in February 2022, which fueled the development of innovative applications and deep data capabilities within the Compliance OS to meet the needs of modern enterprises. Notable capabilities include a robust Analysis Engine and Playbooks that empower each of the existing and new GRC applications, GenAI toolkit, frameworks, audit, policy and risk management, user access review, and more.

Founded in 2020 by Yair Kuznitsov and Roi Amior with offices in New York, San Francisco and Tel Aviv, anecdotes is redefining compliance and risk management by transforming it from a labor-intensive task into a data-driven driver for business growth. Its Compliance Operating System streamlines data collection into modern GRC applications, addressing diverse compliance and risk needs and capitalizing on its flexibility thanks to proprietary integrations with widely used enterprise platforms such as Azure, PagerDuty, Datadog etc.

“Partnering with anecdotes has transformed our approach to security compliance,” said Mike Melo, CISO at LifeLabs. “Relying on the Compliance Operating System has not only streamlined our processes but has also transformed our security compliance approach into a live reflection of our corporate risk management.”

“At Snowflake, by leveraging anecdotes’ compliance technology we unlocked data sets that can now be utilized in our compliance program enhancing efficiency and continuity. Their platform’s ability to integrate seamlessly with our existing tools and bring credible data sets has been invaluable,” added Mario Duarte, VP Security at Snowflake.

The successful closure of the Series B funding will empower anecdotes to introduce new data-driven innovations to the GRC landscape, such as the anecdotes AI Toolkit which provides a comprehensive list of risks, controls and policies to securely integrate Generative AI capabilities. This funding will not only fuel expansion into vital markets across the US, EMEA, and APAC regions but also enhance engagement of its successful partnerships with Deloitte, Coalfire, Google as well as many others.

Since its last funding round, anecdotes has significantly expanded its technology partnerships, now featuring over 120 integrations with essential platforms in identity, security, collaboration, ticketing, and cloud infrastructure. The firm’s presence on key marketplaces like Google Cloud Marketplace and Amazon Web Services amplifies its reach. Additionally, anecdotes has broadened its ecosystem, establishing relationships with dozens of channel partners and advisory firms.

“Our commitment remains steadfast: to empower businesses with cutting-edge solutions, fostering a safer and more compliant digital world. As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we are grateful for the trust of our investors and partners, and we look forward to delivering transformative value to our clients and the industry at large,” says Yair Kuznitsov, CEO, anecdotes.

About anecdotes

anecdotes is the leading technology provider for Compliance leaders. Powered by data, the anecdotes Compliance Operating System (OS) transforms security Compliance from a box-ticking exercise into a powerful driver of growth. With a variety of applications powered by verified data, Compliance leaders as well as advisory firms and auditors, can turn manual, time-consuming, and siloed tasks into an automated, continuous, and strategic Compliance program. That’s why some of the world’s largest enterprises and fastest-growing brands use anecdotes. For more information, visit anecdotes.ai. 

SOURCE anecdotes

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., Jan. 9, 2024 — Pinpoint Search Group, a leading cybersecurity recruitment firm in the U.S., has published its annual report on cybersecurity funding for 2023. The report reveals an increase in the number of transactions compared to 2022 but a decrease in the total amount of funding raised. This trend of more transactions but less overall funding might initially appear troubling, but it signifies a shift in the investment strategies being employed by investors, along with other contributing factors.

In 2023, Pinpoint Search Group’s research team recorded 437 transactions in the cybersecurity vendor space, totaling $8.7 billion across 346 funding rounds and 91 M&As. This represents a 14 percent increase in transaction volume from 303 in 2022, but also a 40 percent decrease in fundraising from the previous year’s $14.5 billion.

This final quarter of the year witnessed a similar trend. In Q4 2023, the cybersecurity industry secured $1.6 billion in funding, marking a 45 percent decrease from the $2.9 billion raised in Q4 of the previous year. Despite this decrease in total funds, the quarter saw a 21 percent increase in funding rounds, rising from 70 in Q4 2022 to 85 in Q4 2023.

The decline in total funding raised can be attributed to a shift in investor focus in 2023. Investors adjusted their approaches, directing a greater portion of their funds into early-stage initiatives within the cybersecurity sector. This is evident as Seed, Series-A, and Series-B rounds comprised a considerable share of overall funding. In 2023, for instance, seed rounds alone made up 42 percent of all funding deals. This shift toward early-stage investments accounted for the higher number of funding transactions, even though the aggregate capital invested decreased.

Several other elements played a role in the reduced funding levels, driven by broader economic factors influencing venture capital (VC) firm operations. These include the effects of inflation and rising interest rates, as well as a market adjustment to correct the excessively high valuations seen in previous years.

“Overall, professionals in the cybersecurity sector have reason to be optimistic,” said Mark Sasson, founder and managing partner at Pinpoint Search Group. “While the industry experienced real pain in 2023, the demand for security solutions continues to grow. The impact on the professionals in the space will depend on how quickly investors and founders can transition from early-stage innovation to growth.”

For the full, detailed findings of Pinpoint Search Group’s 2023 annual report on cybersecurity funding, please click here.

About Pinpoint Search Group
Pinpoint Search Group is a leading cybersecurity recruitment firm and specializes in filling vice president, director, and senior individual talent. Pinpoint’s collective experience recruiting hundreds of candidates in all segments of cybersecurity provides the company with the credibility to communicate with, qualify, and place professionals in today’s most competitive area of technology. Pinpoint also produces Cybersecurity M&A and Vendor Funding Reports highlighting M&As and funding in the cybersecurity space monthly, quarterly, and annually.

Media Contact:
Christopher Joseph (CJ) Arlotta
CJ Media Solutions, LLC for Pinpoint Search Group
C: 631-572-3019
370962@email4pr.com

SOURCE Pinpoint Search Group

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 9, 2024 — Rewst, a purpose-built automation platform for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), today announced a $31 million Series B led by Meritech Capital, joining existing investors OpenView, TDF Ventures, and Florida Funders. The funding will help accelerate Rewst’s growth and the value delivered to MSPs through the expansion of its product, customer success, education, and Robotic Operations Center (ROC) teams.

Despite having hundreds of repetitive processes ripe for automation, MSPs have been vastly underserved by traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vendors. That’s because generic RPA tools are typically too expensive and resource intensive for MSPs. They also lack the multi-tenancy and native integrations unique to MSPs’ IT environments.

Founded in 2020, Rewst set out to solve these challenges by building the first purpose-built automation platform for MSPs. With 45 out-of-the-box integrations to popular products like Acronis, ConnectWise, Datto, Duo, Huntress, ITGlue, Kaseya, Microsoft, OpenAI, Pax8, and SentinelOne, Rewst’s vendor-agnostic approach allows MSPs to connect their entire tech stack. Users can then automate end-to-end processes by installing pre-built automations or visually designing their own workflows and forms. Common use cases include user onboarding/offboarding, billing reconciliation, adding/removing group membership, MFA alerting, just-in-time admin access, ticket categorization and prioritization, and more.

“At this point, we’re averaging about 75 to 80 hours of time savings per week with Rewst,” said Dustin Lepi, Automation Engineer at Network IT Easy. “That’s 300+ hours saved per month, allowing us to focus on the tickets that need human intervention rather than wading through the endless noise from automated alerts.”

“Since serving the MSP market, they’ve become my favorite market,” said Aharon Chernin, Rewst’s CEO and founder. “They know what they need, and they’ll tell you if you ask! Automation is at the top of the list right now. From the beginning, we’ve focused on building not just the best platform for MSPs but a community where users learn from, and support, one another. With this funding, we will continue building out our ROC, training, and product, adding dozens of new integrations and enhancing the workflow-building experience. Rewst will be around for a long time to come, helping MSPs to succeed with automation.”

Less than two years since its birth, Rewst has emerged as the de-facto leader in the MSP automation market. The company has more than 700 MSPs, with a strong base in North America and a growing foothold in the EU and APAC. In a recent 30-day period, MSPs used Rewst to execute more than 46 million workflows, with self-reported time savings exceeding 251,000 hours. This figure includes manual effort freed up by automation, and high-hanging fruit that was previously ignored because the return was too low to do these tasks manually. In addition to time savings, MSPs benefit from consistent service delivery, reduced technician burnout, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

“We’re excited to partner with Aharon and the entire Rewst team,” said Alex Clayton, General Partner at Meritech Capital. “The tailwinds behind Rewst in the MSP space are massive; the technology surface area is growing, and MSPs are forced to do more with less. Automation is the key to unlocking efficiency, happy customers, and increased bottom lines. We spoke to many Rewst customers, both large and small, and the feedback was resoundingly positive. Rewst’s platform has become a no-brainer purchase for MSPs, and their pace of product development is unlike anything in the market today. This has created a vibrant community around the company. Additionally, we get excited about founders who are uniquely positioned to win a market, and Aharon represents that perfectly as someone who has seen this problem firsthand in the MSP space.”

Rewst has executed on a number of initiatives in 2023 to shorten time to value and empower MSPs to be successful with automation, including:

• Crate Marketplace – Rewst released 50 pre-built automations, more than doubling its Crate Marketplace. Crates serve as ready-to-use templates, helping MSPs unlock immediate value.
• Cluck University – Rewst continued to build out its Cluck U training to help MSPs master the art of automation through live group sessions, self-serve videos, step-by-step guides, and more.
• Robotic Operations Center (ROC) – Rewst’s in-house automation experts assist customers in overcoming any hurdles during the automation process, while building and maintaining Crates.
• RoboRewsty – The OpenAI-powered RoboRewsty is embedded in the platform to simplify the automation-building process, starting with automatic workflow documentation.
• App Platform – App Platform allows MSPs to visually design branded front-ends, or apps, for employees and customers to interact with Rewst workflows and forms.

The Series B round brings Rewst’s total funding to $59 million.

Additional Resources:

About Rewst

Founded in 2020 and based in Tampa, FL, Rewst specializes in providing a purpose-built automation platform for Managed Service Providers. With a leadership team that has a proven track record of understanding and anticipating the needs of their customers, Rewst is well-positioned to drive the next evolution of RPA and empower MSPs to improve operational efficiency, service delivery, and customer satisfaction. Visit Rewst at https://rewst.io/ and follow the company on LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Meritech Capital

Meritech is a leading provider of late-stage venture capital to category-defining private technology companies and has been one of the top-performing venture firms of the past two-plus decades. The firm was founded in 1999 and cumulatively manages over $4 billion in total capital. Representative investments include Auth0, Anaplan, Braze, Carta, Coupa, Datadog, Facebook, Flock Safety, Looker, MuleSoft, NetSuite, Roblox, Salesforce, Segment, Snowflake, Tableau, and UiPath. The firm is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, and can be found at www.meritechcapital.com.

Media Contact: 
Ed Hadley, SVP Marketing
[email protected]  
413-822-4499

SOURCE Rewst

Umoja Unveils its Breakthrough Hedging Strategy to Secure Crypto Assets Following $2M Raise

ATLANTA, Jan. 9, 2024 — Umoja, founded by Robby Greenfield, the former Head of Social Impact at ConsenSys, has raised $2M from the likes of Quantstamp, Blockchain Founders Fund, Orange DAO, Hyperithm, Psalion, and Blizzard (Avalanche) among others. This funding helps to introduce DeFi‘s first asset risk management primitive – enabling anyone to insure their market losses just as a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund would. Its goal? To enable decentralized hedging of virtually any real-world asset risk – from crypto, to fiat, to even digital bonds, real estate, and commodities, representing a $500 trillion market opportunity.

Deemed the “Yearn Finance for Risk,” Umoja enables anyone to hedge their market losses to truly benefit from the oncoming bull run.

Aside from being one of extremely few, ventured backed founders of color – championing Umoja with the support of Coinbase Ventures, Quantstamp, Blockchain Founders Fund, 500 Global – Greenfield’s blockchain career has most notably been in the social sector, where he served as ConsenSys’s former Head of Social Impact. In the role, Robby co-led some of the world’s first blockchain-for-good use cases, such as the world’s first stablecoin-based humanitarian aid program with Oxfam International, receiving the U.S. State Department’s first blockchain grant to further factory worker wellness, and helping co-found the Ethereum Foundation’s Devon Scholars program.

But how did Umoja get here? From global humanitarian aid to asset-hedging? For Greenfield, it all started in Nairobi, Kenya.

Expensive FX depreciation makes foreign investment extremely difficult. The result is that the cost of capital in some of the world’s most promising, but frequently under-resourced economies is very high. Revenue generating MSMEs across the global south – who all deserve access to credit, simply can’t afford it, as investors want risk-adjusted returns. “This isn’t just an FX issue – for the average consumer, business, and investor, hedging asset risks is a tiresome effort. The Umoja protocol was created to enable anyone to hedge the risk of everything to secure their financial wellness,” Greenfield remarked.

Greenfield is not new to the Web3 ecosystem – having been in the market since 2011, even starting his own small crypto hedge fund.

“Crypto hedging is only the beginning. Our vision is to hedge any digital asset, so that anyone can affordably hedge their risks just like a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund,” Robby stated.

“We’re thrilled to support Umoja’s innovative approach to decentralized hedging, which we believe will redefine risk management across a spectrum of assets,” said Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner of Blockchain Founders Fund.

Media Contact:
Karima Williams
[email protected]

SOURCE Umoja

World’s First Advisory, Investing and Content Management Business in Sports, Entertainment and Leadership Development – All on One Single Global Platform   

Sports Icons Tom Brady, Serena Williams and Pau Gasol Among Founding Partner Team

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2024 — 

The Consello Group, a leading global advisory and investing firm, today announced the launch of Consello Strive, a first of its kind global business focused on the convergence of sports, entertainment and leadership development – all on one single platform.

Consello Strive will operate in four specific areas: Advisory, Investing, Content/IP and Leadership Development.           

The sports and entertainment industries are being transformed by emerging technologies, the globalization of leading brands and the institutionalization of ownership. Within this rapidly changing environment, Consello Strive will seek to empower those investing in or commercializing assets in the sports, media, and entertainment arena to maximize their business potential and create the highest sustainable value. Consello will advise on how best to evolve investments, businesses, leagues, teams, or brand strategy across technology, infrastructure, commercial partnerships and acquisitions, among other disciplines.                                 

Consello Group co-founder, and seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady, will be joined as a founding partner in this new division by 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, and two-time NBA champion, six-time NBA All-Star and NBA Basketball Hall of Famer, Pau Gasol. Mr. Gasol will also lead a team focused on expanding Consello Strive’s interests throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Consello Strive will be chaired by Mark Dowley, Chief Operating Partner at Redbird Capital, who has over 30 years of senior managerial experience in the sports and entertainment industries.             

Other founding partners in the new enterprise are:               

• Declan Kelly
• Janey Whiteside                                         
• Peter Mattoon
• Dr. Oscar Salazar
• Mindy Grossman                           

Over the course of the coming weeks, Consello will announce a number of commercial partnership agreements with leading third-party industry participants and individuals as part of its rollout of Consello Strive around the world.                

Announcing the new division, Consello Group Founder, Chairman and CEO Declan Kelly said: “We believe that Consello Strive has the potential to change the entire global landscape of sports, entertainment and leadership development because of the opportunities that exist in the marketplace today and the unique experience, relationships and track record of the team we have assembled. Over the coming months we will be expanding our presence and partnerships further and rolling out a series of new services as part of the overall platform. We couldn’t be more excited to have this senior group come together to build this groundbreaking new business.”     

Tom Brady added: “Since the start of our journey at Consello our mission has been very clear – to make the best in the world even better. With Consello Strive we are bringing the very best in the world together to help advise people everywhere in the fields of sports and entertainment in ways that have never been done before. I am especially passionate about the launch of our leadership development vertical because working with leaders to drive them to search for improvement in whatever they do is something my partners and I have been devoted to our entire careers.”       

Serena Williams added: “I am excited to deepen my relationship with Consello by joining Consello’s Strive platform as a partner. The next chapter of my life will be as exciting and fulfilling as the last one, and I have no doubt that the team we have assembled here will help me do just that. I am also excited to help Consello Strive as a business to grow and expand around the world.”  

Pau Gasol said: “I’ve seen firsthand the lasting impact that sports can create, both on and off the court. Joining Consello Strive as a partner is a natural step for me because of my passion for growth, mentorship, and creating impactful change, just like I am already doing through Gasol16 Ventures, my investment vehicle, and through the Gasol Foundation, whose mission is to eradicate childhood obesity. I’m excited about embarking on this journey, and I will additionally be focusing on building out our offering in the Spanish-speaking world where some of the greatest athletes, entertainers and leaders show us daily what it means to be truly great.”

Mark Dowley, Chairman of Consello Strive, said: “We have assembled an unstoppable team of athletes, trusted advisors to the world’s business leaders, and proven global operators, who together will bring a broad-based set of perspectives, experiences and skills to the fore on behalf of the sports, entertainment and media leaders across the world. Consello Strive is unlike any other business in the market; my partners and I look forward to applying our knowledge and expertise to help our clients identify and unlock their full potential in the high growth sectors of sports, entertainment and media.”

Consello partner Janey Whiteside said: “Consello’s unparalleled connection to the world’s business leaders paired with the incomparable expertise of the sports icons involved, gives Consello Strive a unique opportunity to partner, advise and invest across the dynamic $550bn landscape that we see in front of us today in sports and entertainment. Commercializing that opportunity is something we believe we are better positioned to do than anyone else in the world today.”                                              

Consello partner Mindy Grossman said: “I have spent my entire life working with and mentoring emerging leadership talent across multiple different businesses and industries, and that has taken me on an unforgettable journey through retail, sports, television, media and entertainment, and health and wellness. Launching Consello Strive today brings all those passions and interests together into one place and one platform and I truly believe we can and will change lives as part of what we are doing. I am especially thrilled that my friend and collaborator of more than 20 years, Serena Williams, is expanding her role with us on this journey and I am very confident we all can change the world together.”                                          

Consello was launched less than two years ago and already has more than 100 employees and advisors, with offices in New York, London, Miami, Barcelona and Atlanta.

About Consello

The Consello Group is a financial services advisory and strategic investing platform. At Consello we invest capital to grow companies, we execute for our banking clients across industries, and we provide business development and marketing services to help companies grow and evolve. We also advise across sports, entertainment and leadership development, and our digital assets advisory business helps companies participate in the global digital financial services ecosystem.

Consello offers these six distinct but integrated lines of businesses all on one platform: Sports, Entertainment and Leadership Development; M&A Advisory and Investment Banking; Investing; Growth and Business Development; Marketing and Brand Advisory; and Digital Assets Advisory.

Media contact: [email protected] 

SOURCE Consello