LEESBURG, Va., July 16, 2024 — SWaN & Legend Venture Partners (SWaN), a multi-stage venture capital firm that invests in high-growth, high-quality organizations, has recognized CAVA Group (NYSE: CAVA) CEO Brett Schulman and his partners with its prestigious “Legendary SWaN” Award for leading the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand through one of the most successful consumer IPOs in a decade. As of July 15, 2024, CAVA’s market cap is more than $9 billion.

Schulman accepted the award on behalf of CAVA and his co-founders and partners, Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, Dimitri Moshovitis, and Ron Shaich, chairman of the board.

He also acknowledged the support and advisement that CAVA has received from SWaN over the past few years. CAVA, a trailblazer in the Mediterranean restaurant sector, opened its original full-service restaurant in 2006 and its first CAVA fast-casual restaurant in 2011, offering patrons the opportunity to build customized bowls, pitas, and salads.  As of June 2024, CAVA boasts an impressive 337 restaurants in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

At SWaN’s most recent Annual Partner’s meeting, Fred Schaufeld, co-founder and managing director of SWaN, presented the award to Schulman and discussed the IPO, the company’s strong performance, its decision to acquire Zoes Kitchens, and more with him.

David Strasser, managing director of SWaN and long-term CAVA board member, lauded the company.

“The Legendary SWaN Award is exclusive to businesses, such as CAVA, that bring industry-disrupting ideas to the market,” Strasser said. “Like our previous legendary winners, CAVA created a new category, this time in fast casual, defining the next large-scale cultural cuisine, Mediterranean.”

CAVA built a loyal customer base by positioning itself as a healthy alternative to fast food and now has two manufacturing facilities that produce tzaziki, harissa, salad dressing and crazy feta for its restaurants and for sale through select grocery chains.

“We are honored to be recognized by SWaN & Legend. Fred and other SWaN leaders and senior advisers, including David Bosserman, who currently serves on the CAVA Group Board of Directors, have played an integral role in our success,” Schulman said. “He, along with Fred, Tony [Nader], and David Strasser, has brought incredible levels of business acumen and experience to the table. We have greatly benefited from the coaching over the years.”

There have been three previous Legendary SWaN Award honorees: Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND Healthy Snacks; Marc Katz, founder of Custom Ink; and Jay Tapper, co-founder of DuraStat and La Lumiere LLC.

About SWaN & Legend Venture Partners

Based in Leesburg, Virginia, with an office in New York City, SWaN & Legend is a multi-stage venture capital firm that invests in high-growth, high-quality organizations and the exceptional management teams behind them. The company was founded in 2006 by Fred Schaufeld, Cliff White, and Tony Nader and was initially known as SWaN Investors. Today, Schaufeld and Nader are among three managing directors of SWaN & Legend, which has invested in numerous companies, including CAVA, Anonymous Content, Sugar23, Custom Ink, CaaStle, KIND Healthy Snacks, MusiCapital, Optoro, Mindshow, José Andrés Group, Class Technologies, UrbanStems, Pinterest, Airbnb and Square.

SOURCE SWaN & Legend

MÉXICO CITY, July 16, 2024 — OCN has secured $86 million in new funding. This substantial capital injection positions OCN for a year of remarkable growth, driven by strategic expansion plans and a commitment to becoming the leading financial partner for the gig economy in the Americas.

About OCN

OCN is a fintech company dedicated to providing access to financial services to gig workers across the Americas. Leveraging its advanced technology, OCN underwrites customers often excluded from or overlooked by the formal financial system in Latin America and the US.

Access to financing is a major challenge for over 4 million gig economy entrepreneurs in the Americas serving major ride-hailing and delivery platforms such as Uber, DiDi, and Lyft. OCN provides these essential workers the financial support they need to enhance their earnings and improve their quality of life.

OCN Steps on the Accelerator 

The $86 million funding round, which includes continued participation from lead investors Caravela Capital, Collide Capital, and Great North Ventures, signifies a strong endorsement of OCN’s business and proven track record. Notably, the round also includes financing from US-based investment firm, i80 Group. 

“When we founded OCN, we always had a vision of helping thousands of gig workers earn more and improve their lives,” said Mairon Sandoval, CEO and co-founder of OCN.   “With our new financing, we can continue to improve our technology and operational capacity to reach more gig economy workers in Latin America as well as the United States.”

“Access to credit and good financial services is a major problem for gig workers globally”, said Ivan Montoya, Managing Partner of NuMundo Ventures. “Having backed OCN since before launch, I am excited that they will be able to bring their solutions to millions of gig workers across the Americas.”

Building a World Class Leadership Team

In preparation for rapid expansion, OCN strategically enhanced its leadership team. These appointments of General Managers for both Mexico and the United States, strengthen OCN’s capacity to execute its international expansion strategy. Additionally, the creation of critical roles such as Chief Risk Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer underscores OCN’s commitment to building a well-rounded and multi-disciplinary leadership team ready for long-term success.

A Clear Roadmap for Growth

Fueled by significant new capital and a team of proven industry leaders, OCN is poised for a breakout year.

“OCN has the disciplined and profitable economic model that we look to support with our capital. OCN provides critical resources to gig workers, an important and dynamic segment of the economy,” said Edward Goldstein, Managing Director of i80 group.

Ultimately, the company aspires to transform into a comprehensive financial technology platform, offering a diversified suite of innovative financial products and services designed to empower the gig workforce and unlock a new era of financial inclusion.

About i80 Group

i80 Group is an SEC-registered, global investment firm that was founded in 2016. The firm provides asset-based investments that help companies scale through critical growth milestones. i80 Group manages approximately $1.6bn, with headquarters in New York, and additional offices in San Francisco and London. For more information, please visit www.i80group.com. 

OCN INVESTOR QUOTES

Caravela Capital:

“We are excited to support the team at OCN in its next phase of growth,” said Lucas Lima, managing partner at Caravela Capital. “We are very impressed with the core technology, the leadership team, and the opportunity for OCN to expand what they have started in Mexico to the Americas”

Great North Ventures: 

“Providing an all-inclusive rental model for ride-share drivers is crucial for economic growth, as it empowers drivers to achieve financial stability and enhances mobility solutions in a rapidly expanding market,” said Ryan Weber, Managing Partner at Great North Ventures.”

SOURCE OneCarNow

SAN FRANCISCO, July 16, 2024 — Botrista, the company behind data-driven, automated beverage platform, has successfully closed Series C funding round, bringing its total capital raised to $120 million since inception. This substantial investment underscores Botrista’s growing market presence and indicates a significant shift in the restaurant industry’s approach to cold beverage menus, reflecting the increasing global demand for quality and innovative flavor profiles.

Since its establishment in 2017, Botrista has rapidly developed into a recognized industry player, working with partners in 37 states. The company’s advanced platform enables restaurants to effortlessly serve an extensive range of high-margin, on-trend cold beverages – from boba drinks and refreshers to smoothies, shakes, cold brew coffees, lemonades, cocktails, and energy drinks – all from a single, efficient machine.

This innovative solution has attracted the attention of major players in the food service industry and secured significant investment from global leaders, including the Series C round’s lead investor. Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). JFC, a global restaurant company with 18 brands in 33 countries, the second fastest-growing restaurant brand in the world.

Sean Hsu, CEO of Botrista and ex-Tesla automation engineer, expressed his passion for the partnership with JFC: “JFC’s support validates the vision for a more exciting beverage menu,” Hsu said. “This new funding will fuel our hyper-expansion into new markets and help more of our partners elevate their drink menu without increasing labor or complexity.”

JFC, a key player in the food service industry with 18 recognizable brands such as Smashburger, Jollibee and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, believes strongly in Botrista’s potential to transform the restaurant landscape. “Botrista is a game changer for the beverage industry”, Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong, JFC Chairman said. “We’re investing in a company that enables food service operators to deliver a world-class customer experience and provides substantial runway for sustained profitable growth.”

Botrista will invest the capital to meet surging demand. The company will invest further in AI technology to continue to create data-driven beverage menus for brand partners. In addition, it will allocate resources to R&D to broaden its beverage offerings and continue to seek out global suppliers of the best quality ingredients possible.

Jason Valentine, Chief Strategy Officer for Botrista, highlighted the company’s market reach: “We currently serve partners across 37 states, including national restaurant chains, independent restaurants, college campuses, movie theaters, theme parks, and other alternative venues,” Valentine said. “The timing of this fundraising perfectly aligns with the high demand from new partners and significant interest from growing restaurant brands on a global scale.”

For restaurant executives looking to stay ahead of beverage trends and boost profits, Botrista’s solution offers a compelling opportunity. With its innovative technology and strong financial backing, Botrista is well-positioned to continue shaping the cold beverage landscape in food service, offering a clear vision of the future of drink service.

As Botrista strengthens its confident market position, the company remains focused on driving innovation, enhancing operational efficiency, and delivering value to its partners across the food service industry.

About Botrista
At Botrista, our mission is to help restaurants be more profitable by enabling them to serve trending beverages without added complexity. Offer your partners an ever-changing selection of premium, made-to-order drinks from over 2,000 recipes across 15+ categories — ready in under 20 seconds at just the touch of a button. From boba teas and iced coffee creations, to smoothies, refreshing blended lemonades, seasonal specialties, and more, Botrista is a full craft beverage platform. By blending innovation with nature’s flavors, we provide our partners with a long-term solution to keeping up with consumer trends. Expand and upgrade your drink offerings, boost profits, enhance operational efficiency—and keep your guests coming back for more. For more information, please visit Botrista.com.

SOURCE Botrista Inc.

New Funding to Streamline Transfer Pathways in North Carolina from Two-year colleges to Four-year Private Colleges and Universities

RALEIGH, N.C., July 16, 2024 — A newly funded technology platform provides more assurance to North Carolina community college students that their credits will count toward a bachelor’s degree at any private four-year university in the state. North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) and the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) announced a new grant-funded partnership to facilitate the successful transfer of course credits for students moving from two-year colleges to four-year private colleges and universities in the state.

The new initiative will leverage technology from Acadeum to streamline the transfer process and reduce credit loss, to replicate this technology in other states through the generous support of a $1.3 million collective grant from the Teagle Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, ECMC Foundation, the John M. Belk Endowment, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition, Lumina Foundation has provided complementary funding to ensure the involvement of NCICU and NCCCS faculty and staff in the development and implementation of this project. 

“We are fortunate in North Carolina to have both a comprehensive articulation agreement for students to be able to transfer the first two years of college courses and we also have discipline-specific agreements for those students who know the major they wish pursue,” said Dr. Hope Williams, the president of NCICU. “We are grateful to the funders of this project for helping us use world-class technology to streamline the transfer process with our partners from the North Carolina community college system.”

Nationally, 80% of entering community college students indicate they want to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher, but only 31% of those students actually go on to do so. For many students navigating the education landscape, the transfer process may pose a challenge in finding the “right fit” in terms of course credits accepted and majors offered at four-year institutions.

“Continuing to enhance transfer opportunities for North Carolina’s community college students is critical to helping them continue their education and improve their social and economic mobility,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System. “We are proud to partner with NCICU to strengthen the transfer process to help our students achieve both associate and baccalaureate degrees.”

Any credit loss can set students back financially and academically, creating unnecessary roadblocks to students completing their intended credentials.

The new funding will help the state’s community college students within NCCCS and students at Louisburg College in NCICU leverage a statewide transfer portal to be powered by technology partner Acadeum. Working in collaboration with other statewide transfer efforts, the project will build on existing state policies and articulation agreements in North Carolina, and specifically address four transfer frameworks:

• Associate degree transfer – facilitating four-year universities’ acceptance of general education or core credits earned at community colleges in order for students to maximize credit completion.
• Transfer pathways – enabling students to plan major-specific credits earned at a community college towards their degree at a four-year university to have the highest application of their community college credits.
• Transfer guarantee – providing the option of admission guarantees for community college transfer students who meet certain criteria so that learners have a clear understanding of admission requirements and confidence in acceptance of credit.
• Reverse transfer – helping students enrolled at four-year universities complete their associate degree while pursuing their bachelor’s degree.

The project will leverage the Acadeum Course Share platform (ACS), which allows participating colleges to offer available seats in open courses and map course equivalencies to help credit count at the home institution. Acadeum already works with multiple institutions within North Carolina and has a longstanding partnership with NCICU.

“Every student has their own unique education journey and should be able to move between institutions and receive full credit for their work,” said Luis Rincon, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Acadeum. “We are proud to support the innovative collaboration of NCCCS and NCICU as we work towards greater credit mobility through transfer pathways.” 

To learn more about the transfer initiative, contact Dr. Hope Williams at [email protected].

ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
The North Carolina Community College System is a network of 58 community colleges created to improve the quality of life across North Carolina by opening the door to opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education, maximize student success and develop a globally and multi-culturally competent workforce. The 58 institutions located throughout the state provide easy access to low-cost, high-quality educational opportunities and academic support that focuses on increasing employability.

ABOUT NCICU
North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) supports, represents, and advocates for North Carolina independent higher education in the areas of state and federal public policy and on education issues with the other sectors of education in the state. It also raises funds through the Independent College Fund of North Carolina for student scholarships and enrichment experiences, provides research and information to and about private colleges and universities, conducts staff development opportunities and coordinates collaborative programs. The presidents of the 36 colleges and universities that we represent make up our Board of Directors.

ABOUT ACADEUM
Acadeum helps colleges and universities expand academic resources that support student progress and equitable access to workforce opportunities. Today, more than 500 higher education institutions are members of the Acadeum network to offer in-demand courses and credentials they need to keep learners on track, and bolster existing or offer new programs.Institutions can improve retention and completion, and offer workforce-aligned and stackable certifications, while also unlocking new revenue to increase financial sustainability. To learn more about Acadeum, please visit www.acadeum.com.

SOURCE North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU)

Funding to Accelerate Development of Innovative Carbon Capture and Utilization Technology for Sustainable Protein Production

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 16, 2024 — NovoNutrients, a biotech trailblazer transforming CO₂ emissions into premium protein, today announced the US$18 million successful first closing of a Series A financing that includes US$10.3 million in new capital and the conversion of US$8 million in previously issued SAFEs. The round was led by Woodside Energy, a global energy company, and co-led by CM Venture Capital, an advanced/sustainable material investment company. Other participants include SOSV’s IndieBio and Decarbonization Consortium, Happiness Capital, The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust, and Audacy Ventures. The round targets additional closings for a total of US$23 million.

NovoNutrients’ pioneering process captures industrial CO₂ emissions and combines them with hydrogen to produce Novotein™, a nutritious and environmentally responsible protein ingredient. NovoNutrients’ plans to utilize an asset-light strategy encompassing licensing and strategic partnerships.

The Series A funding will support NovoNutrients’ industrial pilot program, team growth, and commercial partnerships. NovoNutrients has already secured technology development agreements (TDAs) in the energy and nutrition sectors, including a TDA entered into with Woodside Energy in 2023.

“This investment brings us closer to realizing our vision of a world where industrial emissions are upcycled into essential nutrients for a growing population,” said David Tze, CEO of NovoNutrients.

Novotein™ has demonstrated its nutritional excellence and versatility in animal studies, comparing favorably to both traditional and emerging protein alternatives. This premium ingredient significantly reduces water and land use compared to conventional proteins.

The potential applications for Novotein™ span pet food, aquaculture, and plant-based alternatives for human consumption. This versatility helps to address the increasing global demand for cost-effective, sustainable protein sources across multiple markets.

“With this Series A financing, NovoNutrients is well-positioned to accelerate its growth and quickly become a leading supplier of CCU technology that enables sustainable protein ingredients,” said Min Zhou, Managing Partner of CM Venture Capital. “Their leading-edge approach aligns with our focus on renewable carbon, advanced materials science and hard-tech innovations. We have great confidence in the NovoNutrients team’s ability to execute their ambitious vision.”

This Series A round marks a significant milestone for NovoNutrients as it advances its technology. Supported by its investors and partners, the company is poised to make substantial contributions to global food security and industrial decarbonization. As NovoNutrients expands its technology and partnerships, it aims to become a leading provider of sustainable protein ingredients and a key player in the global transition towards a lower carbon economy.

About NovoNutrients
NovoNutrients transforms industrial CO₂ emissions into premium protein ingredients for food and feed. Their proprietary gas fermentation technology employs natural microbes to convert CO₂ and clean hydrogen into complete protein with nutritional value equivalent to beef. NovoNutrients’ efficient business model allows emitters to invest in profitable carbon capture and utilization projects, with NovoNutrients serving as the technology partner. Visit [www.novonutrients.com](http://www.novonutrients.com/) for more information.

About Woodside Energy
We are a global energy company founded in Australia, providing reliable and affordable energy to help people lead better lives. We aim to thrive through the global energy transition with a low cost, lower carbon, profitable, resilient and diversified portfolio¹. Today our portfolio includes a diverse range of oil and gas assets. We’re also developing a portfolio of new energy products and lower carbon services. Visit [www.woodside.com] for more information.

About CM Venture Capital
CM Venture Capital is a leading venture capital firm that invests in renewable carbon, advanced materials science and hard technologies. Backed by Fortune 500 companies – BASF, BAT, GE, Henkel, Heraeus, Petronas, Samsung, SABIC – CM Venture Capital has a global reach and a strong network in China. CM Venture Capital partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build companies that address challenges in decarbonization, digital transformation, energy transformation and material transformation. Visit [cmventure.net] for more information.

NovoNutrients Media Contact:
David Tze, [email protected], 415-236-2455

SOURCE NovoNutrients

DreamBig’s open MARS Chiplet Platform with a leading Chiplet Hub^TM for scale-up and Networking IO Chiplets for scale-out enables customers to compose the most advanced AI solutions

• DreamBig empowers customers to forge the future of AI, datacenter, edge, storage, 5G and automotive solutions that are composable and scalable to meet their application specific needs
• DreamBig is leading 3D HBM stacking on the Chiplet Hub^TM, resulting in significant performance and efficiency gains for systems that are memory bandwidth dominated such as generative AI accelerators
• DreamBig revolutionizes chiplet ecosystem with its industry-leading platform, enabling customers to focus on development of differentiating chiplet-based technologies built around the Chiplet Hub^TM, and bring complete system-in-package or accelerator card products to market, regardless of scale

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 16, 2024 — DreamBig Semiconductor Inc., a pioneer in high-performance accelerator platforms utilizing its industry-leading Chiplet Hub™ with 3D HBM, today announced a $75M equity funding round. This round was co-led by the Samsung Catalyst Fund and the Sutardja Family. New investors include Samsung, Hanwha, Event Horizon, and Raptor, alongside continuing contributions from existing stakeholders including the Sutardja Family, UMC Capital, BRV, Ignite Innovation Fund, Grandfull Fund, amongst others.

These funds will bolster the development and commercialization of products built on DreamBig’s Chiplet Hub™ and Platform Chiplets. “This investment underscores the market’s recognition of DreamBig as a transformative force in AI and data center infrastructure,” stated Sohail Syed, Co-founder and CEO of DreamBig. “Our open MARS Chiplet Platform enables unparalleled scale-up and scale-out solutions so customers can achieve the highest levels of performance and energy efficiency at lowest cost and fastest time-to-market.”

“We are delighted to co-lead DreamBig’s Series B round and partner with an exceptional team leading the path to streamline chiplet-based AI solutions,” said Marco Chisari, Head of Samsung Semiconductor Innovation Center and Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics. “The ever-growing demands for intensive workloads and memory-bound applications – from generative AI to automotive – are fueling the need for more advanced chiplet-based designs with 3D HBM stacking.”

The Chiplet Hub™ and Networking Chiplets deliver highly differentiated capabilities:

• Universal architecture support for CPU, AI, Accelerators, IO, Networking, and Memory Chiplets within a unified platform
• Memory-First Architecture for direct access from all chiplets to 3D stacked HBM, DDR, CXL, and SSD memory tiers
• FLC Technology Group fully associative hardware acceleration for Cache/Memory management
• DMA hardware for efficient memory data transfer from any source to any destination managed by the Chiplet Hub
• Virtual PCIe/CXL switch for optimized resource allocation
• Ethernet/UEC RDMA hardware for enhanced scalability
• Multi-Gigabit, low power Content Addressable Memory  for precision Match/Action processing at 800Gbps

“We are extremely proud of DreamBig’s accomplishments and its open MARS Chiplet platform with world leading Chiplet Hub^TM for scale-up and Networking IO Chiplets for scale-out enables customers to compose the most advanced AI solutions with UCIe/BoW compliant Chiplets leveraging Silicon Box Panel Level Packaging for the masses”,  stated Sehat Sutardja and Weili Dai, Co-founders and Chairman/Chairwoman of DreamBig. “It is our passion and determination to drive innovation by offering the most advanced technology for the new era of semiconductor Chiplet solutions globally. In the last several years, we have cofounded and invested in numerous companies to develop disruptive technologies which DreamBig has leveraged to lead the pack for the new Chiplet era.”

About DreamBig

Founded in 2019, DreamBig is developing a cutting-edge chiplet platform that drives the next wave of affordable, scalable, and modular semiconductor solutions for the AI era and beyond. DreamBig is renowned for providing the most advanced Chiplet Hub, facilitating the scaling of processor, accelerator, and networking chiplets. The company’s specialties include applications in Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI, Data Centers, Edge computing, and Automotive sectors.

SOURCE DreamBig Semiconductor, Inc.

The decentralized AI infrastructure platform will leverage funds to universalize access to cutting-edge AI

SINGAPORE, July 16, 2024 — Mira, a decentralized infrastructure platform to expand access to advanced AI, today announced the closing of a $9M seed round led by BITKRAFT Ventures and Framework Ventures, a major crypto-native venture capital firm best known for its early entrance in the DeFi space. The round also saw participation from Accel, Crucible, Folius Ventures, Mechanism Capital, SALT Fund, and notable angel investors.

Founded and operated by a team with experience at some of the largest tech companies including, Accel, Amazon AI, BCG, Uber, Stader, and more, Mira offers a user-friendly suite of SDKs that provides a solution for navigating the complexity of AI infrastructure today. The seed round is the latest step in the company’s continued growth and helps lay the foundation for future initiatives from the company. Mira plans to utilize the funds to expand its headcount globally and support the development of the Mira network and its first set of ecosystem applications including Klok, an AI copilot for crypto.

“Mira is set to offer hundreds of actionable AI workflows that save developers time and effort in creating and maintaining complex AI products. Mira also allows AI contributors to maintain sovereign ownership of their models, data, and their use while being able to monetize these resources via our marketplace,” said Karan Sirdesai, Co-Founder of Mira. “Crypto incentives play a key role in aligning our community to consistently maintain, evaluate, and advance our ecosystem, fueling its growth and capabilities. As Mira expands, it will unlock access to a whole new area of AI development and use cases which are primed to advance the technology sector.”

As an API marketplace, Mira allows developers and creators to consume open-source AI resources through easy-to-use AI SDKs. Through the combination of models, data, and compute, developers and creators can publish Mira Flows, a new AI primitive, for users to utilize for a usage-based fee. This fee is permissionlessly attributed and re-distributed to Flow creators and resource contributors through the Mira blockchain. Mira’s community zeros in to find and implement high-signal AI improvements, handling updates, and maintenance for global customers across domains such as software, gaming, media, etc., enabling them to experiment with building AI products at scale. A dozen teams are leveraging Flows to integrate open-source AI capabilities into applications, with many set to launch in the coming months.

“With the AI sector’s continued growth, the industry faces a considerable risk of monopolization by major tech corporations, who have a significant advantage over open-source communities because of their abundant resources,” said Framework Ventures Partner Roy Learner. “We think Mira can tackle this challenge by helping open-source developers monetize their work, ensuring compensation for their contributions, and reducing the loss of talent from the open-source community.”

“As a leading gaming fund, we’ve had a unique view of our portfolio companies leveraging AI models in building world class consumer products,” said Justin Swart, Principal at BITKRAFT Ventures. “Whether it’s hacking together open-source models or crafting bespoke tools, many developers want standardized workflows without surrendering their data to entrenched AI model providers. Mira is creating this infrastructure – enabling all developers to effortlessly build and sustain sophisticated AI products while incentivizing the open-source contributors who maintain them. This is why we’re excited to back this exceptional team..”

Join Mira’s community to create AI products, monetize and refine AI skills, and be among the first to join the beta for Mira’s first ecosystem app and crypto co-pilot, Klok.

About Mira
Mira is poised to transform how AI is developed, utilized, and maintained through its vision to democratize and simplify AI access, setting a new standard for AI as a service. Mira makes it easy for anyone in Web2 or Web3 to integrate AI technology into compatible platforms by minimizing complexities and incentivizing active developer participation through rewards. As an API marketplace, Mira allows developers and creators to consume open-source AI resources through easy-to-use AI SDKs. Mira leverages blockchain technology to secure the underlying data for the AI models, to ensure that all resources are properly allocated, and to enable developers to create Web2 and Web3-compatible resources. Mira was founded and brought to life by a team of AI and MLops developers with experience at some of the largest tech companies including Accel, Amazon, BCG, Google, Stader, and more. Mira is also backed by notable VC firms, such as BITKRAFT Ventures, Framework Ventures, and Accel.

Follow Mira on Twitter and join the Discord community to stay connected and help shape the future of AI.

About BITKRAFT Ventures
BITKRAFT Ventures is a leading global investment platform focused on Gaming and interactive media according to research from InvestGame and Drake Star Partners. Founded by industry pioneer Jens Hilgers, BITKRAFT serves a worldwide network that spans many of the industry’s forward-thinking startups and founders—including former executives from the likes of Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Epic Games, Google, and Apple who are working to build and operate the virtual worlds and economies of the future. BITKRAFT operates six venture funds with a total of over $900M in assets under management and has over 100 companies in its global portfolio as of June 2024.

BITKRAFT’s experienced international team works closely with entrepreneurs to help create significant value through early candid partnerships, unique domain experience, entrepreneurial history, and a global ecosystem of strategic partners. Find out more about how BITKRAFT and its portfolio companies are seeking to push the boundaries of Synthetic Reality® by visiting https://www.bitkraft.vc/vision.

About Framework

Framework Ventures is a major VC firm in the crypto industry, known for its early investments in several multi-billion dollar protocols across the DeFi and web3 gaming industries. In 2022, the firm raised $400M for its third fund, and has since significantly expanded into additional maturing verticals like web3 gaming, real world assets, and social crypto. To learn more visit: https://framework.ventures/

Media Contact: 
[email protected]

SOURCE Mira

With backing from Failup Ventures and Uber Technologies, itselectric is expanding to seven U.S. cities; transforming urban EV charging infrastructure and powering electric ride-sharing fleets for 2030

NEW YORK, July 16, 2024 —itselectric, a Brooklyn-based electric vehicle curbside charging company, today announced its $6.5M seed round, bringing its total funding to date to $11.8M. The raise, led by Failup Ventures and Uber Technologies, and with participation from Halogen Ventures, The Partnership Fund for NYC, Pulse Fund, Newlab, Gratitude Railroad, Tale VP, Equity Alliance Fund, LACI Impact Fund, and The Helm, will support deployments across seven cities in the United States in 2024, including Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit, Jersey City, and San Francisco. With fresh funding, itselectric’s curbside charging infrastructure will also help support Uber’s goal of helping rideshare drivers go electric.

EV sales in the U.S. have quadrupled over the past four years, with more than four million EVs on the road. Additionally, charging ports are up 70%, with an estimated 170,000 publicly available chargers across the country. However, as of March 2024, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy predicts the U.S. will need 28 million EV charging ports to support over 30 million EV drivers by 2030. Moreover, new legislation in states like California and New York mandates that rideshare drivers transition to electric vehicles by 2030, underscoring the need for convenient and affordable curbside charging solutions.

“2023 was the hottest year on record with transportation as one of the largest contributors of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The decision to drive electric will make an impactful difference; however the lack of public charging is one of the leading barriers deterring drivers from making the transition from their current gas vehicles,” said Tiya Gordon, co-founder and COO of itselectric. “At itselectric, our mission is to make charging easy, convenient, and affordable not only for drivers, but for cities, providing the pathway for everyone to go electric.”

itselectric’s Level-2 charging posts eliminate the need for utility permitting, connection and coordination by connecting behind-the-meter to draw spare electrical supply from adjacent buildings. This allows them to be installed at zero cost to property owners or cities. itselectric then shares revenue earned at each charger with the property owners, bringing both clean transportation infrastructure and economic benefits to all communities. Additionally, itselectric offers the only UL-certified detachable cable EV charger, reflecting the company’s commitment to customer experience and innovation, with a focus on safety and product quality.

“itselectric has designed an innovative public charging solution that addresses the infrastructural barriers that cities face in the deployment of electric vehicle curbside charging,” said Topias Soininen, general partner at Failup Ventures. “Their thoughtfully designed chargers are a highly scalable solution that will rapidly bring curbside charging to the millions of city drivers who park on the street and contribute to the nationwide adoption of electric vehicles.”

“We are thrilled to invest in itselectric as part of our push for an all-electric future,” said Camiel Irving, GM of Uber US & Canada. “Electric rideshare drivers cut emissions up to four times more than regular motorists, but many lack off-street parking and home charging options. itselectric is innovating to address this and expand overnight curbside charging, helping more drivers confidently go electric, ease range anxiety, and boost earnings potential.”  

“itselectric is revolutionizing urban infrastructure,” said Jesse Draper, founding partner, Halogen Ventures. “Their mission to bring highly accessible curbside charging combined with economic benefits to urban communities, offers an innovative solution for a problem we need to urgently solve. We’re incredibly excited about itselectric as they expand across cities to make sustainable transportation a reality across the nation.”

“As a climate technology investor, Pulse Fund is dedicated to funding breakthrough solutions in the decarbonization of infrastructure and mobility,” said Tenzin Seldon, Founder & Managing Partner at Pulse Fund. “Our investment in itselectric underscores the company’s commitment to solve one of the most pressing challenges in the transition to electric vehicles in cities, serving 40 million US drivers who cannot charge due to a lack of dedicated off-street parking.”

“Access to reliable EV charging infrastructure is critical for the sustainable growth of urban areas like New York City. The Partnership Fund for New York City is proud to back itselectric, a Brooklyn-born company that is at the forefront of this transformation,” said Maria Gotsch, President and CEO of the Partnership Fund for New York City. “Their innovative solutions operate at the intersection of technology and the public interest. By making EV charging more convenient and accessible, itselectric is supporting carbon emissions reduction and clean transportation goals for New York City and state.”

For more information about itselectric and to join its waitlist as a property owner or EV driver, please visit itselectric.us.

About itselectric
Millions of drivers lack home or private garages and cannot transition to electric vehicles due to the lack of on-street charging. itselectric accelerates the adoption of EVs with its scalable and simple curbside charging solution ensuring that every community has access to clean, sustainable transportation options.

By making EV charging accessible to all, itselectric is actively reducing carbon emissions and promoting a greener future. Its “behind the meter” approach simplifies the installation process by eliminating the need for municipal coordination. Through partnerships with cities nationwide, itselectric manages the installation, operation, and maintenance of chargers at no cost to municipalities or building owners. This provides drivers with easy and affordable charging options while offering property owners monthly passive income and helping cities to meet their decarbonization targets.

To sign up for the waitlist, please visit itselectric.us/join.

SOURCE itselectric

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 16, 2024 — Monetary Metals^®, an industry-leading gold company, is pleased to announce the successful completion of a $5.6 million equity capital raise via a private placement offering.

This is the largest raise to date, and brings the total equity raised since its founding to over $14 million.

Like all previous rounds, this round was oversubscribed. The Company raised $5,577,556, which will be used to continue to scale its Gold Yield Marketplace^® platform and acquire new customers.

Keith Weiner, Founder and CEO of Monetary Metals, expressed his enthusiasm for the outcome: “The overwhelming response from investors reaffirms our mission to build a global marketplace where everyone can save, earn, and finance production in gold. We are creating a new paradigm for gold yield and this funding will help us get to the next level.”

Sound Money Capital, AG, the privately held company of notable gold industry professionals Ronald-Peter Stöferle and Mark Valek, invested in the round.

“Monetary Metals’ approach to gold investment is revolutionary. By enabling investors to earn interest on their gold holdings, they are not only preserving wealth, but growing it in a sustainable manner. I am impressed by their track record, professionalism, and the relentless drive of their founder Keith,” commented Ronald Stöferle, author of the annual “In Gold we Trust” report and managing partner and fund manager at Incrementum AG.

Through their precious metals leases and bonds, Monetary Metals has been delivering a yield on gold and silver to their clients since 2016. The company has a track record of over 57 funded transactions.

For more information about Monetary Metals and its offerings, please visit www.monetary-metals.com.

About Monetary Metals: Monetary Metals^® is Unlocking the Productivity of Gold^™ by offering a Yield on Gold, Paid in Gold^® to investors, and Gold Financing, Simplified^™ to gold-using businesses (mints, miners, refiners, jewelers, etc.). The company brings both sides together in its Gold Yield Marketplace^® a platform where everyone can save, earn, and finance production in gold. In addition, the company’s market analysis and proprietary charts, including the gold forward rate, are utilized by gold investors and gold-using businesses globally.

Contact:

Dickson Buchanan Jr.

Vice President Marketing

[email protected]

646-653-9729

For additional information or press inquiries, please contact [email protected]

SOURCE Monetary Metals & Co.