Latest investment to combat the memory safety crisis, fueling cybersecurity leaders’ mission to protect critical infrastructure and safety critical systems.
MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 17, 2024 — RunSafe Security, the pioneer of a patented process to immunize software from cyberattacks without developer friction, announced the successful completion of a $12 million Series B financing round. This investment round, which includes participation from new and existing investors, will accelerate new product development and market expansion to EMEA and APAC.
RunSafe Security logo
The investment round led by Critical Ventures and SineWave Venture Partners also includes BMW i Ventures, Working Lab Capital, Lockheed Martin Ventures, HyperLink Ventures, Iron Gate Ventures, Alsop Louie Partners, and NextGen Venture Partners.
“This investment round will enable us to accelerate the rollout of our innovative solution to prevent attacks targeting both known and unknown vulnerabilities across critical infrastructure even when a patch is not available and without the need to rewrite a single line of code,” said RunSafe CEO, Joe Saunders.
This raise comes at a crucial time, as the US Government promotes guidance to reduce attack surface in critical infrastructure and the European Union Cyber Resilience Act mandates stringent cybersecurity measures, such as generating a software bill of materials (SBOM) when delivering software products. The partnerships forged will accelerate its expansion around the world, enhancing safety and security while bringing cyber resilience to critical infrastructure.
“RunSafe Security is leading the charge to protect our critical systems from global threats that are infiltrating our infrastructure through devastating memory-based vulnerabilities in software,” said Critical Ventures’ Managing Partner, Heitor Benfeito. “The company’s unique approach to immunizing software fast-tracks protection now, so focus can be on developers building new features. We are thrilled to be part of this journey and supporting the mission to make critical infrastructure resilient.”
Kasper Sage, Managing Partner at BMW i Ventures, stated, “Memory attacks pose an increasing threat to embedded systems within connected devices. RunSafe Security’s cybersecurity technology immunizes memory-based systems from unknown vulnerabilities and future attacks. BMW i Ventures is committed to advancing safety and security measures across the automotive supply chain and beyond and is excited to partner with Joe and the RunSafe team to support their mission.”
RunSafe has experienced remarkable growth recently, with back-to-back years of tripling annualized revenue. This success can be attributed to RunSafe’s innovative solutions that address the growing demand for the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA’s) Secure-by-design strategies across various sectors.
“RunSafe’s products have been adopted by industry leaders such as Vertiv, Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. military, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force,” added Saunders. “With the expansion of the RunSafe Security Platform, we solidified our position as cybersecurity crusaders, offering automated solutions for identifying risk, protecting code, and monitoring software for embedded software deployed throughout critical infrastructure.”
For more information about RunSafe’s innovative solutions and strategic partnerships, please visit https://runsafesecurity.com.
About RunSafe Security RunSafe Security immunizes software from cyberattacks without developer friction, disrupting hacker economics. Our security techniques inoculate customer systems from an entire class of cyberattacks. Our customers integrate our product across build tools chains without developer friction, protecting open-source software and proprietary native code without changing system behavior nor affecting system overhead. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with offices in Huntsville, Alabama and Munich, Germany, RunSafe Security’s customers span the aerospace & defense, energy & industrial automation, transportation & autonomy, medical devices, and high tech verticals. Learn more at: https://runsafesecurity.com/.
Sceye Valued at $525 Million and Poised for 2025 Commercial Launch
PARIS, Sept. 17, 2024 — At World Space Business Week (WSBW) today, Sceye, a leading U.S. aerospace company specializing in High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), announced the successful closing of its Series C funding round. The round was led by Mawarid Holding Company (“Mawarid”), a prominent Saudi corporation with an established presence in information and communication technology, satellite, and digital solutions.
Test flight from November 2023
Sceye strengthened its balance sheet by closing the Series C funding round, which values the Company at a pre-money valuation of $525 million. This provides sufficient liquidity to fund R&D activities, flight programs and launch the initial commercial operations in 2025.
This strategic alliance continues Sceye’s successful partnership strategy, following América Móvil’s involvement as the largest investor in their Series B round with a focus on Latin America.
“The Series C round is a critical milestone for Sceye. These funds will accelerate our platform development and commercial roadmap, paving the way for the commercialization of our HAPS technology in 2025. Our partnership with Mawarid opens new territories and market opportunities for our innovative solutions,” said Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO and Founder of Sceye.
Ghassan Itani, Assistant Chairman of Mawarid, added, “This partnership reinforces Mawarid’s commitment to pioneering technology advancements and delivering digital solutions that serve critical industry sectors. By incorporating HAPS technology, we enhance our position as a comprehensive provider of strategic industry solutions.”
This Series C investment announcement follows the success of Sceye’s 2024 flight program, where the company achieved a significant milestone by demonstrating perpetual flight capabilities while staying over an area of operation. The test flight proved that Sceye’s HAPS can operate continuously, with solar energy powering the system during daylight hours and battery storage ensuring overnight flight.
This achievement signifies the advent of a new infrastructure layer between terrestrial and space systems. It highlights the transformative potential of HAPS technology in expanding connectivity access, managing disaster response, monitoring environmental changes, and detecting climate-related disasters in real time.
About Sceye Founded in 2014, Sceye is an aerospace company dedicated to advancing stratospheric technology to connect people and protect the planet. Sceye leads the High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) industry, focusing on universal connectivity, climate monitoring, natural resource management, and disaster prevention.
About Mawarid: Established in 1968, Mawarid Holding Company (MHC) is a leading Saudi corporation with a diverse portfolio spanning, but not limited to, ICT, satellite, and digital solutions. MHC has been a player in the global communications landscape, including its role as a founder and shareholder in Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) since the early 1990s and its operations in various ICT and media sectors across the Middle East (e.g., Salam, TLS, ATSS, “Noorsat: Geo-operator”).
The former EVP of the Chicago White Sox turned entrepreneur joins Mach49 as an Executive in Residence
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 16, 2024 — Mach49, the global leader of venture-driven growth for Fortune 1000 companies, announced today the appointment of Kenny Williams, former Executive Vice President of the Chicago White Sox, as an Executive in Residence for its Brand Ventures division.
“In my 42 years in sports, I’ve not seen a greater opportunity for athletes and entertainers to collectively use their capital, harness their legacies, and create an entrepreneurial dynamic for their families and communities,” said Williams. “Mach49 can give them structure, guidance, tools, access, and entrepreneurial muscle to take their talents off the field and into the marketplace. Their athletic career is the start of something bigger. It’s the beginning of a journey that lasts a lifetime.”
Williams, who made history as the first African-American General Manager in Chicago sports, began as a player in Major League Baseball and built his post-playing-career by rising up through the ranks of the Chicago White Sox, holding positions including scout, Director of Minor Leagues, and leadership of the front office. As SVP and GM, he led the White Sox to its first World Series championship in over 88 years, before becoming EVP while still overseeing baseball operations. He brings over four decades of Major League Baseball experience to Mach49.
In addition to his sports career, Williams is the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of The DEI Network and CLARA, a SaaS platform designed to eliminate bias in hiring and promote equitable talent acquisition. His strategic expertise and commitment to innovation will be instrumental in bringing Mach49’s venture-driven growth methodologies and skill sets to help drive new avenues of growth within sports and entertainment.
The strategic partnership marks Mach49’s expansion into helping prominent global brands and athletes leverage cultural relevance into new revenue opportunities. Mach49’s proven venture-driven growth methodologies will now extend to sports and entertainment, empowering athletes and their representatives to realize entrepreneurial and investing ambitions both on and off the field.
Williams initially partnered with Mach49 to develop and launch CLARA, setting the stage for further collaborations in sports and entertainment. Mach49’s portfolio includes partnerships with industry giants like Xerox Ventures, Pernod Ricard’s Convivialité Ventures, Néstle, JetBlue, Schneider Electric, Hitachi, and TDK.
Inside large companies are billion-dollar ideas, hidden talent, and ready capital—a combination that any startup would envy. But most companies struggle to unlock this potential because it requires them to think and act differently, rekindling the entrepreneurial spirit that fueled their early success. That’s where Mach49 comes in.
Mach49 partners with global businesses to drive disruptive growth through venture building, venture investing, strategic partnerships, and targeted M&A. Mach49 was founded by Linda Yates, author of The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed (HBR Press).
The 10th annual Entrepreneur Expo will take Baltimore by storm on December 2024
COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 16, 2024 — TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, is thrilled to announce the 10th Entrepreneur Expo, set to take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at the Renaissance Harborplace Baltimore Hotel. This premier, award winning event caters to a diverse audience, previously comprised of entrepreneurs (65%), individuals in the economic development industry (11%), speakers and thought leaders (6%) and others (18%), making it a key gathering for Maryland’s entrepreneurial community, showcasing resources and providing invaluable networking opportunities.
Entrepreneur Expo Promo Video
TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo logo
Entrepreneur Expo photo collage
“Maryland’s tech ecosystem is fueled by a deep commitment to research and innovation, ranking second in the nation for federal research and development obligations, totaling over $20.7 billion, and first on a per capita basis,” said Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson. “TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo is a testament to this robust ecosystem, bringing together the brilliant minds that drive innovation in our state. Events like this are vital in ensuring Maryland remains a leader in technology and entrepreneurship, fostering connections and partnerships that continue to fuel growth and economic empowerment.”
The Expo is a vibrant platform for entrepreneurs, business owners, angel and venture capital investors, legislators and influencers to connect, learn and be inspired. Attendees can expect a full day of engaging workshops, insightful roundtable discussions, and dynamic pitches from emerging companies. This year, we are looking forward to building on past successes, offering even more opportunities to network and engage with Maryland’s leading entrepreneurs and business leaders. The event will also include a showcase of the latest innovations and emerging trends in the industry.
“Entrepreneurial success is all about the people – from those starting the company, to those dedicated to investing in it and supporting its growth,” said Bob Ackerman, founder and managing director of AllegisCyber Capital and co-founder and managing director of Maryland-based Cybersecurity Studio, DataTribe. “TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo not only highlights this but brings together those essential elements of success to support the continued ecosystem growth, creating a space for people for all backgrounds to come together, learn from each other and start to collaborate. The event allows venture capital investors, like me, to meet with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, begin understanding where the innovation market in Maryland is evolving to and make connections that could lead to successful investments.”
Previously the Entrepreneur Expo was named the 2020 Economic Development Marketing Award from the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA). This award-winning event featured more than 80 speakers and exhibitors, gathered an audience of more than 1,000 attendees, 95% of which declared they not only had their purpose accomplished, but would attend again.
“TEDCO plays a fundamental role for Johns Hopkins and other local universities whose success in commercialization depends on strong connective tissue across the Maryland ecosystem,” said Christy Wyskiel, executive director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. “The Expo has been a great moment of concentrated connection for us; in one event, we have been able to encourage entrepreneurs, relationship build with investors and peers, and contemplate new ways of adding value thanks to a range of thoughtful speakers.”
Attendee registration is now open, so make sure to secure your spot now! And make sure to watch the video, here, to get a better idea of what the Expo will bring.
Spread the Word! We encourage everyone involved in the Maryland entrepreneurial ecosystem to join us for this exciting event. Please share this announcement with your community to ensure a broad and diverse attendance.
About TEDCO TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.
With more than one million returns processed to date, the company is a proven logistics solution
DENVER, Sept. 16, 2024 — Two Boxes, the best way for brands and 3PLs to streamline returns and capture critical data from the process, has successfully raised $5.3 million. The oversubscribed funding round led by Peterson Ventures more than doubled the company’s valuation and saw participation from new investor Assembly Ventures, alongside renewed support from existing backers Vinyl, Range Ventures, and Matchstick Ventures.
Kyle Bertin and Evan Stalter, co-founders
The Two Boxes Solution Several solutions address getting an item from a customer’s house back to the warehouse, but Two Boxes uniquely focuses on what happens when the return arrives at the warehouse — a historically complex, manual, and inefficient process. With Two Boxes, brands and 3PLs optimize returns inspection, prioritization, processing, tracking, and a growing list of obstacles.
Recent Two Boxes product innovations empower brands and 3PLs to effectively combat return fraud, a costly issue that is growing in both scale and sophistication. Additionally, by facilitating better returns management and speeding up the timeline in which inventory goes back to stock, Two Boxes makes brands and 3PLs more profitable, supports sustainability efforts, and reduces waste that might otherwise end up in landfills.
The company’s new valuation underscores the market’s confidence in the Two Boxes’ approach and the significant impact it has already made on its customers’ operations.
“Across our portfolio of e-commerce companies, we see firsthand how damaging high return rates can be to a business,” says Taylor Jones, partner at Peterson Ventures. “Two Boxes optimizes what has always been a labor-intensive process while providing data insights that unlock further efficiencies. We are excited to support Two Boxes as they continue to innovate, expand, and become invaluable to the logistics and e-commerce sectors.”
Rapid Growth Two Boxes recently made news partnering with Loop and Happy Returns, a UPS Company, and currently serves over 20 third-party logistics providers (3PLs) in North America, including industry leaders like Capacity, Flowspace, and GoBolt.
Clients recognize the value of Two Boxes immediately upon trying it – the solution boasts a 100% pilot conversion rate, and 100% of 3PLs who have tested the software expanded their usage within 90 days. Clients report significant benefits, including an 80% reduction in employee training time, a 50%+ increase in efficiency, a 15%+ boost in returns revenue, and complete visibility into critical metrics for both 3PLs and brands.
Since launching their product in 2023, Two Boxes software has been used to process over $100M in returns for over 120 merchants, including popular brands like Caraway, Made In, Tecovas, The Perfect Jean, and Thursday Boot Company.
Looking Ahead With the capital infusion, the company plans to grow its engineering and go-to-market teams, as well as expand their geographic footprint beyond North America.
“Our mission is to make returns an asset instead of a liability and we’ve never been more excited about our ability to execute against that mission,” says Kyle Bertin, co-founder and CEO Two Boxes. “We are committed to advancing our latest innovations in eliminating fraudulent returns, enabling recommerce, and scaling with rapidly growing brands. We remain dedicated to driving efficiency and sustainability, increasing profits, improving customer experiences, and supporting the growth of our clients—and this new capital will help us to accelerate these efforts at scale.”
New Features, Integrations, and Partnerships Two Boxes recently launched several new features, including a comprehensive Partner Portal designed to enable seamless onboarding and ongoing optimization for customers. This will enable rapid deployment, easy optimization of return processes, and simplified collaboration across 3PLs and brands. Additionally, they enabled full localization of software for multi-language support to empower warehouse staff regardless of their primary language. Two Boxes just integrated with Redo and will soon announce other integrations, all of which will further enable their ability to support both fast-growing e-commerce brands and enterprise merchants. They established their first recommerce partnership with Arrive, enabling brands and 3PLs to make recommerce a critical part of their returns strategy. Finally, Two Boxes is rolling out an entirely new set of products to empower brands and 3PLs to fight fraud and abuse via intelligent return operations and actionable data.
About Two Boxes Founded in 2022 by Kyle Bertin and Evan Stalter, Two Boxes is the best way for brands and 3PLs to process returns and capture critical data from the return process. Like e-commerce and returns, its employees are everywhere. The company has secured $9.8 million in total funding. In 2023, Two Boxes was named one of the Top 50 Promising Startups by The Information.
TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2024 – Can big corporations innovate like fast-moving startups? Aucctus (www.aucctus.com), a Toronto-based AI startup, believes it’s possible. Armed with a $1.5 million seed investment led by Four Cornerstones Capital, Aucctus has built an AI-powered platform that turns every employee into a potential innovator– equipped to bring the next big idea to their company.
Large companies spend billions annually on innovation, relying on external consultants and internal teams. Traditionally, generating ideas, validating their potential, and launching them takes months or even years. Aucctus reduces the time and money it takes to do this using Generative AI– leveraging years’ of experience and proprietary methodologies to deploy autonomous agents.
“We were frustrated that no one was harnessing generative AI to revolutionize corporate innovation,” said Tyler Anderson, CEO of Aucctus. “Our platform empowers every employee to become an innovator.”
In minutes, Aucctus identifies new ideas, vets them against market trends and corporate strategy, proposes financial models, identifies target customers, and validates assumptions. These workflows help teams launch initiatives faster in a stage-gated process, bridging the gap between “new ideas” and “profitable innovations”.
Founded in early 2024, Aucctus has spent eight months building with eight of the world’s largest companies. Now, it’s rolling out to thousands of employees across Canada, the U.S, Europe, and the Middle East, disrupting the billion-dollar innovation SaaS industry.
“It’s humbling to see our product resonate with leaders at some of the world’s biggest brands,” added Vincent Atallah, President of Aucctus. “With this investment, we can accelerate our product development and become a must-have tool for companies committed to staying relevant.”
Aucctus will use the seed funding to expand its team of AI and machine learning engineers, further developing its proprietary technologies and enhancing the platform’s capabilities.
“My entire business career has been guided by the motto ‘Change or Die,'” says Rick Ekstein, President and CEO of Four Cornerstones Capital. “The power of the Aucctus platform won’t just help businesses keep up—it will push them ahead of the curve and ensure they stay there.”
Aucctus is a Toronto-based AI-powered innovation management platform. In minutes, corporate innovators can identify new ideas, vet them against market trends and corporate strategy, propose financial models, identify target customers, and test assumptions. We leverage the latest in Generative AI to save companies time and increase their capability to grow.
About Four Cornerstones Capital
Four Cornerstones Capital is a Canadian investment firm that invests in traditional and alternative asset classes. The firm identifies best-in-class entrepreneurs and partners, valuing those who spearhead the opportunity as much as the venture itself. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience and the diverse backgrounds of our associates, Four Cornerstones Capital is uniquely positioned to invest in a variety of opportunities.
TIP Brings Together the Most Experienced Team of Dedicated Travel Tech Investors to Drive a New Era of Innovation
Chris Hemmeter, Tyler Carrico and Mike Scott are TIP Managing Partners
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16, 2024 — Thayer Ventures, the leading venture capital firm focused on technology innovation in travel and hospitality, and Derive Ventures, the most active early-stage investment firm dedicated to travel and hospitality, announced the formation of Thayer Investment Partners (TIP). The new platform will leverage the experience of both firm’s founding members to drive value for industry partners and invest in a new generation of innovative start-up companies. Thayer Ventures’ Chris Hemmeter and Derive’s founders Tyler Carrico and Mike Scott will serve as Managing Partners for the new platform, which expects to launch a new investment fund in the coming weeks. Lee Pillsbury, founder of Thayer Lodging Group, sold to Brookfield in 2014, and Managing Director of Thayer Ventures Funds, will continue his role as Managing Director. Previous funds launched by Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures, respectively, will continue to be managed as they have been since inception; new funds will be managed under the combined TIP leadership.
Chris Hemmeter, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Thayer Ventures and Managing Partner at TIP, said: “This is a transformative moment for Thayer’s portfolio companies, for our industry partners and for investors. Thayer and Derive are already the leading early-stage investors in travel and hospitality, together we are best positioned to capitalize on the next wave of innovation and leverage an expanded team to deliver maximum value to our industry partners. We are set to tackle a new era of innovation in travel, which includes the transformative development of AI, a radically rethought and reimagined booking funnel and the need to break down silos that continue to hold back progress toward seamless customer journeys and business efficiencies for travel providers.”
Hemmeter concluded, “We’re delighted to welcome back Tyler Carrico, who launched his investment career at Thayer Ventures 6 years ago, and to welcome his co-founder at Derive, Mike Scott, who brings travel investing experience from KSL Capital Partners. By adding Derive’s capabilities to Thayer Ventures, we deepen and expand Thayer’s reach even further through the new TIP platform. We are excited to build out the new platform with a robust team and unmatched record of investment success.”
Founded in 2009, Thayer Ventures invests in early-stage travel and hospitality. The firm has built the preeminent venture platform for entrepreneurs to leverage unequaled counsel from our experienced team, strategic LPs, industry-leading advisors and the entire Thayer portfolio ecosystem.
Mike Scott, Managing Partner at TIP, said: “We are thrilled to team up with Thayer Ventures to launch Thayer Investment Partners. The combined platform will bring an unmatched level of investing experience and strategic support to advance innovation in the travel industry. It will also reinforce our differentiated sector focused approach to producing best-in-class returns and providing the highest level of service to our industry partners.”
Derive Ventures, founded in 2022, is an early-stage venture fund investing in the next generation of hospitality, experiences and real estate; its mission is to bridge the gap between technology and travel by supporting entrepreneurs shaping the future.
Lee Pillsbury added, “I am happy to continue to serve Thayer Ventures and the industry to help accelerate even further the bounds of innovation for Strategic Partners and entrepreneurial early stage start-ups alike. The new Thayer Investment Partners platform represents the next evolution of our original vision for transforming travel technology into in an engine of growth and efficiency for hotel owners, brands and investors across the industry.”
About Thayer Ventures
San Francisco-based Thayer Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm with a strategic focus on technology within the global travel and transportation industry. Thayer prioritizes early stage b2b companies, but selectively looks at seed and later stage deals with selective b2c activity. Currently, Thayer Ventures manages four active investment vehicles with more than $300 million in capital deployed and more than 30 active portfolio companies. The company’s Limited Partners and Strategic Partners include many of the most recognizable names in travel, hospitality and finance.
About Derive Ventures
Derive Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the advancement of travel, hospitality and real estate. Derive currently has over $45 million of assets under management and targets investments in companies in core travel sectors as well as sectors tangential to travel with innovative business concepts, ideas and technology.
About Thayer Ventures Investment Partners
Thayer Investment Partners (TIP) is an investment firm managing all future Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures fund strategies. TIP leverages the experience and relationships from previous Thayer and Derive funds to drive superior returns and provide the most impactful level of support to entrepreneurs and industry partners shaping the next generation of the travel industry.
Contact: Michael Frenkel, MFC PR – New York (201) 317-7035 [email protected]
SOURCE Thayer Ventures
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World Business Chicago hosts a week-long event from September 23-27 to connect fintech and insurtech startups with essential resources, networks, and top investors.
CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2024 — World Business Chicago, the city’s economic development agency, announces the inaugural Future-of-FinTech Week, September 23-27, 2024.
Registration for invite-only investor and startup events is now open. All Chicagoland region fintech and insurtech entrepreneurs are encouraged to contact World Business Chicago to join the official startup portfolio.
Building on the success of the city’s flagship Chicago Venture Summit, Future-of-FinTech Week will bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to explore the future of finance in Chicago.
“Chicago’s position as a global leader in finance and innovation is no accident—it’s the result of our city’s deep-rooted commitment to fostering inclusive economic diversity and growth,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Future-of-FinTech Week is an opportunity to build on our legacy by empowering the next generation of fintech innovators. As fintech continues to thrive in our city, the efforts we lead today will ensure that Chicago remains at the forefront of economic opportunity, creating jobs for Chicago residents for generations to come.”
“Future-of-FinTech Week exemplifies how we drive collaboration between innovative startups and established industry leaders, advancing a truly inclusive and equitable circular economy where both startups and mature companies thrive,” said Charles Smith, Vice Chair of World Business Chicago and CEO of CS Insurance Strategies, a division of MMA. “Chicago is uniquely positioned to lead in the fintech space, and World Business Chicago is deeply committed to fostering the success of local entrepreneurs, growth capital firms, board members, and the city’s thriving fintech ecosystem.”
World Business Chicago manages a portfolio of programs to attract growth capital for local entrepreneurs, attract STEM talent for emerging companies, and grow the region’s innovation economy with corporate, university, and national lab partnerships. Their programs include the city’s flagship startup conference the Chicago Venture Summit series, the startup growth and capital attraction program Startup Chicago, STEM talent attraction and retention program, ThinkChicago, and corporate-startup program, Enterprise Chicago.
“Small businesses and entrepreneurs are a critical driving force behind economic innovation and job creation,” said Phil Clement, President & CEO, World Business Chicago. “Future-of-FinTech Week is designed startups to connect start-ups with investors, resources, and the networks needed to fuel their growth. World Business Chicago is committed to making Chicago a premier hub for fintech investment and innovation, and we’re excited to lead the charge in shaping the future of this dynamic industry.”
WBC-led events include a Future-of-FinTech Week Reception and official Startup Day at 1871. Additional partner events include: Future-of-FinTech Week Showcase by the Consulate General of Canada and Morning Star, Startup Grind AI & Fintech Showcase & Happy Hour, and 1871 and BMO’s WMNfintech Showcase.
“At 1871, we believe that the intersection of fintech and innovation holds immense potential for solving some of the most critical challenges in today’s economy”, said Betsy Ziegler CEO of 1871. ” We’re proud to be part of the inaugural Future-of-FinTech Week, connecting Chicago’s most promising startups with the investors, resources, and networks that will help them scale. Events like these showcase the talent and ingenuity within our city and position Chicago as a leading hub for fintech innovation. We’re excited to partner with World Business Chicago to foster this vibrant community and drive the future of fintech forward.”
“At BMO, innovation and the transformative power of technology is helping deliver best-in-class, convenient banking experiences that power real financial progress for our customers,” said Andrew Harrison, Head of U.S. Digital Partners, BMO. “BMO’s industry-leading digital capabilities are also helping drive inclusion within the financial industry and our WMNfintech program is building a powerful inclusive eco-system for women-founders. The Future-of-FinTech Week will showcase their world-class talent and Chicago’s leadership in this space.”
“Canada offers a fantastic value proposition for Chicago-built technologies. A remarkable 62% of financial institutions in Canada are actively involved in partnerships with fintech companies. That’s 15% higher than the worldwide average,” said Madeleine Féquière, Consul General of Canada in Chicago. “Canada also offers Midwest companies a gateway to the world with access to international talent and markets through our welcoming immigration policies and free trade agreements with 51 countries.”
Future-of-FinTech Week 2024 is made possible through presenting sponsors BMO, Jump Capital, Sterling Bay, and the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago. Startup Day Sponsors include Decasonic, Lofty Ventures, and 1871.
Sach Chitnis, Co-Founder of Jump Capital, commented, “The Chicago innovation ecosystem is a unique blend of industry-leading Fortune 2000 companies and dynamic founders working collaboratively within their sectors. This balance is what makes Chicago thrive, especially in fintech, where innovators and leaders in banking, insurance, compliance, and capital markets are driving real progress. From the beginning, Jump Capital has been an active early-stage fintech investor nationwide, and we’re proud to see Chicago emerging as a leader, pushing fintech to the forefront.”
“Chicago has a storied history in financial innovation, and Lofty Ventures is honored to play a small role in this continued tradition as a partner and supporter of World Business Chicago and the Future-of-FinTech Week,” commented Christopher Deutsch, founder of Lofty Ventures. “The Lofty Family, which consists of over 170 founders, counts several Chicago-based fintech startups, including Bridge Money and Tandem. As first-check investors focused on the local ecosystem, we will continue to leverage our partnership with WBC to provide our founders with unmatched access to capital and strategic relationships.”
“At Decasonic, we pride ourselves on providing enhancement capital—backing visionary founders with more than just funding, but applying the experience our team has earned as founders and seasoned strategic investors, to build durable companies delivering transformative innovations,” said Paul Hsu, Founder and CEO of Decasonic. “We purposefully established our headquarters in Chicago, a city we see as a center of innovation across multiple industries. Our partnership with Future-of-FinTech Week highlights our commitment to the Chicagoland fintech ecosystem, where our capital and expertise drive groundbreaking advancements in blockchain, web3, and AI, shaping the future of finance.”
“Chicago has proven itself to be a place where innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive,” said Keating Crown, Managing Principal at Sterling Bay. “We have seen this firsthand by partnering with organizations like World Business Chicago to attract growing industries, including upstart fintech businesses. Building diverse live-work-play environments like Fulton Market is a big part of that effort. We are proud to be part of the Future-of-FinTech Week.”
Future-of-FinTech Week is calling all fintech and insurtech entrepreneurs to join the official startup portfolio for the September 23-27 events via Innovation Program Manager, Manleen Rajput: [email protected].
If you would like to host a partner event or sponsor Future-of-FinTech Week, please contact Venture Events Director, Lauren Backe: [email protected].
You can learn more about World Business Chicago’s Future-of-FinTech Week 2024 at www.ChicagoVentureSummit.com. Registration for these invite-only investor and startup events is now open.
ABOUT WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO World Business Chicago (WBC) serves a critical role in driving inclusive and equitable economic development throughout the city’s 77 neighborhoods, focused on high growth sectors: food production, transportation, distribution, & logistics; manufacturing; healthcare & life sciences, and our local innovation, startup, & venture ecosystem. As the City of Chicago’s economic development agency, World Business Chicago leads corporate attraction & retention, workforce & talent, community impact, and promotion of Chicago as a leading global city. Supported by a council of 300+ local leaders, World Business Chicago’s portfolio of innovation & venture programs include the Chicago Venture Summit series, Startup Chicago, Enterprise Chicago and ThinkChicago. Follow World Business Chicago on LinkedIn for news and announcements on corporate relocation and expansion, industry and ecosystem growth, U.S. and world rankings, and economic development.
SOURCE World Business Chicago
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HERNDON, Va, 14. September 2024 — Learning Tree International, ein Unternehmen für Lern- und Entwicklungslösungen, feiert mit Stolz sein 50-jähriges Bestehen und damit ein halbes Jahrhundert der transformativen Innovation, des tiefgreifenden Einflusses und der unerschütterlichen Exzellenz.
Dieser bedeutende Meilenstein unterstreicht unseren Einsatz, Einzelpersonen sowie Organisationen zu stärken, die Zukunft der beruflichen Weiterbildung zu gestalten und in den Gemeinden, die wir bedienen, einen nachhaltigen Unterschied zu machen. Unsere Kernwerte treiben uns täglich durch unsere innovativen Produkte und Einkaufslösungen an. Unser unermüdliches Streben nach Wissen und Können haben das Klientel beeinflusst und unsere engagierte Betreuung stellt sicher, dass wir kundenorientiertes Training und Unterstützung auf höchstem Niveau bieten.
„Die Feierlichkeiten zu 50 Jahren Exzellenz und Innovation sind ein Beweis für unseren anhaltenden Einsatz für unsere Kundschaft und die Gemeinden, in denen wir tätig sind”, sagt David Brown, Geschäftsführer von Learning Tree. „Dieser Meilenstein steht nicht nur für unsere Geschichte, sondern auch für unsere Vision für die Zukunft, in der wir weiterhin führend in der Branche sein werden.”
Seit unserer Gründung im Jahr 1974 haben wir uns von einem kleinen Startup zu einem Branchenführer entwickelt, der für seine innovativen Lösungen und seinen kundenorientierten Ansatz bekannt ist. In den vergangenen fünf Jahrzehnten haben wir uns unnachgiebig für unsere Kundschaft eingesetzt, indem wir stets hochwertige Produkte und Dienstleistungen geliefert und uns das Vertrauen sowie die Loyalität unserer Kundschaft und Partner verdient haben.
„Wir verdanken unseren Erfolg dem unermüdlichen Einsatz unseres Teams sowie dem Vertrauen unserer Partner und dafür sind wir wirklich dankbar”, fügte Brown hinzu. „Wir gehen die nächsten 50 Jahre mit neuem Elan und der gleichen Leidenschaft für Qualität und Service an, die vom ersten Tag an unser Markenzeichen war.”
Anlässlich dieses historischen Ereignisses veranstaltet Learning Tree International ein wegweisendes Event, das nicht nur unsere vergangenen Erfolge widerspiegeln, sondern auch als Katalysator für zukünftige Erfolge dienen soll. Die Veranstaltung bietet eine kompakte, aber wirkungsvolle zweistündige Sitzung, vollgepackt mit innovativen Erkenntnissen und umsetzbaren Fähigkeiten. Dies ist unerlässlich, um in der heutigen schnelllebigen Arbeitswelt erfolgreich zu sein. Teilnehmende werden von speziellen Themen profitieren, welche Schlüsselbereiche der Karriere- und Organisationsentwicklung abdecken. Sie bietet eine einzigartige Gelegenheit, direkt mit Branchenführern in Kontakt zu treten und sich mit Fachleuten aus Wirtschaft und Verwaltung zu vernetzen. Die Sitzungen sind den Bereichen technische Fähigkeiten, Risiko und Compliance sowie Führung gewidmet und umfassen praktische Workshops zu den Themen Cybersicherheit, ITIL, Datenvisualisierung und Führung, in denen die erworbenen Fähigkeiten sofort angewendet werden können.
Learning Tree International ist ein zuverlässiger Lernpartner, der sich auf die Entwicklung von Fähigkeiten, Führungstraining und Zertifizierung spezialisiert hat. Learning Tree unterstützt Einzelpersonen sowie Unternehmen bei der Erreichung ihrer Ziele und bietet ein umfassendes Kursangebot, das Schulungen für technische Fähigkeiten, die Entwicklung von Führungskräften, Cybersicherheit, Projektmanagement und vieles mehr umfasst. Die Vision von Learning Tree, erstklassige Schulungen anzubieten, die den Anforderungen der heutigen Arbeitskräfte gerecht werden, wird von einem Ausbildungsteam und Fachexperten mit praktischer Erfahrung unterstützt, welche die umfangreiche Bibliothek firmeneigener und Partnerinhalte effektiv zum Leben erwecken.
Medienkontakt: Saveeta Pillai Global Head of Marketing [email protected] 703.925.6305
