FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 10, 2024 — Qualifyze, a trusted company in supplier risk management in the Life Sciences industry, today announced $54 million in Series B funding from global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investors HV Capital, HarbourVest Partners, H14 and Cherry Ventures. With the new funding, Qualifyze aims to expand its operations into the US market, continue investing in its go-to-market strategy, and enhance its technology to improve supplier risk management globally.

Recognized for its global coverage of reliable and high-quality auditing services, Qualifyze offers an integrated audit management platform that streamlines compliance audits for Life Science companies. With a network of over 250 auditors and quality professionals worldwide, the company has ensured the highest quality compliance standards for over 1,200 companies to date by working alongside industry leaders such as Merck, Moehs, DSM, Olon, Siegfried, Teva, CordenPharma, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

Qualifyze’s platform provides a centralized system to manage every aspect of audits (GxP, ESG, ISO, etc.), including planning, execution, and CAPA follow-ups and closure. By leveraging one of the world’s largest databases of pre-existing audit reports and real-time supplier data, Qualifyze allows the quality, procurement, and supply chain functions to assess supplier performance and enable more accurate supplier risk profiling. This enhances overall operational transparency and regulatory adherence and significantly reduces the time and administrative burden typically associated with these processes.

From auditing service to trusted risk management partner

As the Life Sciences industry evolves, drug manufacturers face increasing safety requirements in their supply chain, making supplier management as crucial as customer relations. According to Gartner’s 2024 findings, leading organizations are shifting from mere resilience to “antifragile” supply chains that leverage disruptions for competitive advantage. This shift highlights why effective supply chain risk management is now essential for ensuring long-term success in an increasingly uncertain environment.

In response to this trend, Qualifyze drew on data from over 3,000 audits conducted in more than 85 countries to launch its first analytics solutions in 2023. This positioned the company as a key partner in strategic risk management, providing unique insights into global compliance trends and supply chain quality. These tools help drug manufacturers meet compliance standards, gain valuable insights into supplier performance, and manage risks, ultimately resulting in faster time-to-market, lower inventory levels, and reduced Costs of Goods Sold.

“We have come a long way from our roots as a third-party auditing organization,” said Dr. David Schneider, Founder and CEO of Qualifyze. “Expanding into the US market, forging strategic partnerships, and scaling our global operations are just the start. We’re doubling down on enhancing our platform to deliver even more powerful insights for Quality, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams. With this funding, we’re positioned to not only lead in supplier risk management but also set new industry standards, driving long-term value and innovation for our clients worldwide.”

With the goal of accelerating supplier qualification and selection, Qualifyze started issuing a proprietary Quality Compliance Rating (QCR) certificate in 2024. The QCR functions like a scoring system, enabling drug manufacturers to quickly identify the most reliable partners while allowing those partners with superior compliance to stand out from their competitors.

Vote of confidence from investors

In addition to expanding operations, this new funding will accelerate Qualifyze’s mission to become the key partner for strategic supplier risk management in Life Sciences by collecting actionable audit data from every supplier in the world, centralized within one digital platform.

“Qualifyze has established itself as a trusted partner for Life Sciences companies by transforming how supplier risk management is approached. We are excited to support David and the Qualifyze team as they expand into the US market and further develop their audit management platform, delivering insights that drive operational excellence and compliance in a complex industry,” said Ryan Hinkle, Managing Director at Insight Partners. As part of the transaction, Hinkle will join Qualifyze’s board of directors.

About Insight Partners

Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2023, the firm has over $80B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

About Qualifyze

Founded in 2019, Qualifyze is a leading company in supply chain risk management in the Life Sciences industry, trusted by over 1,200 pharmaceutical and healthcare companies globally. Its suite of digital solutions connects manufacturers, suppliers, and a global network of more than 250 auditors and quality experts for a more streamlined collaboration. With a track record of over 3,000 audits across 85+ countries and the largest and most accurate supplier network and data analytics tools, Qualifyze stands as the all-in-one partner for quality compliance and supply chain risk management processes in the Life Sciences sector.

SOURCE Qualifyze

New investment will enable Form3 to continue its growth journey, develop new products and services, and expand into new territories

LONDON , Sept. 10, 2024 — Form3, the cloud-native account-to-account platform, today announces a new investor, British Patient Capital. Alongside existing strategic and financial investors including Visa, Form3 has now raised a total of $60m in C-series extension funding to continue its growth journey.

This funding will enable Form3 to develop new products and services to help support exponential growth in key markets such as the UK, Europe and the US.

Benyam Hagos, Chief Financial Officer, Form3 says: “British Patient Capital’s investment enables Form3 to continue to deliver mission-critical infrastructure technology for the world’s most established banks and financial institutions.”

Today’s funding announcement follows Visa’s recent investment in Form3 and its cloud-native account-to-account platform. Form3’s vision for the future of next-generation payments infrastructure is supported by major strategic players, including Visa.

Tom Haywood, Managing Director, Direct Investments, British Patient Capital, said: “Form3 has built a leading solution for a challenge that banks worldwide are facing: how to transition to a modern, future-proof payments infrastructure. We are delighted to support them as they take the next steps in their growth journey”.    

About Form3

Form3 is the account-to-account platform. Founded In 2016, Form3 set out to revolutionise the world of payment processing and disrupt the traditional payment infrastructure model, with an always on, cloud-native, Payments-as-a-Service platform. Today, Form3 is trusted by some of the UK’s and Europe’s biggest Tier1 banks and fastest-growing fintechs to handle their critical payments architecture. Form3 has been included in the 2024 Lazard T100 Index and was listed in the 2024 Top 100 Scale-ups in Europe. The company has also been awarded PayTech of the Year and Team of the Year for Form3’s Engineering Team at the UK Fintech Awards 2024, Team of the Year at the Paytech Awards 2024, Engineering Team of the Year at the Europe Fintech Awards 2024 and Best Scam/APP Prevention Innovation at the Datos Insights Impact Awards 2024. 

About British Patient Capital

British Patient Capital Limited is a wholly owned commercial subsidiary of British Business Bank plc, the UK government’s economic development bank. Its mission is to enable long-term investment in innovative firms led by ambitious entrepreneurs who want to build large-scale businesses. Launched in June 2018, British Patient Capital has more than £3bn of assets under management, investing in venture and venture growth capital to support high growth potential innovative UK businesses in accessing the long-term financing they require to scale up. Find out more here.

British Business Bank plc and its subsidiary entities are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. They are not authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). A complete legal structure chart for British Business Bank plc and its subsidiaries can be found on the British Business Bank plc website.

British Patient Capital makes commitments and invests on its own behalf and on behalf of third-party investors whose investments British Patient Capital manages.

The transaction described above does not constitute or imply any endorsement, warranty or recommendation by the UK government, the British Business Bank plc, its subsidiaries or any other party in respect of Form 3.

SOURCE Form3

“Track3D isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changer for the construction industry,” says Thai Nguyen, Director of Innovation, Hensel Phelps

SAN FRANCISCO, Sep. 10, 2024 — Track3D, a Bay Area-based AI-first startup, building a pioneering reality intelligence platform for the construction industry, announced today that it has secured $4.3 million venture capital seed funding. The funding will propel the adoption of Track3D’s groundbreaking unified reality capture data platform, designed for intelligent, comprehensive, AI-powered construction progress monitoring. The seed round was led by Endiya Partners, with participation from Shadow Ventures, Monta Vista Capital and others. The funds will be used to expand Track3D’s product offerings and bolster its go-to-market efforts.

“Track3D is a unique example of a vertical, AI-first company shaping the digital transformation of a pivotal sector. We believe the time is now for a unified, data-agnostic construction monitoring solution to realize real-time, accurate and cost-efficient progress tracking and deviation analysis. We’re thrilled to back Track3D’s progress, and the team which is driven by the passion to enable structural change in an industry,” says Sateesh Andra, Managing Director, Endiya Partners.

Track3D, co-founded by Chaitanya Naredla (“NK”), Kiran Gutta, and Vineeth Paruchuri, is the built environment’s only AI-first Reality Intelligence Platform. It serves as a central hub for all visual data, transforming reality capture data from a system of record to a system of intelligence. Utilizing visual data from drones, 360 cameras, laser scanners, and mobile devices, Track3D provides actionable insights to enhance project oversight and decision-making within a single intuitive system.

“As a leading venture investor in construction technology, I have seen many companies trying to solve this problem. We invested in Track3D not just because they are giving unprecedented transparency into the construction process but because their technology works with projects of all sizes due to their transformational AI-based computer vision platform. Track3D is not just having an impact on one of the largest industries in the world, but society itself,” says KP Reddy, founder and CEO, Shadow Ventures.

“Track3D brings unique insights and unparalleled value to the industry by leveraging the power of AI and 3D image capture. The results enable macro-scale construction projects to be delivered faster, better, on or below budget. It is an industry game-changer,” says Roger Krakoff, Monta Vista Capital.

“The financial support from these premiere investors is a testament to how bullish the industry is on the Track3D platform,” said Track3D CEO and co-founder NK Chaitanya. “Reality capture isn’t particularly new but Track3D’s Reality Intelligence Platform is a first-of-its-kind unified platform that turns raw data into exponentially more valuable information with advanced AI tools. No more guesswork. Whether you’re in pre-planning, mid-project, or final handover, Track3D acts as your platform for all reality intelligence with a level of detail not offered by any other platform. If you can see it, we can capture and analyze it, without the need for BIM.”

Track3D’s platform has already demonstrated significant impacts, with companies reporting an average of a 15 percent productivity boost by reducing time spent on non-optimal activities, a 12 percent improvement in schedule adherence, and a 20 percent reduction in rework costs. Track3D is experiencing robust growth and engagement, having already secured enterprise clients such as Hensel Phelps and Performance Contracting, Inc. (PCI). The rapid adoption by these industry leaders demonstrates the substantial value they find in Track3D’s reality intelligence platform.

“Our partnership with Track3D marks a pivotal shift from juggling multiple reality capture solutions to embracing a unified, standardized platform. With Track3D, we’ve achieved a perfect synergy of speed, accuracy, and cost-efficiency that’s pivotal for modern construction monitoring,” says Thai Nguyen, Director of Innovation, Hensel Phelps. “Since our initial collaboration in mid-2023, we have expanded our operations from a single pilot to over 30 projects this year alone. The responsiveness and robust support from Track3D have been instrumental, setting us on a promising path to scale to 100 projects next year. Track3D isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changer for the construction industry, redefining how we approach project monitoring and execution.”

“Track3D has transformed our approach to construction monitoring, allowing us to track a wide array of elements with unprecedented accuracy and minimal dependence on traditional inputs. The platform’s capability for detailed production tracking has brought a new level of specificity and insight into our operations. Within just six months, we’ve successfully scaled our use of Track3D across multiple projects, and we are excited about the prospects for further expansion,” says Brett Dahmer, Vice President, Operations Finance, Performance Contracting, Inc.

About Track3D
Track3D, a Bay Area-based AI-first startup, is dedicated to transforming the construction industry with its pioneering Reality Intelligence Platform. As the built environment’s only AI-first unified reality data capture platform, Track3D serves as the central hub for all visual data, delivering a system of intelligence that transforms raw data into actionable insights. The platform integrates advanced AI tools with data from drones, 360 cameras, laser scanners, and mobile devices into a single, intuitive system. Learn more at https://www.track3d.ai/

Media Contact:
Kira Perdue
Carabiner Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Track3D

StackGen expands leadership and go-to-market team

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2024 — appCD, the generative infrastructure from code company, today announced the close of its $12.3M seed round, its new identity as StackGen, and the appointment of Arshad Sayyad as Chief Business Officer. The round was led by Thomvest Ventures, with existing investors, FireBolt Ventures, WestWave Capital, and Secure Octane participating. StackGen will utilize the funding to accelerate product development, enhance its go-to-market strategy, and fuel company growth.

“StackGen represents the next evolution of our commitment to revolutionizing infrastructure from code,” said Sachin Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO of StackGen. “The funding will enable us to meet the growing demand from enterprise customers as we continue to deliver on our vision for the future of infrastructure from code. Our new name encapsulates this vision and mission to provide seamless, full-stack infrastructure solutions that enhance the developer experience and enforce industry standards, while embracing generative AI.”

As stated in the Gartner^® Hype Cycle^™ for Platform Engineering, 2024, “The plethora of cloud infrastructure services across multiple cloud providers makes it difficult for platform engineers and developers to manage infrastructure change at the same pace as application code. Therefore, much like software engineers are productive working with higher-level abstractions using object-oriented programming languages with reusable modules, platform engineers seek similar benefits for improving their productivity and simplifying infrastructure delivery. IfC merges infrastructure and application code into a common programming model and a common programming language. IfC improves development and infrastructure agility by enabling infrastructure to change at the same pace as applications — developers focus on business logic and application architecture while infrastructure code is auto-generated based on organizational standards.”

“Ensuring governance and consistency in deployments is crucial. StackGen provides default standardization, embedding consistency, security, and policy guardrails seamlessly into cloud deployments for enhanced application reliability,” said Arvind Gidwani, CTO, SAP NS2. “StackGen is providing the necessary compliance and cloud automation at scale to help drive digital transformation.”

“I am thrilled to be an investor and board member at StackGen, partnering with repeat founder and CEO Sachin Agarwal and his cofounders, Asif Awan and Arshad Sayyad,” said Umesh Padval, Managing Director, Thomvest Ventures. “StackGen is revolutionizing the DevOps market with its Infrastructure from Code platform driving 10x productivity gains for DevOps and SecOps. The strong team, massive market opportunity along with differentiated and easy to use technology met the criterion of our thesis driven investments.”

The rebranding to StackGen reflects the company’s commitment to providing comprehensive infrastructure solutions that span the entire technology stack.

StackGen has expanded its leadership and go-to-market team with the appointment of Arshad Sayyad, former President of Fidelity Investments India and Managing Director at Accenture, Danielle Cook, CNCF Ambassador and ex-Fairwinds and Ondata, and Lauren Rother, ex-HashiCorp. 

StackGen launched its Dev Edition in March, and has already seen significant interest, with developers rapidly signing up to utilize its cutting-edge solutions. This early success underscores the growing demand for innovative infrastructure from code technologies and sets the stage for continued growth and market penetration.

Gartner, Hype Cycle for Platform Engineering, 2024, Manjunath Bhat, Bill Blosen, 19 June 2024

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, HYPE CYCLE are a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About StackGen
Founded in 2023 by serial entrepreneurs Sachin Aggarwal and Asif Awan, StackGen (formerly appCD) automatically generates Infrastructure from Code (IfC) based on application code with golden standards applied. Unlike manual Infrastructure as Code (IaC) creation or “golden templates” that quickly become outdated, StackGen generates IaC automatically from the application code, without requiring any code changes, and applies preset standards. StackGen provides seamless, full-stack infrastructure solutions that enhance the developer experience and enforce industry standards. Built for platform engineers and DevOps teams tasked with improving the developer experience and enforcing standards, StackGen reduces software development lifecycle (SDLC) bottlenecks, minimizes liabilities, and eliminates cognitive overload. StackGen is backed by notable venture capital firms Thomvest Ventures, WestWave Capital, FireBolt, and Secure Octane. For further information, please visit www.stackgen.com.

About appCD
Founded in 2023 by serial entrepreneurs Sachin Aggarwal and Asif Awan, appCD automatically generates Infrastructure from Code (IfC) based on application code with golden standards applied. Unlike manual Infrastructure as Code (IaC) creation or “golden templates” that quickly become outdated, appCD generates IaC automatically from the application code, without requiring any code changes, and applies preset standards. Built for platform engineers and DevOps teams tasked with improving the developer experience and enforcing standards, appCD reduces software development lifecycle (SDLC) bottlenecks, minimizes liabilities, and eliminates cognitive overload. appCD is backed by notable venture capital firms Thomvest Ventures, WestWave Capital, FireBolt, and Secure Octane. For further information, please visit www.appCD.com.

Media Contact:
Angelique Faul
Silver Jacket Communications
[email protected]
513.633.0897

SOURCE StackGen

Le promoteur canadien ajoute une propriété scandinave réputée à son portefeuille de centres de villégiature en plein essor

TORONTO, septembre 10, 2024 — The Cabot Collection, réputée pour son portefeuille incomparable de destinations de golf résidentielles et de villégiature de luxe, annonce un investissement stratégique dans Lofoten Links, construit majestueusement dans le paysage marin et accidenté des lointaines îles Lofoten en Norvège. Cette propriété visuellement étonnante s’intègre naturellement à Cabot, offrant un mélange inégalé de paysages séduisants et d’un golf exceptionnel. Cabot prévoit d’accueillir cette propriété dans son portefeuille en pleine expansion, étendant ainsi sa présence internationale à l’Europe du Nord.

“Nous sommes ravis d’unir nos forces avec Lofoten Links, une propriété spectaculaire qui s’aligne sans effort avec notre vision d’offrir un golf et des expériences de classe mondiale dans les destinations les plus remarquables du monde”, a déclaré Ben Cowan-Dewar, PDG et cofondateur de The Cabot Collection. “Le directeur général Frode Hov est un véritable visionnaire, et nous ne pourrions être plus enthousiastes quant à l’avenir de ce site extraordinaire”.

Situé au-dessus du cercle polaire arctique, Lofoten Links est le parcours de golf de type links le plus septentrional du monde. Classé n° 24 au monde par Golf Digest et n° 88 au monde par Golf Magazine, ses paysages spectaculaires et son littoral éloigné constituent une toile de fond à couper le souffle pour les amateurs de golf. Ce parcours légendaire est connu pour sa conception à la fois difficile et gratifiante, avec 18 trous qui peuvent être joués sous le soleil de minuit en été et sous les aurores boréales en automne.

Outre son célèbre parcours de golf, Lofoten Links offre à ses hôtes une occasion rare de s’immerger dans la splendeur du littoral norvégien tout en bénéficiant d’un service et d’équipements inégalés. La propriété propose une variété de lodges confortables, de style nordique, conçus pour s’harmoniser avec le paysage saisissant, ainsi qu’un charmant restaurant sur place. Lofoten Links propose une myriade d’activités pour les voyageurs exigeants en quête d’authenticité et d’aventure, notamment l’équitation, la randonnée et le kayak. Située à l’extrémité nord de l’île et faisant directement face à la mer de Norvège, la propriété est parfaitement positionnée pour observer les aurores boréales, l’un des phénomènes les plus éblouissants de la nature.

L’investissement de Cabot dans Lofoten Links s’inscrit dans une période de plans d’expansion internationale passionnants. La société a récemment annoncé Cabot Bordeaux, anciennement connu sous le nom de Golf Du Médoc Resort, une destination de choix pour les amateurs de golf et de vin située à Bordeaux, en France. Parmi les autres centres de villégiature de luxe dotés de terrains de golf de classe mondiale et situés dans des endroits extraordinaires, citons Cabot Cape Breton en Nouvelle-Écosse, Cabot Saint Lucia dans les Caraïbes, Cabot Revelstoke en Colombie-Britannique, Cabot Citrus Farms en Floride et Cabot Highlands en Écosse, tous primés.

Pour plus d’informations sur The Cabot Collection et Lofoten Links, veuillez consulter https://thecabotcollection.com/ et https://www.lofotenlinks.no/en.

À propos de la collection Cabot :
La Cabot Collection est un développeur de luxe de destinations de golf incomparables. Son portefeuille comprend les produits primés Cabot Cape Breton en Nouvelle-Écosse, Cabot Saint Lucia dans les Caraïbes, Cabot Revelstoke en Colombie-Britannique, Cabot Citrus Farms en Floride, Cabot Highlands en Écosse et Cabot Bordeaux en France. Cabot continue de s’appuyer sur un héritage d’excellence en matière de golf, d’offres résidentielles de luxe et de mode de vie de villégiature dans chaque propriété unique où les propriétaires et les invités ont un accès exclusif à des expériences spécifiques à la destination et à une qualité de service inégalée.

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Canadian Developer to Add Acclaimed Scandinavian Property to Burgeoning Resort Portfolio

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2024 — The Cabot Collection, renowned for its incomparable portfolio of luxury resort and residential golf destinations, announces a strategic investment in Lofoten Links, built majestically into the rugged, seaside landscape of Norway’s remote Lofoten Islands. This visually stunning property is a natural fit for Cabot, offering an unparalleled blend of alluring landscapes and outstanding golf. Cabot plans to welcome the property into its growing portfolio, extending its international presence to Northern Europe.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Lofoten Links, a spectacular property that effortlessly aligns with our vision of delivering world-class golf and experiences across the globe’s most remarkable destinations,” said Ben Cowan-Dewar, CEO and co-founder of The Cabot Collection. “General Manager Frode Hov is a true visionary, and we couldn’t be more excited about the future of this extraordinary site.”

Located above the Arctic Circle, Lofoten Links stands out as the world’s northernmost links-style golf course. Ranked No. 24 in the world by Golf Digest and No. 88 in the world by Golf Magazine, its dramatic scenery and remote coastline provide a breathtaking backdrop for golf enthusiasts. The fabled course is known for its challenging yet rewarding design, featuring 18 holes that are playable under the midnight sun in the summer and the northern lights in the fall.

In addition to its celebrated golf course, Lofoten Links offers guests a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the splendor of Norway’s coastline while enjoying unsurpassed service and amenities. The property offers a variety of cozy, Nordic-style lodges designed to complement the striking scenery and a charming onsite restaurant. Lofoten Links presents a myriad of activities for discerning travelers seeking authenticity and adventure, including horseback riding, hiking and kayaking. Situated on the island’s northern edge and facing directly north towards the Norwegian Sea, the property is perfectly positioned to see the northern lights, one of nature’s most dazzling phenomena.

Cabot’s investment in Lofoten Links comes amidst a period of exciting international expansion plans. The company recently announced Cabot Bordeaux, previously known as Golf Du Médoc Resort, a premier destination for golf and wine enthusiasts located in Bordeaux, France. Additional luxury resorts anchored by world-class golf courses in extraordinary locations include the award-winning Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Cabot Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida and Cabot Highlands in Scotland.

For more information about The Cabot Collection and Lofoten Links, please visit https://thecabotcollection.com/ and https://www.lofotenlinks.no/en.

About The Cabot Collection:
The Cabot Collection is a luxury developer of incomparable golf destinations. Its portfolio includes the award-winning Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Cabot Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, Cabot Highlands in Scotland and Cabot Bordeaux in France. Cabot continues to build upon a legacy of excellence in golf, luxury residential offerings and boutique resort lifestyle across each unique property where owners and guests have exclusive access to destination specific experiences and an unparalleled quality of service.

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Arian Simone and Elizabeth Gore to Headline

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2024 — Stella Foundation proudly announces the 11th Annual Women’s Venture Summit (WVS), set to take place in San Diego from September 25–27, 2024. This year’s summit, a cornerstone event in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, will spotlight two trailblazing leaders, Arian Simone (CEO and Founding Partner of the Fearless Fund) and Elizabeth Gore (President and Co-Founder of Hello Alice), to discuss their landmark legal battles supporting women and founders of color.

WVS 2024 is more than just a conference; it’s a movement aimed at bridging the persistent gap between female founders and investors. The summit features a dynamic agenda filled with transformative workshops, insightful panels, and the much-anticipated pitch competition. Since its inception, WVS has facilitated over $200 million in fundraising for women-led companies, becoming a crucial catalyst for change in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Elizabeth Gore and Arian Simone, two powerhouse advocates for women entrepreneurs, will be at the forefront of this year’s summit. Their discussion will delve into their respective legal battles—Elizabeth Gore’s victory with Hello Alice and Arian Simone’s ongoing fight with Fearless Fund—to highlight the challenges and triumphs of supporting women and founders of color.

“Over the last year, I have come to know Elizabeth as we continue to preserve and expand our organizations,” said Arian Simone, CEO and Founding Partner of the Fearless Fund. “We have become sisters united in our experiences as well as our cause. I am thrilled to discuss our journeys to this point, why we each started this vital work, and where the future must take us.”

“The best entrepreneurs thrive during times of crisis. They use ingenuity to find opportunities when others throw in the towel,” said Elizabeth Gore, President and Co-Founder of Hello Alice. “A black swan event, when navigated with creativity, can bring new perspectives that lead to profitability. I am excited to highlight this at Stella’s Women’s Venture Summit and discuss how these moments can reshape the future of entrepreneurship.”

WVS is designed for aspiring women investors, seasoned founders, and community partners who are committed to advancing the role of women in the entrepreneurial world. Attendees will gain access to a network of brilliant, high-achieving women, share insights, and make meaningful connections that can lead to groundbreaking deals.

“As we approach the 11th Annual Women’s Venture Summit, I’m filled with immense pride and excitement for what we’ve built,” says Flossie Hall, CEO of Stella. “By bringing together female founders and investors, we’re not only breaking down barriers but also creating opportunities that will have a lasting impact on our communities and economy. Together, we’re rewriting the rules and shaping a future where women are at the forefront of innovation and investment.”

The three-day summit will commence with a Fireside Chat featuring Silvia Mah, PhD, Founder & Chairwoman of Stella, and Lolita Taub, General Partner at Ganas Ventures. The agenda includes keynote addresses from industry leaders including Sylvia Kwan (Ellevest), Kelly Ann Winget (Alternative Wealth Partners), and Bailey DeVries (SBA). Panel discussions and workshops will cover a range of critical topics, including Personal Finance Best Practices for Early-Stage Founders, How to Support Your Founders Beyond the Check, Structuring Funds: Mapping Out Your Thesis, Strategy, and Financials 101, Breaking Into VC and Angel Investing, and Funding Beyond VC: Exploring Alternative Financing Options.

“Women investors have the unique power to transform the startup ecosystem by channeling capital into the hands of women founders and emerging fund managers,” says Dr. Silvia Mah, who founded Women’s Venture Summit & Stella Foundation over a decade ago. “By doing so, we not only fuel the success of high-performing businesses but also pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous economy. When women invest in women, they activate a cycle of empowerment, innovation, and wealth creation that reshapes the future for generations to come.”

This year’s summit also marks the 10th Annual Women’s Fast Pitch, a premier national competition that shines a spotlight on innovative women-led ventures. Six exceptional finalists, selected from a competitive pool of over 100 applicants and 24 semi-finalists, will vie for over $50K in grants, investments, and in-kind services.

The Women’s Venture Summit is proudly supported by sponsors including The Impact Seat Foundation, Cooley, Comcast, Ad Astra Ventures, BMO, Dell, Knobbe Martens, Phoenix Fund Services, HVM Communications, Snell & Wilmer, Teknos, and UBS.

To view the full agenda and secure your spot at this transformative event, visit Women’s Venture Summit. General admission tickets start at $499.00, and VIP tickets are available starting at $799.00. Follow the summit on social media @wearewvs.

About Stella Foundation:

Founded in 2012, Stella connects women founders and investors to the right resources – at the right time – in their journeys. From ideation to funding to exit, women founders and investors look to Stella for its powerful constellation of support made up of an inclusive community, curriculum, access to capital events including the annual Women’s Venture Summit, advisory services and funding opportunities. For more information, contact https://stella.co/.

Media Contact:
Laura Henson
HVM Communications
[email protected]
917-539-7812

SOURCE Stella Foundation

CLARKSBURG, Md., Sept. 10, 2024 — Forterra, a leading self-driving technology company, today announced its $75 million Series B fundraise that was more than 2.5x oversubscribed. The round was led by Moore Strategic Ventures, XYZ Venture Capital, and Hedosophia, with participation from Standard Investments and existing investors, including Enlightenment Capital, Crescent Cove Advisors, and Four More Capital. The new funding will enable Forterra to accelerate and scale the deployment of their autonomous driving system (ADS), AutoDrive®, with defense and industrial customers.

“Forterra has proven that self-driving technology can be deployed today to solve real-world challenges in demanding environments,” said Josh Araujo Forterra CEO. “We are committed to improving the lives and safety of soldiers, Marines, and industrial workers, by taking people out of harm’s way with AutoDrive. This funding allows us to further develop, test, and deploy self-driving platforms with ever-increasing capabilities for both defense and industrial applications.”

“We can’t imagine a team better suited to take on these challenges — of everyone in the market, they have the right to win given their firsthand experience on the battlefield and interacting with government buyers,” says Ross Fubini, Managing Partner of XYZ Venture Capital, which co-led this round. “They know exactly what these machines need to be capable of doing and have the acumen and connections to move fast and build the best solutions. We see a lot of defense tech at XYZ, and Forterra is uniquely set up for product-market fit.”

Logan Ashcraft, Principal at Standard Investments, said “We believe in the potential for autonomous technology to disrupt many high-cost, low-margin business models. In its approach to both industrial and off-road autonomy, Forterra is setting a new standard for excellence across logistics, industry, and defense. We’re excited to partner with the company in its next stage of growth.”

The funding follows a series of significant milestones for Forterra over the past 12 months, including:

• The first successful deployment of autonomous driving systems (ADS) on the first production program in the Department of Defense (DoD) – The Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires
• A strategic partnership with Kalmar for production of self-driving yard trucks for global distribution

Forterra is actively delivering capabilities on these DoD ground autonomy programs, including:

• The Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV)
• The Ground Expeditionary Autonomous Retrofit System (GEARS)
• The Small Multi-purpose Equipment Transport (SMET) with operational units

These efforts enable the DoD to scale logistics capabilities and firepower without adding people to combat units. The Forterra team is committed to continuing to build innovative self-driving systems that prioritize safety, efficiency and scale, and we are excited to continue this mission.

Media Contact:
[email protected]
For more information about Forterra, please visit www.forterra.com

SOURCE Forterra

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 10, 2024 — Volvo Group Venture Capital AB invests in the U.S.-based company aifleet, a trucking company leveraging its unique AI-technology to reshape the future of trucking focusing on truck utilization and driver satisfaction.

“aifleet is addressing inefficiencies in the trucking industry in a differentiated manner, building technology and proving out its capabilities through their own fleet operations,” said Joe Darcy, Investor at Volvo Group Venture Capital. “Not only are they increasing the utilization of the trucks on the road but also making sure drivers have an optimized working environment.”

Founded in 2020, aifleet operates in the U.S. full-truckload (FTL) segment of the trucking industry, where a truck’s full capacity is bought to ship larger freight between set destinations. The segment is currently fragmented and challenged by low driver utilization, and facing inefficiencies like empty miles in the supply chain.

“The U.S. full-truckload (FTL) market size is $400 billion, but it’s a massively inefficient and fragmented market with half a million carriers, where even the biggest has less than 1% of the market. As truck utilization has trended downward since 2018, aifleet has developed technology to mitigate the utilization problem to radically improve trucking efficiencies, while bringing real humanity back to the driver experience,” said Marc El Khoury, co-founder and CEO of aifleet. “We are excited about Volvo’s investment and we are looking forward to continuing to leverage our technology to create a more sustainable fleet and industry.”

Powered by its proprietary AI-technology, aifleet is building a trucking fleet focused on increased driver satisfaction that boost truck utilization with better planning tools and smarter algorithms. By optimizing route planning and scheduling, and building end-to-end automation, aifleet’s own operation generate over 40% higher driver utilization than industry average.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate with aifleet,” said Stephen Roy, Chairman of Volvo Group North America and President of Mack Trucks.  “The Volvo Group is committed to driving innovation and more sustainable transportation solutions, and it’s clear that aifleet, leveraging their unique technology, shares our ambition.”

Volvo Group Venture Capital was founded in 1997 and invests globally in venture companies. The aim is to drive transformation by facilitating the creation of new services and solutions and to support collaborations between start-ups and the Volvo Group. The market trends shaping the future of transportation and infrastructure solutions and the strategic priorities of the Volvo Group define the investment focus areas: Logistics Services, Site Solutions, Electrification, and Sustainability.

The transaction has no significant impact on the Volvo Group’s earnings or financial position.

Journalists wanting further information, please contact:
Claes Eliasson, Head of Media Relations
+46 76 553 7229
[email protected]

For more information, please visit volvogroup.com 
For frequent updates, follow us on X: @volvogroup

The Volvo Group drives prosperity through transport and infrastructure solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase our customers’ uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs more than 100,000 people and serves customers in almost 190 markets. In 2023, net sales amounted to SEK 553 billion (EUR 48 billion). Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/ab-volvo/r/volvo-group-venture-capital-invests-in-aifleet–an-ai-driven-trucking-company,c4035386

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE AB Volvo

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