Over 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water
Investors include Mistletoe, Soma Capital and more

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2024 — Aquaria, the company building communities and cities supplied with water from the sky, today announced it has secured $112 million to build the future of water infrastructure. Investors include Mistletoe, Ciri Ventures, Soma Capital, HF0, Bow Capital, Umami Capital and former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt. As part of the investment, Aquaria has signed an agreement with Upwell Water to provide $100 million to facilitate deployment of Aquaria’s solutions to qualifying projects. With this new funding, the company will actively seek out sustainable atmospheric water investment projects, and continue to expand its footprint into new regions.

“Our air not only supplies us with the oxygen we need to breathe, it provides us with the essential water we need to survive,” said Brian Sheng, co-founder and CEO of Aquaria. “As one of Earth’s most bountiful resources, we’ve yet to unlock atmospheric water to its fullest potential – until now. Aquaria is introducing a future of sustainable and renewable water for all. We envision a world where Aquaria supplies entire cities with water from the sky.”

Aquaria has already built the first homes in the world where the entire water supply is harnessed from the air and is currently building 1,000 homes in Hawaii supplied by atmospheric water. This residential community will also be built with solar and batteries to reduce the energy challenges faced by islands like Hawaii. Aquaria’s technology is modular and scalable like batteries, and its units can be a complement or alternative to traditional water infrastructure where it is either too costly, time-consuming or unfeasible. Aquaria’s air water infrastructure can be built in just weeks. The technology can be stacked in parallel to scale production like battery deployments, forming what Aquaria calls a “Hydrogrid” – a water form similar to a solar farm. They are also compatible and deployed with different types of renewable energy.

The new funding will be directed toward developing and financing sustainable, secure water supply solutions for residential, hospitality, and commercial properties. Property developers can demonstrate water access, overcoming restrictions where permits are often denied due to limited water availability. Aquaria’s “water from air” solutions streamline project development, reduce timelines, and unlock new sources of water for growth. Property managers can also use Aquaria’s drinking water solutions to provide immediate potable water access to thousands of people per unit.

Additionally, Aquaria is exploring mid-scale water supply opportunities in regions lacking sufficient access to traditional infrastructure. Sectors such as green hydrogen production, mining, and data centers are often located in remote areas where water provision is complex and costly. These projects fall between the scale where trucked water is too inefficient and large infrastructure projects are too expensive or time-consuming.

With project financing secured from Upwell, Aquaria is now actively seeking investment opportunities to scale Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) deployments. Aquaria will cover 100% of the upfront costs for qualifying projects, allowing partners to sign flexible, pay-over-time agreements, similar to financing models used in the solar industry. This approach significantly lowers barriers to large-scale adoption and accelerates the commercialization of Aquaria’s atmospheric Hydrogrid technology.

“Upwell Water is pleased to support Aquaria with capital and teamed solutions to deliver decentralized water to communities,” said Dr. Hu Fleming, President of Upwell Water’s Treatment division. “We note the improvement of the cost of delivered water in the atmospheric water generation segment, and look forward to contributing to meet Aquaria’s growing customer demand.”

“Southeast Asia is facing a climate crisis, in which water access is a core issue. We’re happy to help bring Aquaria’s sustainable technology solutions to counter the water crisis in Asia,” said Taizo Son of Mistletoe. “Aquaria’s mission of making water accessible to all aligns with our goal of developing a sustainable future, addressing global climate problems through innovations in technology.”

Aquaria’s patented technologies focus on large scale ambient heat exchange systems, with a core focus around thermal materials, immersion cooling and stacking cooling systems applied to atmospheric water capture. The company has partnered with Stanford University’s Head of Atmospheric Sciences Program, Mark Jacobson, to support research around innovations in energy and water integration, combining atmospheric water generators with microgrids to harness solar energy for water production.

As of November 12, 2024, nearly 42% of the United States is in a state of drought (Drought.gov), with contamination and disruptive events continuing to accelerate. The American Society of Civil Engineers rates the water infrastructure in the United States as C-, and there is an urgent need to build faster, redundant and resilient forms of water infrastructure.

“America is the leader in innovation in many diverse sectors, and we must approach our efforts to combat climate change and sustainability issues with the same vigor and eagerness that we have in technology, space, AI and more,” said former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt. “I truly believe that Aquaria has built an innovative technology that will solve the water challenges that are so prevalent in this country by integrating and enhancing our existing water infrastructure to harvest clean water from our greatest natural resource: the air.”

For more information about funding water projects, please apply here.

ABOUT AQUARIA

Founded in 2021 by brothers Brian and Eric Sheng, Aquaria is building the future of water infrastructure, with scalable, resilient generators that produce clean water from the air. Its advanced atmospheric water generators (AWGs) use patented materials science and heat exchange technology to offer the highest water production, while being the most energy efficient and affordable water tech on the market. The scalable units enable developers to build on land without traditional infrastructure and water access, and can be deployed with solar and renewable energy options for net zero deployments.

SOURCE Aquaria Technologies

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Investment to Accelerate Growth and Amplify Global Impact in K-12 Mathematics Education

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2024 — Magma Math, a leading K-12 instructional math platform for teacher efficiency and classroom management, announced the successful closing of its Series A funding round, totaling an investment of $40 million. The round was led by Five Elms Capital, with participation from previous investors, team members, and industry experts. The new investment will be used to make Magma Math even better for its students, teachers, and district partners in the US, UK, and Sweden.

Since its launch in 2015, Magma Math has established itself as an industry leader, supporting the majority of the educational system in its home market of Sweden, and has successfully launched in the U.S. with district partnerships in over 30 states since 2021. Magma Math is revolutionizing how math is taught and learned by making it more accessible, personalized, and engaging. With the additional funding, the company will continue supporting research-based math pedagogy by expanding curriculum offerings, enhancing user experience with AI capabilities, and scaling its operations.

“We are thrilled to have the support of Five Elms and our new partners in this journey,” said CEO and co-founder Henrik Appert. “This funding will allow us to accelerate our mission of enabling educators to create dynamic, student-centered classrooms where all students are challenged and supported appropriately.”

Five Elms Partner, Joe Onofrio, commented on the investment: “Magma Math has demonstrated exceptional product-market fit in addressing one of education’s most pressing challenges. We’re excited to partner with Henrik and the team as they work to improve mathematics achievement across the US market.”

Magma Math has consistently been recognized for its innovative approach to math education. The platform combines good math pedagogy and innovative technology to save teachers time and increase their capacity to customize education for each student. “In the past, students’ knowledge gaps only became clear after an exam. But by then, it was too late to address them, as you were moving on to the next part in the math book. With Magma, teachers can identify which students are struggling and see what they need help with continuously,” explains Henrik Appert.

For more information about Magma Math and its innovative solutions, please visit magmamath.com.

About Magma Math
Magma Math is a K-12 platform that enables students to show their thinking and helps teachers enable good math pedagogy, whilst saving time. Aligned with state standards, it supports formative assessments, mathematical discourse, student-centered learning and deeper math understanding while seamlessly integrating with classroom technology to drive academic growth.

About Five Elms Capital
Five Elms is a leading growth investor in world-class software businesses that users love. They provide capital and resources to help companies accelerate growth and further cement their role as industry leaders. With over $3 billion in assets under management and a global team of 70+ investment professionals, Five Elms has invested in more than 70 software platforms globally.

SOURCE Five Elms Capital

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TEL-AVIV, Israel, Nov. 20, 2024 — Millennium Foodtech Partnership (TASE:MIFT) Announces Phytolon (portfolio company in which the partnership holds 10.8%), an Israeli biotech / food tech startup that produces natural food colors using precision fermentation, recently secured an investment from Rich Products Ventures (RPV), the corporate venture capital fund of global, family-owned food company Rich Products (Rich’s), to help drive commercialization of its innovative, sustainable and clean-label solution for natural food colorings. As part of the investment, Rich’s will explore Phytolon’s proprietary color offerings in several of its products, in a mutually non-exclusive manner.

RPV’s strategic investment has been paired with additional support from existing Phytolon shareholders, including EIT-Food, Arkin Holdings and Yossi Ackerman. The funds will be used to further commercialize and scale Phytolon’s natural, precision fermented food colorants, which are expected to pass key regulatory approvals soon.

Phytolon’s co-founder and CTO, Tal Zeltzer, commented on the transaction: “We are excited to be empowered by Rich Products Ventures as partners in promoting our innovative products in the food industry. Rich’s investment and commercial partnership are key to establishing a strong footprint in bakery, desserts, and related segments, where solutions for natural colors are in high demand.”

Produced utilizing the fermentation of Phytolon’s proprietary yeast strains, Phytolon’s natural colors offer a cost-efficient and sustainable substitution to synthetic food dyes without compromising performance. Beginning with two base colors derived from fermentation, Phytolon’s portfolio provides a full range of color shades, including purple, pink, red, orange and yellow, offering both a reliable and steady supply chain (compared to agriculture-based colors), as well as a simplified process to help food brands achieve vibrant, precise product colors.

Rich’s and RPV are laser-focused on driving innovation to create distinctive value for customers. As part of this strategic investment, Rich’s will explore Phytolon’s clean-label and eco-friendly solutions in several of its products to understand how the natural colors can potentially be applied to Rich’s portfolio of icings, toppings, baked goods and more.

“Innovation is at the core of both Rich’s and RPV,” said Dinsh Guzdar, managing director, Rich Products Ventures. “At RPV, we’re investing in venture and growth stage companies that are shaping the future of food through technology and innovation. Sustainable food production is a key area of focus for us, so we’re excited about the cutting-edge work Phytolon is leading and the opportunity that presents Rich’s to create greater value for our customers.”

Meet Phytolon Phytolon is focused on offering natural food colors that comply with the consumers demand for clean label, healthy, and sustainable food systems. Leveraging our novel fermentation-based production technology, we are committed to providing cost-efficient and sustainable solutions, while guaranteeing robust supply to customers around the world. Phytolon’s portfolio currently includes multiple shades, covering the purple, pink, red, orange, and yellow spectrum, targeting multiple food categories in the food and beverage market

To learn more, visit Phytolon.com and follow us on our LinkedIn. 

Meet Rich’s Rich’s, also known as Rich Products Corporation, is a family-owned food company dedicated to inspiring possibilities. From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world. Beyond great food, our customers also gain insights to help them stay competitive, no matter their size. Our portfolio includes creative solutions geared at helping food industry professionals compete in foodservice, retail, in-store bakery, deli, and prepared foods among others. Working in 100 locations globally, with annual sales exceeding $5.8 billion, Rich’s is a global leader with a focus on everything that family makes possible. Rich’s®—Infinite Possibilities. One Family.

Learn more at Richs.com or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

For more information:
Meron Aronovitch
+972-50-7797-535
[email protected]

SOURCE Millennium Foodtech Partnership

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SINGAPORE, Nov. 20, 2024 — Bing Ventures, a pioneering venture capital and research firm affiliated with crypto exchange BingX, has been nominated for “Crypto Venture Capital with Best Project Portfolio in 2024″ in the inaugural BeInCrypto Excellence Award 2024. The nomination underscores Bing Ventures’s growing impact and celebrates its continuous commitment to supporting transformative blockchain and crypto ventures and outstanding fund managers driving the next wave of innovations.

Bing Ventures has been actively deploying capital across a wide range of verticals ever since its foundation in 2021. It now has a portfolio of more than 50 projects spanning infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, Web3, and more.

So far this year, Bing Ventures made over 20 investments in early-stage, high-potential startups, and venture capital funds. Some of the major investments include:

• Berachain, an innovative Proof of Liquidity (PoL) Layer 1 blockchain;
• Fractal Bitcoin, a merge-mined Layer-2 scaling sidechain for the Bitcoin network;
• North America’s largest gaming companion platform E-Pal’s Web3 experience infrastructure Balance;
• and a decentralized real-world assets (RWA) project backed by a former Binance CEO.

In many cases, the investments were made alongside top-notch investors, including Binance Labs, A16z crypto, Galaxy, and Polychain Capital, highlighting Bing Ventures’ consolidated role as one of the leading investors of its kind in the crypto and blockchain industry.

Bing Ventures emphasizes research into emerging technologies and narratives in the space and knowledge sharing among founders and industry peers. Working closely with leading venture capital funds, including Hack VC, Figment Capital, Bankless Ventures, and Maven 11 as a limited partner, this year it has actively looked into innovative concepts like Parallel VM, AI x Crypto, and Bitcoin Layer 2s and contributed to the development of critical crypto infrastructure and ecosystems like Unisat, EigenLayer and The Open Network (TON). It has also organized several successful events during influential industry conferences like ETHDenver and TOKEN 2049 to reach out and engage with the broader builder community.

“We are thrilled to be nominated for the BeInCrypto Excellence Award. This recognition validates our team’s hard work and dedication to investing in a decentralized future”, Bruce Lan, General Partner at Bing Ventures, commented.

About the Award

BeInCrypto is a leading global media platform that delivers transparent, high-quality crypto and blockchain technology content. The BeInCrypto Excellence Award 2024 aims to recognize and celebrate the leaders shaping the future of blockchain and Web3. This first annual event includes 10 categories, including “Crypto Venture Capital with Best Project Portfolio in 2024,” “Best AI Crypto Project,” “Best DePIN Crypto Project,” etc., with all winners to be selected exclusively through public voting. The voting deadline is December 1, and the final winners will be announced on December 10.

Join the Celebration!

Join us in our efforts to support innovative ideas and enterprising founders in the blockchain and Web3 space by casting your vote at https://awards.beincrypto.com/.

About Bing Ventures

Bing Ventures is a pioneering venture capital and research firm affiliated with crypto exchange BingX. Founded in 2021, it aims to support transformative blockchain and crypto ventures and outstanding fund managers driving the next wave of innovations.

With a sector-agnostic, value-investing approach, it has a portfolio of more than 50 companies spanning infrastructure, DeFi, GameFi, Web3, and more, including, among others, Avail, Berachain, Manta Network, Pixelmon, Unisat, and Solv Protocol.

Bing Ventures is also a Limited Partner (LP) of several leading crypto funds, including those managed by Hack VC, Bankless Ventures, Maven 11, STIX, and Figment Capital.

For more information, visit Bing Ventures’ Official Website | LinkedIn | Twitter.

CONTACT: Liu Jenny, [email protected]

SOURCE Bing Ventures

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Capital to scale AXCS’ business and launch AXCS Investments

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 20, 2024 — AXCS Capital, Inc. (“AXCS”), a leader in real estate capital markets and owner of George Smith Partners (“GSP”), today announced a strategic investment from affiliates of Conversant Capital LLC (“Conversant”) in an amount up to $102mm. Conversant’s investment includes $22mm of growth capital to expand AXCS’ existing business and facilitate the launch of new business verticals, including AXCS Investments, AXCS’ asset management subsidiary. Conversant has additionally committed to work with AXCS Investments to invest up to $80mm over time.

Conversant’s investment represents a key milestone in GSP’s evolution following the June 2022 acquisition by AXCS and will enable it to continue its growth strategy for the business while continuing to drive client value.

As part of its investment, Conversant will seed new AXCS-managed investment vehicles focused on Co-GP and Credit/Preferred Equity opportunities. Building out complimentary verticals has been a key focus since AXCS’ acquisition of GSP.

“We are excited to partner with Conversant. They understand our business and its potential. The investment with Conversant represents an important step forward in the evolution of our business”, said Evan Kinne, CEO/Co-Founder of AXCS Capital and Managing Director at George Smith Partners.  

“We are thrilled to welcome AXCS and its team into the Conversant ecosystem,” said Mike Simanovsky, Managing Partner of Conversant. “We’ve been impressed with the concrete steps management has taken toward its strategic vision and are excited to support the Company’s next phase of expansion.”

Conversant’s investment comes as AXCS launches its second Co-GP Fund. “This is our second Co-GP Fund, designed to invest alongside sponsors and developers to generate multiples of capital,” noted Ed Steffelin, Chief Investment Officer and President of AXCS Capital. “AXCS additionally plans to launch an Opportunistic Credit Fund in early 2025.”

GSP’s Continued Growth and Recent Developments

Since AXCS’ acquisition in 2022, GSP has restructured to enhance collaboration and shared resources to position the firm for nationwide growth.

Justin Piasecki, President of GSP, emphasized the company’s focus on geographic expansion: “We are optimistic that this funding will support the growth of our offices in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Dallas, and Washington D.C. We also plan to expand into new markets, including Miami, Atlanta, and Chicago, within the next 6-12 months.”

Piasecki added, “As capital markets stabilize, we are ramping up recruitment. Acquisition and construction financing is rebounding, and we’re excited about the market recovery.”

About AXCS Capital

AXCS Capital Inc. is a commercial real estate finance firm redefining the industry. Through its affiliates, AXCS manages investment vehicles and combines its proprietary technology with decades of experience to provide capital markets advisory to institutional real estate sponsors nationwide via its subsidiary, George Smith Partners. www.axcscapital.com.

About Conversant Capital

Conversant Capital LLC is a private investment firm founded in 2020. The firm pursues credit and equity investments within the real estate, digital infrastructure and hospitality sectors in both the public and private markets. Further information is available at www.conversantcap.com.

SOURCE AXCS Capital

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PRINCETON, NJ, Nov. 19, 2024 — Tokamak Energy has raised $125 million to accelerate ambitious plans to commercialize fusion energy and grow its transformative high temperature superconducting (HTS) technology solution, TE Magnetics.

The round was co-led by East X Ventures and Lingotto Investment Management with participation from new investors including Furukawa Electric Company, British Patient Capital, global maritime company BW Group and U.S.-based Sabanci Climate Ventures.

The investment from new strategic partners alongside existing shareholders is recognition of the world-class talent and expertise at Tokamak Energy, the only private fusion company with more than 10 years’ experience designing, building and operating tokamaks.

It brings the total raised since forming as a spin-out from UK Atomic Energy Authority in 2009 to $335m, comprising $275m from private investors and $60m funded from the UK and U.S. governments.

The investment round will support the rapid growth of TE Magnetics to address demand from the fusion energy market and open new fields of performance in other industries including science, mobility, renewable energy and security. 

It will also advance the company’s leading fusion pilot plant design program, as well as develop, test and validate new fusion technologies using its record-breaking high field spherical tokamak ST40 for ground-breaking experiments near Oxford. This pioneering research is key to driving the innovation needed to achieve fusion and deliver clean, limitless, affordable energy all over the world.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “In addition to the ongoing support of our existing shareholders, we are delighted to welcome new strategic investors to collectively accelerate our ambitious plans. Tokamak Energy’s mission is to make fusion energy a reality, and we believe the only way to achieve that is through strong, global partnerships.

“This raise provides us with added experience and capability to drive through this critical and exciting phase of fusion development, addressing the twin challenges of climate change and energy security. Simultaneously, we are focused on commercializing our transformative HTS technology as TE Magnetics. Launching this new business division allows us to focus on our core mission of delivering clean, secure and affordable fusion energy, while supporting our strategy for rapid growth across complementary markets.”

Dr. Geri Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, Department of Energy, said: “This accomplishment highlights Tokamak Energy’s commitment to advancing fusion energy — a critical step towards realizing a future of clean, sustainable power. As an awardee of the Department of Energy’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, Tokamak Energy is helping to lead the way in fusion innovation, positioning the United States and our global partners at the forefront of this transformative energy technology. The DOE is proud to support Tokamak Energy in its journey to achieve commercial fusion energy, which is essential to securing our clean energy future and strengthening our energy independence.”

Hideya Moridaira, President of Furukawa Electric, owners of leading HTS tape supplier SuperPower Inc, said: “We are pleased to become a shareholder in Tokamak Energy through a strategic investment. Many opportunities are emergent for both of us.”

Murat Oğuz Arcan, Managing Director of Sabanci Climate Ventures, said: “Energy transition and sustainability require solutions that not only address today’s challenges but also meet the needs of the future. Tokamak Energy’s work in fusion energy and TE Magnetics’ leadership in high temperature superconducting technology could become the cornerstone of this transformation. At Sabanci Climate Ventures, we invest in leading startup companies and venture capital funds within the energy transition and climate technology sectors. This investment represents a strategic step towards clean energy’s future and will significantly impact energy technologies in various industries.”

Tokamak Energy is the first private company to reach a fusion-threshold plasma ion temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius in a spherical tokamak, ST40.

The company recently presented the first details of its fusion energy pilot plant being designed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, established for private companies to bring fusion towards technical and commercial viability.

Born from Tokamak Energy’s fusion mission, TE Magnetics is leading the deployment of HTS magnet technology for clean and affordable energy as well as other exciting new industrial applications, including scientific research, medicine, and land, water, air and space propulsion.

The new generation technology enables the efficient operation of fusion energy devices by confining the extremely hot plasma of fuels. Fusion, the power of the stars, will play a vital role in a complete transition to a clean and secure energy future and TE Magnetics aims to become the market-leading designer and supplier of HTS magnets to the fusion industry.

What is fusion energy? 

Fusion is the original source of all energy. When a mix of two forms of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) are heated to form a controlled plasma at high temperatures – hotter than the core of the Sun – they fuse to create helium and release energy which can be harnessed to produce electricity and heat. 

This hot plasma of fuels is confined using strong magnets in a device called a ‘tokamak’. The energy created from fusion can be used to generate electricity and heat in the same way as existing power stations. Fusion is extremely efficient, creating many million times more energy, per kilogram of fuel, than burning coal, oil, or gas with no harmful emissions.

About Tokamak Energy | tokamakenergy.com | temagnetics.com

Tokamak Energy is a leading global commercial fusion energy company. We are a world leader in two transformative technologies: the compact spherical tokamak and High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets. One company, with licensable technology for commercializing clean, secure and affordable fusion energy and enabling new levels of performance in HTS applications that change the world in which we live today.

Our U.S. subsidiary, Tokamak Energy Inc, was established in 2019 and is one of eight companies selected by the Department of Energy for an award as part of its Milestone Program, a key aspect of the bold decadal vision for delivering commercial fusion.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562153/Tokamak_Energy_Logo.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562154/TE_leadership_team.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562152/Tokamak_Demo4.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562151/Tokamak_Energy_ST40.jpg

SOURCE Tokamak Energy

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024 — Plug and Play Sustainability is proud to announce the closing of the Plug and Play Sustainability Fund I. This venture capital fund focuses on investing in revolutionary startups tackling the critical issues of industrial decarbonization, the circular economy, energy transition, and water resilience.

“Plug and Play has a strong history of investing in groundbreaking sustainability startups,” says Matthew Claxton, Partner & Co-Founder of Plug and Play Sustainability Vertical and the Plug and Play Sustainability Fund. “We’ve been early backers of impactful companies like Heirloom, Sylvera, and Circulor. The Plug and Play Sustainability Fund allows us to expand our efforts and empower even more startups tackling hard-to-abate sectors.”

The Plug and Play Sustainability Fund builds upon the success of the Plug and Play Sustainability vertical, launched on October 23, 2019. Now spanning 12 global locations, this program identifies and supports high-impact startups creating sustainable solutions. With the launch of the fund, Plug and Play is doubling down on its commitment to sustainability by providing early-stage startups with the capital they need to scale their impact.

“We are incredibly excited to announce we have raised a dedicated fund specifically designed to invest in companies that offer strong financial returns while also making a significant positive impact on the environment. By doing this, we aim to contribute to a more sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet for generations to come,” says George Damouny, Partner at Plug and Play.

The fund has already invested strategically in promising startups such as Mona Lee, Vaulted Deep, Gigablue, Ucaneo, General Galactic, Queens Carbon, Isometric, and Carbon Run, demonstrating its commitment to fostering innovation across the sustainability landscape. Plug and Play plans to make 20 additional investments over the next two years.

“At Vaulted Deep, we’re thrilled to be part of the Plug and Play Sustainability Fund. It’s a game-changer for innovative startups like ours that are working on critical solutions for the climate crisis,” said Julia Reichelstein, CEO & Co-Founder of Vaulted Deep. “Plug and Play’s impressive track record and global network are exactly what we need to scale our deep geologic carbon storage technology while protecting local land, air, and water. This fund is a powerful force for good, and I’m so excited to collaborate with Plug and Play and the other visionary companies involved.”

The Plug and Play network offers a unique opportunity for both forward-thinking corporations seeking innovative solutions and promising startups seeking funding. With over 550 partners and 90,000 startups in its network, Plug and Play provides a platform for collaboration and growth.

Visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/join/ to learn more about how you can contribute to a more sustainable future.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and manage over $1 billion in AUM across our funds, driving innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, PayPal, Guardant Health, Honey, N26, Rappi, Turing, and more. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.

Media Relations Contact
Allison Romero
[email protected] 

SOURCE Plug and Play

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Less than one year following its launch, Keychain facilitates $500 million in manufacturing projects posted each month and builds its position at the center of the CPG ecosystem

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2024 — Keychain, a manufacturing platform for the packaged goods industry, today announced that it has raised $15 million in new funding. The round was led by BoxGroup, with support from major food companies General Mills and Schreiber, and existing investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, and SV Angel.

One year after announcing $18 million in seed funding, Keychain has already enabled over 20,000 brands and retailers to search for manufacturers using Keychain’s AI-powered platform. This brings Keychain’s total funding to $33 million. Prior to Keychain, the search and discovery process was time-intensive and convoluted, preventing brands, retailers, and manufacturers from reaching their full potential.

“Keychain’s first product, our search and discovery platform, is now working at scale for US-based food and beverage brands, retailers, and manufacturers. This has happened much faster than we expected,” said Oisin Hanrahan, Cofounder and CEO of Keychain. “From here we’re excited to build a deep set of AI-powered workflow tools to help our brand and retail partners bring products to market faster. In addition, you can expect an announcement on new verticals and geographies soon.”

Keychain is digitizing an industry that previously operated completely offline and currently helps facilitate over $500 million in projects each month. The company has also received support from leading CPG brands, like the Hershey Company, Rich Products, and most recently General Mills’ venture capital arm, 301 INC, who are confident in Keychain’s ability to support the evolution of the manufacturing ecosystem.

“General Mills invested in Keychain because our team finds the product complements and accelerates our digital transformation work,” said Paul Gallagher, chief supply chain officer, General Mills. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to increase the efficiency of our supply chain workflows, and it’s rare that our team finds a product that they are universally positive about using. We believe Keychain is going to change how the CPG industry works to advance the contract manufacturing industry.”

“When we first got involved in Keychain, the enormous opportunity to help organize and support domestic manufacturing was obvious,” said David Tisch, Managing Partner at BoxGroup. “What we’ve come to appreciate in the last few months is the incredibly important role Keychain will play in shaping global CPG trade, and the import and export of food, materials, and packaging. From sovereign funds, to commodity exchanges, to certification agencies, they all have a clear, strategic reason to want a relationship with Keychain.”

Looking toward 2025, Keychain will continue building its depth in the United States food and beverage manufacturing ecosystem. Keychain is ultimately building the platform for all CPG manufacturing globally.

Interested brands, retailers, and manufacturers can apply to join at www.keychain.com.

About Keychain
Keychain is a platform for CPG manufacturing that works with brands and retailers to bring clarity and convenience to the process of creating products that consumers love. Currently, with a network of over 20,000 manufacturers and over 20,000 brands and retailers, Keychain’s proprietary, AI-powered platform helps brands quickly find the perfect manufacturing partners. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in Austin and Delhi.

Media Contacts
Devin Walsh
[email protected]

SOURCE Keychain

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Funding led by B Capital, with investments from CommonSpirit Health, CVS Health Ventures, Google Ventures, Optum Ventures, Rock Health Capital, RA Capital Management, and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures to increase access to care for families living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, Parkinson’s, and ALS

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2024 — Synapticure, a leading virtual care company dedicated to improving access and outcomes for patients and caregivers living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the successful close of its $25 million Series A funding round. Led by B Capital, the round included new investors CommonSpirit Health, CVS Health Ventures, RA Capital Management, and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures, as well as existing investors Google Ventures, Optum Ventures, and Rock Health Capital.

Co-founded by patient and caregiver Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, known for their advocacy and leadership in the neurodegenerative disease community documented in the film No Ordinary Campaign, Synapticure was created to address the unmet needs of patients and caregivers living with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and related dementias, Parkinson’s, ALS, Huntington’s Disease, and beyond. Since its launch in 2022, Synapticure has rapidly grown to serve several thousand patients across the United States as the only specialty virtual care platform providing comprehensive care and treatment for cognitive, neuromuscular, and movement disorders.

Synapticure will use this funding to:

• Expand partnerships with leading healthcare providers and payers, building on key collaborations announced earlier this year, including being selected as a CMS GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) provider in all 50 states.
• Invest in its innovative and proprietary technology platform, further deploying AI-enabled analytics and clinical research to accelerate diagnosis and treatment, monitor patients remotely, ensure 24/7 support, and implement solutions that ease the burden on families managing the complex needs of neurodegenerative conditions.
• Fast-track clinical research and expand patient access to emerging treatments and clinical trials. By operating a single, standardized clinical operation across 50 states with an in-home research capacity, the Company can rapidly enroll and support studies for a diverse population of eligible participants anywhere in the U.S., and help qualifying patients access newly approved treatments.
• Scale its national medical group by bringing on additional providers to meet increasing demand while continuing to deliver personalized care, and introduce new offerings enabled by relationships with leading patient advocacy organizations.

“This investment will enable Synapticure to continue to democratize care for people and their families living with neurodegenerative diseases,” said Sandra Abrevaya, caregiver, advocate, co-founder, and CEO of Synapticure. “As a caregiver for the last seven years, I’ve experienced firsthand how overwhelming it can be to carry the weight of someone else’s well-being while navigating the complexities of care and treatment. For too long this struggle has been accepted as just another part of life, but Synapticure refuses to accept that. Synapticure is designed to not only make high-quality care accessible, but to ease the burden on patients and caregivers by providing immediate access to expert neurologists, comprehensive wraparound care, and caregiver support services. With the support of B Capital as well as both new and existing blue-chip investors, I am proud Synapticure works to reach patients in any community across the U.S. living with one of these conditions so they can receive the expert, personalized specialty care they deserve.”

Neurodegenerative diseases affect more than 10 million people across the United States, with demand for accessible, comprehensive care continuing to increase as the population ages. Many patients currently wait more than six months for specialist appointments and live far from care facilities, often leading to delayed diagnosis and missed treatment opportunities. By providing access to appointments within two weeks, Synapticure provides high-quality comprehensive care, including guidance on treatments and clinical trial options. Synapticure partners with accountable care organizations (ACOs), health systems, and health plans to lower costs, improve quality of life, and increase access to care for patients and caregivers across all 50 states.

“We believe in the tremendous potential of Sandra, her team, and the Synapticure platform as they continue to innovate in the virtual care space for neurodegenerative diseases,” said Adam Seabrook, Partner at B Capital. “Synapticure’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality care for neurodegenerative diseases aligns closely with our focus on investing in transformative healthcare companies led by visionary founders. With the investor group’s combined expertise and resources, we believe this collaboration will continue to drive advancements in the treatment and care of patients living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, Parkinson’s, and beyond.”

“CommonSpirit has a strong track record of supporting innovation in health care both inside and outside the walls of our hospitals,” said Anuradhika A., System Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at CommonSpirit Health “We believe we go farther, faster when we work with partners who champion new models of care, and our patients benefit from it”.

About Synapticure

Founded by Sandra Abrevaya, Brian Wallach, Peter Wallach, Jason Langheier, and Jonathan Hirsch, Synapticure is a patient- and caregiver-founded virtual care provider offering instant access to expert neurologists, cutting-edge treatments and trials, wraparound care coordination, and behavioral health support in all 50 states. Partnering with providers and health plans, including CMS’ new GUIDE dementia care model, Synapticure is dedicated to transforming the lives of millions of individuals and their families living with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS. For more information, visit our website.

About B Capital

B Capital is a multi-stage global investment firm that partners with extraordinary entrepreneurs to shape the future through technology. With more than $7 billion in assets under management across multiple funds, the firm focuses on seed to late-stage venture growth investments, primarily in the Technology, Healthcare and Climate sectors. Founded in 2015, B Capital leverages an integrated team across nine locations in the US and Asia, as well as a strategic partnership with BCG, to provide the value-added support entrepreneurs need to scale fast and efficiently, expand into new markets and build exceptional companies. For more information, click here.

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SOURCE Synapticure

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