TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 11, 2024 — eSelf, the platform for businesses to create face-to-face conversational AI agents, announced today the official launch of their solution alongside $4.5 million in Seed funding. The round was led by Explorer Investments, with participation from Ridge Ventures and strategic angel investors, including Eyal Manor, former VP of Engineering at YouTube and Chief Product & Engineering Officer at Twilio. eSelf has already powered millions of real-time conversations, with notable clients including Christie’s, and Brazil’s AGI Bank. The platform enables businesses to deploy highly customizable, human-like AI agents that interact seamlessly with customers through real-time video chats.
eSelf was founded by CEO Dr. Alan Bekker, a pioneer in deep learning in Israel and former Head of Conversational AI at Snap, and CTO Eylon Shoshan, an alumni of the prestigious 8200 intelligence unit with a master’s in natural language processing from Technion. Dr. Bekker’s previous venture Voca, which created human-like voice bots for call centers, was acquired by Snap for $100M. During his tenure at Snap, where he worked with its 400M+ daily active users and served as one of OpenAI’s earliest design partners, Bekker recognized that businesses were seeking more immersive and natural ways to engage with customers at scale.
The co-founders developed eSelf’s platform to enable businesses to create and deploy customized AI agents that can engage in face-to-face video conversations with customers, while seamlessly integrating with existing business systems and processes. Through the company’s self-service studio, businesses can configure their agents’ personality, knowledge base, and capabilities without requiring technical expertise. The platform integrates directly with business tools like Salesforce and Calendly, allowing agents to access real-time information about products and services, and perform actions such as scheduling appointments.
“We’ve developed a unified engine that processes speech, understanding, and visual elements simultaneously, allowing us to achieve response times of under one second which is crucial for natural conversation,” said Dr. Bekker. “Unlike other solutions that simply animate faces for voice responses, our platform is a complete visual comprehension engine. This means our AI agents can actively engage with visuals in real-time — showcasing property tours, educational content, or presentation slides during conversations. By enabling businesses to create sophisticated, customized agents through our self-service studio, we aim to transform how they engage with customers at scale.”
Christie’s is using eSelf’s AI agent for its Portugal real estate brokerage firm as a first point of contact for potential buyers. The AI real estate agent qualifies leads by inquiring about buyers’ requirements and budget, then draws from Christie’s property database in real-time to showcase relevant listings, complete with images and property details. At AGI Bank, one of Brazil’s largest digital banks with over 10 million customers, virtual support agents help users navigate digital banking services, while DL Holdings, a Hong Kong financial services firm, employs multilingual eSelf agents to provide financial advisory services in both English and Mandarin.
“Since implementing eSelf’s AI agents, we’ve seen a significant increase in our ROI,” said João Cília, CEO of Christie’s Porta da Frente. “These AI-powered agents have transformed our customer engagement, providing personalized, real-time interactions 24/7 that were previously impossible. By easing the property discovery process for clients and offering immediate support, we’ve seen stronger client relationships and more streamlined operations. eSelf has truly redefined how we connect with our clients digitally, making our team more efficient and our client satisfaction levels higher than ever.”
“The conversational AI space is evolving rapidly, but very few teams combine deep technical expertise with proven commercial success in this domain,” said Pedro Correia de Barros of Explorer Investments. “Dr. Bekker and the eSelf team have not only developed breakthrough technology for real-time face-to-face AI interactions, but they’ve also made it accessible to enterprises through a no-code platform. Their early traction with global customers like Christie’s demonstrates the strong demand for more human-like digital interactions, and we believe eSelf is perfectly positioned to lead this next wave of customer engagement.”
While eSelf’s core focus is providing enterprise solutions, the company has also observed significant organic consumer interest in face-to-face AI interactions. After implementing a demo on their website, eSelf discovered hundreds of thousands of users engaging in millions of conversations with their AI agents, particularly in the U.S. market. This unexpected consumer demand has provided valuable insights for improving the platform’s conversational capabilities. The company remains focused on developing its enterprise solution and expanding its business customer base, while providing access to individual users.
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Led by Eclipse, the round will further allow the company to bring the benefits of robotics to one of the few remaining untouched areas of medicine and structural heart
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Dec. 11, 2024 — Capstan Medical, a developer of robotic-enabled minimally invasive solutions to address heart valve disease, announced today the successful closing of an oversubscribed $110 million Series C to further advance its mission of bringing its innovative structural heart solution to patients. The round was led by Eclipse, with participation from existing investors Yu Galaxy and Intuitive Ventures, and new investment from Gideon Strategic Partners.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the world, claiming a life every 33 seconds in the U.S. alone. Today, there are more than 7 million people in the U.S. with heart valve disease, a complex condition made up primarily of dysfunctional mitral and tricuspid valves. Current treatment options, typically by open heart surgery, are not viable for most patients and existing catheter-based options have high rates of patient exclusion. Capstan’s minimally invasive solution seeks to overcome limitations of current treatment options by bringing together novel heart valve implants and advanced catheter technology, fully enabled through a robotic platform, to treat a broader set of patients.
“Percutaneous intervention has the opportunity to dramatically increase the treatment options for the millions of people suffering from heart valve disease. At Capstan, we believe that our robotic platform with a full portfolio of implants can uniquely address the urgent needs of this underserved patient population,” said Maggie Nixon, CEO of Capstan Medical. “We have pulled together the right people at the right time to make this happen and are energized by the incredible support of our investors.”
Since its founding in 2020, Capstan Medical has built a world-class team with heart valve, implant delivery, and robotics expertise, growing to over 75 employees across engineering, operations, clinical, and regulatory. With this new funding, the team will continue to execute on its plan for expanded clinical and development work leading to upcoming pivotal trials.
“We’re at an inflection point where robotics will play a consequential role in delivering life-saving solutions to millions of patients across the world,” said Justin Butler, Partner at Eclipse. “Capstan is at the forefront of this wave with their robotic solutions for structural heart disease.”
Founded in 2020, Capstan Medical is creating a new standard for minimally invasive, heart valve intervention. The company is developing a suite of next-generation heart valve implants and a first-of-its-kind catheter-based robotic delivery platform. For more info, visit www.capstanmedical.com.
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The initiative will connect top venture capitalists with promising consumer blockchain projects to fuel growth within the Morph ecosystem
NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2024 — Morph, the global consumer layer for driving blockchain adoption for the mass markets, today announced the launch of the Morph Venture Capital Collective, a network of top-tier venture capital firms that will be operating in collaboration with Morph to support and invest in promising blockchain projects.
This network will provide blockchain projects building in the Morph ecosystem with increased visibility to potential investors through a network of reputable venture capital firms that includes Pantera Capital, Spartan Group, Foresight Ventures, MEXC Ventures, Social Graph Ventures, Rockaway, Levitate Labs, Every Realm, Bloccelerate, MH Ventures, Laser Digital, Paperclip Partners, Public Works, and Borderless Capital. Projects will be given the opportunity to secure funding and strategic partnerships, receiving guidance and mentorship from experienced venture capitalists.
“The Morph VC Collective ensures that consumer blockchain projects are provided with a comprehensive support system that encourages sustainable growth from development to market access,” said Cecilia Hsueh, CEO and Co-Founder of Morph. “By bridging blockchain innovators with top-tier VCs, we’re facilitating the growth of cutting-edge technologies within the Morph ecosystem and pushing blockchain adoption closer to the mainstream.”
The Morph Venture Capital Collective will operate in tandem with the Centralized Exchange Coalition and additional Builder Programs for comprehensive support through all stages of growth, offering a collaborative approach to identifying and nurturing promising projects through early exposure to innovative ideas. The diverse network of venture capital firms will have access to a curated pipeline of high-potential blockchain projects that are vetted, approved and ranked based upon technical feasibility, to team composition, project potential, total addressable market, novelty, execution plan, development stage, scalability, and more.
Azeem Khan, COO and Co-Founder of Morph, said, “Raising venture capital is hard. It’s even harder when you decentralize the geographies of where the builders come from, which is what we did when Web3 took off. In the past, my work helped distribute tens of millions of dollars to thousands of projects in the Ethereum ecosystem. I’ve spoken with builders who raised $200 in grants and founders with multi-billion dollar token market caps. Each of them said they wished ecosystems gave real support past grants. Morph’s Venture Capital Collective is a response to that call. We’re here for you each step of the way.”
Consumer blockchain projects can apply for the program by visiting www.morphl2.io for more information on eligibility criteria and the application process.
About Morph Morph is a fully permissionless EVM L2 that uses a combination of optimistic and zero knowledge rollup technology to enable limitless possibilities in entertainment, social, lifestyle and loyalty. Morph is the first Layer 2 on Ethereum to launch with a decentralized sequencer, aligning it with several core principles of web3—decentralization, censorship resistance, and security. The blockchain was built with mainstream audiences like gamers and social media users in mind, making it a user-friendly option for developers who require a chain to build these types of apps. Bitget, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, is an original investor in Morph that will continue to play a role amongst the other investors in shaping the Morph ecosystem.
Morph’s founders bring unique backgrounds and perspectives to the company. Cecilia Hsueh, Morph’s Co-Founder and CEO, previously founded Phemex, a top global crypto derivatives exchange. Azeem Khan, Co-Founder and COO, was formerly Head of Impact at Gitcoin, where he helped lead one of the most notable grant programs in the space. Together they launched Morph to empower people who have historically been excluded by the traditional financial system.
Calling all of the best female founders, CEOs and tech minds in Alabama
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11, 2024 — Halogen Ventures, Jesse Draper’s venture capital fund focused on early stage startups with a woman on the founding team, is announcing today a ten million dollar investment to build the pipeline of female founders in Alabama. Halogen is the first out-of- state venture capital firm to receive funding from Innovate Alabama, a statewide public-private partnership dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation in Alabama. The investment is through InvestAL, Innovate Alabama’s venture capital program made possible by the State Small Business Credit Initiative, and will catalyze Halogen’s growing impact on the Alabama startup ecosystem, specifically supporting female founders tackling global problems.
Halogen Ventures Founder Jesse Draper and Partner Ashely Balla are calling all the best female founders, CEO’s and tech minds in Alabama. #halogenvc #femalefounders #venturecapital #investinwomen #alabama #jessedraper #invest #entrepreneur #makechange
Halogen Ventures is led by renowned investor and entrepreneur Jesse Draper, recognized around the world for championing the business case for investing in women. Halogen has invested in more than 75 startups that have collectively achieved a market value exceeding $15 billion. The fund’s portfolio features five unicorns with a widely impactful footprint in Alabama as well as on a national scale including Everlywell (valuation $3.5B), Babylist ($1B GMV), Flex ($24.8B market), HopSkipDrive’s (over 1M safe trips to and from schools), Upwards leadership in childcare solutions ($520B market), Metropolis (AI powered mobility provider) among other leading consumer technology and B2B solutions.
“Innovate Alabama is proud to partner with Halogen Ventures to help drive capital access and strategic support to female founders in Alabama,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama. “This investment not only aligns with our mission of fostering innovation but also ensures that Alabamians are at the forefront of solving tomorrow’s challenges. We are excited about the impact this investment will have on our entrepreneurial community and beyond.”
Alabama ranks last in the nation for female founders. Through this investment, Innovate Alabama seeks to change that, creating direct pathways for local startups to engage with Halogen Ventures’ network and providing access to mentorship, resources, and capital. By bridging Alabama’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with the broader national market, the partnership aims to spark transformative growth and innovation within the state.
“We are thrilled to partner with the state of Alabama through Innovate Alabama and invest more capital into incredible female founders,” said Jesse Draper, Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures. “Alabama has all the ingredients to be a leader in technology from great universities to the presence of over 50 Fortune500 companies. Through this collaboration, not only do we plan to catalyze the growth of the Alabama tech ecosystem, create more jobs and startup more future female billionaires, but we see a massive opportunity in healthcare, manufacturing, agtech and other verticals that we look forward to capitalizing on. This is a real opportunity that more investors need to jump on!’
Within Halogen’s portfolio are companies currently creating an impact in Alabama such as Binti, who is streamlining adoption, Goodr, a sustainable surplus food management platform leveraging technology to reduce food waste and combat hunger, and Upwards, the largest at-home childcare provider in the U.S., servicing more than 179 Alabama cities. Halogen’s portfolio company Metropolis, a parking technology company that raised $1.9 Billion in 2024 and was noted as one of the top 10 deals of the year according to Crunchbase, is also already servicing multiple locations across Alabama.
Innovate Alabama’s investment is part of its larger vision to position Alabama as a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. The organization has a track record of supporting startups and fostering public-private collaboration that drives economic resilience and growth. The partnership with Halogen Ventures is expected to fund more women in Alabama to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities in the tech sector and connect with a supportive community of like-minded innovators.
For more information about Innovate Alabama and its initiatives, please visit innovatealabama.org.
For more information about Halogen Ventures, please visit: halogenvc.com.
About Halogen Ventures
Halogen Ventures is an early stage venture capital fund focused on consumer technology companies with a female in the founding team. The Halogen team brings deep expertise and experience in understanding consumer and B2B trends and behavior and identifying entrepreneurs who will innovate and solve problems at scale. General Partner Jesse Draper is a 4th generation venture capitalist, and advocate for investing in women, one of Marie Claire’s ‘Most networked women in America’. Halogen has invested in over 75 early stage deals including Everlywell, Babylist, HopskipDrive, Metropolis, Flex, ThisisL. (acquired by P&G), Squadapp (Acquired by Twitter) and Eloquii (acquired by Walmart). For more information, please visit https://halogenvc.com/.
About Innovate Alabama
Innovate Alabama is Alabama’s first statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation with a mission to help innovators grow roots here in Alabama. Innovate Alabama was established to implement the initiatives and recommendations set forth in the Alabama Innovation Commission’s report, including smart policy solutions that will create a more resilient, inclusive and robust economy to remain competitive in a 21st-century world. With founding CEO Cynthia Crutchfield leading the charge, Innovate Alabama is also made up of a board of 11 innovation leaders appointed by Gov. Ivey, collaborating across sectors to advance industries, drive technology and facilitate an environment where innovation and entrepreneurship thrive. Learn more about Innovate Alabama at www.innovatealabama.org.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Oncology Research Program’s grant will advance scientific knowledge of hematologic toxicity of PARPi in the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Dec. 11, 2024 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Oncology Research Program (ORP) today announced funding of a project that will underpin innovative research on optimal management of side effects secondary to treatment with poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). The award is supported by Pfizer Global Medical Grants and Partnerships.
PARPi treatment is associated with hematologic toxicity, often leading to dose modification, treatment interruption, discontinuation, or the need for enhanced supportive care interventions. Anemia is the most common side effect associated with PARPi in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), with about a quarter of patients reporting serious anemia shortly after PARPi initiation. The use of PARPi is expected to rise in the coming years, and their combination with other agents is already being examined in earlier disease settings.
In the mCRPC population, there can be additional challenges due to advanced age, reduced bone strength, other co-existing medical conditions, as well as significant prior treatments that add to the risk of toxicities.
“The aim of this research is to advance our understanding and ability to reduce adverse effects from PARPi alone or in combination with other treatments for patients with prostate cancer,” explained Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “Congratulations to this remarkable investigator. This work will enhance our understanding of how to better care for individuals with prostate cancer.”
The selected project will be led by:
David Link, MD, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
Impact of Germline BRCA1/2 Mutations on PARPi-induced Anemia
“We are really pleased to support this important research and to collaborate with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Working with organizations like NCCN gives us the opportunity to accelerate and improve health outcomes for prostate cancer patients. We’re working every day to reduce healthcare disparities by leading and contributing to a variety of initiatives, programs, partnerships, and investments including our support of this initiative,” said Maureen Doyle-Scharff, PhD, FACEhp, Head of Global Medical Grants and Partnerships, Pfizer.
Proposals were peer reviewed by a Scientific Review Committee, which consisted of leading expert oncologists from NCCN Member Institutions. The selected project is set to be completed within two years.
The NCCN ORP fosters innovation and knowledge discovery that improve the lives of people with cancer and supports preclinical, translational, and clinical research and quality improvement projects in oncology at NCCN Member Institutions. In an effort to improve collaboration in cancer research, the NCCN ORP also maintains a shared resources website, an informed consent database, and points to consider on the best practices for biorepositories, registries, and databases. For more information, visit NCCN.org/orp.
About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is dedicated to defining and advancing quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care so all people can live better lives. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) provide transparent, evidence-based, expert consensus-driven recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services; they are the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management and the most thorough and frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients® provide expert cancer treatment information to inform and empower patients and caregivers, through support from the NCCN Foundation®. NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and research collaboration and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information.
Newly raised funding led by Silas Capital, alongside Experienced Capital and Existing
Investors, to propel global expansion and elevate its luxury maison vision
NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2024 — VIOLETTE_FR, the award-winning multi-category clean beauty brand renowned for its artistically imbued, high-performance cosmetics, proudly announces the completion of a Series B funding round, led by Silas Capital—a New York-based emerging growth equity firm focused on exceptional next-generation consumer brands—alongside Experienced Capital, a Paris-based operational growth equity fund dedicated to aspirational consumer brands. The round also saw participation from existing investors Monogram Capital Partners and Felix Capital. This new capital infusion will drive VIOLETTE_FR’s next phase of growth, focusing on global expansion, product innovation, and digital enhancement.
Violette Serrat, the company’s founder, expressed her excitement and optimism following the Series B investment. “I’ve always approached my business with a long-term vision, akin to building a luxury maison rather than a high-growth startup. Because of this, I have carefully orchestrated my dream line of products while staying customer-centric and true to my instincts. I view VIOLETTE_FR as a lifestyle brand—one that seamlessly integrates beauty into a broader, curated lifestyle. We are thrilled to have a team of investors who continue to support us, allowing VIOLETTE_FR to thrive while maintaining the integrity of the brand and its unique position in the beauty landscape.”
VIOLETTE_FR launched in 2021, debuting the New York-based, French-born makeup artist’s now 14-piece beauty collection, which includes makeup, skincare, and haircare, with the goal of democratizing “French-girl” beauty. After advising top brands like Dior and Estée Lauder, Serrat ventured into a broad product line—an ambitious move in a market that had been focusing on single-category, minimalist offerings, especially in skincare due to the pandemic. The collection features hero formulas offered at accessible price points, such as the $43 “Boum-Boum Milk” skincare spray and the $29 “Bisou Balm” sheer matte lipstick. VIOLETTE_FR’s success in both skincare and makeup is remarkable for a makeup artist founded brand. This achievement reflects the company’s dedication to perfecting its formulations, supported by an extensive R&D process that often spans 3 to 5 years for new product launches. Such a commitment highlights the brand’s emphasis on long-term expansion rather than hyper-growth. The outcome is unparalleled shade precision, innovative engineering, and highly effective formulas. Brian Thorne, Partner at Silas Capital and lead investor, expressed his enthusiasm for the Series B round, stating, “VIOLETTE_FR stands out in the beauty landscape for its aspirational French brand appeal, driven by Violette’s authenticity and credibility, which resonate deeply with consumers. Her innovative approach shines through in the brand’s ability to extend across categories—skin, color, hair, and fragrance—as well as in standout products like Boum-Boum Milk, Bisou Balm, and Yeux Paint Dieu Bleu. We’re excited to partner with Violette to further accelerate both e-commerce momentum and wholesale expansion.” Alban Gérard, Partner at Experienced Capital, added: “As a French investor, we are very proud to be joining Silas Capital and existing investors in backing such an aspirational French beauty brand as Violette_FR. Thanks to its unique and innovative positioning, and Violette’s impressive creative vision, we are fully convinced of the brand’s potential to become the next leading French beauty Maison.” Emphasizing natural beauty as opposed to masking flaws, VIOLETTE_FR embodies the ethos of “complete, not compete” in today’s saturated market. This approach reflects an authentic French aesthetic, made accessible to global consumers. The company’s commitment to vegan (Leaping Bunny Certified), cruelty-free, and eco-conscious products enhances its unique position, bridging the gap between a luxury maison and a modern direct-to-consumer brand.
This strategic positioning, along with Serrat’s growing cult following (now over 1M+ on social media), initially attracted investors, including a seed round led by Female Founders Fund (FFF), Felix Capital, and Greycroft Ventures, followed by a Series A in 2021 led by Monogram Capital Partners. These investments supported the brand’s initial DTC push and expansion into multiple retail locations across France, Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA, including Le Bon Marché, Oh My Cream!, Mecca, and Moda Operandi. While DTC remains VIOLETTE_FR’s primary distribution channel, the brand plans a major retail partner announcement in 2025, set to significantly increase its retail footprint. Serrat, who embraces a self-proclaimed indifference to data, has consistently relied on her intuition. Her keen instincts have fueled extraordinary growth, highlighted by impressive year-over-year revenue increases. This success has strengthened the brand’s market presence, driven by exceptional community loyalty, as evidenced by strong DTC metrics. The brand’s hero product, Boum-Boum Milk—a multipurpose cream spray that restores skin to its natural health using ingredients cherished in France—plays a key role in driving both customer acquisition and retention. To date, enough of the 6-inch-long formula has been sold to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower more than 26 times. The brand’s other hero product, Bisou Balm, has become a cult favorite, epitomizing the classic French lip. Celebrated for its blurring effect and sensorial skin-like texture, it sells once a minute and attracts over 88% of new customers. The company has also found success by launching previously underrepresented pigments, such as its longwear liquid eyeshadow and liner, Yeux Paint, in the bold hue Dieu Bleu. This shade, a best-seller among its 17 couture eye colors, is often overlooked by large-scale beauty companies due to past poor sales. However, Violette has perfected the pigment and reframed its appeal, driving its success. These achievements have positioned VIOLETTE_FR favorably in the market, allowing the brand to select retail partners that align with its unique aesthetic and values. This discerning approach to retailer partnerships ensures that its products are showcased in environments that reflect its sophisticated and artistic ethos.
The Series B funding will support VIOLETTE_FR’s strategic goals, including accelerating product innovation, building the necessary infrastructure and stock levels for expansion in the US and international markets, and enhancing its e-commerce and digital platforms. This investment will also further the brand’s commitment to sustainability through new initiatives focused on eco-friendly packaging and ethical ingredient sourcing. With this funding round, the company adopts a pragmatic approach by raising only what is needed to achieve its expansion objectives, ensuring that every dollar is strategically allocated. This disciplined strategy enables VIOLETTE_FR to operate efficiently while minimizing waste. By prioritizing sustainable growth and maintaining a clear path to profitability, the brand is dedicated to establishing a solid foundation for long-term success.
Leadership Expansion & Investment Insights
The funding announcement coincides with a significant strengthening of VIOLETTE_FR’s leadership team. Heidi Merris, President appointed in April 2023, brings extensive experience (Pat McGrath Labs, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Estée Lauder Companies) in scaling founder-led beauty brands and optimizing operational efficiency. Tracy Holding, SVP of Global Marketing, brings 15+ years of digital, ad, and marketing expertise (Pat McGrath Labs, GLAMSQUAD). Executive Creative Director Carlos Jadraque brings 20+ years in the fashion and beauty industry (Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Condé Nast), while Amandine Isnard, SVP of Product Innovation & Supply Chain, (formerly Augustinus Bader, Space NK, Chantecaille) ensures the team remains at the forefront of clean beauty with a focus on conscious formulation and packaging efforts. Jennifer Osman, SVP of Finance & Operations, joined in November 2023, spearheading the brand’s financial strategy and operational initiatives to drive sustainable growth and enhance overall efficiency. Chloé Loisillier, General Manager, Europe, brings expertise in business development (formerly with Oh My Cream!) and is well poised to strengthen VIOLETTE_FR’s presence across the EU.
About VIOLETTE_FR
VIOLETTE_FR is a multi-category beauty brand founded in 2021 by the industry-beloved French makeup artist, Violette Serrat. At its heart, the brand celebrates one’s authentic self, encouraging individuals to thrive through creative expression. VIOLETTE_FR aims to redefine our relationship with beauty, eschewing the toxic pursuit of perfection for the French philosophy that beauty should not conceal but rather enhance confidence in our unique traits. Violette’s approach balances the bold with the ‘au naturel,’ bridging the gap between the minimalist and the beauty-obsessed. Empowering everyone with innovative, easy-to-use formulas—VIOLETTE_FR’s coveted tools were designed to express moods, nurture imagination, and rediscover self-love.
About Silas Capital
Since 2012, Silas Capital has been an active emerging growth equity and venture capital investor that partners with consumer brands, in order to help these companies achieve significant revenue growth and profitability, improve operational efficiency, and increase brand recognition and value. The complementary backgrounds of the firm’s partners comprise executive leadership roles across growth equity and venture capital firms, as well as operating companies, which allows the group to deliver on a unique value-add proposition to the management teams, founders and companies with whom Silas partners. The firm not only invests capital to help these companies grow, but also brings significant resources and capabilities to actively assist in the growth of revenue through its expertise in e-commerce and digital expansion, alongside its knowledge of traditional wholesale and retail channels. Previous and current investments for Silas include Bare Snacks, Bellroy, Boll & Branch, Cake, Chief, Herbivore, ILIA Beauty, Makeup By Mario, RŌZ, Sakara Life, Vacation, Violette_FR and Wonderbelly to name a few. Learn more at www.silascapital.com
About Experienced Capital
Experienced Capital (“ECP”) is a French, Paris-based growth equity fund dedicated to aspirational brands. ECP supports a dozen high-potential brands across a wide range of sectors, including beauty and well-being, experiential leisure, home furnishings, sports, fashion and accessories, and F&B, helping them accelerate their growth. ECP holds notable investments in Oh My Cream!, L:a Bruket, Reform, and The French Bastards.
Funding will fuel global expansion of the company’s unrivaled ability to identify pre-weaponized attacker infrastructure through its Indicators of Future Attacks (IOFA) data
RESTON, Va., Dec. 11, 2024 — Silent Push, the leading preemptive cybersecurity intelligence company, announced today its $10 million Series A financing round co-led by Ten Eleven Ventures and Stepstone Group LP. This combined with its early seed round brings its total funding to $22 million. The latest round of funding will accelerate Silent Push’s global expansion in EMEA and APJ regions and strengthen its go-to-market efforts to meet growing demand.
Silent Push has also recently been deemed awardable on the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, where the company was recognized among a competitive field of applicants whose solutions demonstrated innovation, scalability, and potential impact on DoD missions. Government customers interested in viewing the video solution can create a Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace account at tradewindAI.com.”We’ve met a big milestone with our acceptance into the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace to streamline the procurement process. This provides faster access to our platform and services to enable the DoD to better track threats and it removes barriers for innovative startups like Silent Push,” said Ken Bagnall, CEO of Silent Push.
Silent Push provides a complete view of emerging threat infrastructure in real-time, exposing cyber-attackers and revealing malicious intent all within a single platform and enabling customers to avoid financial and brand reputational loss. This early warning system approach delivers preemptive cyber defense (PCD) through actionable threat intelligence from its Indicators of Future Attacks (IOFA) data at a speed unrivaled in the industry.
As cybercrimes rise and the attack surface grows, Silent Push is leading the global threat detection transformation, trusted by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and over 3,000 users. Some of the world’s largest companies are regular users including 50% of the Fortune 30.
“Silent Push continues to build on its one-of-a-kind approach to threat intelligence, continuously mapping out Internet-facing infrastructure to identify attackers setting up campaigns before they launch attacks,” noted Dave Palmer, General Partner of Ten Eleven Ventures. “The company continues to grow rapidly, both elevating the product and attracting many new customers who have been thrilled with the impact of this type of preemptive intelligence on their security programs. We are excited to continue to support the team’s success and look forward to the next chapter ahead.”
Established cybersecurity veterans and Silent Push co-founders, Ken Bagnall (CEO) and John Jensen (CTO) are on a mission to change how intelligence is delivered and better inform organizations about global adversaries. They have worked together for over 15 years, most recently at FireEye, Inc., which acquired their previous company, The Email Laundry—software that protected email from malware, phishing, spam, and other advanced threats for over 10,000 organizations worldwide.
About Silent Push Silent Push is a preemptive cybersecurity intelligence company. It is the first and only solution to provide a complete view of emerging threat infrastructure in real-time, exposing attacks and intent through its unrivaled Indicators of Future Attacks (IOFA) data to effectively block at the perimeter. Silent Push is a standalone platform that is also available via API and integrates with any number of security tools, including SIEM & XDR, SOAR, TIP, and OSINT, providing automated and actionable intelligence. Customers include some of the world’s largest enterprises and government agencies. A free community edition is available. For more information, visitwww.silentpush.com or follow onLinkedIn andX.
For more information or media requests, contact: Marne Brase, VP of Marketing, [email protected]
About the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace The Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace is a digital repository of post-competition, readily awardable pitch videos that address the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most significant challenges in the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), data, and analytics space. All awardable solutions have been assessed through complex scoring rubrics and competitive procedures and are available to Government customers with a Marketplace account. Government customers can create an account at www.tradewindai.com. Tradewinds is housed in the DoD’s Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office.
Terlos Investments LP (“Terlos”) has launched with a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) and Javier Ferran as exclusive limited partners
Terlos will invest in mid and large-sized consumer brands with a particular focus on family- and founder-owned businesses in advantaged and resilient categories
LONDON, Dec. 11, 2024 — Javier Ferran, currently Chairman of Diageo and International Airlines Group (IAG), today announces the launch of Terlos, a new investment platform dedicated to supporting European family and founder-owned consumer brands through investment and operational expertise. Terlos has secured a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) and Javier Ferran as exclusive limited partners and will invest with a flexible time horizon and governance requirements, and in various scales and structures, in order to adapt to the requirements of both businesses and their other shareholders.
Terlos will leverage Javier Ferran’s four decades of success as an operator and investor in the European consumer landscape to support businesses seeking to scale and enhance their competitive edge in a dynamic marketplace.
Terlos brings together an experienced team with proven operational and investment expertise, a strong consumer industry network, and an established track record of partnering with founders, investors, and management teams.
“Terlos is well positioned to unlock long-term value across family- and founder-owned consumer businesses in Europe. Our operating experience and hands-on approach offer shareholders and management teams the support they need to drive brand differentiation and scale their operations to grow.” – Javier Ferran.
Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, Executive Director of the Private Equities Department at ADIA, said: “The Terlos team has extensive experience working with consumer brands to develop and execute on their strategies. Terlos is ideally placed to identify, invest and support family and founder owned companies as they embark on their next phase of growth.”
About Terlos Terlos is a private investment firm advised by Javier Ferran with a focus on European consumer brands. Terlos partners with families, founders and management teams to foster growth through strategic insights and operational expertise.
Koantek to continue to help businesses advance their data journey as the GenAI race continues
MESA, Ariz., Dec. 11, 2024 — Koantek, a leading Databricks technology partner and trusted advisor, announced today that it has secured funding from Databricks Ventures to accelerate its mission of empowering customers on their data + AI journeys. This investment reflects Databricks’ confidence in Koantek’s value-driven approach, technical depth, and proven ability to deliver transformative solutions.
Koantek specializes in helping organizations unlock the potential of data and AI through strategic consulting, custom frameworks, and repeatable IP, all built on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. With this funding, Koantek will enhance its focus on generative AI (GenAI) solutions, expand its team of data + AI experts, and increase deployment velocity for a growing base of global customers.
According to the Databricks State of Data + AI Report, the adoption of AI is accelerating rapidly, with an 11x increase in production AI models over the past year. As 70% of companies leverage tools like GenAI and vector databases to augment AI applications, organizations need trusted partners to deliver scalable and reliable data transformation solutions. Koantek is at the forefront of this movement, driving fast time-to-value for its customers and enabling impactful, responsible innovation.
“We’ve seen Koantek deliver outstanding results across diverse industries,” said Kori O’Brien, SVP, Global Partners at Databricks. “Their depth of expertise and customer-centric approach consistently unlocks measurable business value. With Databricks Ventures’ investment, we’re confident Koantek will empower even more organizations to harness the power of data intelligence and drive AI innovation at scale.”
Koantek’s portfolio includes accelerators like Lakehouse in a Month, Unity Catalog Deployment, and Data Warehouse Migration, alongside GenAI solutions and Brickbuilder frameworks. Known for its reliability and expertise, Koantek consistently delivers rapid time-to-value and strategic insights that position customers for long-term success.
“This investment from Databricks Ventures is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our team,” said Sohini Avirneni, CEO of Koantek. “It validates the trust our customers place in us and fuels our ability to deepen our expertise in GenAI, expand our team, and deliver transformative solutions faster. Together with Databricks, we are helping organizations unlock new levels of efficiency, innovation, and business impact.”
Koantek’s achievements include being named the 2024 Databricks Innovation Partner of the Year, following consecutive honors as 2023 Velocity Partner of the Year and 2022 Rising Star of the Year. Since its founding in 2021, Koantek has experienced exponential growth, doubling its customer base in the last year and partnering with leading organizations in Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Comms/Media/Entertainment, Emerging Technology, and Digital Native industries.
With Databricks Ventures’ investment, Koantek is poised to further democratize AI capabilities, accelerating customer adoption of technologies like GenAI and ensuring responsible, efficient innovation across its growing client base.
“As we look ahead, the opportunities in AI are limitless,” added Avirneni. “We are excited to continue pushing boundaries within the Databricks ecosystem, delivering next-level solutions that drive tangible results for our customers.”
To learn more about partnering with Koantek, visit www.koantek.com.
About Koantek
Koantek is the leading Databricks technology partner, integrator, and trusted advisor, focused on driving business transformation through Data and AI using the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. With unparalleled Databricks expertise, proprietary frameworks, and proven methodologies, Koantek fuels innovation, maximizes business impact, and empowers organizations to fully unlock the potential of their data and AI.
Koantek is a global company that offers specialists in Architecture and Engineering, ML Ops, Dev Ops, Data Engineering, Data Science and Gen AI. The company has been recognized by Databricks as the 2024 Databricks Innovation Partner of the Year, the 2023 Databricks Velocity Partner of the Year, and the 2022 Databricks Rising Star of the Year. It serves a diverse range of industries including Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing and Logistics, Comms/Media/Entertainment (CME), and across emerging technology and digital native businesses. Koantek is known for accelerating growth and driving competitive advantage with its Databricks Brickbuilder Solutions and Accelerators.
Databricks Ventures is the strategic investment arm of Databricks, the Data and AI company. Databricks Ventures invests in innovative companies that align with its view of the future for data, analytics and AI. Databricks’ focus is on investing in early- and growth-stage companies that are empowering AI in innovative ways on top of or alongside the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform.
SOURCE Koantek LLC
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