– VentureMed Group cierra una ronda de financiación Serie C de 28 millones de dólares para acelerar la adopción comercial y ampliar las indicaciones del sistema FLEX VPTM

MINNEAPOLIS, 30 de octubre de 2025 — VentureMed Group, Inc., una empresa líder en dispositivos médicos especializada en tecnologías de preparación de vasos y gestión de acceso para el tratamiento de la enfermedad arterial periférica (EAP) y las fístulas y injertos arteriovenosos (FAV, IAV), anunció hoy el cierre de una ronda de financiación Serie C de 28 millones de dólares liderada por S3 Ventures, y en la que participaron inversores existentes como Endeavour Vision.

“Al iniciar nuestra siguiente fase, agradecemos el continuo apoyo de nuestros inversores actuales y nos complace dar la bienvenida a nuevos socios al consorcio”, declaró Denis Harrington, presidente y consejero delegado de VentureMed. “Esta importante financiación subraya la confianza de los inversores en el sistema FLEX Vessel Prep™ y en nuestra misión de fortalecer la posición de VentureMed en la atención vascular global”.

Además de ampliar la infraestructura comercial, la financiación también impulsará el programa clínico de VentureMed y apoyará el desarrollo de nuevos productos, incluidas nuevas aplicaciones en entornos vasculares adyacentes.

“VentureMed está abordando uno de los desafíos más persistentes en el acceso vascular con una tecnología elegante y transformadora”, afirmó Brian R. Smith, director general de S3 Ventures. “Nuestra alianza refleja una misión compartida: brindar tratamientos innovadores a quienes más los necesitan”.

Las enfermedades vasculares representan una carga creciente a nivel mundial, impulsada por el aumento de la obesidad, la diabetes y la hipertensión. La enfermedad arterial periférica (EAP) afecta a más de 20 millones de personas en EE. UU. y a más de 200 millones en todo el mundo¹, mientras que la estenosis y la disfunción vascular siguen siendo causas importantes de fallo del acceso vascular en pacientes de diálisis. FLEX se desarrolló para mejorar la distensibilidad vascular, minimizar el traumatismo y favorecer mejores resultados a largo plazo. “La preparación de la lesión se está convirtiendo rápidamente en uno de los procedimientos más importantes para mejorar los resultados de los pacientes. El sistema FLEX VP es pionero en las intervenciones de acceso arteriovenoso”, afirmó el doctor Ari Kramer, cirujano general del Spartanburg Medical Center. “Esta recaudación de fondos es un hito importante a medida que la empresa avanza en la obtención de evidencia clínica adicional y la ampliación de las indicaciones”.

FLEX, que ya cuenta con la autorización 510(k) de la FDA, la marca CE y el respaldo en EE. UU. de un código HCPCS de CMS específico (C1600) con pago transitorio, está posicionado para redefinir la preparación de vasos y potencialmente ampliar las opciones de tratamiento en todo el mundo.

“El ciclo de estrechamiento recurrente y procedimientos repetidos en la enfermedad vascular supone una carga significativa para los pacientes y los sistemas de salud”, afirmó Alexander Schmitz, socio de Endeavour Vision. “Una tecnología que reduce la necesidad de reintervenciones no solo mejora los resultados, sino que también se alinea con la transición hacia una atención basada en el valor. Nos entusiasma seguir apoyando a VentureMed en su expansión del acceso a esta importante terapia”.

Acerca de VentureMed Group & FLEX Vessel Prep™ System

VentureMed Group, Inc. es una empresa pionera de dispositivos médicos con sede en Minnesota, dedicada al desarrollo de soluciones endovasculares para el acceso arteriovenoso (AV) y el tratamiento de la enfermedad arterial periférica (EAP). Su tecnología insignia, el sistema FLEX Vessel Prep™, cuenta con la aprobación 510(k) de la FDA y la marca CE, y está diseñado para optimizar la preparación vascular mediante su tecnología patentada de Creación de Microincisiones Endovasculares Cinéticas (KEMIC). A diferencia de los métodos tradicionales con balón que aplican presión estática, KEMIC utiliza movimiento controlado y aposición dinámica del vaso para crear microincisiones largas y precisas. Este mecanismo único facilita la ganancia luminal, puede mejorar la absorción de fármacos en terapia combinada y puede reducir el traumatismo vascular, disminuyendo así el riesgo de reestenosis. Para obtener más información, visite www.VentureMedgroup.com. 

Referencias: 1. Allison M.A. et al.Circulation. 2023;148:286–296.

Contacto de medios: Tom Michals
[email protected]
+1(763) 951-0280

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/658751/VentureMed_Group_Logo.jpg

MINNEAPOLIS, 30. Oktober 2025 — Die VentureMed Group, Inc., ein führendes Medizintechnikunternehmen, das sich auf Technologien zur Gefäßvorbereitung und zum Zugangsmanagement für die Behandlung peripherer arterieller Verschlusskrankheiten (PAD) und arteriovenöser Fisteln und Transplantate (AVF, AVG) spezialisiert hat, gab heute den Abschluss einer Finanzierungsrunde der Serie C in Höhe von 28 Millionen US-Dollar bekannt, die von S3 Ventures angeführt wurde und an der sich bestehende Investoren wie Endeavour Vision beteiligten.

“Wir sind dankbar für die anhaltende Unterstützung unserer bestehenden Investoren und freuen uns, neue Partner im Konsortium begrüßen zu dürfen”, sagte Denis Harrington, Präsident und CEO von VentureMed. “Diese bedeutende Finanzierung unterstreicht das Vertrauen der Investoren in das FLEX Vessel Prep™ System und unsere Mission, die Position von VentureMed in der globalen Gefäßversorgung zu stärken.”

Neben dem Ausbau der kommerziellen Infrastruktur wird die Finanzierung auch das klinische Programm von VentureMed vorantreiben und die Entwicklung neuer Produkte unterstützen, einschließlich neuer Anwendungen in angrenzenden vaskulären Bereichen.

“VentureMed geht eine der größten Herausforderungen im Bereich des vaskulären Zugangs mit einer Technologie an, die sowohl elegant als auch transformativ ist”, sagte Brian R. Smith, Managing Director bei S3 Ventures. “Unsere Partnerschaft spiegelt unsere gemeinsame Mission wider, bahnbrechende Therapien für diejenigen bereitzustellen, die sie am dringendsten benötigen.

Gefäßkrankheiten stellen weltweit eine wachsende Belastung dar, die durch die Zunahme von Fettleibigkeit, Diabetes und Bluthochdruck bedingt ist. Die pAVK betrifft mehr als 20 Millionen Menschen in den USA und über 200 Millionen weltweit¹, während Stenose und Gefäßdysfunktion nach wie vor die Hauptursachen für das Versagen des Zugangs bei Dialysepatienten sind. FLEX wurde entwickelt, um die Compliance der Gefäße zu verbessern, Traumata zu minimieren und bessere Langzeitergebnisse zu erzielen. “Die Läsionsvorbereitung entwickelt sich rasch zu einem der wichtigsten Verfahren zur Verbesserung der Patientenergebnisse. Das FLEX VP System ist führend bei AV-Access-Eingriffen”, so Dr. Ari Kramer, General Surgeon, Spartanburg Medical Center. “Diese Kapitalbeschaffung ist ein wichtiger Meilenstein, da das Unternehmen weitere klinische Nachweise und erweiterte Indikationen anstrebt.

FLEX ist bereits von der FDA 510(k) zugelassen, mit dem CE-Zeichen versehen und wird in den USA durch einen speziellen CMS HCPCS-Code (C1600) mit Übergangszahlung unterstützt. Damit ist FLEX in der Lage, die Gefäßvorbereitung neu zu definieren und die Behandlungsmöglichkeiten weltweit zu erweitern.

“Der Kreislauf von erneuten Verengungen und wiederholten Eingriffen bei Gefäßerkrankungen stellt eine erhebliche Belastung für Patienten und Gesundheitssysteme dar”, sagte Alexander Schmitz, Partner bei Endeavour Vision. “Eine Technologie, die den Bedarf an erneuten Eingriffen reduziert, verbessert nicht nur die Ergebnisse, sondern steht auch im Einklang mit der Umstellung auf eine wertorientierte Versorgung. Wir freuen uns, VentureMed bei der Ausweitung des Zugangs zu dieser wichtigen Therapie weiterhin zu unterstützen.”

Über die VentureMed-Gruppe und das FLEX Vessel Prep™ System
Die VentureMed-Gruppe, Inc. ist ein bahnbrechendes, in Privatbesitz befindliches Medizintechnikunternehmen mit Sitz in Minnesota, das sich der Entwicklung endovaskulärer Lösungen für arteriovenöse (AV) Zugänge und Eingriffe bei peripheren Arterienerkrankungen (PAD) widmet. Das Flaggschiff des Unternehmens, das FLEX Vessel Prep™ System, ist ein von der FDA 510(k)-zugelassenes und mit dem CE-Zeichen versehenes Gerät, das zur Optimierung der Gefäßvorbereitung mit der proprietären Kinetic Endovascular Micro-incision Creation (KEMIC)-Technologie entwickelt wurde. Im Gegensatz zu herkömmlichen ballonbasierten Verfahren, bei denen statischer Druck ausgeübt wird, nutzt KEMIC die kontrollierte Bewegung und dynamische Gefäßapposition, um lange, präzise Mikroinzisionen zu erzeugen. Dieser einzigartige Mechanismus erleichtert die Lumenvergrößerung, kann bei einer Kombinationstherapie die Medikamentenaufnahme verbessern und das Gefäßtrauma verringern, was letztlich das Risiko einer Restenose senkt. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter www.VentureMedgroup.com.

Referenzen: 1. Allison M.A. et al.Circulation. 2023;148:286-296.

Medienkontakt: Tom Michals
[email protected]
+1(763) 951-0280

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/658751/VentureMed_Group_Logo.jpg

MINNEAPOLIS, 30 octobre 2025 — VentureMed Group, Inc, une société de dispositifs médicaux de premier plan spécialisée dans les technologies de préparation des vaisseaux et de gestion de l’accès pour le traitement de la maladie artérielle périphérique (MAP) et des fistules et greffes artério-veineuses (AVF, AVG), a annoncé aujourd’hui la clôture d’un tour de financement de série C de 28 millions de dollars dirigé par S3 Ventures, auquel se sont joints des investisseurs existants, dont Endeavour Vision.

“Alors que nous entrons dans notre nouvelle phase, nous sommes reconnaissants du soutien continu de nos investisseurs existants et nous sommes ravis d’accueillir de nouveaux partenaires dans le syndicat”, a déclaré Denis Harrington, président et directeur général de VentureMed. “Ce financement important souligne la confiance des investisseurs dans le système FLEX Vessel Prep™ et notre mission de renforcer la position de VentureMed dans les soins vasculaires mondiaux.”

Outre l’extension de l’infrastructure commerciale, le financement permettra également de faire progresser le programme clinique de VentureMed et de soutenir le développement de nouveaux produits, y compris de nouvelles applications dans des environnements vasculaires adjacents.

“VentureMed s’attaque à l’un des défis les plus persistants de l’accès vasculaire avec une technologie à la fois élégante et transformatrice”, a déclaré Brian R. Smith, directeur général de S3 Ventures. “Notre partenariat est le reflet d’une mission commune visant à apporter des traitements révolutionnaires à ceux qui en ont le plus besoin.

Les maladies vasculaires représentent un fardeau de plus en plus lourd au niveau mondial, en raison de l’augmentation de l’obésité, du diabète et de l’hypertension. La MAP touche plus de 20 millions de personnes aux États-Unis et plus de 200 millions dans le monde¹, tandis que la sténose et le dysfonctionnement des vaisseaux restent des causes majeures d’échec de l’accès chez les patients dialysés. Le FLEX a été développé pour améliorer la conformité des vaisseaux, minimiser les traumatismes et favoriser de meilleurs résultats à long terme. “La préparation des lésions devient rapidement l’une des procédures les plus importantes pour améliorer les résultats des patients. Le système FLEX VP est à l’avant-garde des interventions d’AV Access”, a déclaré le Dr Ari Kramer, chirurgien général au Spartanburg Medical Center. “Cette levée de fonds est une étape importante pour l’entreprise qui cherche à obtenir des preuves cliniques supplémentaires et à élargir ses indications.

Déjà autorisé par la FDA (510(k)), approuvé par le marquage CE et soutenu aux États-Unis par un code CMS HCPCS dédié (C1600) avec un paiement transitoire, FLEX est en mesure de redéfinir la préparation des vaisseaux et d’élargir potentiellement les options de traitement dans le monde entier.

“Le cycle de rétrécissement et de répétition des procédures dans les maladies vasculaires représente un fardeau important pour les patients et les systèmes de santé”, a déclaré Alexander Schmitz, partenaire d’Endeavour Vision. “Une technologie qui réduit le besoin de réinterventions améliore non seulement les résultats, mais s’inscrit également dans le cadre de l’évolution vers des soins fondés sur la valeur. Nous sommes ravis de continuer à soutenir VentureMed qui élargit l’accès à cette thérapie importante”.

À propos de VentureMed Group et du système FLEX Vessel Prep™
VentureMed Group, Inc. est une société privée pionnière dans le domaine des dispositifs médicaux, basée dans le Minnesota, qui se consacre à l’avancement des solutions endovasculaires pour l’accès artérioveineux (AV) et les interventions sur les maladies artérielles périphériques (PAD). La technologie phare de la société, le FLEX Vessel Prep™ System, est un dispositif approuvé par la FDA 510(k) et le marquage CE, qui est conçu pour optimiser la préparation des vaisseaux à l’aide de sa technologie exclusive Kinetic Endovascular Micro-incision Creation (KEMIC). Contrairement aux approches traditionnelles basées sur des ballons qui appliquent une pression statique, KEMIC tire parti d’un mouvement contrôlé et d’une apposition dynamique des vaisseaux pour créer des micro-incisions longues et précises. Ce mécanisme unique facilite le gain de lumière, peut améliorer l’absorption des médicaments lorsqu’ils sont utilisés dans le cadre d’une thérapie combinée, et peut réduire le traumatisme des vaisseaux – ce qui, en fin de compte, diminue le risque de resténose. Pour plus d’informations, consultez le site www.VentureMedgroup.com.

Références : 1. Allison M.A. et al.Circulation. 2023;148:286-296.

Relations avec les médias : Tom Michals
[email protected]
+1(763) 951-0280

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/658751/VentureMed_Group_Logo.jpg

PERTH, Australia, Oct. 29, 2025 — Uluu has raised AU$16 million in Series A funding to build a demonstration plant and scale its technology transforming seaweed into a natural alternative to plastic to industrial production.

The round was led by German growth investor Burda Principal Investments with support from Main Sequence, Novel Investments (the family office of one of the world’s largest textile groups), Startmate, and a consortium of leading impact and family investors including Fairground and Trinity Ventures.

Uluu’s next-generation materials perform like conventional plastics and can be processed using existing plastic manufacturing equipment.

Unlike plastic made from fossil fuels, they are reusable, recyclable, home compostable and marine biodegradable—breaking down naturally without releasing microplastics. They’re strong, lightweight, waterproof and non-toxic, while being climate positive at scale.

At commercial scale, Uluu’s production process has scope to sequester and avoid up to ~5kg CO₂ equivalent for every 1kg of material produced, compared with ~3kg emitted by plastic today. The technology has the potential to reduce global CO₂ emissions by more than 2 gigatonnes per year.

With the Series A raise, Uluu will scale from its 100kg/year pilot facility to a 10-tonne/year demonstration plant in Western Australia, enabling the company to deliver commercial volumes to customers.

Uluu is already collaborating with a range of global partners in cosmetics, fashion and the automotive industry, including public campaigns with Quiksilver, Papinelle and Audi.

“After four years’ work developing this technology, including two years’ running our pilot plant, we’re excited to take this next step and start delivering meaningful volumes of our materials to customers,” said Uluu co-founder and co-CEO Michael Kingsbury.

“The demonstration plant is a critical step in showing Uluu can scale to truly compete with and replace fossil plastics.”

Uluu co-founder and co-CEO Dr Julia Reisser said seaweed was one of the most sustainable resources on Earth.

“Seaweed grows quickly and gets everything it need from the sun and the sea,” she said. “It locks away CO₂ and helps clean up pollutants from the ocean.

“By harnessing seaweed, Uluu is producing materials that have a positive, rather than negative, impact on the environment, while ending plastic pollution.”

Uluu’s US investors include model, entrepreneur and STEM education advocate Karlie Kloss.

“Uluu is tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time—plastic pollution—with a natural, scalable solution,” Kloss said.

“Their mission resonates deeply with me, and I wanted to be part of a positive change showing sustainability can be beautiful.”

The Series A round also primes Uluu for future growth, with plans underway for a commercial-scale facility capable of producing thousands of tonnes annually to serve major global markets.

“At BPI, we invest in companies driving transformative innovation with the potential to become a global category leader,” said Christian Teichmann, CEO of Burda Principal Investments.

“Having first invested in Uluu in 2023, we’re excited to further deepen our partnership as the company scales its pioneering technology.

“Uluu is redefining how materials can be produced more sustainably at industrial scale, and we look forward to supporting Julia, Michael, and their team on this next stage of their journey.”

About Uluu

• Founded in 2021, Uluu is headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.
• Uluu’s production process combines seaweed with fermentation—similar to brewing beer—to create natural polymers called PHAs that eliminate dependence on fossil fuels and persistent plastic pollution.
• Uluu has grown from 13 to 23 staff this year, strengthening its technical, operations and commercial teams.
• Uluu was awarded the 2025 SXSW Innovation Award in Austin, Texas.

Images and video

• High-quality images of Uluu’s founders, team and products are available in the Series A media gallery.
• Additional images and vision are available on request.

SOURCE Uluu

Valthos develops frontier AI systems that identify biological threats and design medical countermeasures in real time.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29, 2025 — Valthos announced $30 million in seed financing led by OpenAI Startup Fund, Lux Capital, and Founders Fund to support the development of next-generation biodefense systems.

Increasingly powerful and accessible tools for biological engineering will drive medical breakthroughs, but also introduce a new landscape of biological threats from sophisticated adversaries and individuals.

“The issue at the core of biodefense is asymmetry,” said Kathleen McMahon, co-founder of Valthos. “It’s easier to make a pathogen than a cure. We’re building tools to help experts at the frontlines of biodefense move as fast as the threats they face.”

Valthos builds AI systems to rapidly characterize biological sequences and compress the time to design medical countermeasures.

“In this new world, the only way forward is to be faster. So we set out to build a new tech stack for biodefense,” said Tess van Stekelenburg, co-founder of Valthos. “This software infrastructure strengthens biodefense today and lays the groundwork for the adaptive, precision therapeutics of tomorrow.”

Founded by Tess van Stekelenburg, partner at Lux Capital, and Kathleen McMahon, former head of Palantir’s Life Sciences division, Valthos brings together a team spanning software engineering, ML development, and biotechnology. The founding team consists of engineers from Palantir and DeepMind, and computational biologists from Stanford’s Arc Institute and MIT’s Broad Institute.

“Technology is moving fast. An industrial ecosystem of builders, companies and solutions further democratizes AI to provide broad resilience, and ensures the U.S. continues to lead as AI increasingly powers everything around us. As AI and biotech rapidly advance, biodefense is one of the new industry verticals that helps maximize the benefits and minimize the risks,” said Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Valthos is pushing the frontier of protection and defense in one of the most strategic intersections of multiple world-changing technologies, and with the team to do it.”

With this funding, Valthos will scale software infrastructure for government and commercial stakeholders and expand its engineering team.

About Valthos

Valthos builds next-generation biodefense. The company harnesses computational methods to characterize biological sequences and design adaptive countermeasures, helping government and life sciences stakeholders respond to emerging threats with speed and precision. Additional information is available at valthos.com.

SOURCE Valthos Inc

Sparrow BioAcoustics today announced the closing of a $10 million financing round led by Killick Capital and Klister Credit, with participation from Pelorus VC, 98827 Newfoundland & Labrador Inc., and Brinex Capital.

ST. JOHN’S, NL, Oct. 29, 2025 – The new investment supports Sparrow’s next phase of growth as hospitals across North America adopt its FDA-cleared Stethophone platform, which is the world’s first cardiac AI platform delivering bioacoustic detection of structural and rhythmic heart anomalies directly through a smartphone.

“This round ensures we can scale responsibly through this critical phase, supporting hospitals and patients with the same focus on quality and outcomes that brought us here,” said Mark Opauszky, CEO of Sparrow BioAcoustics. “It’s about maintaining the momentum we’ve built while continuing to deliver real clinical value where it’s needed most.”

A recent study published in the International Journal of Medical Science and Innovation Research examined the use and clinical accuracy of Sparrow’s Stethophone AI at the University of Washington Medical Center, finding it to be highly accurate in the detection of valvular disease and atrial fibrillation. The authors noted “the system’s AI potential as a mechanism to revolutionize cardiac screening by employing widely available smartphone technology, ensuring broader access to high-quality cardiovascular assessment across diverse healthcare settings,” and highlighted that “improved murmur detection represents a strategic opportunity: earlier identification can lead to increased utilization of confirmatory testing and timely interventions.”

Stethophone is currently being evaluated at several major clinical sites in the United States and Canada.

“In the past year, about 40,000 patients and practitioners have used Stethophone, uncovering thousands of cardiac anomalies that might otherwise have gone unnoticed until later stages of disease,” said Dr. Yaroslav Shpak, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Sparrow BioAcoustics. “The demand for practical, scalable screening for conditions such as aortic stenosis continues to grow rapidly, and the feedback from clinicians and patients has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Sparrow has just presented additional updates at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference in San Francisco (October 24–27) and is going to bring Stethophone to the upcoming American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in New Orleans (November 7–10).

About Sparrow BioAcoustics:
Sparrow BioAcoustics is a Canadian medical technology company pioneering AI Phonoscopy, the digital examination of heart sounds using artificial intelligence. Its flagship product, Stethophone, transforms ordinary smartphones into medical-grade cardiac assessment tools capable of detecting murmurs and other signs of heart disease without external hardware. By combining clinical accuracy with universal accessibility, Sparrow aims to close the gap in early cardiac detection and empower clinicians and individuals with actionable insights that improve outcomes and reduce the burden of undiagnosed heart disease.

https://sparrowbioacoustics.com

SOURCE Sparrow BioAcoustics Inc.

Establishes Defense-Grade Digital Backbone to Accelerate Warfighter Capability

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2025 — X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow), the leading non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs) and defense technologies, announced today an agreement that establishes the company as the first customer to adopt defense-grade artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities within the Astris AI Factory, a secure, end-to-end AI platform from Astris AI, a Lockheed Martin company.

This move is designed to accelerate X-Bow’s ability to meet urgent national security production demands by establishing a trusted digital backbone for its factory operations.

Why It Matters: Faster, Affordable Rockets

This is about applying defense-grade AI to X-Bow’s most sensitive, mission-critical functions—from secure data governance to factory control. This shift directly enables affordable and faster delivery of tactical rocket motors to the warfighter.

• Defense Focus: X-Bow is establishing an accredited digital environment with its first application being a secure AI agent. This initial governance step is critical to rapidly scaling affordable production for U.S. missile and hypersonics programs by proving the platform’s security for all proprietary Advanced Manufactured Solid Propellant (AMSP) processes.
• Security & IP: Using the Astris AI Factory, which is proven in classified environments, allows X-Bow to handle its core manufacturing IP with defense-grade security, ensuring data integrity from design to deployment.
• Manufacturing Control: The platform’s strategic operational focus is on advanced manufacturing control, leveraging Astris AI Factory’s generative AI and MLOps framework to free up engineering time and improve process control, enabling rapid, reliable iterations essential for defense production.
• Scale & Affordability: The agreement paves the way for X-Bow to rapidly extend this accredited platform across its manufacturing enterprise, enabling real-time production execution and higher throughput for tactical and large-scale rocket motors.

The Tech Stack

The platform integrates the latest AI enterprise software to operationalize sophisticated models.

• This framework allows X-Bow’s custom AI tools to securely retrieve and analyze proprietary technical data in real-time while drawing on multiple large language models for process optimization and digital twin fidelity.
• This architecture is designed to simplify and accelerate the accreditation process, a huge factor for defense suppliers operating on government programs.

The Takeaway

“This customer agreement dramatically improves our ability to secure the necessary accreditation to scale up manufacturing,” said Jason Hundley, Founder and CEO of X-Bow Systems. “This secure, accredited digital backbone is a game-changer for data governance and production integrity, allowing us to focus our engineering resources on delivering rapid, affordable solid rocket motors for our customers.”

“This collaboration marks a defining moment in bringing trusted and reliable AI directly to mission-critical environments,” said James Droskoski, CRO, Astris AI. “By integrating the Astris AI Factory platform into X-Bow’s advanced manufacturing operations, we’re helping deliver a secure, data-driven foundation that accelerates production, strengthens supply chain resilience, and upholds the highest standards of national security. Together, we’re proving that AI can transform both speed and affordability for critical systems that protect our nation.”

About X-Bow Systems

X-Bow Systems is disrupting the aerospace industry with innovative and cost-effective advanced manufactured energetics for the solid rocket motor and launch vehicle market. X-Bow is also designing and building a suite of modular solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services. X-Bow is led by CEO Jason Hundley, Chairman Mark Kaufman, CTO Max Vozoff, CRO Maureen Gannon, General Counsel John Leary, COO Mike Bender and a growing team of seasoned industry veterans and new space entrepreneurs. X-Bow is a dual-use technology company with investment from: Crosslink Capital, Razor’s Edge Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures, Boeing, Arkenstone Capital, The Capital Factory, Upsher Management Company, Event Horizon Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, X-Bow has additional presence in California, Alabama, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Maryland and Washington, DC. For more information visit XBowSystems.com.

About Astris AI

Astris AI, a Lockheed Martin company, delivers secure and scalable AI solutions across the defense industrial base and high-assurance commercial industries. Built for mission-critical environments, the Astris AI Factory enables organizations to develop, deploy, and govern generative AI and machine learning systems with full data control, modular open-source flexibility, and defense-grade security. With deep roots in innovation, Astris AI is accelerating digital modernization across aerospace, manufacturing, energy, and national security missions. Visit AstrisAI.com to learn more.

SOURCE X-Bow Systems

The annual list highlights the private equity firms, venture capital firms with track records of
backing founder-led companies.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2025 — Trousdale Ventures, an investment firm backing passionate entrepreneurs working to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges, is proud to announce its recognition on the Inc.Founder-Friendly Investors list, honoring the private equity firms, venture capital firms, and lenders with a track record of backing founder-led companies.

The prestigious list celebrates investors who believe in backing founder-led businesses and helping them thrive. All companies on the list have successful track records of collaboration and remaining actively involved with the businesses they invest in.

“Raising capital is no small feat for today’s entrepreneurs. That’s why discovering investors who offer more than just financial backing—those who bring mentorship, resources, and a true spirit of partnership to your growth journey—is both rare and invaluable,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The 2025 Founder-Friendly Investors are collaborators and dedicated to helping their portfolio companies succeed.”

“At Trousdale, being founder-friendly is core to our operating philosophy,” said Phillip Sarofim, Founding Partner and CEO of Trousdale Ventures. “As entrepreneurs, operators, and investors, we bring a multidimensional perspective to every partnership. Our support goes beyond capital, offering hands-on operational guidance, access to industry-shaping networks, and a commitment to help founders scale bold ideas into enduring, impactful companies.”

Trousdale Ventures has become a trusted ally to visionary entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The firm’s portfolio spans sectors like deep tech, mobility, aerospace and climate tech, each selected for its world-changing potential. Standout portfolio companies include CesiumAstro, which is redefining space-based connectivity with scalable software-defined communication systems and Venus Aerospace, a leader in hypersonic propulsion. Other portfolio companies include Meyers Manx, Our Next Energy (ONE), Starfish Space, HavocAI, Coreshell Technologies, Impulse Space, Ecovative, Lemon Perfect, Solugen, and more.

Trousdale’s commitment to building “forever companies” is evident across its investments, backing bold founders with resilient leadership. Trousdale counts over 200 companies comprising its portfolio, helping secure key government contracts, scale advanced manufacturing and achieve first-of-their-kind technical milestones.

To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity and venture capital firms. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity, venture capital, and debt firms and shared data on how their companies have grown during these partnerships.

For more information or to view the complete list of honorees, visit https://www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors.

About Trousdale Ventures:
Led by Founding Partner and CEO Phillip Sarofim, Trousdale Ventures is an investment firm dedicated to backing passionate entrepreneurs who are working to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. With a focus on deep tech, aerospace, mobility, and climate tech, Trousdale goes beyond capital, offering hands-on operational support, strategic guidance, and an expansive network to help companies scale.

Media Contact: [email protected] 

SOURCE Trousdale Ventures

In a funding round led by Yonder Ventures, Circadian Ventures, and Motivate Ventures, VeroSkills is scaling its AI staffing engine that delivers 48-hour placements and 2–3x higher retention for employers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 29, 2025 — VeroSkills – the AI hiring platform focused on solving the $1 trillion blue-collar labor shortage crisis – today announced the close of a $5.3 million funding round led by Yonder Ventures, along with Circadian Ventures and Motivate Ventures, with participation from Colchuck and Tony Summerville, the founder of Fleetio. The funding allows VeroSkills to accelerate its rapid growth – the firm contracted $15 million in annual recurring revenue in the past six weeks based on its ability to connect employers with millions of pre-screened, ready-to-work candidates from immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities.

For every five workers who retire from blue-collar sectors, only two replace them, creating millions of unfilled jobs. The manufacturing industry alone currently has hundreds of thousands of positions already vacant – a shortfall projected to swell to many millions by the end of the decade.

“What staffing and recruitment agencies do in weeks and months, we do in days and hours, thanks to our AI-driven platform,” said Daniel Walsh, CEO and Founder of VeroSkills. “Given the severity of the labor crisis, there’s no time to waste. There are millions of excellent workers being overlooked by traditional recruiting methods, and VeroSkills has created an effective, first-of-its-kind platform that allows companies to confidently employ them. We’re built to infinitely scale, and I’m proud to work with our investors to reach our potential.”

VeroSkills’ workforce offers employers clear advantages in retention and reliability. Ninety-three percent of employers report retention rates two to three times higher among VeroSkills hires. All workers are fully authorized to work in the U.S., EU, or Canada from day one, streamlining onboarding and reducing administrative hurdles.

“VeroSkills represents the next generation of AI-first labor marketplaces capable of serving the long tail of small and medium-sized businesses that account for 46% of hiring in the United States. What wasn’t economically viable before, efficiently staffing these businesses at scale while interviewing candidates in 52 languages, is now possible with AI, unlocking millions of workers and employers who were previously invisible to each other,” said Colin Gardiner, Founding Partner at Yonder Ventures.

“Under Daniel’s leadership, the team is consistently achieving standout results through innovation in an industry historically slow to evolve. Their commitment to building sustainable employment solutions in labor-limited markets continues to resonate with all stakeholders,” said Mike Dowdle, Founding Partner at Circadian Ventures.

“VeroSkills has cracked the code on what traditional staffing agencies have struggled with for decades: speed, scale, and retention. Their AI-powered approach delivers measurable results in an industry ripe for disruption, and we’re excited to support their rapid growth trajectory,” said Lauren Deluca, Founding and Managing Partner at Motivate Ventures.

About VeroSkills
VeroSkills is an AI-powered staffing platform connecting blue-collar businesses to pre-screened, ready-to-work candidates from immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities. The company delivers 48-hour placements through proprietary AI screening technology and access to millions of people authorized to work in the U.S., EU, or Canada. Learn more at veroskills.com.

About Yonder Ventures
Yonder is an early-stage VC firm focused on investing in AI-native marketplaces that build new economies. The fund is led by Colin Gardiner, a marketplace geek and 3x marketplace operator who helped scale Outdoorsy to $3B+ in revenue. He is a go-to marketplace expert, having worked with 100+ marketplaces, and writes Take Rate, the world’s largest marketplace newsletter. For further information, visit https://www.yonder.vc/

About Circadian Ventures 
Circadian Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech and tech-enabled businesses. Circadian Ventures actively partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build enduring businesses. Based in Atlanta, the firm has investments in various sectors across the United States. For further information, visit www.circadian.vc

About Motivate Ventures
Motivate is a Chicago-based VC firm with a deep commitment to providing institutional capital and support at the earliest stages. Launched by entrepreneurs with backgrounds in fintech and enterprise software, the Motivate team invests in pre-seed and seed stage companies across the US and Canada. The singular vision is to find and empower the most promising founders building tomorrow’s greatest companies. For further information, visit https://motivate.vc/

SOURCE VeroSkills