Simpson will oversee the firm’s venture capital investment diligence, manager relationships, and portfolio construction
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 9, 2025 — GEM, a $12B leading provider of institutional investment solutions for endowments, foundations, sovereigns, families, and other long-term investors, announced today that Kate Simpson has joined the firm as a Managing Director on the firm’s Investment team.
In her new role, Simpson will oversee GEM’s venture capital platform, including sourcing and evaluating investment opportunities, developing manager relationships, and guiding portfolio construction. Since its inception in 2007, GEM has been a leading institutional investor in venture capital across primary fund commitments, secondary fund purchases, and co-investments. Simpson’s appointment underscores the firm’s commitment to backing talented investors who have the potential to deliver outsized returns in an ever-evolving VC landscape.1
“Kate is a seasoned investor with demonstrated expertise across the venture spectrum,” said Jay Ripley, GEM’s Head of Investments. “We are excited to welcome Kate to the team and look forward to her invaluable leadership as we continue to pursue what we believe are the highest-quality venture opportunities on behalf of our clients.”
Simpson brings more than 20 years of investment experience to GEM. Most recently, she served as Partner at TrueBridge Capital Partners, where she worked closely with leading venture firms—with a particular focus on seed & micro-venture capital investments—and led TrueBridge’s customized solutions business. Her previous experience includes roles as an Advisor at Atlas Diligence, LLC, a Director at Parish Capital Advisors, and an Investment Associate at UNC Management Company.
Simpson added: “I am thrilled to join GEM and help further shape the firm’s venture capital strategy. GEM has built a strong reputation as a thoughtful, long-term partner to institutional investors—from long-standing OCIO clients to a growing roster of private fund investors—through its deep commitment to investment diligence, disciplined portfolio construction, and enduring manager relationships. I look forward to contributing to that work while expanding our venture platform for the future.”
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Simpson serves as Trustee and Chair of the Finance Committee at St. Andrew’s School and previously served on the Board of the John Rex Endowment. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
About GEM GEM is a leading provider of institutional investment solutions for endowments, foundations, sovereigns, families, and other long-term investors. Since 2007, GEM has specialized in delivering the highest quality service and support to our clients, enabling them to achieve their long-term investment goals. With a global reach, broad investment capabilities, and an experienced team, GEM strategically tailors solutions to meet the unique needs of each investor we serve. For more information, visit www.geminvestments.com.
DENVER, Sept. 9, 2025 — Altira Group LLC (“Altira”), a leading venture capital firm investing in breakthrough industrial technology and software solutions, today congratulates its portfolio company Seeq Corporation (“Seeq”) on the appointment of Anton Chilton to its Board of Directors.
Chilton brings more than three decades of global technology leadership, including his tenure as CEO of QAD Inc., where he guided the company’s transition to SaaS, led strategic acquisitions, and oversaw its landmark take-private transaction with Thoma Bravo in 2021. His expertise in SaaS, manufacturing, and enterprise operations strengthens Seeq’s board at a pivotal stage of growth.
“Anton has a proven track record of helping companies scale through periods of growth and transformation, and his insights will be invaluable as Seeq continues to expand globally and lead the adoption of AI-driven industrial analytics,” said J.P. Bauman, Partner at Altira and Seeq Board Member. “His experience aligning technology innovation with customer needs is exactly what Seeq requires as it enters its next phase of growth.”
Chilton replaces Ashley Kramer, who resigned in July 2025 to join OpenAI as its Chief Revenue Leader. Altira extends its gratitude to Kramer for her dedicated service and contributions to Seeq’s growth.
Seeq is a global leader in advanced analytics and AI for industrial process and manufacturing companies that delivers a self-service, enterprise SaaS platform to accelerate critical insights resulting in optimized operations across efficiency, reliability, quality, and cost dimensions. Its customers span oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, power and utilities, and other process industries. Investors include Altira Group, Insight Partners, Sixth Street Growth, Second Avenue Partners, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Aramco Ventures.
About Altira Altira Group is a Denver-based venture capital firm that has invested in advanced technology solutions across the energy and industrial value chain for over 28 years. In partnership with its oil & gas company strategic limited partners, Altira enables the next generation of industrial technologies—driving innovation across digital, automation, and core operations. Beyond capital, Altira actively partners with entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, while also providing direct customer access, real-world validation, and collaborative go-to-market support through its strategic industry relationships. This differentiated model compresses adoption cycles, enhances company resilience, and delivers stronger investment outcomes.
New investment accelerates Palm Tree Crew’s global expansion while leveraging WME Group’s sports, entertainment, and licensing network for future growth
MIAMI, Sept. 9, 2025 — Palm Tree Crew, the global entertainment, hospitality, and investment holding company founded by Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll (“Kygo”) and his manager Myles Shear, today announced a strategic partnership with WME Group, a global leader in sports and entertainment representing the world’s most influential storytellers, brands, live events, and cultural experiences. WME Group led Palm Tree Crew’s $20 million Series B funding round, valuing the company at $215 million and fueling its next stage of growth across entertainment, hospitality, and lifestyle.
“As music, hospitality, lifestyle, and live experiences converge, Palm Tree Crew has quickly established itself as a cultural force at the center of it all,” said Mark Shapiro, President & Chief Operating Officer of WME Group. “Our investment reflects both our confidence in Palm Tree Crew’s vision and the natural alignment between our companies in creating world-class experiences that captivate audiences around the globe.”
In addition to WME Group, the Series B round includes participation from a combination of existing and new investors that invested in the round.
“From day one, our goal has been to build more than a company – we set out to create a lifestyle brand that celebrates connection, culture, and the carefree spirit of the tropics,” said Myles Shear, Co-Founder of Palm Tree Crew. “With WME Group and our world-class investors behind us, Palm Tree Crew will continue to scale bigger, go bolder, and push into new territory across music, hospitality, and beyond.”
Since January 2024, Palm Tree Crew’s global scale has grown dramatically, underscoring its rise as a cultural powerhouse. In 2025, the company accelerated its hospitality expansion, opening four properties in under a year, including Palm Tree Beach Club in Las Vegas, Palm Tree Club & Hotel in Miami, Palm Tree Club Kansas City, and Palm Tree Club Orlando. Palm Tree Crew has also expanded its festival footprint with immersive new U.S. destinations in Montecito and Napa, alongside its European debut in Saint-Tropez and Sardinia. These events unite entertainment, fashion, music, and lifestyle under one unified brand.
“This past year proved the power of Palm Tree Crew as both a global festival platform and a growing hospitality company, from expanding to new markets to forging cultural partnerships with world-class brands,” said Michael Diaz, CEO of Palm Tree Crew. “Our new funding and partnership with WME Group will accelerate growth across live events and hospitality while enabling diversification into synergistic verticals. This new round of funding positions us to scale that momentum and deliver unforgettable experiences for fans around the world.”
Fresh off a sold-out European debut in Saint-Tropez, headlined by A$AP Rocky and Swedish House Mafia and attended by Rita Ora, Kyle Kuzma, and Winnie Harlow, Palm Tree Crew has proven it is more than a music collective. With partners like Amazon, DraftKings, Tequila Don Julio, and Revolve, and a celebrity-favorite merch line worn by Travis Kelce and Morgan Wallen, Palm Tree Crew has cemented itself as a year-round cultural platform.
Palm Tree Crew’s influence extends beyond entertainment. At its first Aspen festival, hotel rates surged 37%, restaurants saw record-breaking revenue, and secondary ticket prices soared to 250% above face value – generating $88.3 million for the local economy. Today, Palm Tree Crew hosts nearly 10 flagship festivals annually across the globe, featuring artists such as Calvin Harris, A$AP Rocky, Swedish House Mafia, John Mayer, The Chainsmokers, and Kygo.
Beyond events, Palm Tree Holdings invests in early-stage consumer and technology companies, offering founders access to its global marketing platform, talent network, and business development resources. Recent investments include Ryl Tea, Cove Sodas, and SipMARGS, where Palm Tree Crew brought on Alix Earle as both a lead investor and brand ambassador.
About Palm Tree Crew Palm Tree Crew, founded by Kygo (Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll) and Myles Shear, is a diversified holding company spanning a consumer brand, global live events and hospitality, and a multi-product investment platform. Known for its global, world-class Palm Tree Music Festivals, as well as lifestyle and fashion collaborations, Palm Tree Crew continues to innovate across industries. Its expanding hospitality portfolio currently includes Palm Tree Club Miami, Palm Tree Club Orlando, Palm Tree Beach Club in Las Vegas, and Palm Tree Club Kansas City. These ventures reflect Palm Tree Crew’s mission to blend live music, lifestyle, and hospitality into unforgettable experiences. For more, visit ptc-holdings.com.
Three-in-one parental leave platform utilizes insurance model to bring enterprise-level program to companies with as few as 10 employees
NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2025 — Parento, the only provider of comprehensive paid parental leave (PPL) insurance with employee support services, today announced an oversubscribed Seed II funding round led by ResilienceVC. The round included participation from Kapor Capital, Bread & Butter Ventures, Operator Stack, Coyote Ventures, ffVC, Human Ventures, Springbank, Precursor, Cross Impact, K Street, Evidenced, and Avesta, and brings Parento’s total amount raised to $10.3M.
The funding comes as demand for paid parental leave surges among employees and employers alike, yet small and mid-sized businesses face significant financial and administrative barriers to offering parental leave. Traditional approaches expose companies to volatile cash flows when multiple employees take leave simultaneously, while alternatives like short-term disability only cover limited demographics and income replacement, leaving nearly 3 in 4 private sector employees and more than half of all employees without access to PPL.
“Parenthood is not gendered, and paid parental leave is not just for Silicon Valley or STEM, but for every workplace interested in employee wellness, talent acquisition, and retention,” said Dirk Doebler, Founder and CEO of Parento. “As demand grows and the definition of family evolves to match reality, there’s a systemic need for a true solution. Parento makes paid parental leave affordable and attainable for every company, regardless of size or budget.”
Parento’s three-in-one approach combines customizable paid parental leave insurance with parental leave management services and personalized, human-based parent coaching. This comprehensive model delivers measurable results: 95% of Parento’s parents return to work after leave, compared to just 60-65% for self-funded programs. Parento achieves 10% average engagement rates amongst all full-time employees with its one-on-one coaching services, significantly higher than typical Employee Assistance Programs which see at best 1% utilization. Furthermore, while just 5% of working men take more than two weeks off after the birth of their youngest child despite demonstrated relational and workplace benefits, 46% of claims were filed for males taking leave, with up to 33% of men utilizing 1-on-1 parent coaching services.
Unlike competitors that primarily offer consulting services on parental leave policy creation, Parento provides an actual insurance product with up to 100% financial coverage. This distinction has enabled the company to serve diverse industries often overlooked as desiring family-friendly policies—25% of Parento’s clients operate in nonprofit or manufacturing/warehousing sectors that run on tight budgets with little to no HR personnel.
“Parento aligns exceptionally well with our thesis of investing in innovative companies that close gaps of access, opportunity, and outcomes for underserved communities by tackling a critical shortfall in the U.S. benefits system, especially for businesses that traditionally lack the resources to offer paid family leave,” said Brandon Boros, Venture Partner with Kapor Capital. “Their model turns an unpredictable business expense into manageable monthly costs while delivering comprehensive support that helps companies attract and retain talented parents.”
Parento will use the new capital to expand across product development, sales, and marketing teams while launching additional insurance offerings and new products. The funding announcement coincides with several key growth milestones, including a partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), one of the 20 largest unions in the nation, marking Parento’s expansion into serving blue-collar workforces in non-paid family leave states. Parento’s parents-first approach has also enabled it to expand internationally for the first time through its IUOE partnership, serving union members in Canada.
The company has also launched partnerships with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), including one of the largest in the country serving more than half a million clients. These partnerships enable Parento to reach small businesses through established distribution channels, furthering its mission to democratize parental leave access.
The round brings ResilienceVC to Parento’s board, joining an all-female selection aside from Doebler. This composition reflects the company’s focus on addressing workplace challenges that disproportionately impact women, while maintaining its gender-neutral and inclusive approach to parental leave that covers birth, adoption, and foster placement equally.
“We’re thrilled to join Parento’s board and support a company that’s tackling one of the most critical workplace equity issues of our time,” said Tahira Dosani, co-founder and managing partner at ResilienceVC. “Parento’s inclusive approach to parental leave, combined with their proven ability to make these benefits accessible to businesses of all sizes, aligns perfectly with our mission to build financial resilience for all Americans. We’re excited to support Parento to democratize parental leave access across industries and enable employees to maintain income stability.”
Founded in 2019, Parento raised $10.3 million total and serves companies across professional services, healthcare, law firms, nonprofits, and municipal organizations.
About Parento: Parento helps every company support working parents through the only comprehensive paid parental leave insurance combined with expert leave management and personalized parent coaching. By converting unpredictable leave costs into predictable premiums, Parento makes parental leave benefits accessible to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide. For more information, visit https://www.parentoleave.com/.
MIAMI, Sept. 9, 2025 — Waterpoint Lane (“WPL”), a premier venture capital and growth equity firm with a proven track record of backing transformative innovation opportunities, proudly announces its lead investor role in Heritable Agriculture Inc. (“Heritable”), a pioneering company delivering breakthrough solutions to revolutionize agriculture.
Brad Zamft, CEO of Heritable
Waterpoint Lane’s leadership is deeply rooted in innovation. Brad Zamft, CEO of Heritable and former project lead at X, the Moonshot Factory—Google’s elite innovation arm famed for developing “moonshot” technologies—brings expertise in identifying and scaling technologies that have the potential to reshape entire industries. At X, Brad led high-impact projects focused on audacious goals with massive market potential, equipping him to drive Heritable’s next phase of growth in the agtech sector.
Heritable, an emerging leader in genetic and computational technologies, has developed proprietary tools that significantly accelerate the timelines and lower the cost of crop improvement, unlocking applications to enhance crop resilience, reduce environmental footprints, and improve yield efficiency, positioning the company to transform global agriculture supply chains.
“At X, I witnessed firsthand how bold ideas, combined with visionary investment, can create game-changing outcomes,” said Brad Zamft. “Heritable channels this ethos, marrying cutting-edge science with scalable impact potential. Partnering with Waterpoint Lane accelerates our mission to deliver solutions addressing urgent global challenges while creating meaningful value for stakeholders.”
Waterpoint Lane’s Fund I, successfully closed at the end of 2024, has already secured stakes in multiple high-potential companies poised at the forefront of food and agriculture innovation. The firm’s approach integrates rigorous financial discipline with a deep passion for scalable impact, demonstrating that sustainable innovation and thoughtful investment can coexist.
Meifan Shi, Co-Managing Partner and CSO at Waterpoint Lane, emphasized the firm’s strategic focus: “Our strategy centers on identifying visionary founders and breakthrough platforms with the capacity to scale and lead entire sectors. We seek companies with differentiated technology, strong leadership, and a fundamental ability to drive systemic change in all aspects of the food systems. Heritable fits our approach, and we are excited to actively support its growth journey within our broader portfolio.”
Ben Gibbons, Co-Managing Partner and CIO at Waterpoint Lane, shared insight on the firm’s investment philosophy:
“Our financial discipline is grounded in thorough due diligence and portfolio construction that balances innovation and risk. We look for companies with compelling economics, scalable business models, and capital efficiency. Heritable’s unique positioning and growth potential align closely with our philosophy of supporting entrepreneurs who can deliver disciplined, sustainable growth.”
This partnership further cements Waterpoint Lane’s role as a top-tier investor at the forefront of innovation, combining integrity, financial rigor, and a vision for transformative global impact across the agrifood ecosystem.
About Waterpoint Lane
Waterpoint Lane is a venture capital firm investing in the technologies shaping the future of food, health, and wellness. We partner with entrepreneurs building transformative solutions, from next-generation food platforms to health and wellness innovations, that redefine how people eat, live, and thrive.
Our approach combines disciplined investing with a forward-looking vision: targeting high-growth opportunities at the intersection of science, technology, and consumer demand. Waterpoint Lane is dedicated to delivering lasting value for our investors, empowering our portfolio companies, and strengthening the communities we serve.
DALLAS, Sept. 9, 2025 — MCatalysis, Inc., a pioneering deep tech company poised to disrupt the sustainable fuels and chemicals sector, today announced the successful closing of its seed funding round led by HL Energy Ventures (HLEV). The investment will accelerate the development and scale-up of its innovative microwave catalysis technology, for which MCatalysis has secured an exclusive worldwide license agreement from Oxford University Innovation (OUI), the technology transfer arm of the University of Oxford.
MCatalysis is on a mission to produce low-cost, clean synthetic fuels and chemicals by upcycling waste carbon resources, such as agricultural residues, plastic waste, and waste gas streams. The technology, born out of world-class research from the University of Oxford, utilizes high-efficiency industrial microwave processes combined with unique catalysts. This novel approach promises to significantly enhance processing times and product selectivity, yielding more cost-effective and energy-efficient production for a wide range of sustainable fuels and chemicals.
“This seed funding from HLEV and exclusive licensing agreement with OUI mark a pivotal moment for MCatalysis,” said Michael Irwin, CEO of MCatalysis, Inc. “We are now positioned to rapidly advance our vision of a circular economy, where waste carbon is upcycled, or transformed into new, valuable products, democratizing the petrochemical supply chain. The investment from HLEV provides not only the necessary capital but also invaluable expertise in scaling deep tech ventures.”
“MCatalysis represents the very best of what HLEV looks for in an investment: creative and brilliant co-founders with a game-changing technology that has the potential for both substantial commercial success and profound positive impact on our planet,” stated Victor Liu, CEO of HLEV.
The exclusive licensing agreement with OUI grants MCatalysis the global rights to the foundational intellectual property in microwave catalysis developed at the University of Oxford. OUI has over 30 years of experience commercializing the University’s ground-breaking knowledge and research.
“At OUI, our mission is to enable impact – for the economy, for people, and for the planet – by licensing Oxford’s world-leading knowledge and research to ambitious and capable partners,” said an OUI spokesperson. “The exclusive agreement with MCatalysis exemplifies how existing companies can be powerful engines of innovation when paired with Oxford IP. We are proud to support the journey of this ground-breaking technology from lab to market, where it can contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable future.”
About MCatalysis, Inc. MCatalysis, Inc. is a Dallas-based deep tech company founded in 2025. The company develops novel, high-efficiency industrial microwave processes and catalysts to produce low-cost, clean synthetic fuels and chemicals from waste carbon resources. By commercializing these breakthrough technologies, MCatalysis aims to accelerate the transition to sustainable, circular economies. https://www.mcatalysis.com/
About HL Energy Ventures HLEV is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven founders building inspiring and valuable companies. With a focus on deep tech and impactful solutions, HLEV partners with entrepreneurs from inception to exit, providing not just capital but also hands-on support to navigate the challenges of scaling a business. https://www.hlenergyventures.com/
About Oxford University Innovation OUI is the research commercialisation office of the University of Oxford, recognised worldwide for its ability to engage academic prowess through licensing, catalyse innovative solutions through consulting services, and support the creation of spinouts, start-ups, and social ventures. OUI is dedicated to showcasing these transformative technologies on the global stage, bridging the realms of academia and the commercial world, thereby weaving a future where knowledge, innovation and partnership drive forward solutions to global challenges. https://innovation.ox.ac.uk/
– Follows successful completion of pre-clinical activities by Alchemab as part of earlier licensing deal with Eli Lilly and Company for ATLX-1282 – Financing included participation from Eli Lilly and Company and Ono Venture Investment alongside significant support from world-class existing investors
CAMBRIDGE, England, Sept. 9, 2025 — Alchemab Therapeutics (Alchemab), a biopharmaceutical company which identifies and develops naturally occurring therapeutic antibodies from resilient individuals, today announced initiation of a Phase 1 first-in-human study of ATLX-1282. ATLX-1282 was licensed to Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) in May 2025 as part of an exclusive global licensing agreement, which included a milestone payment to Alchemab following the initiation of the Phase 1 first-in-human study. Alchemab will conduct the first-in-human study for ATLX-1282 and Lilly will lead further development and commercialisation of the therapy. The Company also announced a $32 million Series A extension financing, bringing the Company’s total Series A investment to date to $114 million. The round included participation from Ono Venture Investment (OVI) alongside a blue-chip syndicate of existing specialist investors which includes RA Capital, SV Health Investors, DCVC Bio and Lightstone Ventures and strategic investment by Lilly.
Alchemab’s proprietary, AI-enabled platform is transforming drug discovery by identifying protective auto-antibodies and novel targets from individuals that are naturally resilient to various diseases. The platform operates like a search engine for the immune system, leveraging advanced machine learning models and proprietary data to interrogate the largest database of patient-derived antibodies, known as the DataCube, comprising over 6,000 highly curated patient samples from more than 30 global collaborators across metabolic, immune and neurological conditions.
The additional capital will enable Alchemab to advance ATLX-2847, a wholly-owned program for muscle atrophy derived from the platform, into clinical development. ATLX-2847 is a first-in-class program targeting the prostaglandin pathway. The financing will also support Alchemab to advance highly novel earlier programs for immune and neurological conditions towards clinic, and further expand its AI-enabled, disease resilience-led platform.
This financing follows a separate research collaboration with Lilly announced in January 2025 for the discovery, development and commercialisation of up to five novel therapeutic candidates for neurodegenerative disease.
“As a founding investor in Alchemab, we are thrilled to close this financing and initiate clinical development, which together mark a very successful year for Alchemab and the Company’s novel platform to identify protective auto-antibodies,” said Kate Bingham, Alchemab Chair and SV Health Investors Managing Partner. “We’re extremely pleased to welcome new investors who share our commitment to novel drug discovery and development approaches and are proud to support Alchemab’s continued progress.”
Jane Osbourn, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Alchemab, commented: “Reaching the key milestone of our first drug candidate into the clinic is great validation of Alchemab and our AI enabled next generation antibody platform. Through our collaboration with Lilly, we hope to get this, our first clinical candidate and a potentially transformative therapy, to as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible.”
Mike Hutton, Senior Vice President, Genetic Medicines and Neurodegeneration at Lilly, commented: “I am excited about the rapid progress we have made with this candidate as part of a joint team effort with Alchemab and look forward to seeing its performance in the clinic.”
About Alchemab
Alchemab studies the natural antibody responses of individuals who are highly resilient to disease and identifies antibodies uniquely shared in the resilient groups and not seen in disease progressors. The targets to these antibodies are then identified and the antibodies developed into therapies for hard-to-treat diseases which do not have disease modifying approaches. Alchemab’s platform integrates data mining and machine learning models of patient-derived immune responses with in vitro and in vivo drug discovery approaches to understand what keeps people well. The goal is to unlock nature’s immunological response to disease and harness our highly evolved human immune system to find breakthrough drugs. Alchemab was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in London, UK with labs in Cambridge, UK.
This Series Seed establishes Labs’ “1 Company, 7 Labs” vision — a multidisciplinary system built to pioneer entirely new categories of superintelligence and human-enhancement technologies.
Within this architecture, Yuhmmy App 2.0 is Labs’ flagship product: the World’s 1st Social-Taste Super App where people come together for fun, funny and flavorful culinary conversations around eating, drinking and snacking — at Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Dessert and Dinner through audiovisual Tasterooms and ultra short-form Taste Reactions with friends, family, and new connections.
As the flagship, Yuhmmy also serves as the blueprint for how future products will grow, fueled by the combined strength of all seven (7) labs.
Together, these interconnected labs each advance a distinct frontier:
Based on this framework, Yuhmmy App 2.0 originates from lab6: LavLabs, and quickly became fueled by lab1: Labs Intelligence through proprietary Social-Taste AI Models (STAMs) and Social-Taste Agents (STAGs) with YuhmmyAI, and lab2: Labs Realities through Spatial-Taste with Yuhmmy AR/VR and the Yuhmmyverse. This early fusion of consumer experience and AI marks the birthplace of the Social-Taste Graph, and defines new digital categories: Tasteintelligence and Tasteimmersion.
Over time, Yuhmmy will draw on the full power of all seven (7) labs — from hardware and wearables to blockchain, crypto, immersive realities, and experimental sciences — evolving into a living demonstration of Labs’ superintelligence architecture.
This fall, that vision advances with a major step forward. Yuhmmy App 2.0 will open with initial access for USC and UCLA students, launching with a go-to-market strategy that makes the app available only during mealtimes — Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Monday–Saturday, and Brunch, Dinner, and Dessert on Sundays. Outside these windows, Yuhmmy closes, creating rhythm and anticipation that echo the way meals have always anchored human communities.
In its first phase, USC and UCLA students will shape the culture of Yuhmmy by being the first to gather around its digital tables. From there, the community will expand — with students nationwide, along with brands, creators, media, and investors, able to join the waitlist for priority access. The broader vision is to evolve Yuhmmy into a living ritual, where digital and physical tables merge into one shared experience.
Yuhmmy will also introduce a suite of Social-Taste Features — including Taste Reactions, Tasterooms, Tastechat, Cravecash T2T/Taster-to-Taster payments, Taste Sports, Taste Drops and TNPL (Taste Now, Pay Later) that will form the Commercial-Taste Industry (CTI).
Together, these features make Yuhmmy App 2.0 the first consumer expression of Labs’ “1 Company, 7 Labs” vision.
“We’re building a new category called social-taste,” said Duránd F. Davis Jr., Founder, Executive Chairman & CEO of Labs. “We’re also building an entirely new kind of industry—one that runs on what we call commercial-taste.“
“Every lab was built around the belief that technology should serve as an extension of the human senses, human perception and human cognition,” added Maya E. Davis, Co-founder, Vice Chairwoman, President & Chief Ecosystem Strategy Officer (CESO). “This funding brings us closer to reimagining how people crave, create, and connect with taste.“
About Labs Companies, Inc.
Labs Companies, Inc. (branded and doing business as Labs) is an American global human-enhancement technology company headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. Formed in 2025 through a restructuring of LavLabs Inc., Labs now serves as the parent company to a multidisciplinary innovation system spanning seven core labs: Labs Intelligence, Labs Realities, Labs Blocks, Labs Crypto, LabsX, LavLabs, and Factory5227, operating across superintelligence, immersive realities, digital economies, experimental sciences, consumer internet, and wearable hardware. Yuhmmy App is Labs’ flagship consumer platform.
Each Lab is dedicated to advancing human capabilities through transformative products, services, platforms, and technologies (PSPTs) in superintelligence, digital economies, immersive realities, consumer internet, wearables, and social experiences.
Labs’ ecosystem spans FinTaste (Labs Financial Group), venture and fund infrastructure (Labs Investor Group), culinary real estate (Labs Realty Group), education (Labs Learn), entertainment (Labs Entertainment), and digital media (Labs Media).
Labs’ mission is to inspire creativity to shape futuresthat help build communities and advance human capabilities. Its signature emblem, Chemí (/kim-me/), is inspired by chemistry’s test tube, symbolizing wonder, excitement, testing, and openness.
Yuhmmy is the flagship brand of Labs — building the infrastructure for a new Social-Taste Internet powered by craving, not clicks. At the center is Yuhmmy App, the world’s first Social-Taste™ Super App, which transforms everyday eating, sipping, snacking, and savoring into expressive, shareable, and transactional moments. Through Taste Reactions, Tasterooms, Tastechat, Cravecash, and TNPL (Taste Now, Pay Later), Yuhmmy turns flavor into a form of identity, commerce, and craveable self-expression.
Yuhmmy’s deeper engine is YuhmmyAI — a real-time, perception-based intelligence layer powered by STAMs (Social-Taste AI Models) and STAGs (Social-Taste Agents). These contextual AI systems personalize every interaction, taste-search, and flavor-fueled recommendation across the app. Together, they form the first emotional-reasoning AI designed for the language of taste.
Alongside YuhmmyAI, the company is launching Yuhmmy AR/VR — a mixed-reality platform for immersive taste exploration. From campus-based Taste Hunts to global Taste Battles, Yuhmmy AR/VR blends virtual and real-life experience into what Labs calls Tastertainment™.
With the launch of Yuhmmy App 2.0 this fall, Yuhmmy App becomes the central node of a new global Tasteconomy™ — connecting communities through flavor, culture, and crave-tech innovation.
Learn more about the Yuhmmy Brand, Yuhmmy App, YuhmmyAI and Yuhmmy AR/VR at: Yuhmmy.com
Labs’ August Series Seed II closed a $35 million EDGE Note in debt financing at a $12.5 billion post-money valuation; that $12.5 billion valuation reflects a 25% valuation increase since our Series Seed April 18th.
The Series Seed established the company’s ‘1 Company, 7 Labs’ vision, with Yuhmmy App 2.0, the world’s 1st Social-Taste Super App for fun, funny, and flavorful conversations, as the first expression of that system.
Series Seed II builds directly on that foundation, highlighting Labs’ momentum and fueling the public release of Yuhmmy App 2.0, opening this fall with exclusive first access for USC and UCLA students.
Yuhmmy App will allow people to share food, drinks, sweets, snacks and recreational flavors through live audiovisual Tasterooms and ultra short-form Taste Reactions, turning everyday tasting into a time to connect with friends, family, and new communities around the globe.
Initially, Yuhmmy App 2.0 will open only during mealtimes — Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Monday–Saturday, and Brunch, Dinner, and Dessert on Sundays. Between those windows, the app closes, building anticipation and giving every session the feel of a shared meal. On-campus activations will spark excitement, guiding students directly into the app to taste, create, and stream together.
Alongside the product rollout, Labs will introduce Yuhmmy Characters — a taste-native layer of expressive, collectible identities that members can use across Taste Reactions, Tasterooms, and Tastechats.
Characters such as Palatepups, FlavorFriends, and TasteToons function as Digital & Physical Taste Valuables (DPTVs), unlocking premium content, GrubGems, PalatePoints, PalatePerks, real-world collaborations, and Yuhmmy Rewards. Yuhmmy Characters also create new surfaces for what we call Cravecreator taste-merchandising, taste-branded partnerships, and character-based taste-ad formats inside Yuhmmy Promote, also igniting Yuhmmers to become Tastetrepreneurs.
While USC and UCLA lead the launch, everyone else — students nationwide, brands (e.g., Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Doritos), creators, media, and investors — can join the waitlist to reserve their place at the table.
At its core, Yuhmmy App is fueled by proprietary STAMs (Social-Taste AI Models) and STAGs (Social-Taste Agents) — the Tasteintelligence layer that ingests cravings, interprets flavor, and powers new ways for people to share meals together. From this tasteintelligence, Social-Taste Apps will emerge, carrying taste into events, shopping, maps, music, and more — all connected through the universal language of flavor.
Together, they establish Yuhmmy App as the world’s first Social-Taste Super App and the foundation of a new superindustry: the Commercial-Taste Industry (CTI).
“This capital puts Yuhmmy App 2.0 directly into people’s hands — starting at USC and UCLA — while we deepen YuhmmyAI, Yuhmmy AR/VR and ready our ecosystems and economies for scaled SAT economics,” said Duránd F. Davis Jr., Founder & CEO of Labs.
“Labs is defining a taste-native category. This Series Seed II extension provides speed now and a clear path for our firm to retrieve equity up-side at Series A, without slowing product cadence, as Labs prepares for their Pre-Series A and Series A Rounds,” said James E. Thomas, Head of the JET entities.
“This next chapter will catapult the Social-Taste Graph and Commercial-Taste Industry — where taste, technology, and community merge to redefine how the world comes together around eating, drinking, snacking, and enjoying taste recreationally,” said Maya E. Davis, Co-founder & President of Labs.
This financing also underscores Labs’ strategy to accelerate revenue ecosystems across SAT (Subscriptions, Advertising, Transactions) within its BREMS (Business, Revenue, Economic, Monetization, Sales) framework, including Yuhmmy Premium tiers (Premium Pilot $5, Premium Pulse $15, Premium Plus $20, Premium Pro $100), Yuhmmy Promote (TasteAds, STEBA, YAN!, TAP!), and Yuhmmy Marketplace (Taste Shop, Taste Store, Taste Mart, TNPL, and Tastebank).
About Labs Companies, Inc. Labs Companies, Inc. (branded and doing business as Labs) is an American global human-enhancement technology company headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. Formed in 2025 through a restructuring of LavLabs Inc., Labs now serves as the parent company to a multidisciplinary innovation system spanning seven core labs: Labs Intelligence, Labs Realities, Labs Blocks, Labs Crypto, LabsX, LavLabs, and Factory5227, operating across superintelligence, immersive realities, digital economies, experimental sciences, consumer internet, and wearable hardware. Yuhmmy App is Labs’ flagship consumer platform.
Each Lab is dedicated to advancing human capabilities through transformative products, services, platforms, and technologies (PSPTs) in superintelligence, digital economies, immersive realities, consumer internet, wearables, and social experiences.
Labs’ ecosystem spans FinTaste (Labs Financial Group), venture and fund infrastructure (Labs Investor Group), culinary real estate (Labs Realty Group), education (Labs Learn), entertainment (Labs Entertainment), and digital media (Labs Media).
Labs’ mission is to inspire creativity to shape futuresthat help build communities and advance human capabilities. Its signature emblem, Chemí (/kim-me/), is inspired by chemistry’s test tube, symbolizing wonder, excitement, testing, and openness.
About Yuhmmy Yuhmmy is the flagship brand of Labs — building the infrastructure for a new Social-Taste Internet powered by craving, not clicks. At the center is Yuhmmy App, the world’s first Social-Taste Super App, which transforms everyday eating, sipping, snacking, and savoring into expressive, shareable, and transactional moments. Through Taste Reactions, Tasterooms, Tastechat, Cravecash, and TNPL (Taste Now, Pay Later), Yuhmmy turns flavor into a form of identity, commerce, and craveable self-expression.
Yuhmmy’s deeper engine is YuhmmyAI — a real-time, perception-based intelligence layer powered by STAMs and STAGs. These contextual AI systems personalize every interaction, taste-search, and flavor-fueled recommendation across the app. Alongside YuhmmyAI, the company is launching Yuhmmy AR/VR for immersive taste exploration, and Yuhmmy Characters — expressive, collectible identities and effects that travel across the entire Yuhmmy ecosystem and unlock digital-to-physical rewards, collaborations, and marketplace benefits.
With the rollout of Yuhmmy App 2.0 beginning this fall, Yuhmmy becomes the central node of a global Tasteconomy — connecting communities through flavor, culture, and crave-tech innovation.
Learn more about the Yuhmmy brand, Yuhmmy App, YuhmmyAI, Yuhmmy AR/VR, and Yuhmmy Characters at: Yuhmmy.com
Labs’ April Series Seed closed at $22.5 million and a $10 billion post-money valuation; today’s $12.5 billion reflects a 25% valuation increase.
