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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Plug and Play

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

Media Relations Contact
Allison Romero
[email protected] 

SOURCE Plug and Play

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Media Contacts
Devin Walsh
[email protected]

SOURCE Keychain

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

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

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

Synapticure will use this funding to:

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

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

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

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

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

About Synapticure

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

About B Capital

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

Media Contact [email protected]

SOURCE Synapticure

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For customers, the process is simple: They join a brand’s loyalty program, link any preferred credit or debit card, and receive instant cashback incentives for purchases at partner retailers —no extra steps needed as customers spend with their linked card. Brands benefit from automated tracking and insights, with payouts made directly from each transaction. Kalder’s platform manages everything for both the customer and the brand – from sign-ups to purchase tracking and payments, powered by integrations with payment networks. The Kalder system gives brands unique insights into customer spending, creates new acquisition channels with partners, and enhances their engagement and loyalty-building efforts.

“For the first time, brands with loyal followings can earn revenue from their existing customer loyalty programs, much like the gold standard of loyalty programs in the travel and finance categories,” said Gokce Guven, Kalder CEO and Founder. “Until now, most brands haven’t had access to tools that allow them to turn loyalty into profit. With Kalder, any brand can turn loyalty programs into direct revenue streams. With acquisition costs soaring, brands are looking for new ways to deepen customer relationships and retain quality customers, and we’re excited to help them build this into their everyday strategy.”

“Kalder is finally delivering on the long-held promise of loyalty monetization without the cost and complexity of traditional rewards programs,” said Noah Doyle, Managing Director of lead investor Javelin Venture Partners. “As someone who has spent years transforming loyalty into revenue for major brands, I know the challenges involved. Kalder has streamlined this process into a turnkey model that gives brands of all sizes an unprecedented opportunity to profit from customer loyalty and align it seamlessly with their marketing goals.”

Brands that rely on Kalder today include iconic names like Godiva, LVMH-backed retailer MILE, Heat.io, the Swiss-Brazilian sports club BSC Young Boys. Based on Kalder’s model, the average brand sees 50,000 cashback users, which drive $450K in rewards sales revenue monthly.

Additional investors include Harry Maguire of Manchester United, Shuo Wang, Co-founder of Deel, Julius Genachowski, Board Chairman of Sonos, former FCC Chairman and board director of Mattel and Mastercard.

Michael Sutherland, former CTO of Real Madrid, added, “Kalder stands out for its innovative approach, offering a digital loyalty ecosystem that seamlessly aligns fan experiences with club goals. Their cashback product is particularly disruptive, fostering a sense of community by connecting fans with local and international businesses. It not only creates real value for fans but also generates scalable, net-new revenue for clubs—all with minimal integration and no upfront costs.”

“Gokce and the Kalder team bring a fresh approach to rewards that truly benefits both brands and their customers,” said Julius Genachowski, Board Chairman of Sonos, former FCC Chairman and board director of Mattel and Mastercard. “I’m impressed to watch as their team is already delivering astounding results that deliver true value to everyone involved.”

About Kalder

Kalder is a fintech company redefining customer loyalty by helping brands earn revenue from rewards programs that give customers direct brand rewards back at partner retailers. With an easy-to-integrate API, Kalder enables brands to launch profitable loyalty programs, deepening customer relationships and gaining valuable insights—all without complex setups.

Founded in 2022, Kalder is based in New York City and backed by Javelin Venture Partners, Emergence Capital, 8VC, Human Capital, Alumni Ventures, and Formus Capital.

Learn more at Kalder.co

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Kalder

Lightyear’s Telecom Operating System has transformed how enterprise IT / networking teams buy and manage their telecom infrastructure, culminating in record revenue growth and customer retention.

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2024 — Lightyear, the leading provider of enterprise telecom management software, today announces the completion of its $31 million Series B fundraise led by Altos Ventures, with meaningful participation from existing investors Ridge Ventures, Amplo, Zigg Capital, and Susa Ventures. This new round of funding comes at the heels of major product milestones, including the launch of Lightyear’s Network Inventory Manager, Bill Consolidation, and API offerings, as well as major achievements in revenue and customer growth.

Founded by Dennis Thankachan (CEO) and Ryan Schrack (CTO) in 2019, Lightyear’s Telecom Operating System has revolutionized the enterprise telecom experience with AI software that streamlines and digitizes network service procurement, inventory management, and bill payment. Enterprises who leverage Lightyear across the full telecom lifecycle spend exponentially less time on telecom management while reducing telecom costs significantly. Lightyear is trusted by 300+ enterprises and 5,000+ enterprise users worldwide, including the likes of Alo Yoga, Palo Alto Networks, Five Guys, Pandora Jewelry, and Teladoc. Lightyear also works with 1,000+ ISPs and telecom service providers spanning the globe.

This Series B round marks another major milestone in Lightyear’s growth. “Enterprise telecom management is a decades-old problem that’s exceptionally difficult to solve due to the lack of data transparency, workflow standardization, and digitization that exists across the thousands of global carriers. This Series B funding is a testament to the years of hard work from our team, culminating in the first-ever software product to properly address each problem area of the telecom lifecycle. With this new funding, we’re poised to continue aggressively innovating against customer pain points,” said Lightyear CEO Dennis Thankachan.

“Lightyear’s software has modernized the way enterprise IT and networking teams manage their telecom infrastructure, saving them countless hours of tedious work,” said Zac Mohring, Principal at Altos Ventures. “The company’s top-tier growth, retention, and commitment to excellence are driving the industry forward. We’re extremely proud of what Dennis, Ryan, Suhith, Rob, and the entire Lightyear team have built, and are thrilled to be a part of their journey.”

The Series B funding will be directed toward continued product innovation within Lightyear’s Telecom Operating System platform, adding depth within its three core product lines (Procurement, Network Inventory Management, Bill Consolidation), while also building new products and features around network monitoring, AI, bulk site procurement and more. Further, Series B funding will allow Lightyear to invest more deeply in customer experience and support improvements.

About Lightyear
Lightyear (https://lightyear.ai) is the only digital workflow and system of record platform that unlocks efficiency across the full lifecycle for enterprise telecom services, revolutionizing the telecom experience to drive material time and cost savings. Lightyear’s Procurement platform automates RFP creation, quoting, install management, and more for internet, WAN, voice, and colocation services, reducing time spent on procurement materially while network intelligence and pricing data ensures enterprises select the optimal solution at the lowest cost. Lightyear’s Network Inventory Manager creates a digital system of record for enterprise networks, tracking 30+ data points per service (static IPs, contract details, account IDs) and automating lifecycle management workflows such as MACD ticketing and renewal re-shopping. Lightyear’s Bill Consolidation software offers enterprises one consolidated bill for all telecom services, eliminating the headache of tracking invoices and handling audits while avoiding service disruptions.

Media Contact
Athena Ascione
[email protected]

SOURCE Lightyear

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FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 19, 2024 — Block 3 LLC, a company on a mission to develop and integrate tech advancements into American intelligence and defense, made a strategic investment into Sphinx LLC. This investment underscores Block 3’s commitment to innovation and positions it as a leader in delivering critical cyber intelligence and geospatial technologies to protect our citizens, warfighters, and infrastructure.

Garrett Pagon, Block 3 Co-Founder and former CEO of OGSystems, shared his vision for the company: “We invest in founders who are passionate about outmaneuvering and dominating adversaries in the digital battlespace. Sphinx’s expertise will ensure our clients have the tools needed to gain tactical advantage.” 

Rich Aves, Block 3 Co-Founder and former Executive Vice President at Parsons Corporation and CGO of OGSystems, added, “Our investment in Sphinx is a fusion of talent and technology aimed at tackling the most sophisticated cybersecurity challenges our nation faces.”

Steve Martin, Block 3 Co-Founder and former COO of OGSystems, emphasized the strategic impact: “We see ourselves as a strategic asset for the government bridging the gap between small companies with unique capabilities and the missions they could transform. Our approach will include a mix of organic development and technology acquisition aimed at satisfying specific mission needs with cutting edge technology and services.”

Block 3’s strategy includes adding to Sphinx’s capabilities by continuously scouting for new tech partnerships and opportunities. Sphinx, known for its cutting-edge intelligence and security services, has been pivotal in providing advanced adversary defeat, technology integration, digital forensics and incident response services to key agencies like NGA, DIA, and INSCOM. Bob Dredger, Founder and CEO of Sphinx, expressed enthusiasm about the combination: “Putting Block 3’s market sophistication and the technical expertise of Sphinx together will fuel the next leap in our evolution. Sphinx and Block 3 both share a culture dedicated to professionalism with a team-focused approach to achieving our success. Our combined capabilities and unwavering commitment to the mission will ensure our clients continue to receive the exceptional services they’ve come to expect from Sphinx.”

About Block 3 LLC:
Named for the warfare doctrine of simultaneously conducting conventional, asymmetric, and peacekeeping operations in a three-block radius, Block 3 invests in cyber and geospatial technology to protect American assets and exploit adversaries in the digital warfare domain. www.block3.us

About Sphinx LLC:
Derived from US Army Military Intelligence insignia, Sphinx represents tactical intelligence and strategic thinking, and is a leader in cyber operations and counterintelligence. Sphinx delivers bespoke services that detect, neutralize, and exploit the efforts of adversaries targeting US equities for Fortune 500 and government clients. Their capabilities in sophisticated cybersecurity services range from Digital Forensics and Incident Response to advanced threat emulation and red team activities. www.sphinxsecure.com/

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Block 3

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The company will use the funds to accelerate the commercialization of its sustainable thermoplastic elastomers, high-performance materials derived from recycled end-of-life tires

KIRKLAND, Wash., Nov. 19, 2024 — Prism Worldwide, a leader in innovative material solutions that is dedicated to advancing end-of-life tire recycling technology, today announced it has raised $40 million in Series A and Series A1 funds. Prism is using the funds to consolidate operations, make capital investments in technology and equipment, and expand its team. To date, the funding has provided a foundation from which Prism has reached commercial viability, demonstrated by an initial round of sales and sales commitments for its thermoelastic polymers (TPEs). The development of these TPEs marks the first time any company has successfully created a sustainable, high-performance polymer derived from end-of-life tires. The funding rounds were co-led by return investors Columbia Pacific Advisors, a Seattle alternative investment firm, and Jim Sinegal, co-founder and former CEO of Costco. The combination Series A and Series A1 funding round also includes participation from Robert “Spike” Anderson, former CEO of Anderson Daymon Worldwide. Anderson is Chairman of Prism Worldwide’s board of directors.

“Prism has achieved what no other company has by successfully developing a novel method to turn end-of-life tires into a useful polymer that can be compounded into a wide range of rubber and plastic products,” said John Bratrud, Portfolio Manager, Columbia Pacific Advisors. “Solving the challenge of recycling tires and transforming them into sustainable, high-quality, and reliable material opens a wide range of revenue pathways in every market that uses elastomers and plastics.”

The first deployment of Series A capital was for the acquisition of CRC Polymer Systems, a custom compounding company that supplies compounds, resins, and colors to the plastics industry. The acquisition enabled Prism to increase its capacity for product development, manufacturing and distribution throughout the United States and North America.

“Few companies have such a significant number of avenues to achieve financial success,” said Jim Sinegal, independent investor and co-founder and former CEO of Costco. “In addition to individual customers, Prism’s technology holds profound value for large petrochemical polymer companies seeking ways to make their virgin materials more sustainable.”

Prism breathes new life into end-of-life rubber tires, which traditionally have limited high-value uses. Tires are often burned or ground into final-stage materials used on playground surfaces or sporting fields. With its environmentally friendly technology, Prism reverses the polymerization of the end-of-life tire rubber in a novel, energy-efficient, and low capital-intensive manner that allows the end material to be functional and flexible in a wide range of elastomer and plastic applications. Notably, Prism makes it possible to integrate a higher concentration of recycled materials to be used in both rubber-based and plastic-based products without conceding product quality. Its technology can help companies scale revenues and profitability while helping them achieve sustainability goals by reducing carbon emissions and reliance on virgin petrochemical-based materials.

“Our patented technology has already captured the attention of a significant number of customers in the specialty polymer industry,” said Bob Abramowitz, CEO, Prism Worldwide. “This novel technology eliminates the common fate of end-of-life tires and waste plastics that often litter landfills or illegal dumps by creating functional polymers from these valuable recycled materials. We’re already fielding inquiries from a host of companies seeking ways to make their consumer and industrial products more sustainable. Even more compelling is that once the products manufactured from our polymer intermediates reach their end-of-life usefulness, they can be recycled again, creating a truly circular, long life.”

Notably, Prism is producing a real-world product that’s available for purchase today.

About Prism Worldwide
Prism was founded on the principle that there should be a better use for end-of-life (ELT) tires. We recognize that to solve this long-standing issue we need solutions that provide performance-oriented products. This requires that we address the problem differently.

Developed and patented in the United States, Prism’s technology and products are American-made and American-sourced. Prism provides a cost-effective solution that helps end users increase profitability by using sustainable materials.

We are bringing new patented technology to the market by producing polymer intermediates derived from ground tire rubber. These performance solutions for TPE, TPV, TPO markets (Ancora) and rubber modified plastics polymer markets (Ennova) are sustainable and circular, creating higher value uses for end-of-life tires and offering a route to Making Tires More Circular.

In November 2022, Prism acquired CRC Polymer Systems (CRC), a custom compounding company supplying compounds, resins, and colors to the plastics industry. For more information please visit https://prismww.com/.

Media contact:
Dwain Schenck
[email protected] 
+1 (203) 223-5230

SOURCE Prism Worldwide

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The latest funding will help Cresta double down on its existing product suite, scale its go-to-market efforts, and rapidly develop the next generation of virtual agents

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024 — Cresta, the end-to-end generative AI platform for contact centers, today announced the closing of its $125 million Series D round of financing. The round was led by new investors World Innovation Lab (WiL) and QIA with participation from Accenture, EnvisionX Capital, LG Technology Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and Workday Ventures. The round also includes returning investors Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, J.P. Morgan, Sequoia Capital, and Tiger Global. This brings the company’s total funding to over $270 million.

There is increased pressure in the contact center space to drastically drive down costs while improving customer loyalty and top-line revenue. Cresta provides a unified platform for human and AI agents that transforms customer conversations and workflows at every level of the contact center. With Cresta, customers can uncover real-time insights and behavioral best practices in order to scale winning behaviors across their human agents, while automating mundane tasks using virtual agents.

“Cresta provides Fortune 500 companies like Intuit and Verizon with leading AI-powered technology that empowers them with clear competitive advantages,” said Ping Wu, Chief Executive Officer at Cresta. “With this latest round of financing, we look forward to expanding our end-to-end AI platform to help dramatically reimagine how contact centers function and expand the use of human-centric AI to both augment human agents to make them more effective and save costs using human-like virtual agents.”

Cresta today also announced several major milestones for the company:

• In the last two years, the company has nearly quadrupled its annual recurring revenue (ARR) and nearly doubled its customer base.
• Cresta will be rapidly scaling R&D, opening two new engineering hubs in Romania and India to add to existing offices in Palo Alto, San Francisco, New York, Berlin, and Toronto.
• Cresta has appointed Rob Theis, General Partner and Chief Investment Officer at WiL, to the company’s board of directors.

“Ping and the Cresta team consistently show that they have what it takes to succeed in the contact center AI space,” said Rob Theis, General Partner and Chief Investment Officer at WiL (World Innovation Lab). “We were impressed by Cresta’s track record with Fortune 500 companies and we view Cresta as the strongest end-to-end platform in the market. They are defining the next era of contact centers with best-in-class AI performance.”

Cresta’s end-to-end platform is trusted by the world’s leading contact centers to drive powerful business outcomes.

• Brinks Home, one of North America’s leading home security and alarm monitoring companies, selected Cresta to transform their contact center operations and revitalize customer engagement. By combining real-time agent assistance with Cresta’s AI-driven quality management (QM) and coaching capabilities, Brinks Home was able to cut QM costs by 50%, increase first-call resolution to 75%, and boost the company’s net-promoter score by 30 points.

“Partnering with Cresta has enabled us to build stronger customer connections, boost retention, and drive revenue,” said William E. Niles, CEO of Brinks Home. “We have transformed customer conversations into a competitive edge, cutting call transfers from 30% to 8%—a 73% improvement. In addition, we are thrilled to partner with Cresta to use their next-generation virtual agent platform to dramatically reduce costs and reinvest in the business in other ways. It’s going to be a complete game changer for Brinks Home.”

The funding follows Cresta being named to the Forbes AI 50  List of Top Artificial Intelligence Companies of 2024, recognition in Forrester’s Real Time Revenue Executions Platforms Q2 20224 Wave, and the announcement of several new, human-centric AI solutions for the contact center in early 2024.

To learn more about Cresta, please visit https://cresta.com/.

About Cresta:
Cresta is on a mission to turn every customer conversation into a competitive advantage by unlocking the true potential of the contact center. Cresta’s platform combines the best of AI and human intelligence to help contact centers discover customer insights and behavioral best practices, automate conversations and inefficient processes, and empower every team member to work smarter and faster. Powering customer experiences for companies like Cox Communications, Hilton, and Carmax, Cresta helps turn every conversation into an opportunity. Follow our blog and connect with us on LinkedIn and X.

About WIL:
WiL (World Innovation Lab) is a venture capital firm that partners with leading global corporations and government entities in Japan and Asia. With offices in Palo Alto, California, and Tokyo, the firm’s mission is to serve as a bridge between startups and corporations in the United States and Asia, with a particular focus on Japan. WiL supports its portfolio companies by establishing corporate partnerships that enable U.S. and European startups to scale globally, and Japanese startups to innovate and globalize. WiL invests in emerging technology spanning fintech, insurtech, automation and productivity, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, developer tools, health tech and sustainability. Notable WiL investments that have exited to public markets from Fund I and Fund II include Asana, Mercari, Raksul, Wise and Auth0 — whose acquisition by Okta was completed in May 2021. WiL also invests in exceptional venture funds, and supports its LPs in corporate venture investment efforts. For more, visit https://wil.vc/

About QIA:
QIA is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. QIA was founded in 2005 to invest and manage the state reserve funds. QIA is among the largest and most active sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA invests across a wide range of asset classes and regions as well as in partnership with leading institutions around the world to build a global and diversified investment portfolio with a long-term perspective that can deliver sustainable returns and contribute to the prosperity of the State of Qatar.

SOURCE Cresta

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BOSTON, Nov. 19, 2024 — Unruly Studios, the innovators behind Unruly Splats, is poised for a significant leap forward as it expands its role as the go-to partner for movement-based learning in schools and after-school programs. With the surge in screen-time reduction initiatives and a growing demand for active learning tools, Unruly Studios is ready to deliver on a bold vision: enhancing teaching and learning by combining movement with collaboration to build active educational environments.

In the past year, Unruly Studios has achieved significant milestones:

Product Expansion: Following the successful launch of Unruly Math, Unruly Studios is entering the general education space, introducing new ways for students to engage in movement-based math practice and expanding into more parts of the school day with future movement-based experiences. One standout achievement is reaching 40 million stomps through Unruly’s innovative products, highlighting how students are embracing math and coding through physical activity.

Growing Partnerships: Unruly Studios has formed key partnerships at the state level and across the U.S. and Canada, expanding its footprint in K-12 classrooms. Unruly has also partnered with the Brains and Motion after-school program, marking its first step into the growing after-school learning space.

Leadership for Growth: The company has bolstered its team with key hires, including Krista Curran, President and COO, whose experience from Amplify Education will accelerate the go-to-market strategy for Unruly Math, Chris Garrity, Product Manager and former member of MIT Media Lab’s Scratch team with deep experience building engaging tools for kids, and James Sanders, Product Marketing Manager, who brings extensive experience bringing innovative solutions (Breakout EDU, Future Ready Schools) to K-12 classrooms.

Unruly Studios is backed by a group of strategic investors. In its recent $4 million pre-Series A funding round, the company secured investments from edtech impact investor LBZS, LLC; Lyman Missimer, Partner at Owl Ventures; Miriam Altman-Reyes, Founder of Brass Ring Ventures and former CEO of Kinvolved; and Karl Rectanus, former Founder of LearnPlatform. Unruly Studios also added new board members: Zach Silverstein, Principal at Z Beach Strategies, and Jim Mylen, former President and SVP of Amplify. Closing out its strong investor support, AT&T Ventures, which invested in a previous funding round, continues to support the company’s growth.

The team is actively developing new movement-based learning concepts to support Unruly Studios’ rapid growth in both schools and after-school programs. With new markets and product lines on the horizon, Unruly is committed to inspiring more active and engaging learning experiences in the near future.

About Unruly Studios

Unruly Studios combines STEM learning with active play and collaboration for elementary and middle school students. Our flagship products, Unruly Math and Unruly Code, transform coding and math practice into exciting, movement-based experiences. Developed by experts from Nickelodeon, iRobot, Disney, Mattel, and Hasbro, our tools make learning ridiculously fun and inclusive. With over 40 million stomps across North America, our mission is to boost academic confidence, reduce screen time, and bring joy to the classroom.

Media Contact

James Sanders
[email protected]

SOURCE Unruly Studios

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