BREA, Calif., Sept. 22, 2023 — ThreatHunter.ai, the leader in proactive threat hunting and managed detection and response services, is pleased to announce a significant update to its customer offerings.

Starting today, all contracted Threat Hunting customers will benefit from free data retention in cold storage for as long as they remain active clients.

Previously, like other firms, customers were charged a nominal fee for extended data storage. This change aims to enhance customer experience by removing financial barriers to long-term data retention.

“This decision aligns with our mission to provide comprehensive, cost-effective cybersecurity solutions,” said James McMurry, CEO of ThreatHunter.ai. “By offering free data retention, we empower our clients to better investigate historical threats and improve their security posture over time.”

Today’s large-scale merger announcement by two other firms in the cybersecurity sector raise questions about the future handling and commoditization of customer data. While consolidation might offer the allure of enhanced services, it also runs the risk of customer data being used for purposes beyond client security.

In contrast, ThreatHunter.ai uses client data strictly for retrospective threat analysis specific to the customer, a targeted approach undertaken by our elite team of human threat hunters committed to continuous security enhancement.

For more information about free data retention or ThreatHunter.ai’s services, please contact [email protected]

About ThreatHunter.ai

ThreatHunter.ai is a cybersecurity firm specializing in threat hunting, managed detection, and response services. Committed to innovation and excellence, ThreatHunter.ai empowers businesses to protect their digital assets in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Ever think your cybersecurity could use a Red Bull and a double shot of espresso? That’s us—ThreatHunter.ai. Seventeen years of kicking cyber-butt, genius-level human hunters, and an Argos platform so advanced it makes a smartphone look like a potato. We’re not just a shield; we’re your cyber bodyguard on steroids.

Media Contact:
Lydia Coulter
7145154011
365776@email4pr.com

SOURCE ThreatHunter.ai

Market Leader Now Live at 22 Health Systems Nationwide, Expects to Triple Customer Footprint Over Next 24 Months

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 21, 2023 — Diligent Robotics, the undisputed leader in robotic automation in health care, today announced $25 million in new financing led by Canaan, with True Ventures, DNX Ventures, Next Coast Ventures among the return investors and Northwestern Medicine Innovation joining as a new strategic investor. Rich Boyle from Canaan will join the board of directors. The company will use the funds to fuel system-wide expansions of its revolutionary Moxi robot across hospitals nationwide, enhance product development and triple its market reach.

“The incredible demand we’ve seen for Moxi is a testament to the clear value of using robotic automation to augment and support frontline hospital care teams, but also our highly customer-centric approach to bringing new technology and operational change into healthcare,” said Andrea Thomaz, Ph.D., Diligent Robotics’ co-founder and CEO. “We approach our work with deep empathy for the people who care for patients every day, and it has been incredible to witness the difference Moxi makes in supporting nursing, pharmacy, lab and entire clinical care teams. This funding round will enable us to scale fleets and accelerate product development while remaining true to our vision of creating robots that function as core team members and elevate the standards of healthcare through robotics.”

Diligent Robotics is the creator of Moxi, the first and only socially-intelligent robot teammate in the field today who works across health systems to improve operational efficiency of hospital care teams so they have more time for patient care and can practice at the top of their license. Founded by Dr. Andrea Thomaz and Dr. Vivian Chu, Diligent Robotics’ state-of-the-art robotics technology enables robots to collaborate within and adapt to human environments. Moxi’s impact includes augmenting staff and care teams by off-loading hospital-wide deliveries of supplies, equipment, medication and lab deliveries and is increasingly enabling new and existing high value programs to efficiently scale, such as Meds to Beds programs, Just in Time Logistics and Virtual Nursing.

Currently adopted by and operating in more than 22 health systems that represent more than 200 hospitals nationwide, including NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health, MultiCare Health System, The University of Texas affiliated network of health systems, Northwestern Medicine and many others, the company expects to triple its market footprint over the next 24 months, including systemwide expansion within the majority of the health systems.

“As an organization driven by our Patients First mission, we continue to explore ways innovation and technology can support our clinicians and staff to enhance their ability to care for our patients,” said Doug King, senior vice president and chief information officer at Northwestern Medicine. “Led by our team at the Northwestern Medicine Mansueto Innovation Institute, we deployed Moxi in targeted areas throughout Northwestern Memorial Hospital to support clinical staff by automating and scheduling pickups of non-tubable lab specimens and medications. Introducing this technology had a positive impact on staff and workflow. We are looking forward to deploying Moxi throughout our health system in the near future.”

Diligent Robotics Surpasses Customer, Manufacturing Milestones, Autonomy Metrics

This round of funding comes on the heels of a record year for Diligent Robotics, as the company has continued to make significant progress across product development, customer implementation strategy and manufacturing capacity. The company has inked new strategic partnerships and collaborations with leading healthcare institutions and scaled manufacturing. Diligent has also refined a quality assurance process that enables the building of multiple robots in various stages of production, increasing manufacturing capacity which has led to a reduced deployment window for Moxi.  On average, services are live in less than 30 days from robot arrival.

Diligent Robotics also surpassed many impressive autonomy metrics including the  completion of more than 400,000 total deliveries giving more than 200,000 hours back to staff  to instead spend with patients. Utilizing their state-of-the-art mobile manipulation approach for human environments, Moxi robots have autonomously opened hundreds of thousands of doors over the past year and in the last month alone, Moxi has autonomously navigated elevators tens of thousands of times.

Of note, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles was the first children’s hospital to implement Moxi. There are two Moxi robots delivering medications and pharmaceutical items 24/7 along various routes throughout the hospital. In just over four months, Moxi has made more than 2,500 deliveries, traveled 132 miles, and saved staff more than 383,000 steps and 1,620 hours of work time. Diligent Robotics has signed on several children’s hospitals in recent months and expects to increase its market share even further among children’s hospitals in 2024.

“With healthcare staffing needs continuing to exceed the labor available, hospitals must make the best use of their constrained workforces to meet demand. That means finding new efficiencies in previously unaddressable areas and offering staff members a return to their most fulfilling work,” said Rich Boyle, general partner at Canaan. “Moxi has already been eagerly adopted by many of the nation’s top healthcare systems, and the positive impact on productivity, patient outcomes, and team morale is evident. Both are reasons we believe Diligent Robotics has a big future and are thrilled to be leading this newest round of financing.”

Contact

Christy Warring, Diligent Robotics
281-684-3184 | [email protected]

SOURCE Diligent Robotics

BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2023 — VODA.ai, an AI-powered asset management solution for water and wastewater utilities, has announced a recent investment from Ferguson Ventures, the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm of Ferguson. VODA.ai’s solutions help utilities make better-informed decisions using artificial intelligence. This collaboration with Ferguson, a leading North American value-added distributor serving the built-world industry, allows VODA.ai to concentrate on continued growth and distribution.  

VODA.ai offers water and wastewater utilities a more effective method for prioritizing repairs and capital improvement projects in their transmission, distribution and collection systems. VODA.ai’s software has analyzed over 1 million miles of pipe across 17 states and 6 countries. “Ferguson is committed to building water-resilient communities by leveraging its business expertise,” said Blake Luse, Managing Director at Ferguson Ventures. “We invested in VODA.ai to better support the US utilities’ infrastructure needs and prioritize critical repairs.” 

VODA.ai focuses on risk modeling, lead line management, leak monitoring, condition assessment and capital planning. Ferguson is a leading distributor in municipal waterworks, metering technology and treatment plant MRO supplies. Ferguson is dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of water infrastructure. By combining VODA.ai’s insights on pipe vulnerabilities and Ferguson’s cutting-edge solutions and products, both entities can collaboratively enhance the longevity and reliability of water infrastructure systems.  

“We pride ourselves in helping water utilities preserve water, their most valuable asset,” said Darren Campbell, Ferguson’s National Senior Director of One Municipal. “Our Ferguson Municipal Technology Solution team, together with VODA.ai, will help our customers focus on repairing and replacing their pipes with the highest risk of failure, empowering them to allocate their capital expenditure budgets most effectively.”  

Ferguson and VODA.ai have entered an exclusive distribution relationship in the US market, amplifying and accelerating VODA.ai’s ability to serve utilities.  

George Demosthenous, CEO at VODA.ai, added, “This investment and expanded collaboration with Ferguson marks a significant milestone in our mission to support the water industry. Together, we will continue to innovate and deliver exceptional value to utilities across the country.” 

For more information, visit www.voda.ai or send an inquiry to [email protected]. 

About Ferguson  

Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG; LSE: FERG) is a leading value-added distributor in North America providing expertise, solutions and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more. We exist to make our customers’ complex projects simple, successful and sustainable. Ferguson is headquartered in the U.K., with its operations and associates solely focused on North America and managed from Newport News, Virginia. For more information, please visit corporate.ferguson.com or follow us on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/ferguson-enterprises. 

About VODA.ai  

VODA.ai uses artificial intelligence to provide risk modeling solutions and help water utilities make smart decisions based on science. VODA.ai is a Software as a Service company serving utilities worldwide. It is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. VODA.ai’s patent-pending artificial intelligence technology discovers patterns in pipe networks and enables science-based decision making.

Media Contact:
James Fitchett
jim@voda.ai

SOURCE VODA.ai

Applications Now Open to Apply for EmpowHer and Her Village Grants

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Sept. 21, 2023 — Boundless Futures Foundation, a new private foundation, today announced its commitment to provide financial support and leadership resources for aspiring female entrepreneurs starting businesses that aim to solve social issues. The Foundation will make grants to individuals and to mission-aligned nonprofits throughout the US.

Even though female-founded companies have been bringing in more venture capital investment across increasing numbers of deals in recent years, only about 2% of total start-up venture capital dollars in the US are invested in companies founded by women.¹ Boundless Futures Foundation sets itself apart from other entrepreneurship-focused foundations by offering no-strings-attached grants for female entrepreneurs – most others take equity in the start-ups that receive funding.

Through personal experience, the Foundation’s founders Soon and McKeel Hagerty have seen the power of what a female business leader can do to make an impact on her family, community, and society.

As a serial entrepreneur herself, Soon understands the excitement and the emotional journey that comes along with starting a business. Her entrepreneurial roots run deep, starting when she was a young child. She and her family emigrated from Vietnam to Fresno, California, and they began selling fruits and vegetables from the back of a truck to grocery stores to support their family. They eventually created a wholesale produce business that still exists more than 40 years later.

Soon’s family’s experience inspired her to co-own and found several businesses including Luxe Communications, Centigrade, a global marketing and events company, and The Good Bowl, a mission- based Vietnamese restaurant in Traverse City, Michigan, that donates $1 per bowl to charity. As Senior Vice President of Brand at Hagerty, Soon played a lead role in transforming the company from a local specialty insurance company to a global, publicly traded lifestyle brand for car lovers that joined the New York Stock Exchange (HGTY) in 2021 with a value of more than $3 billion.

“Starting a new business can mean high stakes with high stress, so Boundless Futures Foundation aims to support female entrepreneurs using a holistic approach to build confidence, embrace community support and make meaningful connections for female entrepreneurs to not only achieve their vision but also drive positive, sustainable change in society,” said Soon Hagerty. “Boundless Futures Foundation is built to be a trusted friend on a woman’s entrepreneurial journey.”

McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, first observed the power of women in business when his mother Louise led operations for the family business. In 1995, McKeel, in partnership with his sisters Kim and Tammy, led the business out of its start-up phase. Three decades later, the family company that started as a specialty insurance business has grown to provide products and services for the global collector car market.

FundersFounders Are Not Just 

In addition to attracting less invested capital, women entrepreneurs in the US self-report lower confidence in entrepreneurship skills than men do, and, like women globally, still lack equal access to business-related networks, funding, and mentors or role models. ^2,3

Boundless Futures Foundation supports female entrepreneurs whose businesses seek to solve social issues through their products and services, and through business models and practices. Boundless Futures Foundation grants provide capital and a supportive network that offers business answers and advice.

The Foundation aims to accomplish the following:

• Empower young women to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams by providing capital to support a new business that identifies and aims to solve a social issue; EmpowHer grants of up to $25,000 are awarded to female entrepreneurs who are at least 22 years old and are in the early stages of starting a business that addresses a social issue or has a purpose-driven concept embedded in its business model.
• Embrace entrepreneurs-in-the-making by ensuring that they are not alone on their journey. An Advisory Circle of seasoned female entrepreneurs offers resources including leadership development, skills-building assistance, mentorship, and networking opportunities to support grantees. Their goal is to foster the development of the Foundation’s grant recipients, ensuring greater strategic-growth thinking, future financial sustainability, and peer-to-peer networking.
• Elevate other nonprofits that pave the way for female business owners. Her Village grants of up to $25,000 are awarded to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that benefit female entrepreneurs.

“We believe in supporting all entrepreneurs; however, there is an imbalance in females acquiring access to resources to launch their own businesses. Having three daughters, we hope to create a world where they will have access and feel supported in their entrepreneurial journey if that’s the direction they choose in life,” said Soon Hagerty. “It was also important to focus our support on businesses that aim to solve social issues. We believe businesses that can combine both purpose and profit will create a long-lasting impact in society.”

Learn more about Boundless Futures Foundation, apply for funding, or obtain other resources by visiting boundlessfutures.org. Follow the Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About Boundless Futures Foundation
Founded in September 2023 by Soon and McKeel Hagerty, Boundless Futures Foundation provides financial support and leadership resources to aspiring female entrepreneurs 22 years of age and older so they can have a boundless impact in society. The Foundation empowers women entrepreneurs in the United States by providing grant funding to individuals in the early stages of starting a business that solves a social issue and to mission-aligned nonprofits. The Foundation also provides access for individual grantees to an Advisory Circle, a supportive network during their entrepreneurial journey. For more information, visit boundlessfutures.org and follow Boundless Futures Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

¹ https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/female-founders-dashboard-2021-vc-funding-wrap-up
² https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/gem-202122-womens-entrepreneurship-report-from-crisis-to-opportunity
³ https://www.diplomaticourier.com/posts/the-womens-entrepreneurship-landscape-is-changing-is-the-ecosystem-ready-to- adapt

SOURCE Boundless Futures Foundation

On the heels of a funding round led by global investors, Shorooq Partners and Ankurit Capital, Virtualness launches the Gratitude OnChain campaign to spread gratitude through dedicated programming from top creators, media and technology executives, and the global community

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2023 — Virtualness, a mobile-first platform powered by generative AI and blockchain, announced today the launch of Gratitude OnChain. This program invites the community to express their gratitude on blockchain in a permanent, immutable way that lasts the test of time. As part of this program, top creators are coming together to create, gift, and sell their own digital goods using Virtualness’ easy-to-use, end-to-end platform. The activation begins on World Gratitude Day, September 21, 2023, and will be live for 21 days through October 12. Virtualness’ global push is amplified by recent funding by global technology investors, Shorooq Partners and Ankurit Capital, which pushes their total funding to eight figures.

Top creators participating in the program include award-winning artist Leah Ibrahim Sams, several-time NYT  bestselling author Firoozeh Dumas, globally renowned performance and sports psychologist Shayamal Vallabhjee, Emmy Nominated Host and Co-founder, Peace Inside Live, Shira Lazar, musician and TikToker Nathan Piland, author and technology journalist Taylor Lorenz, entrepreneur and model Daya Burton, vlogger and entrepreneur Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily.) In an era where digital engagement knows no bounds, the creators have found unique ways to express gratitude through the creation of their own digital goods that unlocks experiences such as innovative audio story release, physical and digital goods, one-on-one online sessions, and exclusive content. Their individual goods launch over the 21-day gratitude festival, and fans will have the opportunity to purchase these digital goods through the Virtualness platform. Participants will also be able to generate their own gratitude image by using Virtualness’ seamless design studio, get a chance to win special gifts from the creators, and a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip for two to magical Bhutan at the award-winning Postcard Hotel.

Participating organizations include HUG, a social marketplace founded by Randi Zuckerberg and Debbie Soon – with an open call for participation to HUG artists; Liftery, a social impact initiative focused on working mothers – with global executives offering coaching hours benefitting Liftery; and 100 Girls In Blockch(AI)n, an organization that empowers high school girls to engage with web3 and AI.

Virtualness’ platform embodies a remarkable stride towards making generative AI and blockchain accessible to a wide demographic of users. Creators, brands, and sports and media organizations have the opportunity to share across their social media channels effortlessly, interact directly with their fans and communities, enable unique experiences, and unlock new channels for monetization. Easy login via email or social handles, payments by in-app purchases and local fiat currency, choice of wallets, and a simplified journey to claim rewards and experiences are key capabilities that make the user experience on Virtualness seamless.

“We are thrilled to launch Gratitude OnChain with such a powerful cohort of influencers and tastemakers within the digital realm,” said Kirthiga Reddy and Saurabh Doshi, Co-founders of Virtualness. “This program reflects an eagerly anticipated, longtime effort from our stellar team, who possess a pioneering vision for the future of the creator economy and digital goods frontier. Utilizing technology to perpetuate gratitude and goodness with ease allows us to democratize the digital world.”

Virtualness recently secured additional funding from a global investor base, including Shrooq Partners and Ankurit Capital, increasing their total funding to eight figures & diversifying their investor base to the Middle East and Asia. Virtualness raised $8M in seed funding in late 2022, with a round led by Blockchange Ventures with participation from Polygon Ventures, F7 Ventures, Micron Ventures, Better Capital, FalconX, Impact Venture Capital, Neythri Futures Fund, Oceans Ventures, Perot Jain, VC3 DAO, Carolyn Everson, Randi Zuckerberg, Nuseir Yassin, Nikki Farb, and Stacy Brown-Philpot.

“Virtualness is rewriting the playbook for the future of fan engagement and monetization,” said Tamer Azer, Partner, Shorooq Partners. “We’re excited to see our investment accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology and reshape the creator-fan dynamic not only in the Middle East but globally.”

“I am so honored to be part of Gratitude OnChain,” said Shira Lazar. “The concept of showing ‘gratitude’ is so simple, yet so important. I’m excited to have a new way to show my community gratitude through this program, especially on a platform that has already made such a positive impact on the digital space. By allowing us to use our creations to truly make an impact and extending the opportunity for our fans to also create images, Virtualness is taking such a significant step towards advancing equitable opportunities in the digital goods landscape. I cannot wait to see how it all comes to fruition.”

“The Gratitude OnChain program represents what Virtualness is all about,” Kelly Graziadei, Co-Founder & GP, f7 Ventures. “It blends best-in-class technology with creativity to send an important message and create a legacy of goodness and kindness, and we’re pleased to be part of their mission.”

About Virtualness
Virtualness is a mobile-first platform, powered by generative AI and blockchain, for users to create, mint, gift, share, and sell digital goods all in one place. Founded in 2022 by industry leaders Kirthiga Reddy and Saurabh Doshi, Virtualness is building the playbook for easy design, efficient sharing, and seamless digital commerce. Authenticated creators, brands, and sports and media organizations can use Virtualness to design, mint, and showcase branded digital goods; easily share across their social media channels; directly interact with their community; enable unique experiences and unlock new channels for monetization. Education, personalization, discovery, integration with Web2 and Web3 platforms, and a mobile-first experience are all core to the platform. Funding led by Blockchange Ventures with participation from Polygon Ventures, f7 Ventures, Micron Ventures, Better Ventures, FalconX, Impact Venture Capital, Neythri Futures Fund, Oceans Ventures, Perot Jain, VC3 DAO, Carolyn Everson, Randi Zuckerberg, Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily), Marina Mogilko, Nikki Farb, Shayamal Vallabhjee, Stacy Brown-Philpot, and other thought-leaders.

Media Contact
Jack Buttacavoli
[email protected]

SOURCE Virtualness

With over 70 partners and more than 300 integrations with the leading fintech companies, Mesh eyes global expansion for its embedded finance platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2023 — Mesh, the modern financial operating system that makes digital asset transfers and account aggregation seamless, announced today the successful completion of a $22 million Series A funding round. Mesh’s mission is to build an open, connected, and secure financial ecosystem in which users have full control over their assets. The new funding will accelerate Mesh’s push for broad adoption of its solutions as the company ramps up its core operations and introduces itself to companies and consumers across the globe.

Money Forward, Inc. led the investment with participation from a notable group of new investors including Galaxy and Samsung Next. Existing investors Streamlined Ventures, SNR.VC, Hike VC, Heitner Group, Arash Ferdowsi (the Co-founder of Dropbox), Valon Capital, Matt Ocko (the Founding GP of DCVC), Florida Funders, Altair Capital, Network VC, Gokul Rajaram (Board Member of Coinbase and GP at Firebolt VC), and more also joined the round. The investment brings Mesh’s total funding to over $32 million.

Established in 2020 as a consumer-facing platform named Front Finance, the company recently rebranded as Mesh, and over the last year, has flourished as an enterprise-focused financial platform that bridges the gap between digital and traditional financial assets.

“We are witnessing a massive shift in which consumers are demanding complete and transparent control over their assets, and expecting the financial services that they use to give them that control,” said Bam Azizi, Co-Founder and CEO of Mesh. “Embedded finance is going to be a $7 trillion market opportunity. Mesh is at the forefront of this transformation for both sides of the marketplace – well-positioned to play a pivotal role in making every digital transaction embedded, secure, and compliant. By doing that, we can enhance the overall user experience for our partners, which ultimately results in greater customer satisfaction and retention for them.”

By allowing fintech companies and financial institutions to connect to their users’ financial accounts to perform key functionalities like ‘write’ and ‘transfer’, Mesh is pioneering an approach that provides consumers with a frictionless experience and enables businesses to offer a significantly better service to their customers.

“Having spent decades in commerce, I’ve witnessed firsthand the evolution of open finance, and Mesh is several steps ahead of its current challenges,” added Sandy Kimura, Money Forward Group Executive Officer, Head of Global Strategy and Money Forward America CEO. “Mesh’s product-market fit – combined with the deep experience of their founding team and their vision for a better financial future – was clear from the moment we started exploring a deeper partnership, and we are thrilled to be a part of the company’s journey to mass adoption.”

Mesh has rapidly gained market traction, inking partnerships with more than 70 companies across finance and digital assets, within a year of becoming a business-focused platform. With a robust library of integrations spanning over 300 platforms, Mesh is on its way to becoming the leading solution for digital assets and open finance.

Building on its momentum, Mesh’s near-term focus is enhancing the transactional aspects of its connection layer to further develop use cases like deposits, payments, and payouts.

“Embedded crypto and finance will be a key driver for building the modern financial user experience,” said Mike Giampapa, General Partner of Galaxy’s Venture team. “Mesh is at the forefront of this trend, enabling the seamless integration of financial products and vast connectivity across asset classes and services. Mesh’s infrastructure is poised to become core to the modern financial stack.”

Coinciding with the Series A announcement, Mesh is proud to welcome Sandy Kimura and Anil Arora, the Former CEO of Yodlee, to its Board of Directors.

“Mesh is changing the way we transfer, exchange, and store assets in a secure, transparent, and compliant way,” remarked incoming Board Member Anil Arora. “I’m thrilled to join Mesh’s Board, as they have advanced the embedded finance tech stack and have the leadership and team to pave the way for their long-term success.”

For more information about Mesh and its groundbreaking financial solutions, please visit https://www.meshconnect.com/.

About Mesh

Founded in 2020, Mesh’s mission is to build an open, connected, and secure financial ecosystem. Mesh is a modern financial operating system that provides enterprise clients with the ability to enable digital asset transfers, crypto payments, account aggregation, and registered securities trading, all within their platform. With integrations to over 300+ platforms, Mesh is creating an embedded financial ecosystem that is more open, connected, and secure for businesses and users alike. To learn more, visit https://www.meshconnect.com/.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Mesh

PETALUMA, Calif.,, Sept. 21, 2023 — Electro Ventures, a Western Australian sustainable innovation holdings company with a portfolio of more than a dozen market-leading cleantech companies, has placed an order for ten “JA1 Pulse” eVTOL aircraft.

Electro Ventures has worked with Jump Aero for many years through one of its portfolio companies Electro Aero, and has been impressed with the company’s mission and progress.  As a result of this relationship, Electro Ventures paid a non-refundable deposit to order ten Jump Aero Pulse eVTOL aircraft, for use in the Australian market and have signed an MOU to represent Jump Aero throughout Asia Pacific.

Electro Ventures has a strong presence in Australia and believes that the technology that Jump Aero will provide can make a significant impact in providing rural emergency medical response for Australian citizens living in remote rural conditions.

“We are confident our experience and strong relationship with the regulator will be able to fast track commercial operations to provide this valuable capability to rural communities in Australia and neighboring countries. This commitment demonstrates the strength of our conviction in Jump Aero’s high-speed Pulse aircraft design, technology and business model. We look forward to empowering superheroes and helping them save lives” – Joshua Portlock, Founding Innovation Partner, Electro Ventures

The JA1 Pulse can fly one trained professional plus emergency equipment to unimproved landing zones in rural areas. More detail about the aircraft is available at: www.jumpaero.com

Jump Aero Incorporated is an advanced air mobility company with a mission to leverage electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft technology to help save lives by reducing emergency response times in rural areas. Jump Aero is headquartered in Petaluma, California with satellite offices in Santa Paula, California and Chelsea, Massachusetts.

About Electro Ventures

Electro Ventures is an entrepreneur-led venture holdings company advancing sustainable innovation! We already have a diverse portfolio of market-leading sustainable ecosystem companies that we have either founded and grown from the ground up or invested in at an early stage. We are now focused on finding, nurturing and growing other complementary sustainability innovation companies that are solving real-world renewable energy and electric mobility problems.

Media Contact:
Katerina Barilov
408-429-0087
365715@email4pr.com

SOURCE Jump Aero Inc.

HOMEWOOD, Ill., Sept. 21, 2023 — Entrepreneur magazine again ranked iFranchise Group, the nation’s premier franchise consulting firm, at the top position in the Franchise Consulting/Development category in its esteemed Top Franchise Suppliers annual survey. This is iFranchise Group’s fifth consecutive year in the survey’s top spot, with the greater franchising community consistently ranking iFranchise Group as the preeminent franchise consulting firm in the industry in each of the five years in which this survey has been undertaken.

“We are deeply grateful and honored for this continued recognition from our fellow franchising community members and Entrepreneur magazine,” said Mark Siebert, iFranchise Group’s CEO. “Having our clients’ trust and confidence humbles and motivates us, and further reinforces our dedication to excellence and client service,” Siebert added. 

This year’s survey rankings are featured in the September/October issue of Entrepreneur and on Entrepreneur.com.  They highlight the leading service providers in eleven categories, shining a well-deserved spotlight on suppliers and vendors to the franchising industry.  A record-breaking 1,000-plus franchise brands participated in the survey this year.

Entrepreneur’s Top Franchise Suppliers survey polls franchisors, ranging from emerging to long-established franchise brands, on which vendors and suppliers they prefer. Franchisors evaluated companies based on performance in crucial areas such as quality, cost, value, and overall satisfaction, among others. Entrepreneur’s survey and rankings are a helpful resource for anyone in the franchising industry seeking to evaluate trusted service providers because the rankings provide valuable insights into the top-performing suppliers in franchising.

As the industry’s leading franchise consulting and development firm, for over 25 years iFranchise Group has provided unparalleled expertise and a comprehensive range of customized services to companies eager to expand through franchising.  iFranchise Group has the franchise industry’s most knowledgeable and experienced consultants who collectively have hundreds of years of experience in franchise consulting, development, implementation, marketing, and sales.  As one of the firm’s executive leaders, Siebert has also published the book, Franchise Your Business: The Guide to Employing the Greatest Growth Strategy Ever, now heading into its second edition and widely considered to be the authoritative industry handbook on franchising.

For established franchisors, iFranchise Group also serves as a strategic partner, leveraging their expertise to audit and refine franchise business models, update operations manuals, and develop innovative training programs. They also aid in crafting effective marketing tools and strategies, as well as improving franchise sales and onboarding processes.

iFranchise Group’s expertise is exemplified by the success stories and testimonials that come from dozens of franchisors. The group’s commitment to client success makes them a trusted partner at the forefront of the industry, while empowering both emerging and established franchisors to reach their growth goals.

About iFranchise Group

iFranchise Group is the nation’s leading franchise consulting firm, offering the skills of top franchise experts in franchise strategic planning, operations training and documentation, franchise marketing and sales, and franchise best practices for emerging and established franchise companies worldwide. For more information about iFranchise Group and its services, please visit www.ifranchisegroup.com or contact (708) 957-2300 or [email protected].

Contact:
Judy Janusz
(708) 957-2300
365654@email4pr.com

SOURCE iFranchise Group

HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 21, 2023 — Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Lynk Pharmaceuticals’), an innovative clinical stage company, today announced the successful completion of Series C2 financing. This round of financing was jointly participated by the Shaoxing Binhai New Area Biomedical Industry Equity Investment Fund managed by China Grand Prosperity Investment, Haibang Venture and Howbuy Primary Fund, while original shareholders, New Alliance Capital and Lilly Asia Ventures (LAV), increased their investment. Following Series C1 financing on May 31, this new funding marks another step in the company’s continuous growth, bringing the total amount raised in the C-round to 322 million RMB. HaoYue Capital acted as the exclusive financial advisor in this transaction.

Founded in 2018, Lynk Pharmaceuticals is a leading company dedicated to the research and development of FIC and BIC drugs targeting autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and oncology. Leveraging the core team’s extensive background in medicinal chemistry, biology, clinical development, and commercial development, and with an average of more than 20 years of experience in new drug research and development, Lynk Pharmaceuticals focuses on innovative and differentiated pipeline development. The core of the pipeline is centered around the development of second-generation highly selective and third-generation tissue-specific JAK inhibitors, while also exploring the potential of innovative target-based drug development.

Since its establishment, efficient execution has propelled Lynk Pharmaceuticals rapid development. In the past three months, the Phase II clinical trial data for LNK01001 in rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, and ankylosing spondylitis have been successively released, with all results demonstrating significant therapeutic effects and a high level of safety. These results highlight the characteristics of small molecule JAK1 inhibitors, that have quick onset action and excellent efficacy. The company has submitted applications for the End of Phase II (EOP2)/Pre-Phase III meeting; several indications are poised to enter Phase III clinical trials, aiming to benefit more patients as soon as possible. Additionally, first patient dosing was achieved in a Phase 1b trial of LNK01004 in both psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in the first half of this year. The early clinical trial data fromLNK01002 and LNK01003 are also promising while the pre-clinical pipeline development is progressing steadily as well.

Lynk Pharmaceuticals innovative research and clinical development capabilities have been continuously validated and enhanced, positioning the company for a crucial stage of rapid value growth. According to Frost & Sullivan’s projections, the market size for JAK1 inhibitors is expected to reach $30.5 billion by 2030, underscoring the significant potential of the future market. Leveraging the considerable market demand in autoimmune diseases and oncology, the company holds substantial commercialization prospects.

Dr. Zhao-Kui (ZK) Wan, Chairman and CEO of Lynk Pharmaceuticals, said, “We are grateful for the support and trust from Shaoxing Binhai New Area Biomedical Industry Equity Investment Fund （managed by China Grand Prosperity Investment）, New Alliance Capital, Fenghua Venture, Howbuy Primary Fund and Lilly Asia Ventures (LAV) for this round of investment. We also thank Tailong Capital and Liando Investment, the series C1 round investment institutions. Together they have helped us successfully complete the C round of financing. As a company focused on the treatment of autoimmune diseases and oncology, Lynk Pharmaceuticals is committed to developing globally competitive FIC/BIC innovative drugs and delivering differentiated and innovative therapeutic solutions to patients worldwide. We are pleased to see that even amidst the current challenges in the biopharmaceutical capital landscape, Lynk Pharmaceuticals continues to gain support from both new and existing shareholders, demonstrating the capital market’s recognition of our team. During this rapid growing stage, we will need to consolidate resources from various aspects, further invest in clinical development, R&D teams, and technology platforms, aiming to provide safer and more effective innovative drugs to patients as early as possible. HaoYue Capital acted as the exclusive financial advisor for this financing, and we sincerely appreciate their professionalism and support.”

Mr. Ding Yameng, Founding and Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer of HaoYue Capital, said, “We are honored to continue assisting Lynk Pharmaceuticals in completing this round of financing. The field of autoimmune diseases is diverse and complex, with significant room for expanding indications and numerous unmet clinical needs, offering distinct opportunities for innovation. Lynk Pharmaceuticals has an internationally competitive and innovative pipeline that is continuously gaining market validation and recognition. We look forward to seeing breakthrough potentials in subsequent clinical validations of multiple highly differentiated candidates from Lynk. We believe that under the guidance of a highly capable and mission-driven team, Lynk Pharmaceuticals will steadily navigate through cycles, embrace the vast blue ocean markets, and provide better choices for patients soon.”

About Lynk Pharmaceuticals:

Lynk Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage company, was founded in 2018 by senior drug R&D experts and executives from Pfizer, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson. Lynk Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drugs for the treatment of cancer, as well as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Driven by a higher goal, Lynk Pharmaceuticals aims to be a market leader to address unmet medical demands by the development of innovative therapies. To date, Lynk Pharmaceuticals has independently developed several innovative new drugs and successfully completed a number of clinical studies. For more information about Lynk Pharmaceuticals, please visit: https://www.lynkpharma.com

About China Grand Prosperity Investment:

Founded in Beijing in 2010, China Grand Prosperity Investment (Prosperity Investment) plays an important role as a pioneer, leader and advocate of China’s FOFs. Based on the advantages of national layout resources and professional asset management capabilities, Prosperity Investment has developed diversified business models such as FOF, secondary fund, direct investment fund, case fund, M&A and PIPE. Prosperity Investment is committed to growing into a local private equity asset management institution which has a better understanding of management and exit strategies in China. Adhering to a market-oriented, professional and industrialized approach, Prosperity Investment has a core focus on strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors, next generation information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, new energy, and new materials. Their investments cover all stages ranging from angel, VC, PE, to M&A, and aim to promote industrial transformation and improvement through innovation and empowerment of high-quality development for a better economy. Over the years, Prosperity Investment has always adhered to the ESG investment philosophy, aiming to achieve win-win economic, environmental and social benefits, including building long-term competitive advantages and working alongside their partners for a sustainable future.

Shaoxing Binhai New Area Management Committee established the Shaoxing Binhai New Area Biopharmaceutical Industry Equity Investment Fund in August 2020. Prosperity Investment acted as the executive affairs partner. The fund operates and manages according to the principles of “guidance from government, market operation, scientific decision-making, and risk prevention”, fully implementing the economic development strategy of the Shaoxing and Binhai New Area. The total size of the fund is 10 billion yuan. It mainly uses the “sub-fund + direct investment” model for investment and invests in the construction of Shaoxing’s new industrial platform of “10,000 acres of land, 100 billion yuan” in the biopharmaceutical industry, to support the development and growth of emerging industries led by the biopharmaceutical industry at the municipal and district levels.

About New Alliance Capital:

New Alliance Capital was established in 2008 and is a fund management company specializing in private equity and venture capital. The main investment directions of New Alliance Capital include TMT and healthcare, covering early, growth, and maturity stages. So far, more than 120 investments have been completed, including nearly 30 IPOs/listed enterprises both domestically and internationally, cultivating a group of industry leaders.

About Haibang Venture:

Haibang Venture was established in Hangzhou in 2010. Haibang has always adhered to a professional and refined investment direction, continuously deepening its presence in critical areas such as life and health, the digital economy, new materials, and high-end manufacturing. For early-stage projects, the fund has explored and summarized a unique investment model characterized by “technology + talent” based on solid industry research. This model has significantly contributed to attracting high-end talents, supporting talent entrepreneurship and innovation, and promoting talent enterprises to enter the capital market.

About Howbuy Primary Fund:

Howbuy, founded in 2007, is a leading independent third-party wealth management company. Howbuy Primary Fund is an affiliated department engaged in VC/PE investment under Howbuy with nearly 20 billion RMB in FOF, industry funds, and co-investment funds under management. Howbuy Primary Fund focus on outstanding funds and companies in healthcare, deep technology, TMT, industrial digitalization and consumer industry.

About Lilly Asia Ventures(LAV):

Lilly Asia Ventures (LAV) is a leading biomedical venture capital firm founded in 2008, with offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Palo Alto. Our vision is to become the trusted partner for exceptional entrepreneurs seeking smart capital and to build great companies developing breakthrough products that treat diseases and improve human health.

About HaoYue Capital

HaoYue China Healthcare Fund is a private equity investment fund specializing in China healthcare. With the help of HaoYue Capital’s investment banking business, HaoYue China Healthcare Fund invests in healthcare companies with extraordinary growth potential. They empower the success of their portfolio companies and serve investors with returns above market average. They invest in leading companies in key areas across biopharma, medical devices, healthcare services & digital health, and IVD & precision medicine. HaoYue China Healthcare Fund is a private equity investment fund, specializing in China healthcare.

SOURCE Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.