Saronic to inaugurate Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard designed to build autonomous ships for the hybrid fleet

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 18, 2025 — Saronic Technologies today announced it has closed $600 million of funding for its Series C round to advance its mission of redefining maritime superiority for the United States and its allies. The round was led by Elad Gil and values the company at $4 billion. This most recent round quadrupled Saronic’s valuation just seven months after the company hit unicorn status in July 2024. Saronic welcomes General Catalyst as a new investor and recognizes commitments from existing investors, including a16z, Caffeinated Capital, and 8VC.

The raise marks a new phase in advancing autonomy for naval and maritime missions. With this funding, Saronic plans to build Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard capable of delivering new classes of unmanned ships at the speed and scale needed to protect and defend the maritime domain. Port Alpha will enable the expansion of Saronic’s Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV) fleet into medium and large-class autonomous ships for defense applications. With this move, Saronic is addressing gaps in U.S. shipbuilding capacity and investing in the critical infrastructure to deliver the range and volume of autonomous ships needed to create and sustain the U.S. military’s hybrid fleet.

“A core principle of Saronic is that we design our vessels for autonomy from the keel up,” said Saronic CEO and Co-Founder Dino Mavrookas. “We will take the same approach with Port Alpha, designing a shipyard from the ground up to produce at a speed and scale not seen since World War II. Port Alpha will reflect the apex of America’s shipbuilding past – generating new opportunities for the country’s shipbuilding workforce, forging public-private partnerships to accelerate growth, and bringing innovation and ingenuity to an essential industry. We will bring these elements together with a single goal: to rapidly build a fleet of autonomous vessels in America that redefines maritime superiority and guarantees freedom of the seas for generations to come.”

“The last years have seen a degradation in the capacity for the United States to build ships and to manufacture core needs of the country. I am excited to back Saronic and its focus on revitalizing shipbuilding in America, while also building products to defend those interests,” said Elad Gil, CEO, Gil Capital.

Securing America’s Maritime Future with the Hybrid Fleet

America’s security and prosperity rely on the freedom of navigation guaranteed by the U.S. Navy and our allies, and the maritime domain has increasingly become a focus of international conflict and economic influence. To stay ahead of our adversaries, now is the time for America to reexamine its historic reliance on exquisite, expensive, and aging manned vessels and the analog industrial base that supports them.

The U.S. Navy has declared the need for a hybrid fleet – one that integrates a significant number of unmanned systems operating alongside manned platforms. Achieving this will require a transformation in how we approach shipbuilding and a dedicated focus on scaling the production of advanced technologies and autonomous systems that can extend the operational reach of the fleet, deter conflict, protect sailors and assets, and be quickly produced at a fraction of the cost.

Port Alpha: The Next Generation Shipyard to Build the Fleet of Tomorrow

Saronic has invested heavily in developing and expanding its manufacturing capabilities for its small ASVs over the past two years. Port Alpha will build on that foundation and deliver an advanced waterside facility designed from the ground up around a first-principles approach to shipbuilding. This approach will focus on eliminating inefficiencies, optimizing workflows, and creating a production system that maximizes quality, scalability, and speed. Saronic will leverage the processes and best practices that have revolutionized commercial manufacturing industries to redefine how ships are built in the autonomy era.

With this raise, we will invest into the U.S. shipbuilding infrastructure and work with federal and state legislators to establish public-private partnerships. Together, we’ll develop the next-generation shipyard right here in America.

“At General Catalyst, our mission is to help modernize our nation’s defense and industrial resilience,” said Paul Kwan, Managing Director, General Catalyst. “The velocity and economics of warfare have fundamentally evolved and several of our own team have witnessed firsthand how unmanned systems became true force multipliers in Afghanistan and in other theaters of conflict. Saronic represents a paradigm shift for our maritime resilience. GC is proud to help Saronic transform our shipbuilding industry and provide the capabilities needed for the Navy’s modern hybrid fleet.”

“As a founder of Palantir and Addepar, and an investor in every funding round at Anduril, I’ve seen many exceptional companies and intense cultures,” said Joe Lonsdale, Founder and Managing Partner, 8VC. “Saronic goes toe to toe with any of these legendary companies on its exceptional talent, intensity of effort, and mission-driven passion. We are proud to have supported Dino from day one. Saronic is one of the most important, and most impressive companies in the USA. It is critical to our national security, and to the future of the free world!”

This announcement comes on the heels of a strong 2024 for Saronic that included the development and delivery of Corsair, its largest ASV model to date; the acquisition of a ~420,000-square-foot production and manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, to support the growing demand for its existing family of ASVs; a successful Series B funding round; and continued growth with U.S. government customers.

For more information about Saronic, please visit: https://www.saronic.com.

Media Contact: [email protected] 

SOURCE Saronic

STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, Feb. 18, 2025 — RoomPriceGenie, a leading provider of revenue management systems (RMS) for independent hotels and groups, is proud to announce a $75 million USD investment from Five Elms Capital to accelerate international expansion and further enhance its award-winning platform. As part of this next phase of growth, experienced technology executive Chas Scarantino has been appointed as CEO. Co-Founder and current RoomPriceGenie CEO, Ari Andricopoulos, will transition to Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), focusing on product innovation and strategic partnerships.

“According to Skift Research, only about 10% of hoteliers use a dedicated RMS for pricing, with adoption historically skewed toward larger properties and branded chains,” said Andricopoulos. “RoomPriceGenie was founded in 2017 to make automated pricing more accessible and intuitive for independent properties. While we’ve grown and expanded our functionality, our core philosophy of simplicity and efficacy remains. With our new OpenAPI PMS integration and investment from Five Elms Capital, combined with Chas’ leadership and expertise, we’re positioned to help more independent hotels and groups maximize revenue through automated pricing technology.”

RoomPriceGenie has grown into a global business, with nearly 100 employees and 3,000 hotel clients across 65 countries. The company has achieved rapid, efficient growth while maintaining profitability, proving that its approach—prioritizing innovation and exceptional customer support—resonates with the market.

RoomPriceGenie’s excellence has been widely recognized, earning multiple top rankings in the HotelTechAwards, including second place for “Best Revenue Management System (RMS)” and third place for “Best Place to Work” for two consecutive years. In 2025, it was also named the 7th “Most Recommended Solution” across all hotel technology categories.

“Five Elms identified RoomPriceGenie as a category leader in revenue management, both technologically and operationally,” said Ryan Mandl, Partner at Five Elms Capital. “The launch of RoomPriceGenie’s OpenAPI—the first of its kind in the RMS space—underscores the team’s commitment to innovation, allowing PMS providers to integrate its solution seamlessly without the typical costs or complexities. We are excited to support the company as it continues to scale.”

Scarantino, who steps into the CEO role, brings extensive experience building and scaling technology companies, leading global expansion efforts and driving operational excellence. Over the course of his career, he has successfully led teams to market products across the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Japan and Australia, in addition to founding and scaling his own ventures.

“My passion is scaling teams, developing talent, and fostering a culture that drives both innovation and execution,” said Scarantino. “RoomPriceGenie has built an outstanding platform, a strong company culture and a team deeply committed to helping hotels optimize their revenue. The company has already established itself as the best RMS for independent hotels and a forward-thinking integration partner for PMS providers. I’m excited to build on this success and expand our reach while preserving the unique Genie Culture that makes RoomPriceGenie exceptional.”

About RoomPriceGenie
RoomPriceGenie is an innovative, award-winning revenue management system (RMS), originally created for a small, independent inn and now used by more than 3000 hotels and groups of all types and sizes in 65 countries worldwide. The RoomPriceGenie RMS is the best way to ensure that every room is priced right, every day, to increase bookings, maximize revenue opportunities and ensure ongoing profitability. With the company’s 65+ integrations with top operational systems, RoomPriceGenie can empower more hotels than ever with the automated revenue management solution necessary to consistently achieve their business and revenue goals.

Find out more about the RoomPriceGenie at www.roompricegenie.com.

About Five Elms Capital
Five Elms is a growth investor in software businesses that users love, providing capital and resources to help companies accelerate growth and further cement their role as industry leaders.

With $3 billion in assets under management and a global team of over 75 professionals, Five Elms has invested in more than 70 software platforms globally. The firm’s operational value creation team supports the portfolio, working alongside companies to accelerate growth, build out executive teams, increase customer retention, improve sales & marketing efficiency, upgrade analytical infrastructure, and expand into new markets.

For more information, visit www.fiveelms.com.

SOURCE Five Elms Capital

Funds will support productization and clinical testing of Resonance Sonomanometry™ technology for calibration-free, noninvasive, continuous blood pressure monitoring. 

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 18, 2025 — Esperto Medical™, Inc. a healthtech startup specializing in critical care and remote patient monitoring, announces the closing of an oversubscribed Series A investment round co-led by Catalyst Health Ventures and Bold Capital Partners, with support from Wavemaker Three-sixty Health, Free Flow Ventures, Fund@Caltech and Maverick Ventures. 

The funds will support productization and clinical testing of Esperto’s new Resonance Sonomanometry™ (RSM) technology.  RSM uses sound waves at different frequencies to directly measure blood pressure within arteries, avoiding the variability of other approaches – and requires no calibration, making it easy to set up and use.  Details of the technique are published in PNAS Nexus.

Cofounder and Chief Medical Officer, Alaina Rajagopal, MD, PhD added, “RSM’s flexibility to work all over the body – on the arms, legs, even the neck – allows it to accommodate a wide range of patients. It has the potential to enhance cardiovascular monitoring for everyone.”

“RSM is a truly new monitoring technology and has significant competitive advantages. I am excited for its application not just in the hospital setting but in personal use, as well,” said Joshua Phillips, cofounder and Managing Partner of Catalyst Health Ventures.

Phillips, and Helen McBride, PhD, Partner at Bold Capital Partners, are also joining Esperto’s board of directors to support the company as it brings RSM closer to commercialization.  Phillips brings his experience as an investor and founder, having led multiple investments and successful exits while at CHV.  McBride brings her experience as a healthcare technology investor and operator, having led life science investing for the Fund@Caltech for several years. 

“I have had the chance to track this technology from early days at Caltech. Esperto has built a great team to bring RSM to the clinic and beyond.  I look forward to helping them continue their rapid progress toward transforming patient monitoring across hospital settings.” said McBride.

“We are pleased to welcome CHV, Bold Capital Partners and others to Esperto as we work to advance RSM for the benefit of patients, providers, health care systems, and payors,” said Aditya Rajagopal, PhD, cofounder and CEO of Esperto Medical. “We are thrilled to have the chance to bring forward a solution to a longstanding clinical problem: accurate, noninvasive, calibration-free, continuous blood pressure monitoring.”

About Esperto Medical™ 

Named Octane’s Best Emerging Disruptor of 2024, Esperto is dedicated to delivering the future of healthcare and expanding access by creating revolutionary noninvasive diagnostic technologies. Medicine is ready for huge breakthroughs, yet the burden of some essential tasks, like vital sign monitoring, hinders efficiency. Esperto aims to free clinicians and patients from the limitations of outdated technology. Learn more at www.esperto.health.

SOURCE Esperto Medical

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2025 — Valid, the AI-enabled ad agency transforming digital advertising, today announced $5.5 million in seed funding led by Canaan Partners. Neo, J Ventures, and strategic investors, including Reddit CEO Steve Huffman and search ads pioneer Scott Banister, also participated in the round. This latest funding brings Valid’s total raised to $7.3 million and fuels its mission to make sophisticated advertising strategies accessible to businesses of all sizes.

“Innovation in adtech has long meant incrementally differentiated point solutions with diminishing ROI. Valid’s is a totally new approach: a fully superior service,” said Jared Newman, principal at Canaan. “Traditional ad agencies rely on manual insights to optimize campaigns, but Valid’s technology enables businesses to achieve superior results at a fraction of the cost. We see a massive opportunity for Valid to redefine how digital advertising is executed entirely.”

Bringing AI-Enabled Advertising to Businesses of All Sizes

While advertising technology has advanced dramatically, running effective ad campaigns still requires deep expertise and significant manual effort. Today, 80% of ad spend flows through agencies that rely on human-intensive processes, creating inefficiencies and limiting accessibility. Valid is changing that by replacing these outdated agency models with AI-enabled systems that manage everything from attribution to ad delivery.

“Advertising powers 2% of global GDP, yet the industry still operates with archaic methods,” said Rahul Bhardwaj, co-founder and CEO of Valid. “We founded Valid to automate the complexity of running ads, so businesses – whether a corner store or a venture-backed startup – can compete on a level playing field. Our vision is an ad agency that isn’t constrained by human bandwidth, but one that scales infinitely through AI.”

Since its launch, Valid has already unlocked millions of dollars in revenue for dozens of mobile apps, B2B SaaS companies, and e-commerce brands, including Aragon AI, Julius AI, TapTapSend, Fuelin, and many more. Early customers have leveraged Valid’s AI-powered platform to:

• Grow from TestFlight to 100,000 users;
• Increase return on ad spend (ROAS) by 2x; and
• Reduce customer acquisition costs (CAC) by 80%.

“Valid executes ad campaigns with the precision of a founding team and the analytical rigor of engineers. Their data-driven approach ensures every decision is backed by metrics and every campaign is optimized for results,” said Wesley Tian, CEO of Aragon AI.

Building an Agency That Lasts 100 Years

Advertising agencies have evolved alongside every significant shift in media, from print to television to digital. AI represents the next transformation, and Valid is pioneering a new model designed to last for the next century. Unlike traditional agencies, Valid’s platform isn’t limited by human bandwidth. Instead, it scales dynamically, allowing any business to run high-performing campaigns regardless of size.

With this funding, Valid plans to accelerate research and development, expand its customer base, and hire top engineering, AI, and marketing talent.

About Valid

Valid is an AI-enabled ad agency transforming digital advertising by automating campaign management, optimization, and performance tracking. By leveraging AI, Valid enables businesses of all sizes to achieve scalable, cost-effective advertising results without relying on traditional agency models. Founded by industry veterans, Valid is backed by top investors, including Canaan Partners, Neo, J Ventures, and strategic angels such as Steve Huffman and Scott Banister. Learn more at valid.co.

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Valid

The funding will be used to further the development of ‘Gordian,’ an AI platform that helps nuclear operators & developers manage regulatory complexity with confidence and save thousands of hours and millions of dollars, unlocking the path to revenue and rapid deployments.

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2025 — Everstar, a pioneer in AI-powered compliance solutions for nuclear energy and industrial operations, today announced the successful close of its $4M pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Third Prime VC, with participation from Pelican Energy Partners and EXCEL Services, Virta Ventures, Generational Partners, Page One Ventures, and a distinguished group of angel investors with expertise spanning artificial intelligence, energy, aerospace, and defense.

The funding will fuel the expansion of Gordian, Everstar’s flagship AI platform, revolutionizing nuclear licensing and regulatory compliance. By combining advanced artificial intelligence with deep industry expertise, Gordian accelerates the regulatory process while maintaining important safety standards. Key priorities include assembling a world-class team, enhancing the compliance AI engine and hardware integrations, and establishing strategic partnerships to modernize operations. These initiatives align directly with Everstar’s mission to accelerate the deployment of nuclear energy infrastructure, critical for both AI advancement and meeting global decarbonization goals.

Through its landmark partnership with EXCEL Services Corporation, the global leader in nuclear regulatory consulting, Everstar is developing an AI system that leverages EXCEL’s unparalleled network of regulatory specialists and data archives. This collaboration allows Everstar to deliver the industry’s most robust and efficient compliance solutions. Everstar is also working closely with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense to proactively engage with regulators on behalf of its customers.

“This investment represents more than capital – it’s a mandate to address some of the most complex challenges facing the industry and transform how we deploy nuclear energy. We don’t have time for business as usual,” said Kevin Kong, founder and CEO of Everstar. “We’re facing unprecedented growth in energy demand driven by AI and electrification, yet the deployment of new nuclear projects remains bottlenecked by outdated regulatory processes. With the support of our strategic investors, Everstar can break through these barriers to accelerate the path to energy abundance. Our mission isn’t just about compliance – it’s about enabling the rapid and safe deployment of nuclear power.”

Everstar’s platform slashes regulatory timelines and cost pressures while setting new standards for safety and compliance transparency. This fosters a stronger collaboration between regulators and industry players, ensuring long-term reliability, safety, and more attractive economics. Its technology enables nuclear operators and developers to rapidly scale clean energy production to meet soaring demand – particularly from AI data centers and semiconductor fabs that require massive amounts of reliable, carbon-free power. This acceleration is critical as these facilities’ energy consumption continues to grow exponentially, representing investments of $2 trillion in data centers and $4 trillion in nuclear power builds.

“Everstar is uniquely positioned at the intersection of AI and the Nuclear Renaissance,” said Mike Kim, General Partner at Third Prime. “The team’s unmatched expertise and commitment to tackling the industry’s most pressing compliance and supply chain challenges make them an indispensable partner in driving the future of AI power infrastructure and sustainable energy.”

“We are thrilled to be building a world-class nuclear product with Everstar’s mission-driven team that the entire industry needs now,” said Donald Hoffman, CEO of EXCEL Services. “Together, we will offer utility, government, and industrial customers more accessible and seamless strategic guidance and documentation, all powered by the scale and intelligence of Everstar’s AI platform.”

Beyond compliance AI, Everstar has an extensive roadmap of AI-powered solutions to address the deeper layers of critical bottlenecks. As the global nuclear energy industry experiences a resurgence, fueled by increasing demand for reliable and sustainable power, Everstar aims to lay the groundwork for a thriving nuclear ecosystem and usher in an era of abundant power and a sustainable planet.

About Everstar
Everstar is a New York-based technology company on a mission to engineer energy abundance. Its advanced artificial intelligence products aim to solve critical bottlenecks that hinder the rapid and economic deployment of critical infrastructure. Its flagship platform, Gordian, combines cutting-edge AI with deep industry expertise to simplify licensing, reduce compliance costs, improve operational efficiency, and foster collaboration between regulators and operators. With a focus on scalability, safety, and efficiency, Everstar is at the forefront of modernizing energy infrastructure for a more resilient and sustainable future.

For more information, visit www.everstar.ai

Media Contact
Kevin Kong
CEO, Everstar
[email protected]

SOURCE Everstar

Led by Sapphire Ventures, funding will accelerate adoption of the company’s AI Decisioning product for customers such as PetSmart, WHOOP, and Accor Hotels

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2025 — Hightouch, the leading data and AI platform for marketing and personalization, today announced that it has raised an $80 million Series C at a valuation of $1.2 billion. The round was led by Rajeev Dham at Sapphire Ventures, with participation from NVC, ICONIQ Growth, Amplify Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and Y Combinator.

The investment will help drive adoption of the company’s AI Decisioning product, which allows marketers to simply identify a business goal and then lets AI agents deliver the optimal 1:1 marketing experiences that will achieve that goal. AI Decisioning and Hightouch’s original Composable CDP product have enabled the company to more than double revenue in the last year and to add numerous enterprise customers like PetSmart, Spotify, and Accor Hotels.

“We’ve talked about 1:1 personalization for years, but it’s not possible with the way marketers work today. Everything is too slow, too manual, and usually results in customers receiving a blizzard of irrelevant communications,” said Tejas Manohar, cofounder and co-CEO at Hightouch. “Our vision is to use AI to help marketers break free of manual work. Instead of building rigid calendars and static journeys that are inherently impersonal, marketers can simply enter goals like ‘drive repeat purchases and subscriptions’ and let AI agents decide what to do next at a 1:1 level. It’s a reimagining of the job of being a marketer.”

Enterprises in particular are embracing AI Decisioning to achieve long-standing goals that have been difficult to achieve with traditional methods.

“Hightouch is a key part of our strategy for connecting and building loyalty with our pet parents,” said Bradley Breuer, Vice President of Marketing, Loyalty, CRM, and Insights at PetSmart. “We have more than 70 million Treats Rewards members in our loyalty program and use AI Decisioning to personalize marketing communications for each of our members, making their experience more meaningful, while supporting growth for our business.”

AI Decisioning is a neutral technology that works with all existing enterprise data and marketing platforms. It can sit on top of any data warehouse or CDP and trigger actions across any marketing or digital platform, including Salesforce, Adobe, Iterable, and Braze.

“Our platform uses a combination of reinforcement learning and other models to decide the best message, channel, and timing for each customer. We automatically run high-scale experiments to learn what marketing message is most relevant to each consumer, and we’re quickly adding support for more channels like in-app experiences, advertising, and offer management,” said Kashish Gupta, cofounder and co-CEO at Hightouch. “The top use case we’re seeing is driving loyalty and frequency of purchase. It’s harder than ever for brands to be relevant, and we believe agentic marketing is the solution.”

AI Decisioning increases lifetime value by:

• Precisely targeting individual customers, moving beyond broad segmentation
• Personalizing content at scale for each user
• Optimizing message frequency and timing for maximum impact
• Automating the testing process, eliminating time-consuming manual A/B testing
• Orchestrating experiences across channels like email, SMS, apps, and web

“Open up your phone right now. Do you think the marketing you’re receiving is as good as it could be?” said Rajeev Dham, Partner at Sapphire Ventures. “With AI Decisioning, which automatically determines the best messages to serve up, Hightouch has shown the bold vision and technical know-how to fix both the marketer and customer experience problem once and for all. It’s a huge idea, and we’re excited to partner with Kashish, Tejas, Josh, and the entire team on it.”

The investment will be used to hire engineering, product, and go-to-market talent that will support enterprise adoption of the Hightouch Composable CDP as well as accelerate AI Decisioning development and deployment among Fortune 500 enterprises.

About Hightouch:
Hightouch is the leading Composable CDP and AI Decisioning Platform that empowers companies to activate their data warehouse to power personalized marketing and business operations. Trusted by leading brands like Autotrader, Spotify, Cars.com, Grammarly, and PetSmart, Hightouch enables anyone to deliver personalized customer experiences, optimize performance marketing, and move faster by leveraging data and AI across their organization.

About Sapphire:
Sapphire is a global software venture capital firm with more than $10 billion in AUM and team members across Austin, London, Menlo Park and San Francisco. For over a decade, Sapphire has partnered with visionary management teams and venture funds to back companies of consequence. Since its founding, Sapphire has invested in more than 170 companies globally resulting in more than 30 Public Listings and 45 acquisitions. The firm’s investment strategies — Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport — are focused on scaling companies and venture funds, elevating them to become category leaders. Sapphire’s Portfolio Growth team of experienced operators delivers a strategic blend of value-add services, tools and resources designed to support portfolio company leaders as they scale. https://sapphireventures.com/

SOURCE Hightouch

Jon Nordby selected to serve in a first-of-its-kind role in the region

FRISCO, Texas, Feb. 18, 2025 — The Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) announced the first ever Venture Capitalist in-Residence (VCiR) in the region. The VCiR program is a part of the FEDC’s four-pillar innovation strategy and will help connect a broader network of investors to Frisco and expand the city’s footprint as a hub for linking high value tech startups with funding sources.

Jon Nordby was selected as the 2025 Frisco VCiR. Nordby is a startup and investment industry expert and the managing partner for Anthropy Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm. The Frisco VCiR is a pilot program that will focus on building partnerships, representing Frisco at investor events, engaging new venture capital firms and corporate venture capital funds, curating investment opportunities for investors, and supporting the local corporate innovation ecosystem while advancing Frisco’s overall venture capital strategy.

“The Frisco City Council set the visionary goal for Frisco to be the capital of venture capital in the central United States by 2040,” said Jeremiah Anderson, Director of Innovation for the FEDC. “Frisco has seen great success during the past four years with exits for more than 35 startups and nearly 100 new investments in startups. Even with this tremendous success, we are just scratching the surface. With Jon’s vast experience and our vibrant local ecosystem, Frisco is ready to make waves in the world of venture capital investors and tech startups.”

Frisco is a fast-growing innovation community with more than 400 startups and 13 corporate innovation and research development centers. Other cities and states have launched programs to attract investors, but no other city or state has publicly declared the goal of becoming a venture capital hub and dedicated resources to the effort.

“Frisco represents a rare convergence of resources, talent, and access which creates the perfect environment to redefine investing in the central United States,” said Jon Nordby, Frisco’s new VCiR. “I am inspired by Frisco’s unique access to capital, industry collaboration, and problem-solving culture. Together, we will unlock the region’s differentiated assets, streamline capital flow, and build a thriving hub for innovation and commercialization. This is an extraordinary opportunity to position Frisco as a global leader in venture capital and innovation, and I am honored to be selected as Frisco’s first Venture Capitalist in-Residence.”

Nordby is the founder of EconWerx and non-profit Anthropy Constructive, both of which partner with governments, universities, economic development organizations and corporations to build unique and differentiated innovation ecosystems. He previously worked for the Greater Houston Partnership where he oversaw the creation and spin out of Houston Exponential and the HX Venture Fund, a corporate Fund of Funds. Nordby teaches at the University of Houston’s Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, the highest ranked undergrad entrepreneurship program in the country.

About the Frisco EDC
The Frisco EDC operates as a Texas non-profit corporation and is governed by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the Frisco, Texas City Council. Job number one is facilitating the creation of jobs, as the Frisco EDC’s mission is to improve the economic opportunities and quality of life for all Frisco residents. The Frisco EDC has facilitated major economic development projects, resulting in hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs in the City of Frisco. For more information, visit FriscoEDC.com. 

SOURCE Frisco Economic Development Corporation

Investor Confidence Propels Award-Winning Brand’s Story of Passion, Craftsmanship and Connection

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 18, 2025 — Brother’s Bond Bourbon, the award-winning American whiskey brand founded by co-creators, longtime friends, and whiskey experts, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, proudly announces the successful close of a $7.5 million funding round, a testament to the brand’s momentum and confirming investor confidence in the spirits industry’s growth potential.

Brother’s Bond offers a portfolio of hand-selected, award-winning, small-batch American bourbon and rye whiskeys. Celebrated for its unmatched flavor and ultra-premium quality it has quickly become a respected name in the whiskey industry.

In an ever-evolving market, Brother’s Bond Bourbon stands out by reinvigorating a storied category with fresh energy, an authentic story, and an unwavering commitment to quality and sustainable craftsmanship. Despite a difficult market, this latest round of funding underscores that great things are happening in the whiskey sector and highlights the immense opportunities within the American spirits landscape. As consumers continue to seek premium, authentic brands, the company is well-positioned to meet demand.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our investors, who recognize the potential growth of Brother’s Bond Bourbon,” said Vincent Hanna, CEO of Brother’s Bond Bourbon. “The belief in our vision and the industry’s resilience fuels our passion to continue building a brand that resonates with whiskey enthusiasts around the world.”

This capital infusion will enable Brother’s Bond Bourbon to continue to expand its footprint in the United States and into key international markets, bringing the brand’s premium bourbon to a larger global audience. The investment further solidifies the company’s long-term strategy, emphasizing innovation, sustainable craftsmanship, and a commitment to redefining the future of ultra-premium whiskey—one sip, one story, one bond at a time.

“The whiskey industry is at an exciting inflection point, and we see Brother’s Bond Bourbon as a leader in this movement,” said Hanna. “Our ability to merge heritage with modern appeal makes Brother’s Bond stand out in the market. This investment is not just about funding—it’s about fueling a brand that is shaping the future of bourbon.”

With this new funding, Brother’s Bond Bourbon is poised to accelerate its mission of making high-quality whiskey more accessible and celebrated worldwide. As the brand embarks on its next phase of growth, it remains committed to crafting spirits that honor tradition while redefining what it means to enjoy a great bourbon.

About Brother’s Bond
Brother’s Bond Bourbon, founded by famous on-screen brothers, whiskey makers, and real-life friends Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, is an ultra-premium bourbon brand celebrated for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted with the finest all-natural ingredients and aged to perfection, Brother’s Bond honors the rich heritage of American whiskey-making. The hand-selected, award-winning small-batch whiskey portfolio includes Straight Bourbon, Original Cask Strength Straight Bourbon,  American Blended Rye, Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon, and Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon, which has been recognized as one of the Top 5 Bourbons in the world. Beyond exceptional taste, Brother’s Bond is committed to sustainability, giving back a portion of proceeds to regenerative agriculture and responsible sourcing with every bottle sold. Brother’s Bond is redefining what it means to enjoy an ultra-premium whiskey – one sip, one story, one bond at a time. Time to Bond. For more information, visit www.brothersbondbourbon.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @brothersbondbourbon and X @brothersbond.

CONTACT: 
Laura Mulhern
[email protected]

SOURCE Brother’s Bond Bourbon

Funding to fuel company’s progress in driving lead glaucoma program to clinical readiness; industry veteran, Dr. Carol Gallagher, joins Board

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 18, 2025 — Perceive Pharma, a pharmaceutical company pioneering novel small molecule therapeutics in ophthalmology, today announced the closing of a $15M Series A funding round including Deerfield Management, Johnson & Johnson (through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.), Braidwell LP, GV, the Retinal Degeneration Fund, and Catalio Capital Management, LP. Perceive Pharma, Inc. was spun out from Perceive Biotherapeutics, Inc. to accelerate development of novel neuroprotective therapeutics in glaucoma and other indications. The Company also welcomes Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D. to the Perceive Pharma Board as an independent Board Director. 

“We are delighted by Carol’s addition to the board and welcome her contributions across the business,” said Cameron Wheeler, Partner at Deerfield Management. “We look forward to working with our syndicate partners as Perceive Pharma continues to build compelling preclinical evidence of ophthalmic neuroprotection in key models of glaucoma.” 

Perceive Pharma is focused on the neuroprotective pathways first elucidated in a genomic screening by co-founders Drs. Don Zack and Derek Welsbie, who further collaborated with a key industry partner to position Perceive Pharma with a library of neuroprotective drug candidates, including its lead therapeutic candidate, PBI-671. Series A proceeds will advance the development of first-in-class therapies to prevent vision loss in glaucoma, and additional undisclosed disease areas.

“All approved drugs for glaucoma target the lowering of intraocular pressure, but about half of glaucoma patients have normal pressures and continue to lose vision,” said K. Angela Macfarlane, CEO. “The deep science underlying the identification of Perceive’s targets differentiates its programs and provides promise for new, transformative treatments for sight-saving therapies for the more than 1.5 million Americans and others worldwide with glaucoma whose disease is continuing to progress, despite access to current treatments.”¹

Perceive Pharma is also pleased to announce that Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D. has joined the company’s Board of Directors as an independent director. Dr. Gallagher is an industry veteran with over 35 years of biopharma experience, holding roles of increasing responsibility in commercial, drug development, and business development in both large and small biopharma companies including Eli Lilly, Amgen, Pfizer and IDEC Pharmaceuticals. As the CEO of Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, she drove the company’s acquisition by Gilead in 2011, after which she held Partner and Advisor roles in biopharma venture capital investing at New Enterprise Associates and Frazier. She currently serves as an independent director on the boards of both private and public biopharma companies including Atara Bio, PMV Pharma, TREX Bio, Recludix Pharmaceuticals, OncoResponse, and Slope.io.

“I am delighted to join the Board of Perceive Pharma and to support this committed and experienced team working on first-in-class neuroprotective drugs,” said Dr. Carol Gallagher. “As a new spinout, Perceive Pharma is at a key inflection point and I am committed to working with the team and Board as we chart our path through this critical phase of development and growth.”

Perceive Pharma is a resident of JLABS @ San Diego, part of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, a global life science incubator network, providing startups with access to capital-efficient lab space, equipment, and resources, including expertise, community, and entrepreneurial programs.

About Perceive Pharma

Perceive Pharma is advancing novel small molecule neuroprotective therapeutics, with lead pipeline programs in glaucoma and other ophthalmic diseases. Perceive was founded on compelling research that leveraged a comprehensive screening process in retina cells to identify maximally neuroprotective biological pathways. The Company is backed by Deerfield Management, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Braidwell LP, GV, Retinal Degeneration Fund, the venture arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Catalio Capital Management, LP.

About Perceive Bio

Perceive Biotherapeutics is advancing novel gene therapy treatments in ophthalmology and related verticals. Perceive was founded on compelling research elucidating novel protective biology for treating retinal blindness, including dry AMD, developed from foundational collaborations in genetic science and target validation. The Company is backed by Deerfield Management, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, GV, Braidwell LP, Retinal Degeneration Fund, and Catalio Capital Management, LP. For more information, please visit www.perceivebio.com

Media Contact 
For Perceive Pharma: 
Anne Rubin, President, ([email protected])

SOURCE Perceive Pharma, Inc.