• Catalyx is building the complete back-end infrastructure for space: hardware, software, and operations that make upmass and downmass function like scheduled logistics, not one-off missions
• Launch is predictable; downmass isn’t. Catalyx is turning the return leg into a bookable service for microgravity-manufactured products, time-sensitive research, component returns, and sample logistics, closing the loop that makes orbit behave like infrastructure

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 30, 2025 — Catalyx Space, Inc., a space infrastructure company providing turnkey solutions for orbital missions across industries, recently announced its oversubscribed $5.4 million Seed funding round led by venture capital firm Outlander VC. The announcement follows on the heels of its January $1.7 million pre-Seed round, which culminated in their first successful capsule drop test within an accelerated six-month timeline. The new funds will be used to commercialize its next-gen reentry architecture, bolster overseas operations, and expand its global customer acquisition capabilities. The round also had participation from: Arka Venture Labs, Lex Reddy, KDX Management LLC, Together Fund, Higher Life Ventures, Nivesha Ventures, Prana Tech Ventures, Bria, HF0 Residency, and Techstars.

“Space isn’t the next frontier — it’s the next infrastructure layer. Catalyx is making orbit as accessible and programmable as the cloud, and that shift will unleash entirely new industries. We are proud to back a team building the backbone of this transformation,” said Paige Craig, founder and managing partner of Outlander VC.

“Rifath’s story is one of relentless obsession. From building his first satellite as a teenager to leading Catalyx today, he’s never stopped chasing what others call impossible. I meet thousands of founders a year, and very few move with the speed and precision of Rifath and his team. Catalyx’s ability to go from idea to orbit at their pace is redefining how the space industry builds,” added AJ Smith, Investing Partner at Outlander VC. 

The history of Catalyx begins with its founder, Rifath Shaarook, who, frustrated by the prolonged development windows and complex, fragmented infrastructure in the space industry, founded Catalyx in 2024. A space veteran with dozens of successful missions, Shaarook made headlines at the age of 18 when he designed KalamSat then the world’s lightest satellite and a 3D-printed engineering marvel.

“Catalyx’s mission is to accelerate the commercialization of space by enabling rapid, reliable, and affordable orbital access across industries, including defense, advanced manufacturing, and biopharma. This funding milestone moves us closer to making that future a reality,” Shaarook stated.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global space infrastructure market was valued at $146 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $308 billion by 2032. Catalyx aims to meet this growing demand with a fully integrated, one-stop solution for next-generation space applications.

About Catalyx Space

Catalyx is re-imagining space access, building autonomous labs with re-entry capabilities. Founded by Rifath Shaarook, Clinton D Antony, Keerthan Chand Aluvala, and Saqib Hussain, Catalyx’s stack spans reentry and recovery systems, lightweight spacecraft buses, ground-station software, and a non-canisterized deployment standard for smallsats. Catalyx serves innovators, researchers, and enterprises across key industries, including defense, advanced manufacturing, and biopharma, enabling customers to test, build, and iterate in microgravity environments faster and more affordably.

To learn more, visit www.catalyx.space or follow @CatalyxSpace on social media.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JNfEdfbU2s
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2809534/Catalyx_Space.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2809558/Catalyx_Space_Logo.jpg

Fortune honors Astrix among the fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies redefining identity security

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2025 — Astrix Security, the leader in AI agent security, today announced it has been named to the Fortune 2026 Cyber 60 list, presented by Lightspeed Venture Partners and AWS. This third annual list recognizes the most important venture-backed cybersecurity startups shaping the future of digital defense. Astrix was included in the early-growth stagecompanies category for its groundbreaking innovation in protecting the expanding ecosystem of AI agents, machine-to-machine connections, and service accounts driving today’s business applications.

“Our inclusion on the Fortune Cyber 60 is icing on the cake as agentic AI continues to revolutionize how businesses think, build, and operate,” said Alon Jackson, co-founder and CEO of Astrix Security. “The rise of AI agents and the non-human identities that power them brings incredible potential, but also unprecedented risk. Astrix is proud to be at the forefront, ensuring innovation and security move forward in parallel together.”

Astrix earned its spot on the Fortune Cyber 60 through strong market momentum and industry-first innovation. Over the past year, the company has:

Astrix Security takes a unique, unified approach to protecting AI agents through its Discover–Secure–Deploy framework, helping organizations gain visibility, establish access guardrails, and confidently scale secure agent deployments. Rather than relying on multiple tools, Astrix closes critical identity security gaps for both non-human identities (NHIs) and AI agents within a single platform. Grounded in the principle that securing AI agents begins with securing their identities, Astrix addresses risks at the IAM layer, where access and permissions are defined. Since 2021, Astrix has led the way in NHI security, equipping Fortune 1000 enterprises to extend traditional IAM practices to next-gen identities. With proven expertise, research-driven innovation, and mature technology, Astrix is uniquely positioned to secure the future of agentic AI.

The 2026 Fortune Cyber 60 list was compiled by Fortune and Lightspeed Venture Partners based on an analysis of more than 500 venture-backed cybersecurity companies, assessing innovation, growth, and market impact. The full list is available here: https://fortune.com/ranking/cyber/.

About Astrix Security
Astrix secures the full lifecycle of AI agents and the Non-Human Identities (NHIs) that power them, extending traditional IAM to govern the modern AI attack surface. While agents and other NHIs outnumber humans 100:1, they remain under the radar, creating the biggest blindspot in our identity perimeter. Astrix provides a unified solution for the continuous discovery of all AI agents and NHIs, secure and remediate excessive privileges, real-time threats, and adoption of new agents responsibly with ‘secure by design’ guardrails like Agentic just-in-time access. Enabling our customers to responsibly adopt and accelerate productivity. Trusted by leading enterprises including Workday, NetApp, Priceline, Figma, Hubspot, Workato and many more.

Media Contact:
Kayla Armstrong
[email protected] 

SOURCE Astrix Security

Recognition Validates BlinkOps’ Continued Innovation in Agentic Security Automation

TEL AVIV, Israel and AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 30, 2025 — BlinkOps, the leading agentic security automation platform, today announced that it was named a winner to the Fortune Cyber 60 2025-2026 list of the fastest growing companies in cybersecurity for the second consecutive year.

“We are honored to be included in Fortune’s Cyber 60 list for the second year in a row,” said Gil Barak, CEO and Co-Founder of BlinkOps. “This recognition validates our commitment to AI innovation and the trust our investors, customers, and partners have placed in us. We’re enabling the world’s largest enterprises to achieve unprecedented speed to automation and AI transformation across their cybersecurity and IT programs. We’re delivering the industry’s only comprehensive platform that unifies all the capabilities required to run an agentic security program – something no other vendor has achieved in a single, integrated solution. We’re grateful to Fortune for this recognition and for continuing to believe in us.”

2025 has been a transformative year for BlinkOps. The company raised over $50 million in Series B funding in July, led by O.G. Venture Partners, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Hetz Ventures, and Vertex Growth, bringing the total funding amount to $100 million. Earlier in April, BlinkOps launched the industry’s first No-Code Security Agent Builder platform, enabling enterprises to create unlimited custom security micro-agents tailored to their specific environments, attracting Fortune 500 customers globally.

BlinkOps has grown its headcount by over 100 employees in the past year, expanding into EMEA and investing heavily in channel partnerships. The Series B funding is accelerating product innovation and scaling go-to-market operations across sales, marketing, and customer success teams to meet demand for AI transformation. This investment enables BlinkOps to expand its platform capabilities while building the infrastructure needed to support agentic innovation.

About BlinkOps

BlinkOps enables organizations to automate their security operations and build custom security micro-agents with reliability and trust, freeing teams to focus on what matters most – driving faster operations, eliminating fatigue, and staying ahead of cyber threats.

To learn more, visit blinkops.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Media Contact:
Aileen Balzano
Director, Marketing
[email protected]

SOURCE BlinkOps

DALLAS, Oct. 30, 2025 — Surgical Automations, a stealth-mode surgical-robotics company leveraging AI and automation to transform gastrointestinal endoscopy, announced the closing of its $3.4 million oversubscribed seed round, completed earlier this year. The round was co-led by Dr. Fred Moll, founder of Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG), and TurboStart, a Bengaluru, India–based cross-border venture-capital firm.

“Surgical robotics is entering a new era where automation and intelligence are poised to transform clinical care,” said Dr. Fred Moll, co-lead investor. “Surgical Automations is pursuing one of the most important opportunities in endoscopy, combining bold innovation with the pragmatism needed to bring meaningful change to patient care.”

Surgical Automations is developing the Vāsuki Robotic System, a next-generation platform for upper and lower GI diagnostic and interventional procedures. Operating largely in stealth, the company has advanced breakthroughs in robotics, advanced sensing, and AI-driven automated navigation—technologies that automate critical steps of endoscopic procedures such as colonoscopy, providing unprecedented vision and control to the gastroenterologist. Its mission is to make GI screening safer, faster, and easier for endoscopists by simplifying procedures and elevating precision.

“Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, yet the screening experience remains painful, inconsistent, and underserved by technology,” said Ganesh Raju, Founder of TurboStart. “We backed Surgical Automations because they’re re-imagining this from first principles with the right blend of AI, robotics, and regulatory clarity. This team’s deep domain insight aligns with our thesis of backing global deep-tech for human health.”

In addition to institutional investors, the round drew several physicians and individual members from community organizations including the Rajput Association of North America (RANA), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Alumni Association of North Texas, and the Maharana Association of North America.

“Surgical Automations exemplifies the kind of global, deep-technology innovation that advances human health while being headquartered in North Texas,” said Dr. Srinivas ‘Benne’ Bette, Founder of the IIT Entrepreneur Advisor Network.

The company continues to operate in stealth as it advances the Vāsuki Robotic System toward pre-clinical validation and first-in-human studies.

About Surgical Automations
Surgical Automations (AutoSurg Inc.), headquartered in Dallas, TX is developing the Vāsuki Robotic System, a next-generation endoscopy platform integrating advanced sensors, robotics, and AI-driven automated navigation to automate complex steps in upper and lower GI endoscopy and improve global access to high-quality care.

Media Contact:
Ritambhara Chauhan
[email protected]

For Investor Inquiries
[email protected]

SOURCE Surgical Automations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acerca de VentureMed Group & FLEX Vessel Prep™ System

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Uluu

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

Images and video

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

SOURCE Uluu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Valthos

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

SOURCE Valthos Inc