Partnership with Bioversity International USA and Yale University will build the Rumen Digital Twin to model and optimize climate–smart feed and microbiome interventions
GREENFIELD, Ind., Oct. 24, 2025 — In partnership with Bioversity International USA and Yale University, BiomEdit, a pioneering animal health biotechnology company, announced today it has been selected as one of 15 global teams awarded funding of nearly $2 million from the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge. The funding will support development of the Rumen Digital Twin, an artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model designed to identify the most effective strategies for reducing methane emissions in cattle while also optimizing animal productivity and welfare.
Together with its partners, BiomEdit will lead the effort to train a generative AI model on data from more than 20,000 ruminants across 25+ countries, including the Global South. The model will integrate publicly available and newly generated data, producing more than 10,000 microbiome profiles crosslinked with methane emissions, diet, host genetics and animal performance data.
The goal of the project is to replace lengthy and expensive animal trials with AI-powered simulations that can identify the precise conditions and animal traits where specific feed additives or interventions will be most effective. These tailored strategies are expected to reduce methane emissions by up to 75% compared to untargeted approaches, while maintaining or improving animal productivity.
“This project reflects the power of the microbiome and the use of AI to reduce methane and improve productivity in livestock,” said Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit. “With the generous support of the Bezos Earth Fund and in collaboration with Bioversity and Yale, we aim to develop a better understanding of targeted interventions and share that knowledge to positively affect both climate impact and animal well-being.”
Expected outcomes of the project include an open-access, cloud-based platform where users can generate and explore virtual ruminant populations, simulate interventions and fine-tune strategies for methane mitigation and productivity. The platform and model will be made available to research and non-profit organizations globally at no cost, with licensing pathways for commercial developers.
Launched in 2024, the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is a $100 million initiative designed to harness AI to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The program connects innovators with resources and mentorship from leading technology partners including AWS, Google.org, NVIDIA Corporation, Microsoft Research, AI2, and Esri.
“These projects show how AI, when developed responsibly and guided by science and local knowledge, can strengthen environmental action and ensure its overall impact on the planet is positive,” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, Director of AI and Data Strategies at the Bezos Earth Fund.
The Rumen Digital Twin builds on BiomEdit’s first methane-reduction initiative: a $4.5 million grant from the Gates Foundation awarded in 2023. That program focuses on microbiome-based feed additives to reduce methane in cattle across Africa and South Asia while improving feed efficiency and food security for small-scale producers. Together, the two initiatives reflect BiomEdit’s growing leadership in developing sustainable, microbiome-based climate solutions for agriculture.
About BiomEdit BiomEdit is an animal health microbial biotechnology company leveraging the power of the microbiome and synthetic biology to develop next-generation solutions for livestock and pet health. Founded in 2022, BiomEdit is backed by leading investors Anterra Capital, Viking Global, Nutreco, AgriZeroNZ, Elevate, and Betagro Ventures, among others. www.biomedit.com
Media Contact: Julie Lawless LawlessComms [email protected] +1 615-585-5861
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 24, 2025 — ChemDiv today announced the extension of its discovery and early development partnership with Mondego Bio to advance the company’s best-in-class immuno-oncology program targeting PTPN2. The announcement follows Mondego Bio’s successful Series A financing led by Biovance Capital with participation from OrbiMed Advisors and Torrey Pines Investment, underscoring strong momentum behind Mondego’s strategy. ChemDiv previously supported the accelerated discovery of a drug candidate by Eilean Therapeutics LLC in the U.S., which preceded the establishment of
Mondego Bio in Portugal in 2025. Leveraging rational drug design across reversible, covalent, and allosteric inhibitors, the collaboration established a differentiated selectivity profile that delivers high oral bioavailability, robust in vivo efficacy, and strong safety and tolerability—hallmarks of potentially best-in-class cancer therapeutics.
Medicinal chemistry and scale-up were led by ChemDiv’s group in Germany, while pharmacology and translational biology were supported by ChemDiv facilities in the U.S. and Portugal. Together, these efforts advanced Mondego’s pre-IND program, supported by its European venture capital–backed launch.
Looking ahead, ChemDiv will continue to provide:
Medicinal chemistry and discovery biology for backup series,
CMC process research and large-scale manufacturing of the lead candidate for non-GLP and GLP animal studies,
Computational and wet-lab pharmacology to accelerate clinical readiness.
These efforts build on ChemDiv’s deep expertise in designing selective kinase and phosphatase inhibitors, leveraging its extensive kinase and phosphatase chemical libraries, and applying parallel lead optimization supported by AI/ML-enabled rational design, ADME/DMPK, and translational capabilities.
“We’re moving fast with Mondego to translate PTPN2 biology into medicines,” said Ilya Baimetov, COO and Head of Digital Platforms at ChemDiv. “By combining our advanced rational design, medchem horsepower, and focused tool libraries with Mondego’s cutting-edge immuno-oncology platform, we are advancing the next generation of phosphatase inhibitors with best-in-class potential.”
About Mondego Bio Mondego Bio, headquartered at Portugal’s Biocant biotech park, is developing best-in-class PTPN2 inhibitors as a next-generation immuno-oncology strategy. The company’s Series A financing was led by Biovance Capital with co-investors OrbiMed Advisors and Torrey Pines Investment.
About ChemDiv ChemDiv is a fully integrated discovery partner from target to clinic, offering a library of over 12 million screening compounds, 2 trillion feasible chemistries for rational drug design, thousands of pre-designed chemical tool libraries, 70,000 building blocks, and a catalog of 45,000 inhibitors and drugs. Its services include custom medicinal chemistry, CMC, AI-powered CADD, computational pharmacology, lead optimization, translational biology, and clinical pharmacology support.
BEIJING, Oct. 24, 2025 — Neolix, the world’s largest provider of L4 autonomous delivery (RoboVan) solutions, has raised over US$600 million in its Series D financing. This round marks the largest private fundraising in China’s autonomous driving sector to date and is among the biggest private investments in China this year.
Neolix secures the largest-ever private fundraising in China’s autonomousdriving industry
The round was led by UAE-based Stone Venture, joined by Gaocheng Capital, CITIC Capital, CDH, Sparkedge Capital, Beijing AI Fund and one of the largest internet platforms in China. Other key investors include Legend Capital, Gaorong Ventures, Templewater, SAIC etc. The new funds will be used to advance Neolix’s proprietary autonomous driving algorithms, accelerate product development across new commercial use cases, enhance its service network and user experience, and fuel its global expansion plans.
Founded by Mr. Enyuan Yu, Neolix has rapidly emerged as a global leader in autonomous delivery vehicles since its launch in 2018. The company has delivered over 10,000 L4 RoboVans, more than any other firm worldwide, and achieved a record-breaking 2,000 vehicle deliveries in a single month. Its vehicles are now deployed in over 300 cities in China, with Qingdao hosting more than 1,200 units. Neolix’s popular X3 and X6 models have each surpassed 4,000 deliveries, demonstrating strong market demand.
Technologically, Neolix has introduced major innovations, including its AI model “Neolix-VA” for smooth navigation in complex traffic, a map-free driving system for flexible urban logistics, and a smart dispatch platform that optimizes vehicle, road, and order coordination. These advancements have helped Neolix’s fleet surpass 50 million kilometers in autonomous driving.
Since receiving China’s first autonomous delivery license in 2021, Neolix has grown exponentially, now holding over 60% of the market share in cumulative shipments and serving more than 300,000 clients. It dominates the express delivery sector and is expanding into fresh food, cold chain, and instant delivery services. Internationally, Neolix is scaling up, having secured the UAE’s first RoboVan license in partnership with an Abu Dhabi – based Tech Company, marking its global expansion beyond China.
BEIJING, Oct. 23, 2025 — Neolix, the world’s largest provider of L4 autonomous delivery (RoboVan) solutions, has raised over US$600 million in its Series D financing. By deal size, it is the largest private fundraising in China’s autonomous driving sector to date and is among the biggest private investments in China this year.
Neolix secures the largest-ever fundraising in China’s autonomous driving industry
The round was led by UAE-based StoneVenture, joined by Gaocheng Capital, CITIC Capital, CDH, Sparkedge Capital, Beijing AI Fund and one of the largest internet platforms in China. Other key investors include Legend Capital, Gaorong Ventures, Templewater, etc. Existing backer Yunqi Partners also increased its holdings, while Cygnus Equity acted as the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.
This round marks a new chapter in Neolix’s mission to “make autonomous vehicles accessible worldwide,” underscoring strong investor confidence in the company’s technological edge and commercial momentum. Neolix plans to use the funds to further invest in algorithm and technology R&D, develop new products for diverse commercial scenarios, enhance its service network and user experience, and fuel its global expansion plans.
Neolix’s Founder and CEO, Enyuan Yu, stated that the Series D fundraising will strengthen Neolix’s technological and market leadership in autonomous intra-city logistics, accelerating large-scale commercial deployment to meet growing domestic and international demand. “We believe autonomous delivery is a key part of future urban logistics. Neolix will continue building a robust fleet, advancing visual algorithms and dispatch engines to deliver safe and efficient autonomous solutions. Our goal is to empower urban logistics with autonomous driving, making RoboVans a new productivity tool and driving digital transformation in the industry.”
Leading the RoboVan Industry Into Large-Scale Deployment
Founded by Mr. Enyuan Yu, Neolix has rapidly emerged as a global leader in autonomous delivery vehicles since its launch in 2018. The company has delivered over 10,000 L4 RoboVans, more than any other firm worldwide, and achieved a record-breaking 2,000 vehicle deliveries in a single month. Its vehicles are now deployed in over 300 cities in China, with Qingdao hosting more than 1,200 units. Neolix’s popular X3 and X6 models have each surpassed 4,000 deliveries, demonstrating strong market demand.
On the technology front, Neolix continues to pioneer breakthroughs. Its proprietary “Neolix-VA” vision-action foundation model marks the first large-scale deployment of an end-to-end model in the logistics sector, enabling RoboVans to navigate complex traffic environments through superior spatial intelligence and behavioral reasoning.
Neolix is also the first company to deploy map-free autonomous driving in freight industry , enabling true point-to-point delivery on public roads with full environmental generalization. Its AI-powered Dispatch Center integrates real-time data on vehicles, routes, and orders to optimize fleet performance. Collectively, Neolix’s L4 autonomous vehicles have accumulated over 50 million kilometers of real-world L4 driving, keeping the company far ahead of peers.
Expanding Market Share and Commercial Scenarios
Since obtaining China’s first autonomous delivery license in 2021, Neolix has experienced explosive growth. Vehicle deliveries have increased more than tenfold annually for two consecutive years. Today, the company holds over 60% of cumulative market share, 70% of new monthly shipments, and 80% of monthly revenue in China’s autonomous delivery vehicle segment, serving more than 300,000 clients ranging from large enterprises to small businesses.
In the express delivery sector, Neolix commands a leading position as the only RoboVan supplier serving all major logistics players in China, including SF Express, JD Logistics, China Post, STO, YTO, ZTO, and J&T Express, capturing nearly 70% of key account tenders.
Beyond express logistics, Neolix is rapidly expanding into fresh food, cold chain, supermarket, and urban freight scenarios, driving operational efficiency and service reliability, particularly during nighttime operations, where a single RoboVan can complete over 10 delivery cycles per shift.
Earlier this year, Neolix and Didi Freight jointly launched the world’s first RoboVan-as-a-Service (RaaS) model for on-demand logistics, significantly lowering the barrier to autonomous delivery adoption.
Orders from these diversified urban logistics scenarios now account for more than half of Neolix’s monthly order volume. In the broader urban logistics segment, Neolix currently serves hundreds of top-tier clients and commands over 60% market share.
Accelerating Global Expansion
Neolix’s success extends beyond China. In October 2025, Neolix partnered with K2 Group, an Abu Dhabi–based AI technology firm, to secure the first RoboVan license ever issued in the UAE, paving the way for scaled deployment across the Middle East. The company also joined Japan’s largest autonomous driving association, Autoware, in September 2025, and in July 2025, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Incheon Metropolitan Government to promote RoboVan deployment in South Korea.
Industry Outlook: 2025, the Breakout Year for Autonomous Delivery
Analysts anticipate exponential growth in autonomous delivery vehicles over the next three years. Soochow Securities forecasts that more than 30,000 units will be sold in China in 2025 alone.
Neolix estimates that China’s urban logistics market, currently served by about 30 million delivery vehicles valued at over RMB 3 trillion, is poised for large-scale automation. Within three years, major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou could each see thousands of autonomous vehicles operating daily. Once fleets reach a certain level, Neolix envisions an intelligent logistics network serving both enterprises and individuals, enabling shared capacity and highly efficient resource allocation.
Investor Endorsements
Hong Jing, Founding Partner and CEO of Gaocheng Capital:
“As an industry leader, Neolix has been at the forefront of exploring the implementation of L4 autonomous driving technology in the logistics sector and achieving Product-Market Fit. It has experienced rapid growth on the path to commercializing unmanned driving technology, serving numerous leading customers within the industry, while also demonstrating highly competitive development potential in overseas markets. As a patient growth-stage fund, we hold a highly optimistic view of China’s world-leading position in integrating hardware and software capabilities. We are committed to continuously supporting and assisting Neolix in creating value for its customers and the broader industry, consolidating its leadership position, and facilitating the global expansion of China’s cutting-edge technologies.”
Wang Lin, Founding Partner at CDH:
“Amid widening labor shortages and surging parcel volumes, Neolix’s autonomous delivery vehicles represent more than just tools, they are keys to breaking through industry bottlenecks. CDH VGC will leverage its extensive industrial resources to help Neolix integrate deeply with China’s robust supply chain ecosystem and diversified logistics scenarios, supporting its evolution from mass deployment to global ecosystem building. We aspire to be an ‘intelligent partner’ of our era, joining hands with true builders to drive industrial transformation.”
Zhao Lei, Partner at CITIC Capital:
“Our investment reflects long-term conviction in the transformative potential of smart logistics. Autonomous driving technology will fundamentally reshape the industry’s cost structure and operations. What sets Neolix apart is its ability to innovate consistently and create enduring value, which could be the strongest competitive moat. As a long-term partner, CITIC Capital will leverage deep industrial expertise to help Neolix expand new applications, accelerate technological iteration and global growth, defining the future paradigm of logistics.”
Chen Yu, Partner at Yunqi Partners:
“Since Neolix’s founding, we’ve been firm believers in its long-term potential in autonomous delivery. From the first vehicle to the ten-thousandth, the team has continuously raised the bar for the industry through solid engineering and relentless innovation in terms of algorithms, systems, and monetization. Yunqi Partners will continue to accompany Neolix on its journey, driving deeper application of autonomous driving across China’s trillion-level logistics market.”
About Neolix
Neolix is a leading provider of L4 autonomous delivery (RoboVan) solutions worldwide. Its self-developed L4 autonomous vehicles are widely deployed across express delivery, urban logistics, and other key scenarios. Guided by our mission to make autonomous vehicles accessible worldwide, Neolix has deployed over 10,000 units in 300 cities across 15 countries, covering more than 50 million kilometers of autonomous operation—among the top in the industry for both deployment scale and operational mileage.
Backed by full-stack capabilities spanning in-house software and hardware development, vehicle manufacturing, and intelligent dispatching, Neolix has filed over 1,500 patents. Designed to help clients reduce costs and enhance efficiency at scale, Neolix vehicles enable 24/7 autonomous operations—running reliably in all weather conditions, at any time of day, and across a wide range of complex road scenarios.
With the strategic capital from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF), Chainguard has secured $636 million in the last six months and $892 million in total over time
KIRKLAND, Wash., Oct. 23, 2025 — Chainguard, the trusted source for open source, today announced $280 million in growth financing from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF). This investment, which will help Chainguard meet growing demand and accelerate its mission to make open source software trustworthy by default, follows the company’s Series D fundraise in April and marks $636 million total secured in the past six months and $892 million in total.
The growing need for trusted open source at scale
Open source software (OSS) makes up 90% of the code organizations use today, enabling the applications and technologies these businesses rely on to deliver critical products and services. OSS has driven substantial innovation for industries globally; however, its ubiquity and use today make it a prime target for attackers. Even the smallest vulnerability can take down entire companies. As every organization races to secure its software supply chain, the demand for trustworthy, production-ready open source has reached unprecedented levels. To meet this need, Chainguard delivers hardened, secure, and production-ready builds of all the open source software engineers rely on today.
“Open source powers the world, but the way it’s delivered and deployed often introduces risk. At Chainguard, we’re flipping that script: we guard open source from all the things that can go wrong with it, so engineering teams can build anything they want with it,” said Dan Lorenc, CEO and co-founder, Chainguard. “We’re building the best, trusted source for open source. With this strategic capital, we can accelerate the adoption of Chainguard across more companies, helping engineering teams build faster, stay compliant, and eliminate risk.”
“Chainguard is defining a new category at the heart of modern infrastructure: trusted open source software. By solving one of the most pressing challenges in software development and deployment, the company is setting a new standard for engineering teams,” said Pranav Singhvi, Managing Director and Co-Head of CVF. “Dan is a standout founder who has built the business with incredible unit economics and intelligent capital allocation decisions.”
Fueling Chainguard’s next phase of go-to-market growth
Given Chainguard’s strong unit economics, the company will use this balance sheet from General Catalyst to invest in and accelerate its go-to-market scale while preserving equity dollars for investments into product, engineering and additional strategic long-term value creation. This approach enhances the company’s financial profile, supports disciplined growth, and positions Chainguard to capture a rapidly expanding market opportunity as trusted open source becomes mission-critical infrastructure for global enterprises.
“This growth capital reflects the strength of Chainguard’s business, and how we’re scaling rapidly, operating with discipline, and planning for the long term,” said Eyal Bar, Chief Financial Officer at Chainguard. “Our partnership with General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF) is an important part of that strategy: it enables us to scale go-to-market investment without diluting ownership or slowing innovation. This structure allows our commercial motion to fund its own growth while giving us the flexibility to double down on product and engineering — where our differentiation lies, and build the operational scale and financial profile required for the next stage of growth.”
Building on continued momentum
As Chainguard scales to meet customer demand, the company has recently reached numerous milestones, including:
Launching Chainguard Libraries for JavaScript, Java, and Python, giving organizations confidence that malware has not been inserted during the build or distribution of libraries in those ecosystems.
Announcing Chainguard VMs, offering customers a cloud-agnostic, threat-resistant environment for deploying and running containers.
Surpassing 1,700 minimal, zero-CVE images in its Chainguard Containers catalog, covering the majority of modern application stacks.
Announcing availability on all major cloud provider marketplaces – Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP – so customers can adopt Chainguard Containers directly within their existing procurement and deployment workflows.
Chainguard is the trusted source for open source. By delivering hardened, secure, and production-ready builds of all the open source software engineers rely on, Chainguard helps organizations build faster, stay compliant, and eliminate risk. Its customers include Fortune 500 enterprises and global industry leaders, including Anduril, Canva, Fortinet, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Snap Inc., and Snowflake. Chainguard is venture-backed by leading investors, including Amplify, IVP, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Mantis VC, Redpoint Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Spark Capital. For more information, visit: https://www.chainguard.dev/
About General Catalyst
General Catalyst is a global investment and transformation company that partners with the world’s most ambitious entrepreneurs to drive resilience and applied AI.
We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond.
With offices in San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Berlin, Bangalore, and London, we have supported the growth of 800+ businesses, including Airbnb, Anduril, Applied Intuition, Commure, Glean, Guild, Gusto, Helsing, Hubspot, Kayak, Livongo, Mistral, Ramp, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, Sword, and Zepto.
Among the top 1% of startup raises, the round will accelerate adoption of the SystemAge breakthrough aging diagnostic platform across 275+ clinics and tens of thousands of people worldwide
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23, 2025 — Generation Lab, the company delivering breakthroughs in longevity science, today announced the completion of an $11 million seed funding round, bringing total funding to $15 million and placing the company in the top 1% of all startup seed raises. Led by Accel, the round also includes notable investors Samsung Next, Zone2, EDM legend Steve Aoki’s Aoki Labs, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Build Your Legacy (BYL) Ventures, and actor Simu Liu’s Markham Valley Ventures.
Less than ten months post-launch, Generation Lab has achieved remarkable commercial traction with its SystemAge™ quantification of biological age—health of 19 organ systems/functions from intact primary blood results—that is based on discovery of the physiologic non-linear curve of DNA methylation aging. SystemAge greatly improves on alternatives that make predictions from man-made graphs after transforming data in a biologically arbitrary way. In less than a year of operation, the company has signed over 275 clinics worldwide, amassed more than 300 million human-aging data points, and achieved 99.9% diagnostic accuracy, providing for the first time a clinically relevant capacity for meaningful, well-controlled healthspan optimization—the next frontier in global and personalized medicine.
Market Leadership Through Clinical Adoption
SystemAge™ has rapidly gained adoption across diverse healthcare settings, from leading academic medical centers to boutique wellness practices. The platform is trusted by renowned longevity physicians, professional athletes, and celebrities, with early advocates including leading longevity experts Professors David Sinclair and George Church of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Adeel Khan, award-winning author Dr. Michael Roizen, and Aubrey de Grey.
“We’re witnessing a fundamental shift from reactive to proactive healthcare—led by consumers,” said Alina Su, CEO and Co-founder of Generation Lab. “Our explosive growth, from zero to 275+ clinic partners in under a year, demonstrates that both clinicians and consumers are hungry for actionable aging insights. This funding allows us to accelerate our mission of making longevity diagnostics the standard of care globally. We’re not just measuring aging; we’re creating the roadmap to reverse it.”
“Generation Lab is shaping the future of the longevity industry,” said Kerry Wang, Partner at Accel. “Alina, Michael, and Irina are building with conviction and credibility in a space that demands both. Their SystemAge™ platform combines solid science with strong commercial progress, creating a new category in data-driven healthcare. This is only the beginning.”
Revolutionary Science Driving Results
SystemAge™ measures the progression of biological aging across 19 distinct physiological systems (cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, fibrotic, metabolic, regenerative, etc.), with comprehensive mechanistic insights that enable effective personalized intervention strategies. The platform’s breakthrough dataset has already established striking causality between SystemAge-found biological dysregulation—noise and disease-propensity—later confirmed in clinical tests that would not have been otherwise prescribed to pre-symptomatic individuals. In contrast to subjective so-called biological clocks that make correlative predictions from biologically arbitrary numbers with decades-large errors, SystemAge objectively and accurately quantifies changes critical for health from intact primary data. Interestingly, 70% of tested individuals were found to be biologically older than their chronological age, and sadly, company founders age 1.5 times faster than investors.
“What sets SystemAge™ apart is our systems-based approach to aging measurement using what we’re calling ‘biological noise,'” explained Dr. Irina Conboy, Co-founder of Generation Lab and renowned aging researcher at UC Berkeley. “While other platforms offer disease biomarkers, we’ve developed the first preventive health test detecting signals before symptoms appear. This is the most comprehensive aging diagnostic, analyzing how multiple organ systems age in concert. Our proprietary algorithms, trained on hundreds of millions of data points, don’t just tell you how old you are—they reveal which specific systems are aging fastest and provide precise interventions to reverse the process.”
Proven Clinical Impact
Real-world clinical data demonstrates SystemAge™’s ability to guide effective interventions. Clinical studies of SystemAge before versus after MUSE Stemcell treatment have shown 13.6 years of brain age reversal and 4.9 years of reproductive system age reversal. Anti-inflammatory diets and targeted fasting protocols can measurably slow organ aging, while optimized exercise regimens can reverse heart and immune system biological age by multiple years within six months.
The platform is detecting aging signals before symptoms appear, enabling truly preventative care pathways that could transform healthcare economics and patient outcomes.
About Generation Lab
Founded by renowned aging researcher Dr. Irina Conboy, Generation Lab is pioneering the future of longevity diagnostics through its flagship SystemAge™ platform. The company’s mission is to create the Ageless Generation by providing the most comprehensive, accurate, and actionable aging diagnostics available. Based in San Francisco, Generation Lab serves over 275 clinic partners worldwide. For more information, visitwww.generationlab.com.
Founded by Former Miramax CEO Bill Block, the round was led by vgames and Pitango, alongside Alexis Ohanian, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Traverse Ventures.
Pioneering Hollywood Creators embrace the format with new originals launching from CSI TV Franchise Creator Anthony E. Zuiker.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2025 — GammaTime, the first premium micro-drama streaming platform built specifically for American audiences, today announced it has raised $14 million in Seed funding. The round was led by vgames and Pitango, with investments from entrepreneurial juggernauts Alexis Ohanian, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Traverse Ventures. GammaTime was founded by visionary producer and former Miramax CEO Bill Block, Slava Mudrykh (CRO, former Google Gaming), and Alex Montalvo, who serves as Chief Content Officer (former Quibi).
GammaTime represents the sophisticated evolution of short-form entertainment, combining proven global audience demand with Hollywood-caliber storytelling and deep mobile engagement expertise. The platform, which launched this month on iOS and Android devices, already features more than 20 vertical originals spanning suspense thriller, romantic melodramas and true crime. The inaugural slate of programming will also feature original micro-dramas written by Anthony E. Zuiker, the visionary creator of the global television franchise CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Global micro-drama revenues surged 8,000% year-over-year in 2024, with the U.S. leading in consumer spending, yet no premium domestic platform has emerged to serve this massive audience. Today’s funding news further validates investor interest in the category and confidence in GammaTime’s founding team and strategy.
“While early micro-drama apps proved the storytelling format works, they’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible,” said Bill Block, GammaTime’s founder and CEO. “We are a demand driven, technologically determined content app where the next billion consumers will discover premium stories to satisfy their appetite. Combine that interest with our creative talent and Slava Mudrykh’s mobile team of experts and we are well positioned to win in this category.”
Redefining Quality in Short-Form Entertainment
“We’re bringing the same data-driven sophistication to storytelling that top mobile games use for player engagement,” explained Slava Mudrykh, GammaTime’s co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer. “Every story is tested and optimized before full production. It’s not about replacing creativity—it’s about amplifying it by aligning with what audiences truly crave.”
“The global rise of microdramas is one of the most exciting shifts in media since streaming began”, says Gad Huldai, General Partner at Pitango. “Bill, Slava, and Alex are perfectly positioned to lead this category, combining storytelling mastery with mobile-native innovation. Pitango is proud to back a team that understands both audience emotion and platform mechanics.”
Daniel Mironov, Partner at vgames: “It’s a privilege to back Slava after working together for many years. His deep expertise in mobile growth, combined with the Hollywood leadership and creativity of Bill and Alex, represents the natural evolution of the entertainment content space. We’re backing this exceptional team that thrives in red-ocean markets, where competition is fierce, but the upside belongs to those who execute better and scale smarter. Gamma is exactly that team.”
GammaTime’s content strategy leverages predictive AI and rigorous testing protocols, and the Company counts David Stiff, founder of Vault AI, as a key strategic advisor. This data-driven approach ensures only the most engaging concepts enter production, maximizing creative resources while minimizing development waste.
Building for Tomorrow
As the first Hollywood entrant into the micro-drama space, GammaTime will work with the world’s top hitmakers to amplify the quality and variety in the medium.
The platform launched with a freemium model, allowing viewers to watch content before committing to full access. This approach taps into proven user behavior on mobile while building sustainable revenue through engaged audience conversion.
Premium Content for Mobile-First Consumption
Anthony E. Zuiker is the first major Hollywood showrunner to announce projects written for the micro drama/vertical shorts format. Zuiker’s programming on GammaTime is yet another example of how Zuiker has been a first mover throughout his career, pioneering storytelling across innovative new technology platforms. In 2012, Zuiker’s CYBERGEDDON, was the very first original film for Yahoo!, and he was a key partner on the BlackBoxTV channel, one of YouTube’s first original programming initiatives. Zuiker also authored the successful “digi-novel” series LEVEL 26 (Dutton/Penguin Group).
“Partnering with GammaTime is every writer’s dream realized. The team empowers creators with an always-green light, a culture of trust, and the freedom to deliver film after film without compromise,” CSI TV Franchise Creator Anthony E. Zuiker said. “At GammaTime, interference is replaced with innovation, and creativity is maximized at every turn. The vertical short represents not just the next chapter in cinema, but a revolution in how audiences consume story—because the movie theater no longer requires a seat and a screen, it now exists in the palm of your hand.”
GammaTime enters a market primed for premium short-form content. TikTok and YouTube Shorts have conditioned audiences to expect vertical video entertainment, while international micro-drama success demonstrates the format’s commercial viability. Chinese micro-drama revenues now exceed traditional box office receipts, reaching $7 billion in 2024.
“There are so many more genres to explore and customer segments to reach in this format,” says co-founder and Chief Content Officer Alex Montalvo. “Working with the best A-list and emerging talent right here in Hollywood, we will be the future of entertainment on your phone.”
The platform plans rapid expansion following launch success, with various series already in development.
GammaTime is the American supermarket for vertical shorts – the Netflix of premium short-form storytelling, providing range and diversity, bringing every kind of story to short form.
8 standout series from GammaTime’s initial slate of 22 that best showcase it:
2 Anthony Zuiker Originals – The Temptress & Lust Cop (High-end Hollywood collaborations from the creator of CSI).
2 Romance Dramas – The Player & The Vengeance Affair (Showcasing our strength and expertise in the romance genre which is proven in short form).
2 Famous True-Crime Stories – based on Richard Ramirez & Karen Read
High-profile cases from past and present, re-told through a cinematic lens.
2 Viral Cases Re-Imagined – “The Wife Remover” & “The Puppet Mistress”.
Insane viral stories re-envisioned and adapted for today’s audience.
Together, these titles capture the full spectrum of Gamma’s universe — bold, diverse, and unmistakably premium.
About GammaTime
GammaTime is the first premium micro-drama platform designed specifically for American audiences, combining Hollywood storytelling expertise with mobile-first consumption patterns. Founded by entertainment & mobile industry veterans and backed by leading investors, GammaTime delivers high-quality short-form series optimized for smartphone viewing. The company leverages predictive AI and audience testing to ensure every piece of content maximizes viewer engagement and satisfaction.
NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2025 — Darwin AI, a leader in enabling governments to harness artificial intelligence safely and at scale, today announced a $15 million Series A funding round led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investors UpWest and Resolute Ventures. As part of the investment, Brenda Harvey, former General Manager of IBM Public Sector and Federal and current Board Member at Nissan Motor Corporation, will join Darwin’s Board of Directors.
As governments race to adopt AI, they face increasing pressure to balance innovation with accountability, transparency, and compliance. Darwin addresses this balance by providing the foundation for responsible AI adoption, starting with Darwin Govern – a centralized system of AI guardrails that enables agencies to establish policy, enforce records management, oversee data governance, and maintain compliance across their AI environment. Once that groundwork is in place, agencies leverage LaunchPad, Darwin’s platform for creating and managing mission-specific agentic workflows for HR, procurement, permitting, and other repetitive operational processes.
The Series A funding will enable Darwin to accelerate development of Darwin Govern and LaunchPad, expand deployment support, and grow its policy, training, and implementation teams to serve increasing demand from U.S. agencies, including in Texas, Ohio, California, Illinois, and Washington. The raise builds on Darwin’s recognition in the Center for Public Sector AI’s inaugural AI 50 Awards, highlighting the company’s leadership in building responsible and scalable AI infrastructure for government.
“Agencies need to ensure AI adoption complies with existing regulations like public records laws, while also meeting emerging state and federal AI standards that require guardrails, inventories, and full visibility,” said Noam Maital, Co-founder and CEO of Darwin. “Darwin gives agencies a clear path to achieve compliance while accelerating innovation. The momentum we’re seeing from customers nationwide underscores how urgently this capability is needed.”
“The opportunity for AI in the public sector is massive, and Darwin is capturing it with practical infrastructure that allows government to move from pilots to real AI transformation,” said Jeff Horing, Co-founder and Managing Director at Insight Partners. “The Darwin team combines deep experience in government and technology with a sharp focus on execution. We look forward to supporting them as they build the foundation for AI in the public sector.”
Darwin’s leadership team brings deep expertise in government technology, cybersecurity, and AI strategy, backed by measurable on-the-ground impact, including its latest hire of Dustin Haisler as Chief AI Officer and U.S. GM. Haisler brings over a decade of experience leading e.Republic and serving in CIO roles within the public sector. Across its customer base, Darwin has identified that more than 60% of AI usage in public agencies occurs through unsupervised “shadow AI” tools, exposing sensitive data and personally identifiable information. By centralizing visibility and enforcement, Darwin helps agencies regain control and ensure that the use of AI across departments aligns with both mission outcomes and compliance standards.
About Darwin AI Darwin AI, a nationally recognized leader in public sector AI governance, works with public sector agencies to build the foundation for safe and scalable AI. Darwin Govern helps public sector agencies ensure compliance with records and data standards. Darwin LaunchPad helps agencies build on this foundation by deploying mission-specific agentic workflows. Darwin’s approach turns AI policy into practice, enabling governments to innovate responsibly, securely, and at scale. Learn more at darwingov.com.
About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of June 30, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 875 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23, 2025 — Apriority, a borrower-first debt platform, today announced a $2.3M seed round led by Techstars, Valhalla, Bridge, CAN, Illini Angels, and Keiretsu. Apriority joins the Techstars & Samvid Economic Mobility Accelerator to deliver AI and automation that transform static debt into a wealth-building opportunity for millions of borrowers.
A Staggering Expense
From UIUC grad school roommates to NYC Techstars, Bret and Tony are rewriting debt algorithms to help borrowers.
Americans now carry an unfathomable $18 trillion in debt yet are forced to track every loan and rate manually, wasting billions in excess interest from missed refinance opportunities. Apriority delivers active, AI-powered debt management that uncovers refinance savings, recommends payoff strategies, and puts borrowers back in the driver’s seat of their debt. By never earning commissions, Apriority enables lenders to cut costs, passing lower rates to users than traditional lead-generation platforms.
Impact-Driven Founders
“Financial stress permeates nearly all aspects of life: work, family, mental health, and relationships. Apriority puts borrowers back in control, turning debt from a source of stress into a tool to build wealth,” says cofounder and COO Bret Rietow.
“This is the single largest untapped financial opportunity in our generation not just as a business model, but to create huge positive impact to those who need it most,” adds Tony Willcox, CEO and cofounder.
Investors See Huge Opportunity
“Lenders have an arsenal of software tools to push new debt…it’s long overdue to have a fintech giving borrowers real $$ savings.” — Valhalla Investment Group
“Apriority turns debt from a source of stress into a system of empowerment…helping every borrower take control.” — Rachel Wei West
“Rewriting the debt ecosystem, delivering market intelligence, and eliminating lead-gen fees. Debt has never been this smart.” — Phil Murtaugh
Expanding Impact
Apriority delivers financial stability and control to borrowers, with the greatest impact on low- and moderate-income households. But the benefit of reducing financial stress ripples outward broadly. Employers see a more focused workforce, credit unions attract and retain members, and healthcare providers and insurers can lower mental health costs. Borrower-first debt management not only strengthens individuals, but the broader economy.
About Us
Apriority is an AI-powered fintech platform that helps borrowers optimize debt portfolios across all loan types, monitoring rates, surfacing savings, and guiding smarter financial decisions without commissions or bias. Based in San Francisco, Apriority’s mission is to make intelligent debt management accessible to everyone.
