REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 2, 2025 — CrateDB, the real-time database for analytics, search, and AI across any data, today announced the appointment of Robert Ekstrom as Chief Executive Officer. Ekstrom’s arrival marks a major milestone for the company as it accelerates its growth trajectory and deepens its commitment to customers worldwide. Alongside this strategic leadership move, CrateDB also welcomes Gregor Bauer as Vice President of Customer Engineering.

Robert Ekstrom, CEO

With more than two decades of experience leading global technology organizations, Robert Ekstrom has consistently demonstrated a unique ability to scale companies at the intersection of data, cloud, and analytics. He has built and led high-performing teams across international markets, guided product innovation, and successfully aligned technology strategies with business outcomes.

At CrateDB, Ekstrom will focus on expanding global adoption, strengthening the company’s position as the leading real-time database for analytics, search, and AI, and steering innovation to meet the growing demand for scalable data platforms. He succeeds Lars Färnström, bringing a fresh vision and a track record of execution at a critical moment in CrateDB’s journey.

“CrateDB has built an outstanding technology with immense market potential,” said Robert Ekstrom. “The ability to deliver real-time insights at scale is becoming mission-critical for enterprises across industries. I am excited to lead the company into its next phase, expanding our impact, and ensuring our customers can innovate faster with data.”

Gregor Bauer, VP of Customer Engineering

Joining Ekstrom on the leadership team is Gregor Bauer, an experienced technical leader in customer engineering and enterprise support. Bauer has led global solution engineering and customer success functions, helping organizations adopt and scale advanced data and analytics technologies. At CrateDB, he will lead the customer engineering organization, ensuring enterprises achieve rapid success and long-term value with the platform.

“Gregor brings a strong mix of technical depth and customer focus,” added Ekstrom. “As we expand, his leadership will be critical to ensuring our customers are not only supported but empowered to innovate.”

About CrateDB

CrateDB is a distributed SQL database that brings together analytics, search, and AI in real time. It ingests data from any source (streams, operational databases, warehouses, or files) and makes it instantly available for dashboards, BI tools, AI models, and applications. Unlike specialized databases that force trade-offs, CrateDB unifies structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data in one scalable system, delivering faster insights at a lower cost. Learn more at cratedb.com.

Media Contact:
Stephane Castellani, CrateDB
[email protected]
+1 (724) 648 3474

SOURCE CrateDB

$75m funding round will fuel mission to protect financial institutions and consumers from fraud and scams

LISBON, Portugal, Oct. 2, 2025 — Feedzai, the leading AI-native RiskOps platform for financial crime prevention, today announced it is valued at more than $2 billion following an investment round of approximately $75 million. The new funding adds new institutional investors Lince Capital, Iberis Capital, and Explorer Investments, with renewed backing from Oxy Capital and Buenavista Equity Partners.

“Fraud isn’t just numbers on a balance sheet. It’s families losing their life savings and businesses losing customers. Protecting people and organizations from financial crime is why we built Feedzai. It’s our steadfast mission to keep commerce safe,” said Nuno Sebastião, Co-Founder and CEO of Feedzai. “This new investment round enables us to continue driving innovation to defend against whatever comes next, so that every form of payment, even those yet to be imagined, can be trusted and adopted safely.”

Company Momentum

Feedzai’s evolution into a comprehensive financial crime prevention platform for fraud, risk, and anti-money laundering teams has fueled strong growth. Feedzai protects more than 70 billion in annualized payment volume across card transactions and bill payments.

The new investment follows a year of rapid growth and innovation marked by major milestones:

• Breakthrough products: Launched Feedzai Orchestration and Feedzai IQ, empowering financial institutions to make more intelligent, rapid, and precise risk assessments.

• Customer impact: Doubled outcomes to more than $2B in losses prevented and 20M+ analyst hours saved.

• Responsible AI leadership: Introduced the TRUST Framework, embedding responsible design into every facet of GenAI development so systems remain fair, explainable, and secure.

Multi-Product Platform for Fighting Financial Crime

The average financial institution uses disparate tools from up to a dozen different vendors to run its daily financial crime operations. This fragmented approach creates unnecessary complexity and inefficiency, especially as companies grow. Feedzai addresses this challenge by providing a comprehensive financial crime prevention solution that consolidates various point products into a single, modern platform and is increasingly powering more of the financial tech stack within companies as they transition from legacy systems to AI-native systems.

Feedzai’s platform has expanded to cover distinct financial institution product lines, including bank account openings, credit card transactions, transaction monitoring, payments, and more.

“Feedzai’s ability to execute across multiple product lines while scaling globally places them in the elite tier of software companies,” said Vasco Pereira Coutinho, CEO at Lince Capital. “Financial fraud is one of the defining risks of our time, and Feedzai combines proven technology with deep expertise to protect both banks and their customers. With its AI-driven, end-to-end approach to risk operations, Feedzai is uniquely positioned to transform the industry.”

Garrigues served as legal counsel to Feedzai on the recent investment round.

About Feedzai

Feedzai  is the world’s first end-to-end financial crime prevention platform, protecting people and payments with AI-native solutions that stop fraud and financial crime. Leading financial institutions trust Feedzai to manage critical risk and compliance processes, safeguarding trillions of dollars of transactions while improving the customer experience and protecting the privacy of everyday users. For more information, users can visit feedzai.com.

Media contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE Feedzai

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 2, 2025 — OncoC4, Inc. a clinical-stage biotechnology company, today announced the recent closing of a Series B financing round of nearly $50 million. The round was led by GBA Fund, and supported by additional capital from the Company’s co-founders and existing investors, including HM Capital, 3E Bioventures Capital and Kaitai Capital.

OncoC4 was founded in 2020 by two renowned immunologists and serial entrepreneurs, Dr. Yang Liu and Dr. Pan Zheng. By leveraging deep expertise in immuno-oncology and translational medicine, the Company has built a broad pipeline of innovative therapies with first-in-class or best-in-class potential. The proceeds from the Series B financing will primarily be used to support the advancement of the clinical development of the Company’s pipeline programs.

“Our Series B financing round progressed rapidly, and we deeply appreciate our investors’ recognition of our Company and continual support,” said Dr. Yang Liu, Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board, CEO and CSO of OncoC4. “We are committed to rigorously advancing the global development of our core pipeline, while strategically expanding business development activities, with the ultimate goal of delivering more disruptive therapies to patients worldwide.”

About OncoC4

Based in Rockville, Maryland, OncoC4 is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is actively engaged in the discovery and development of novel biologics for the potential treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative disease. OncoC4’s pipeline features assets with first-in-class and best-in-class potential targeting both novel and well validated targets across oncology and immunological diseases.

Investor Contact:

Ryan Cui
Executive Director of Investor Relations
[email protected] 

SOURCE OncoC4

• Strategic integration fuels Asabys’ goal to build a beyond €1 billion life sciences investment platform in Europe by 2030
• Asabys incorporates Aliath Bioventures’ experienced team with a successful track record
• Alta Life Sciences Spain I FCR fund to be co-managed by Asabys and AltamarCAM

MADRID and BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 2, 2025 — Asabys Partners, a Spanish venture capital firm specialized in healthcare, and AltamarCAM Partners, a global investment firm specialized in private markets, have today agreed to integrate Aliath Bioventures (formerly Alta Life Sciences), AltamarCAM’s life sciences team, into Asabys and to jointly co-manage the Alta Life Sciences Spain I FCR fund. With the strategic unification, Asabys’ assets under management will expand from €300 million to over €400 million, significantly boosting its investment capacity, generating synergies, and ensuring continuity in creating value for investors.

The combination establishes a leading investment platform in Europe’s competitive life sciences sector. Asabys aims to surpass €1 billion in assets under management by 2030 to invest across market gaps that span tech transfer, company creation, scale-ups, and growth stage ventures. Since its establishment in 2018, Asabys has invested in 18 companies across biopharma, medtech, and digital health, and has had 2 successful exits. The combined team plans to launch new life sciences funds across diverse market segments and deepen collaboration going forward.

The investment teams from both firms have collaborated for many years and co-invested in Deepull, Ona Therapeutics, and Inbrain Neuroelectronics. United by a shared vision and complementary approach, this combination strengthens capabilities and creates synergies amid a consolidating, complex market. Companies in the Alta Life Sciences Spain I FCR fund continue to perform well and will be supported by Asabys going forward. Future plans include the launch of a new fund in early 2026, alongside other strategic healthcare funds, to accelerate expansion and build its leadership to become one of the largest life-science GPs in Southern Europe.

“The strategic integration of Aliath Bioventures represents a fantastic opportunity to increase our team and capabilities, accelerating our plans to support the full investment spectrum, investing in the best companies from inception to growth,” said Josep Ll. Sanfeliu, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Asabys Partners.

Clara Campàs, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Asabys Partners, commented:“With Aliath and AltamarCAM, we share a similar investment outlook, scientific rigor, and a long-term commitment to founders. The addition of the Aliath team brings deep sector expertise, a proven track record, and a shared entrepreneurial mindset that will strengthen our ability to support the next generation of healthcare innovators.”

As part of the agreement, the Alta Life Sciences Spain I FCR fund will be co-managed by both Asabys and AltamarCAM. Asabys’ founding partners, Clara Campàs and Josep Sanfeliu, will join the Fund’s Investment Committee. The Aliath Bioventures team will be fully integrated into Asabys, with Montserrat Vendrell and José María Fernández becoming partners at the firm.

José Luis Molina, Global CEO of AltamarCAM Partners, remarked: “Privatemarkets are undergoing a consolidation phase where success depends on building first-class technical teams and scaling them effectively to maximize investment outcomes. From this perspective, we believe this amalgamation is the best possible way to carry out our management activity in this sector and to continue generating value in the portfolio of the Alta Life Sciences Spain I fund, which, while solid, requires additional time and resources to achieve its target return, which remains our main priority.”

About Asabys Partners

Asabys Partners is a venture capital firm specialized in the healthcare sector, founded in 2018 by Josep Ll. Sanfeliu and Clara Campàs, with Alantra as a shareholder and Banc Sabadell as anchor investor. With close to €300 million in AUM and 18 portfolio companies (+2 divestments), Asabys invests in highly innovative and disruptive companies addressing unmet medical needs in the biopharmaceutical and healthtech verticals.

About AltamarCAM Partners

AltamarCAM Partners is a global investment firm focused on private markets, with the primary objective of providing institutional investors —including insurance companies, pension funds, and financial institutions— as well as high-net-worth individuals, with efficient access to investment in unlisted markets: private equity, venture capital, life sciences, real assets (real estate and infrastructure), and private debt/credit. The firm does so through a selection of international managers and by accessing them via various strategies (primary, secondary, co-investments, and direct investments).

With offices in Madrid, Cologne, Barcelona, New York, London, Santiago de Chile, and Munich, AltamarCAM Partners has a team of around 300 people and more than €20 billion in committed capital from investors.

SOURCE Asabys Partners

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 1, 2025 — Einride, a technology company that provides digital, electric, and autonomous solutions for road freight, has raised about $100 million in funding from a mix of existing and new investors. The capital will power Einride’s next phase of growth as it scales the deployment of its autonomous freight solutions, deepens technology development, and continues its expansion with customers. 

Investors include EQT Ventures, one of Einride’s largest shareholders; a global asset management company based on the West Coast of the United States; as well as other investors and shareholders.

“We believe Einride is building the most complete and forward-looking freight ecosystem on the market today,” said Ted Persson, partner at EQT Ventures. “Nordic tech has a habit of being underestimated, until it quietly rewires an entire industry. That’s exactly what Einride is doing in freight.”

Founded in Sweden in 2016, Einride is developing and operating a new freight ecosystem, which includes one of the world’s largest fleets of heavy-duty electric trucks, cutting-edge autonomous technology and the proprietary Saga planning optimization platform. Saga integrates advanced digital planning with electric and autonomous vehicles to address the fragmentation, high emissions, and labor shortages that continue to impact the freight industry.

“I am excited and proud for the continued trust our investors have placed in us”, said Roozbeh Charli, CEO of Einride.  “This funding allows us to grow with our customer base and accelerate the deployment of our autonomous freight technology. It’s a strong signal of confidence in both our team and our unique position in the market.”

This raise follows a year of sustained growth for Einride with net sales more than doubling in 2024, a successful expansion into Austria and the UAE, and a growing footprint with global shippers across Europe and North America.

The $100 million includes an investment made earlier this year by IonQ – the world’s leading quantum company – to develop quantum applications that address large-scale logistics problems that have traditionally challenged classical computing.

CONTACT:

For more information, please contact:
[email protected]
+46 728 889 610

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/einride/r/einride-has-raised–100-million-to-accelerate-autonomous-freight-and-expand-global-operations,c4244081

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Backed by Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Menlo Ventures, and Anthropic, Composite transforms your browser into an intelligent autopilot that predicts and automates your busywork

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 1, 2025 — Composite, the startup automating the browser to eliminate digital grunt work, today announced $5.6 million in seed funding. The round was led by Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross of NFDG, with participation from Menlo Ventures and Anthropic’s Anthology Fund. Already used by professionals at hundreds of companies including Google, Uber, DoorDash, Tesla, Salesforce, and Reddit, Composite rescues workers from the never-ending cycle of repetitive busywork that drains energy and morale. With Composite, they can finally reclaim their focus and channel their brainpower into work that feels meaningful.

While other browsers like OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent and Perplexity’s Comet browser have generated headlines, they are most useful for generic consumer errands like “book a flight to Paris” rather than the grind of real work for professionals. Composite takes a different approach: it transforms your existing browser into an intelligent partner that understands your specific workflows and handles the tasks that are drowning you.

Composite also launches personalization features that watch your actual work habits, detect the rote tasks bogging you down, and complete them automatically. Its new Spotlight View eliminates the awkward sidebars that get in the way, letting you keep your full screen while Composite handles the busywork in the background. Additionally, the company releases its platform on Windows, expanding beyond its Mac-only beta to serve billions more professionals.

College-educated professionals spend 85% of their day trapped in digital hamster wheels: they’re drowning in tabs, copying data line-by-line across clunky software stacks, and drafting the same memos again and again. Current “AI browsers” only add friction, forcing users to leave the setups they’re accustomed to and delivering results isolated from the tools (e.g. email, Google Docs, Notion) they actually use for their work every day.

“Composite knows what’s weighing you down and completes them on your behalf – on any website and in any browser,” says Yang Fan Yun, Composite’s co-founder and CEO, who was New Zealand’s national valedictorian and achieved the highest GPA in Stanford’s Computer Science department. “We’re not trying to replace Chrome. We’re making the browser you already use infinitely more powerful by predicting and automating your work before you even think to ask.

By putting an AI worker directly inside your browser, Composite:

• Predicts your next moves: Detects the specific tasks draining your time and automates them – instead of bothering you with irrelevant, generic prompts
• Works with any browser: Plugs into Chrome, Edge, Comet without the agony of migrating bookmarks, losing extensions, logging into everything again, or begging IT for approval
• Handles real work: Researches customers or candidates, moves data between tools, updates project statuses, drafts emails based on existing docs, and more
• Stays out of your way: Appears by hitting Cmd+Shift+Space (or Ctrl+Shift+Space for Windows) for a lightweight overlay, completes tasks, then disappears
• Runs completely local: Actions execute directly on your device, completing tasks faster and exactly as you would

For more information, visit composite.com.

About Composite

Composite is the autopilot for your browser. By running AI locally inside the browser users already use, Composite intelligently detects and automates repetitive digital tasks in real time. The company helps professionals at both Fortune 500 companies and startups predict and automate their most mind-numbing work. Founded by Yang Fan Yun and Charlie Deane, Composite is backed by Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Menlo Ventures, and Anthropic.

SOURCE Composite

New model portfolios offer advisors enhanced options for clients.

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Oct. 1, 2025 — Private Advisor Group, one of the largest and fastest-growing independent wealth management firms in the country*, announced the addition of three new investment strategists to its proprietary investment management platform, WealthSuite: Capital Group, Franklin Templeton, and Goldman Sachs. The new investment models are available as of October 1.

“Adding Capital Group, Franklin Templeton, and Goldman Sachs to the WealthSuite platform underscores our commitment to providing advisors with diverse, high-quality investment approaches,” said James Sullivan, Head of Advisor Advocacy & Technology at Private Advisor Group. “These strategists bring distinct portfolio construction methods and asset allocation options that expand the flexibility and customization available to help meet a wide range of client objectives.”

Capital Group offers model portfolios aligned to five investment objectives—aggressive growth, growth, growth with income, income with moderate growth, and income with capital preservation. These active-passive models were created specifically for Private Advisor Group and include Capital Group’s active ETF strategies which are among the fastest growing in the industry at more than $90B in AUM, offering the potential for excess return generation.

Matt Eisenhardt, Head of Advisor Sold Group at Capital Group, commented, “customized model portfolios are increasingly being recognized as an effective way for advisors to manage complex client portfolios and deliver scalable solutions for their clients. Our proprietary process used in designing these models for Private Advisor Group helps meet a range of portfolio objectives.”

Franklin Templeton brings open architecture, ETF-based completion portfolios that allow mix-and-match customization across equity and fixed income sleeves. These portfolios include U.S. equity (with or without Bitcoin exposure), international equity, and fixed income (taxable and tax-exempt). The firm’s Investment Solutions team designs these portfolios using risk-based asset allocation, dynamic market views, and in-depth manager research.

“As a strategic partner to Private Advisor Group, we are proud to introduce ETF-based completion portfolios, offering enhanced flexibility, customization, and personalization,” said Jeff Masom, Head of US Distribution at Franklin Templeton. “We are launching the first model portfolios that blend traditional asset classes with digital assets, giving advisors and their clients diversified access to a rapidly emerging asset class.”

Goldman Sachs Asset Management manages model portfolios through its Multi-Asset Solutions team, combining strategic and dynamic asset allocation with ongoing evaluation of underlying investments through quantitative and fundamental research. Leveraging the firm’s global footprint, the team integrates international market insights directly into its investment decisions.

Since its launch in October 2022, WealthSuite has helped advisors boost efficiency and devote more time to improving the investor experience. The competitively priced, multi-custodian, open-architecture platform offers various investment strategies including mutual fund, ETF, and blended model portfolios, along with custom indexing and tax-optimized solutions delivered through a separately managed account structure. There are 11 strategists currently on the platform.

Private Advisor Group will continue to evaluate and expand its available solutions with a focus on providing a differentiated experience for both advisors and investors.

Read more about how the firm supports independent advisors with flexible investment management solutions at www.privateadvisorgroup.com/investment-management/.

About Private Advisor Group

Founded in 1997 in Morristown, NJ, Private Advisor Group is one of the nation’s leading financial services firms. With over $41.3 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025, the firm leverages its resources to deliver strategies positioned to improve financial outcomes for individual investors and to inspire growth, fiduciary adherence, succession, and a client-centric approach for independent financial advisors’ practices. Barron’s has recognized Private Advisor Group as a top 10 registered investment advisory firm every year since 2018.

* Barron’s “Top 100 RIA Firms” ranking is based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, including regulatory records, client retention, assets under management, revenue, number of clients and staff, among other factors. Investor experience and investment returns are not considered. Neither Private Advisor Group nor its financial advisors pay a fee to Barron’s for inclusion. The ranking, announced September 15, 2025, reflects data from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. This recognition is not indicative of future performance and may not reflect the experience of all clients.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advice offered through Private Advisor Group, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

Alternative investments may not be suitable for all investors and should be considered as an investment for the risk capital portion of the investor’s portfolio. The strategies employed in the management of alternative investments may accelerate the velocity of potential losses.

Media Inquiries:
Madison Vance
JConnelly
[email protected]
973-349-8239

SOURCE Private Advisor Group

Funds will be used to accelerate the development and launch of an AI agent for field sales and expand Dashmote’s U.S. presence

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 1, 2025 — Dashmote, a leading AI-powered data analytics platform, today announced a $6 million Series A1 funding round co-led by Blossom Street Ventures, a U.S.-based venture capital firm, and Rabobank, one of Europe’s leading financial institutions in the food and agriculture space. Dashmote will use the funds from this round to accelerate the development of DashSalesAI, the company’s first generative AI Agent tailored specifically for field sales professionals; grow the Dashmote team; and fuel the company’s expansion in the United States. To date, the company has raised $14 million across all funding rounds.

Built on advances in large language models (LLMs), DashSalesAI marks a significant evolution of Dashmote’s platform from delivering insights to automating on-the-go sales workflows. DashSalesAI acts as a virtual sales assistant, handling everything from lead generation and outreach to account management. Designed for professionals on the move, DashSalesAI integrates into mobile-first tools like WhatsApp and Dashmote’s location analytics platform. It enables reps to receive lead suggestions, client summaries, and talking points via natural chat interfaces, helping sales teams prospect smarter, seamlessly manage accounts, and close deals faster.

“Field sales have been underserved by advances in automation, despite representing one of the largest and most critical revenue engines for global companies,” said Sammy Abdullah, Managing Partner, Blossom Street Ventures. “Dashmote is pioneering a new category by arming reps in the field with real-time intelligence and autonomous support, fundamentally changing how deals are sourced and closed. With its proven traction and unique data advantage, we see Dashmote as a company positioned to reshape field sales at scale.”

Built on Dashmote’s proprietary database, one of the largest and most detailed global datasets capturing millions of venues across food delivery, e-commerce, social media and mapping platforms, DashSalesAI transforms raw data into actionable intelligence. It not only surfaces venue-level profiles and market trends, but also recommends targeted outreach strategies tailored to each opportunity. This progression from advanced analytics to true autonomous assistance represents a pivotal step forward in Dashmote’s innovation roadmap.

“Unlike traditional office chatbots, DashSalesAI is built for the realities of field sales,” said Dennis Tan, Co-founder and CEO, Dashmote. “We designed it to understand the rhythm of a rep’s day in the field, from planning morning routes to capturing insights after the last meeting. By leveraging LLMs to take on time-consuming tasks such as drafting outreach, researching venues, and logging visits, DashSalesAI allows reps to focus on what matters most: strengthening customer relationships and accelerating revenue.”

Early Traction and Expanding Use Cases
Dashmote’s clients, which include major global beverage and consumer goods brands such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and AB InBev, have already begun integrating DashSalesAI into their sales workflows. Field reps are using the agent to surface nearby leads in real time, get daily briefings, and draft messages on the fly. Initial user feedback has been positive, positioning DashSalesAI as a reliable junior sales assistant who never sleeps.

Although Dashmote has established its foundation in the food and beverage sector, the versatility introduced by DashSalesAI extends far beyond. Its ability to deliver real-time intelligence and on-the-go decision support makes it invaluable for medical device and pharmaceutical reps, real estate agents, and other professionals who rely on face-to-face interactions in the field. Concurrently, e-commerce and digital sales teams are leveraging Dashmote’s AI Agents to optimize online storefronts and execute hyper-localized strategies, underscoring the platform’s broad relevance across both physical and digital sales channels.

About Dashmote
Founded in 2015 in Amsterdam, Dashmote is an AI technology company that transforms unstructured data into actionable insights for sales, strategy, and marketing. Its flagship platform, originally built for the food and beverage sector, gathers data from food delivery platforms and map services to help businesses discover growth opportunities, optimize digital channels, and scale their presence.

Dashmote’s clients include Ab-Inbev, Coca-Cola, and Nestlé, who use the platform’s insights and automation to boost sales efficiency and strategic execution. Today, Dashmote operates across more than 50 countries from offices in Amsterdam, New York, and Shanghai. The company is backed by renowned investors from the U.S. and Asia and was recognized by McKinsey and Google as the Best B2B Startup in their Digital Top 50 awards.

For more information, visit www.dashmote.com.

Media Contacts

Dwain Schenck
PR Lab
203-223-5230
[email protected]

Stefan Tan
Co-Founder, Dashmote
[email protected]

SOURCE Dashmote

Fourteen companies join 7th annual innovation program spanning growth-stage Excelerator and early-stage Incubator tracks

TRACY, Calif., Oct. 1, 2025 — The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), in partnership with VentureFuel, today announced the 14 companies selected to participate in the 7th Annual Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator and Incubator programs. One of the most active dairy innovation programs in the U.S., the Excelerator recently evolved into two tracks to support brands at various stages of growth: the Excelerator for growth-stage companies and an Incubator for earlier-stage products. This year, each track will feature seven companies providing access to programming, mentorship, and stipends to help accelerate company and product growth.

This year’s Excelerator cohort companies showcase how brands are leveraging the natural benefits of real dairy to meet today’s consumer demands. With products delivering on high protein, clean label, sustainability, and indulgence, the 2025 cohort reflects the growth and versatility of real dairy in fueling the next generation of food innovation.

The cohort includes:
Foggy Bottom’s Boys’ Jersey Scoops (Loleta, Calif.) – Organic, lactose-free, carbon-negative farm-to-scoop ice cream with 16g of protein, crafted from A2 Jersey cow’s milk by a sixth-generation North Coast dairy farm.
Joseph Farms‘ String Cheese (Atwater, Calif.) – 99% lactose-free string cheese with 7g protein per stick.
Kea Wellness (Huntington Beach, Calif.) – Shelf-stable, 100% natural liquid collagen creamers providing a delicious and convenient way to support skin health and joint wellness.
King Cheese‘s Spirella Minis (Monrovia, Calif.) – Hand-crafted high-quality artisanal meat and Oaxaca cheese rolls.
Mavens Creamery (San Jose, Calif.) – Asian-inspired indulgent ice cream made with rich, exotic ingredients in flavors like Thai Tea, Durian, and Black Sesame.
Pioneer Pastures (Bozeman, MT) – Ultra Filtered, A2 whole milks crafted for superior nutrition and taste with higher protein and lower sugar for easier digestion.
Sweet Craft Dessert Cups (Oceanside, Calif.) – Clean-label, Italian-inspired dessert cups in BPA-free packaging.

The seven companies selected for the Incubator track have products that highlight the next wave of dairy innovation: Clover Sonoma, Coney Island Creamery, Jonzo Inc.’s Frosty Cream Donut, Maazah, Marlene’s Milk, Nalwaya Foods, and Proof Pudding. Their concepts range from compostable single-serve yogurt cups to functional puddings, aseptic Southeast Asian-inspired creamers, indulgent frozen donuts, probiotic-rich yogurt, and A2 ultra-filtered milkshakes.

“The Real California Milk Excelerator continues to push the boundaries of dairy innovation, and this years’ cohorts showcase both market-ready products and bold early concepts,” said Bob Carroll, CEO of CMAB. “This year’s cohort represents exactly what today’s consumers are looking for — products that deliver wellness, indulgence, and sustainability.”

The program will culminate in December at an exclusive pitch event in Napa, Calif where all seven Excelerator companies will present their businesses and products to a live judging panel. During this pitch event, four finalists will be selected to receive $30,000 in marketing support. Those four will then be tracked over the next 12 months for sales growth, competing for a $100,000 grand prize to be awarded in 2026. This year’s event will also reveal the $100,000 winner from the 2024 Real California Milk Excelerator finalist group.

“For seven years, the Excelerator has been the launchpad turning dairy innovation into real-world sales,” said Fred Schonenberg, Founder and CEO of VentureFuel. “By connecting early-stage brands with the right buyers, investors, and mentors, we’ve helped bold new products not just get to market—but thrive. This year’s expanded program goes further, fueling commercialization at every stage of growth. The goal is simple: drive demand, create tangible business results, and unlock the full market potential of California dairy.”

To learn more about this year’s cohorts and their products, visit realcamilkexcelerator.com.

About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and Pinterest.

About VentureFuel
VentureFuel is an independent innovation advisory firm that helps the world’s best organizations commercialize innovation to ignite change by working with startups. Its innovation programs help enterprise organizations learn, test, build and invest in emerging technology to solve their biggest problems today and unlock new sources of growth. VentureFuel provides organizations like Hershey’s, Comcast, Dick’s Sporting Goods, AARP Foundation and the State of California the tools to drive transformative change with less risk, more speed, and greater proximity to the consumer than traditional innovation models. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram. You can listen to The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast on Apple, Spotify, Simplecast or wherever you get your podcasts.

SOURCE Real California Milk