Highlighting the private equity, venture capital, and lenders supporting founder-led companies

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 29, 2024 — Relevance Ventures “Relevance,” the nation’s first independently-owned Native American venture capital firm that backs entrepreneurs tackling the greatest health and disease challenges impacting human sustainability, is proud to announce its inclusion in Inc. Magazine’s 2024 Founder-Friendly Investors list, honoring the private equity, venture capital firms, and lenders with a track record of backing founder-led companies. This year marks the third straight year Relevance has been recognized, emphasizing the dedication to its portfolio companies.

The prestigious list celebrates the investors who believe in backing founder-led businesses and helping them thrive. All companies on the list have successful track records of collaboration and remaining actively involved with the businesses they invest in.

“It has been a complicated few years for growth companies and the companies that fund them,” said Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “So we are happy to share with our readers the best, latest guidance on which venture capital firms, private equity firms, and growth-capital lenders have the track record and reputation of being especially good partners to founders and CEOs.”

“Being recognized once by Inc. as a founder-friendly investor was an honor, but being named three years in a row is truly one of our firm’s crowning achievements,” added Dean Newton, general partner and chairman of Relevance Ventures. “With a focus on health and wellness in our portfolio, we seek out like-minded founders who want to create lasting change, which takes a firm partnership and unwavering support through good times and bad. This award further validates our commitment to the success of our portfolio and underscores the thorough process we conduct to form collaborative relationships with our investment partners.”

An example of Relevance’s dedication to its portfolio is its support of Rootine, for which Relevance led the Series-A in 2022. In the past year, Relevance has continued to provide capital and counsel, helping Rootine launch its new adaptogen powder drink line. Another notable portfolio company is Alleyoop, a leading cruelty-free beauty brand. Relevance assisted Alleyoop with more than an investment, supporting the executive team with investor introductions during their recent fundraising round.

To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity and venture capital firms. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity, venture capital, and debt firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships.

To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors/2024

Introduced in 2019, the Founder-Friendly Investors list quickly established itself as one of Inc.’s most resourceful franchises. It has become a go-to guide for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies while retaining an ownership stake. The November 2024 issue of Inc. magazine is available online now at https://www.inc.com/magazine and will be on newsstands beginning October 29.

About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, digital, print, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Relevance Ventures
Relevance Ventures is one of the only Native American privately owned and operated venture capital firms in the United States. With over $80 million under management, the firm backs some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs tackling the most pressing problems in human sustainability as it pertains to health. The firm’s human sustainability investment thesis is centered around physical health, mental health and access or democratization of the technologies goods and services focused on physical and mental health. Relevance was founded by Cameron and Dean Newton, Relevance Ventures and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee with a presence in Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Portland and Santa Fe. For more information, visit https://www.relevanceventures.com/.

SOURCE Relevance Ventures

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Series B will enable Andium to scale its remote field monitoring platform, which already reduces operating costs by up to 45 percent and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by up to 65 percent for global energy companies

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2024 — Andium (www.andium.com), an expert in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) remote-field monitoring and communications technologies, today announced its $21.7 million Series B funding close led by Aramco Ventures (www.aramcoventures.com), the corporate venture arm of one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies. Joining the round are existing investors Climate Investment, Intrepid Financial Partners, and prominent individual investors including former Citadel CIO, Thomas Miglis. Following the company’s $15M Series A in 2021, this investment brings the company’s total funding to over $40 million.

The new capital will accelerate Andium’s global expansion, including scaling operations across oil and gas basins in the U.S. and the Middle East. It will also reduce technology and equipment costs, support ongoing research and development, and enhance the range of services Andium offers in industrial automation and emissions monitoring.

“This investment is a powerful endorsement of our platform, which will be pivotal as we enter our next stage of growth,” said Jory Schwach, Founder and CEO at Andium. “Our end-to-end Operating System, which monitors and provides real-time, verifiable emissions data from remote locations, has already proven to lower operational costs, cut emissions, and improve safety—helping energy, mining and waste companies meet their net-zero and zero-harm goals.”

Andium combines AI-powered software with on-site sensors and cameras to provide a comprehensive, real-time solution for remote field monitoring. This enables accurate tracking of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics, detecting issues like methane leaks, fires, and equipment malfunctions. By providing instant insights, Andium helps companies ensure continuous asset performance and regulatory compliance. The technology has already proven effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 65 percent per location while lowering field operational costs by up to 45 percent for major energy companies like BP and ConocoPhillips. Andium’s real-time monitoring automation reduces windshield time by over 80 percent, addressing labor challenges, empowering workers, and improving efficiency across remote locations.

Aramco Ventures’ $1.5 billion Sustainability Fund supports innovative technologies that reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns with Aramco’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Bruce Niven, Executive MD at Aramco Ventures, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Andium. This technology platform has the potential to reduce fugitive emissions as well as provide operational benefits in a variety of applications. It is an elegant and cost-effective solution.”

Andium’s funding comes at a critical time. As COP29 approaches next month, methane emissions will take center stage, given its impact on warming the planet and significant contribution to climate change. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Approximately 60 percent of methane emissions stem from human activities, with the energy sector, primarily fossil fuels, accounting for over one-third of these emissions. As methane reduction becomes a regulatory priority, Andium’s solutions will play a crucial role in helping companies meet emission reduction targets.  At scale, Andium’s technology has the potential to contribute to lowering global temperatures. Errand methane releases from industrial facilities are contributing to more than a third of a degree Fahrenheit (approximately 0.14°C) in global warming.

Endorsements from Participating Investors:

• “Andium’s platform provides a critical and cost-effective tool for energy companies looking to meet their ambitious emissions reduction goals in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. By providing real-time, verifiable emissions data, Andium empowers operators to take informed, actionable decisions that reduce costs and deliver impact today. We’re pleased to continue supporting Andium’s growth as it scales its transformative solutions globally.” —Marc van den Berg, Global Managing Director for Investments, Climate Investment.
• “We are proud to support Andium as they push the boundaries of industrial innovation to address critical issues facing many industries, particularly energy. This investment aligns with our venture fund’s strategy of investing in, and partnering with, truly transformative companies driving the future of sustainable energy and industry.” — Skip McGee, Co-founder and CEO of Intrepid Financial Partners
• “Andium’s innovative IIoT platform is a game-changer for industries striving to reduce their environmental impact. As an early investor, I’ve been consistently impressed by the team’s ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive tangible value for customers through emissions reduction and operational efficiency gains. Andium is at the forefront of the sustainability revolution, and I’m excited to continue supporting their growth as they scale globally.” — Tom Miglis, former CIO of Citadel and current Investment Partner at Nyca Partners

About Andium:
Andium is on a mission to create a more sustainable future. To achieve this, the company has developed an end-to-end Industrial Internet of Things platform to arm the most consequential markets with the tools they need to reduce emissions, improve safety, and boost operational efficiency. By providing real-time, verifiable emissions data and comprehensive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) monitoring, Andium enables companies to make data-driven decisions that drive meaningful change. From energy and mining to waste management, Andium is at the forefront of the sustainability revolution, elevating critical voices and building a better world for generations to come. Andium is backed by a diverse group of investors including Aramco Ventures, Climate Investment, and Intrepid Financial Partners, raising a total of $40 million.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that reflect Andium’s expectations regarding our growth trajectory, operational milestones, and future product enhancements. These statements are grounded in our current plans and industry outlook but carry inherent risks and uncertainties. As Andium embarks on this next phase, supported by recent funding, we aim to drive significant advancements in site monitoring technology, expanding our capabilities to assist oil and gas companies in meeting regulatory requirements and reducing emissions. Actual results may differ due to various factors, including industry changes, regulatory shifts, and evolving customer needs. Andium disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. To learn more about the company, visit www.andium.com. 

About Aramco Ventures: 
Aramco Ventures is the corporate venturing subsidiary of Aramco, the world’s leading fully integrated energy and petrochemical enterprise. Headquartered in Dhahran with offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Aramco Ventures strategic venturing programs invest globally in start-up and high growth companies with technologies of strategic importance to its parent, Aramco, primarily supporting the company’s operational decarbonization, new lower-carbon fuels businesses, and digital transformation initiatives. Aramco Ventures also operates Prosperity7, the company’s disruptive technologies investment program. Visit aramcoventures.com for more details.

About Climate Investment (CI):
Climate Investment is an independently managed specialist investor focused on accelerating capital-efficient decarbonization of heavy emitting sectors. Operational since 2017, its team of investment and technology professionals has built a portfolio of 39 technology and business model innovations across energy, transportation, buildings and industry. Collectively, its Catalyst portfolio delivered 95 MT CO2e of cumulative greenhouse gas reduction in the period 2019-2023. Climate Investment was founded by member companies of the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (“OGCI”). They have invested in Climate Investment funds and deployed many of its portfolio innovations, supporting their early commercial development.  Visit www.climateinvestment.com.

About Intrepid Financial Partners:
Intrepid Financial Partners is the leading energy-focused merchant bank that provides investment banking and investing management services. Intrepid’s leading boutique investment banking business provides independent and best-in-class merger and acquisition, restructuring and capital markets services to the traditional energy and energy transition sectors, and has advised on ~$200 billion of transactions since its founding in 2015. Intrepid’s investment management business makes principal debt and equity investments through its managed funds. Current strategies include private equity, infrastructure and venture capital across traditional energy and energy transition. Visit www.intrepidfp.com.

A press kit is available in Dropbox here with videos, site images, logos and more

SOURCE Andium, Inc.

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• Series G round secures 65 million USD in funding from new key investor TASARU, along with its set of current investors
• The investment is set to accelerate the next phase of Blacklane’s growth with a focus on the U.S., Europe and the Middle East

BERLIN and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 29, 2024 — Blacklane, the premium global chauffeur services provider, announces today the successful closure of its largest financing round to date. The Series G round secures an investment of 60 million Euro (51 million GBP/65 million USD) and marks a valuation increase of approximately 25% compared to the previous round in September 2023.

The majority of existing investors supported this capital increase which will further strengthen Blacklane’s investment strategy and support the company’s healthy global growth strategy.

“We are delighted to have TASARU as a long-term strategic investor as its mobility know-how will be a big asset to Blacklane. We could not wish for a better partner to achieve our goals. Moreover, we are delighted to have a strong  set of existing investors, such as Mercedes-Benz Mobility, Gargash Enterprises, Al Fahim Group, Alstin Family and RI Digital Ventures, supporting our sustainable and long-term investment strategies.This financing round is a strong signal and acknowledgement of what the Blacklane team has accomplished over the last years,” said Dr. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder of Blacklane.

Under the investment, Blacklane plans to expand its operations in its largest market, the U.S., sharpen its focus on the Middle East, and continue its business in Europe. This also allows Blacklane to diversify its business model with global and local mobility solutions while rolling out new services to its guests in the customary high-service quality.

Specifically regarding Saudi Arabia, the business will launch in several key cities, deploying a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) and creating quality local jobs, which will include the on-of-its-kind training of female and male chauffeurs in Blacklane’s unique Chauffeur Academies.

The partnership with TASARU will also involve collaboration with local market players such as airlines and airport transfer companies to provide seamless luxury chauffeur services tailored to the needs of Saudi Arabia’s growing market.

“We are excited to partner with Blacklane, a company that shares our vision for innovation and sustainable growth in the mobility sector. This investment is a testament to our commitment to fostering a thriving automotive and mobility ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030,” said Michael Mueller, CEO of TASARU Mobility Investments.

“At Mercedes-Benz Mobility, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and our goal is to exceed their expectations. As the largest shareholder of Blacklane, we have been united by a strong partnership and a clear customer focus for over 10 years. We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration and delivering exceptional experiences,” said Franz Reiner, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.

Drive Profitable Growth and Expand Global and Local Presence

The investment comes at a time of strategic global and local expansion for Blacklane when its services are available in more than 50 countries, delivered by thousands of chauffeurs. With its strong momentum, Blacklane is pursuing strategic goals and investing in different business pillars such as Airport Transfers and City-to-City connections between metropolitan areas, as well as newly launched services, i.e. In-City mobility solutions in Dubai, UAE, Miami, Florida, U.S. and London, UK.

This Series G round showcases Blacklane’s role as a pioneer in the luxury mobility industry, offering high-quality service unparalleled by local and global competitors. This is witnessed by its robust growth trajectory, backed by revenue figures indicating 25% year-on-year growth. Blacklane is profitable from spring 2022.

Sustainable Growth

Blacklane continuously reviews the extent to which the company’s activities have an impact on the environment. The funding will support Blacklane’s sustainability efforts by implementing innovative mobility solutions. Blacklane is also conducting carbon offsetting of all its rides back to its founding in 2011.

ABOUT BLACKLANE

We are Blacklane, providers of premium global chauffeur services. Our mission is to create outstanding experiences for discerning guests by delivering perfect experiences around the world to inspire for a better future. Blacklane offers Airport Transfers, City-to-City commutes, in-city mobility options and Chauffeur-by-the-hour services in over 50 countries globally, either pre-booked or on demand. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, Blacklane and its 400 employees and thousands of chauffeur partners have the right premium transportation service for you. By changing how people move, we opened up new opportunities for our chauffeur providers and set industry standards for climate protection in the travel industry. Book on www.blacklane.com or download our app.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2542333/Dr_Jens_Wohltorf.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2542330/Mr_Mueller_TASARU.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2542329/Blacklane_chauffeur_opens_door_to_a_guest_in_Dubai.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2318534/4993073/Blacklane_logo.jpg

SOURCE Blacklane

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Horizon Mutual Holdings leads investment in CredibleMind as the platform scales to serve over 30 million lives across 100+ communities and leading health plans.

SAUSALITO, Calif., Oct. 29, 2024 — CredibleMind, Inc., the Mental Wellbeing Company, today announced it secured $7.5 million in Series A funding, led by Horizon Mutual Holdings, a key partner in advancing access to integrated and personalized mental health support for diverse populations. With this funding, CredibleMind will continue its mission to dismantle barriers to effective mental health support and empower individuals to flourish through accessible, personalized mental wellbeing solutions.

Founded in 2018 by leading academics, technologists, clinicians, and mental wellbeing experts, CredibleMind has rapidly expanded to reach over 30 million lives nationwide, with a strong and growing presence among major health plans and over 100 communities across the U.S.

CredibleMind’s unique platform scans, organizes, and AI-personalizes tens of thousands of expert-curated resources across over one hundred mental health topics. It creates a highly tailored digital experience for each person, blending evidence-based self care and validated assessments with health plan programs and care network resources. By creating a simpler experience that addresses diverse needs, it engages members, reduces access barriers, and delivers expert-backed guidance on what works. It helps people put evidence-based practices into action for better mental wellbeing, activating positive behavior change.

For sponsoring organizations – such as health plans, employers and community-based public health agencies, CredibleMind captures hard-to-get data to drive stronger planning, faster triage, personalized care navigation, and cost-effective achievement of quality and care outcomes in behavioral health.

“The majority of communities and health plans nationwide have ranked mental health as a top-three priority, yet few have a cost-effective way to fully address these needs, upstream, and at scale,” said Deryk Van Brunt, DrPH, founder and CEO of CredibleMind. “CredibleMind was born out of the recognition that we need to move to a population-based mental health system of care. We’re delighted to have the support of Horizon Mutual Holdings, as well as our existing investors who participated in this round.”

CredibleMind will use funds raised to accelerate growth in both its Health Plan and Public Health businesses. Funding will also facilitate further development of its AI-infused data engine for improving resource curation, consumer activation, care navigation, and for advancing quality and care outcomes.

“CredibleMind has pioneered an accessible, smarter entry point for members seeking mental health and wellbeing support,” said Suzanne Kunis, Chief Executive Officer of NovaWell, Horizon Mutual Holdings’ behavioral health solutions company. “Their work is foundational to building a modern, integrated behavioral health ecosystem, and we’re excited to support their mission of transforming mental health care on a large scale.”

About CredibleMind
Leading health plans, program providers, and over 100 communities across the U.S., rely on CredibleMind to empower member mental health anytime, anywhere. Our evidence-based, AI-infused population digital mental health platform scales screening, prevention, referral, and early intervention. Using rules and resources customized for each setting and tailored for everyone, we create a better front door to behavioral health. For more information, visit us at crediblemind.com

Contact information:
CredibleMind:
Ashley Walker
[email protected] 

SOURCE CredibleMind

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Investments will support new product offerings, US expansion, and development of pathology foundation models.

BERLIN and NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2024 — Aignostics, a global artificial intelligence (AI) company that turns complex multi-modal pathology data into transformative insights, announced today that it has raised $34 million in Series B financing. This additional funding will be used to build new product offerings for biopharmaceutical clients, fuel growth within the United States (US), and develop leading foundation models for pathology in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. The oversubscribed funding round was led by ATHOS, with investments from Mayo Clinic and growth financing from HTGF, alongside support from existing investors Wellington Partners, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, CARMA Fund, and VC Fonds Technologie managed by IBB Ventures. In total, Aignostics has now raised over $55 million, reflecting investors’ confidence in its differentiated AI models and clear commercial strategy.

As precision medicine becomes more nuanced and complex, biopharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to AI to enhance the utility, performance, and scalability of computational pathology analyses for drug development and diagnostics. In parallel, machine learning technologies are rapidly evolving, producing AI models with record accuracy and robustness, opening new avenues for biopharmaceutical research and diagnostics.

“At its core, Aignostics is a world-class machine learning company,” said Julian Zachmann from ATHOS. “The field is advancing so quickly that, in order to succeed, AI companies need to avoid flashy distractions, stay laser focused on the highest-quality science, and relentlessly innovate. Aignostics is doing just that and bringing a level of transparency and rigor to its biopharmaceutical clients that we think is truly unique.”

“We know that digital pathology, paired with the vast capabilities of AI, has immense potential to impact diagnosis and treatment for patients. Mayo Clinic is actively charting the new frontier of predictive and personalized care,” shared Jim Rogers, CEO of Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology.

The new funding will strengthen Aignostics’ offerings for target ID, translational research, and companion diagnostics (CDx), and support several strategic initiatives, including:

• Launch of scaled “plug-and-play” products for a range of indications and tasks, including tumor microenvironment and biomarker profiling.
• Continued expansion into the US with additional headcount and support for US partners.
• Collaborative development of foundation models and biopharma product offerings with Mayo Clinic.

“2024 has been a pivotal year for us that has included a major strategic collaboration with Bayer and the launch of our first foundation model, RudolfV,” said Viktor Matyas, CEO and Co-Founder of Aignostics. “With RudolfV, we’ve gained the ability to quickly develop cost-efficient algorithms that generalize to the real-world. Now with this new round of funding, we’re turning our most popular algorithms into products that will help usher in an era of truly generalizable AI for computational pathology.”

About Aignostics
Aignostics is an artificial intelligence (AI) company that turns complex multimodal pathology data into transformative insights. By combining proprietary access to multimodal clinical data, industry-leading technologies, and rigorous science, Aignostics develops best-in-class products and services for the next generation of precision medicine. Through collaborations with its biopharma partners, Aignostics supports drug discovery, translational research, clinical trials, and CDx development. Established in 2018, Aignostics is a spin-off from Charité Berlin, one of the world’s largest and most esteemed university hospitals. Aignostics is funded by leading investors and has operations in Berlin and New York.

More information at: www.aignostics.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aignostics

About ATHOS
With its heritage in healthcare and life sciences, ATHOS is a single-family office that supports entrepreneurs to positively impact health and well-being. Known to the broader public as the long-term majority investor of BioNTech, ATHOS remains committed to advancing medical innovation and building transformative companies for the future.

About HTGF – High-Tech Gründerfonds
HTGF is one of the leading and most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe, financing start-ups in the fields of Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate Tech, Digital Tech, Life Sciences and Chemistry. With its experienced investment team, HTGF supports start-ups in all phases of development into international market leaders. HTGF invests in the pre-seed and seed phase and participates significantly in further financing rounds, since 2024 with the HTGF Opportunity growth fund. Across its funds, HTGF has over 2 billion euros under management. Since its inception in 2005, HTGF has financed more than 750 start-ups and successfully sold shares in more than 180 companies. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital and numerous companies are invested in the HTGF seed funds. Investors in the HTGF Opportunity growth fund include the ERP Special Fund and KfW with the resources of the Zukunftsfonds (“Future Fund”).

More information at: www.htgf.de
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/high-tech-gruenderfonds

Contact
Lisa Zheng
[email protected]

SOURCE Aignostics

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MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 28, 2024 — Alimetry has raised an oversubscribed US $18m A2 financing round to commercialise its wearable gut health monitoring device, capitalizing on increased adoption by a growing cohort of US hospitals. This adoption is driven by Alimetry receiving its fourth FDA clearance, the establishment of a CPT III reimbursement code, and the completion of over 30 clinical studies. Alimetry’s flagship AI powered product delivers accurate analysis and diagnosis of gut disorders that have been proven difficult to solve using conventional diagnostics and testing. The oversubscribed round was led by GD1 (Global from Day One), with participation from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) GI Opportunity Fund, Olympus Innovation Ventures, IceHouse Ventures, and follow on from existing investors. 

Nearly one in 10 people suffer from chronic gut symptoms ranging from abdominal pain to chronic indigestion, nausea and vomiting. The current diagnostic journey is slow and poor for patients, causing them to suffer through this period with a reduced quality of life. Alimetry is reducing the cost, time, and complexity of gut health diagnostics by providing rapid, upfront clarity and diagnosis that allows more effective and definitive treatment.

“Alimetry was designed to introduce clarity into a field that has involved lengthy, uncertain diagnostic journeys. It gives clinicians the tools they need to quickly and correctly diagnose patients so that we can move on from trial and error –  and guesswork –  into clarity of care and personalised medicine,” explains Alimetry chief executive Dr. Greg O’Grady, who is also a Professor of Surgery at the University of Auckland.

“Alimery turns months or even years of testing into improved clarity and safer, more accessible, less invasive care. They’ve demonstrated the power of technology to usher in a new era of tech-enabled diagnostics – in this case the undeniable connection of gut health to patient health,” comments Vignesh Kumar, GD1 Co-Managing Partner.

How it works

Like the heart, the gut produces electrical current but these are 100 times weaker than the heart. Alimetry’s highly sensitive wearable device detects these electrical currents from the skin’s surface (called Body Surface Gastric Mapping), similar to an ultra-high resolution electrocardiogram (ECG). Recordings of these signals are taken while patients eat and digest a meal. At the same time, patients log their symptoms into an app.

The device sends the patient’s gastric electrophysiology to the cloud where advanced, AI-powered analysis is performed using smart algorithms based on thousands of diverse and representative test cases used to train and improve benchmarking. The resulting auto-generated Gastric Alimetry Report provides clinicians with objective, data-driven insights to inform their interpretation and aid the diagnosis and personalised treatment of gastric disorders.

“The AGA GI Opportunity Fund is excited to support Alimetry and its breakthrough platform that will improve the patient experience by reducing both the time and cost of diagnosing GI symptoms,” said Michael L. Kochman, MD, AGAF, MASGE, Wilmott Family Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Center for Endoscopic Innovation, Research and Training, Gastroenterology Division, University of Pennsylvania Health System; Fund Manager and Advisor, AGA GI Opportunity Fund.

Making sense of the gut-brain connection 

“Gastric ailments have a myriad of causes – arising from diets, diseases, and the vagus nerve (physiological causes) to things like stress and the gut-brain axis. Having a multimodal platform that assesses all of these things at the same time is a game-changer for clinicians. The Alimetry digital health and wearable platform includes physiology tracking and symptom tracking through gut-brain health questionnaires built into the accompanying app, allowing clinicians to turn a previously confusing picture into a specific diagnosis that paves the way for personalised medicine,” explains Chris Andrews, Chief Medical Officer and Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Calgary.

Early uptake following FDA approval

The device and platform have been approved for clinical use by the United States Food and Drug Administration to be rolled out to the US market and since controlled market release in 2022. Over 40 hospitals and clinics worldwide have signed on to use the device.

The American Medical Association has established a Category III Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®)  that allows data collection for widespread usage and approval for reimbursement which means the product can be used in hospitals as well as private clinics.

Alimetry also complies with stringent privacy regulations, including HIPAA and GDPR.

“Alimetry is transforming how we approach patients with various gastric disorders. It’s difficult not to get over-excited about this”, states physician Bu’ Hayee, Professor of Gastroenterology at King’s College London.

Journey to commercialisation 

Founded by Dr O’Grady and Dr Armen Gharibans in 2019, Alimetry’s research began at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute. The company’s R&D team is headquartered in New Zealand; while its consumables are manufactured in the US where a newly expanded commercial function has been set up to focus on commercialisation, powered by its raise.

“In addition to commercialising our debut product, our team is also focusing on ‘what’s next’ in terms of using our proprietary tech to keep on pushing the limits of what’s possible in industry. We’ll be introducing new features and new elements of our platform as well as expanding into using Alimetry beyond the gut – such as paediatrics. The technology is also suited for use in other organs such as the colon, ultimately, helping us reach even patients with accurate diagnostics with the potential to radically transform their health,” concludes Dr O’Grady.

(ENDS)

About Alimetry

Alimetry was founded in 2019 with the goal of making gut health accessible to everyone. The company was founded on a background of world-leading science in gastrointestinal diseases. With offices in the United States and New Zealand, Alimetry is dedicated to improving the lives of patients by delivering innovative medical solutions to advance GI diagnostics and enable targeted therapies.

SOURCE Alimetry

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Agency Donates $10,000 to Support Free Speech and Ethical Journalism

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 28, 2024 — Tiny Mighty Communications, a fast-growing corporate and marketing communications firm, is celebrating five years of year-over-year growth, marking a significant milestone in its journey of serving major industrial and manufacturing brands. Since its founding in 2019, the firm has grown from a small startup to a top agency operating in middle Tennessee, known for its expertise in automotive and transportation, building and construction, and advanced manufacturing and materials.

“We founded Tiny Mighty to help industrial businesses navigate the unique communications challenges of being engineered, specified, regulated and distributed. Five years in, we’re grateful to our clients for trusting us and to our team for building their careers here,” said Paul Oakley, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Tiny Mighty Communications. “Nashville’s entrepreneurial energy and dynamic agency scene has fueled our growth. As the city continues to gain global recognition, we’re poised to make an even greater impact with mid-sized and large companies.”

Industry Leadership, Recognition and Awards
Tiny Mighty Communications has made significant strides in critical industries, with strong Fortune 500 client partnerships. Its growth has landed the agency on the Nashville Business Journal’s list of top PR firms for three years consecutively, rising to number six in 2024 based on 2023 results of more than $2 million in top line revenue.

During that time, Tiny Mighty has expanded to 12 professionals and several strategic contract-based collaborators, allowing the firm to address evolving market segments and further embed itself in key client verticals.

The firm’s innovative work across industries and nonprofits has earned nearly 20 Parthenon Awards and recognitions from the Nashville chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Also recently, Tiny Mighty Communications was honored as a double finalist at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center’s NEXT Awards—nominated for Start-up of the Year in the Products and Services category, with Founder Paul Oakley receiving an additional nomination for the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year award. These accolades recognize both Oakley’s leadership and the firm’s rapid growth.

Aggressive Growth and Future Vision
Tiny Mighty Communications has aggressive ambitions, with a clear vision to become the go-to agency for industrial clients. The firm is exploring plans to expand with brick-and-mortar offices not only in Nashville but also in key regions like the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes. As the agency continues to push boundaries in industrial communications, it remains focused on competing for global clients while also supporting mid-sized companies seeking to differentiate themselves in their markets.

“Continued success requires that we stay deeply curious about our clients’ businesses and the complex value chains they operate in,” said Oakley. “We aim to exceed their expectations while building a team of PR and marketing experts who want to redefine B2B integrated communications.”

To that end, the firm will focus on strengthening its team of seasoned subject matter experts through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. This includes adding top digital talent and leading content creators, while expanding its capabilities in key growth areas such as corporate and sustainability communications.

Purpose-Driven Giving: Supporting Free Speech and Journalism
To commemorate its fifth anniversary, Tiny Mighty Communications is donating $10,000 to non-profit organizations that protect free speech, support the journalism profession and ensure that diverse and underrepresented voices continue to be heard. Locally, donations are being directed to Nashville Banner, Nashville Public Television, Nashville Scene, Nashville Public Radio, and Tennessee Tribune. Nationally, Tiny Mighty is investing in the Poynter Institute and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

To learn more about Tiny Mighty Communications, the agency’s work and team, click here.

About Tiny Mighty Communications
Tiny Mighty Communications is a corporate and marketing communications agency that helps industrial and manufacturing brands grow by engaging those who matter most. Specializing in sectors like automotive, building products, construction and advanced materials, the firm focuses on businesses that are engineered, regulated, specified and distributed. Headquartered in Nashville, Tiny Mighty Communications delivers data-driven strategies in corporate reputation, employee engagement, media relations, digital marketing, sustainability, crisis management and more. Trusted by brands big and small, the agency is committed to challenging the status quo, taking calculated risks and setting new standards for success. More information is online at www.tinymightyco.com.

Media Contact: Kamryn Heath / [email protected] / (704) 804-0076

SOURCE Tiny Mighty Communications

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LONDON, Oct. 28, 2024 — Libraro, a community-driven platform connecting writers, readers, and publishers, is thrilled to announce the completion of the first stage in its seed funding round, led by Ayre Ventures. The investment will accelerate Libraro’s mission to empower authors and readers, creating a space where great stories find their way to engaged audiences. Libraro’s seed round remains open for select additional investors to participate.

Arsim Shillova, Co-Founder and CEO of Libraro, said: “This funding gives us the momentum to expand our platform and create a thriving environment where emerging authors are discovered, and readers engage with original, meaningful stories. We’re excited to offer a space that complements traditional publishing, unlocking new opportunities for the entire literary community.”

Libraro’s platform harnesses scalable blockchain technology to protect authorship, prevent copyright infringement, and enhance transparency in ownership and distribution rights. With its Web3 loyalty program, Libraro creates deeper engagement, building trust among readers, authors, and publishers alike.

Ayre Ventures founder Calvin Ayre said: “Mankind’s history is the history of the written word, without which progress would have been infinitely slower. Ayre Ventures is thrilled to support Libraro and its goal of connecting authors, readers and publishers via a secure and stable enterprise blockchain-enabled platform.”

About Libraro

At Libraro, every good story deserves a platform. We’re a community-driven platform where writers, readers, and publishers come together to discover, share, and celebrate great stories. Our mission is to give every voice the opportunity to be heard and ensure that meaningful stories reach the readers who’ll appreciate them.

www.libraro.io

About Ayre Ventures

Ayre Ventures, founded by renowned venture capitalist and philanthropist Calvin Ayre, provides funding to scalable, high-growth businesses that use frontier technologies like AI, IPv6 and Enterprise Blockchain—including BSV, the world’s only unboundedly scaling public proof-of-work enterprise blockchain. The Group targets investment in innovative ideas and ambitious projects that are “positively disruptive,” supporting their expansion with the Group’s extensive network and industry partners.

https://ayre.group/investments

SOURCE Ayre Ventures

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XP Health also adds former Oracle executive and Bessemer Venture Partners leader Jeff Epstein to its board of directors

SAN CARLOS, Calif., Oct. 28, 2024 — XP Health, a company dedicated to modernizing vision care with a digital-first vision, announced two key partnerships with leading platforms that access many employers and benefits plans: Employee Navigator, one of the nation’s leading benefits administration platforms, and Bennie, an employee benefits platform that provides an easy way to access and understand benefits.

These exciting new partnerships will expand XP Health’s reach to more potential members and make the vision care experience even more seamless for both employees and human resources managers.

The partnership with Employee Navigator will allow XP Health to offer six different vision programs with rates ready to go for customers – with no individual quoting required. XP Health’s pre-packaged vision programs will be available in Employee Navigator’s Marketplace, both at an employer-sponsored and employee voluntary level, eliminating the complexity and wait times for quoting and empowering brokers to provide top-tier vision care immediately and seamlessly without the usual back-and-forth. 

“We are super excited that XP Health is integrated on Employee Navigator!” exclaimed Matt Mink, managing principal, OneDigital a power user of Employee Navigator. “This will enable us to seamlessly bring XP Health to all of our clients who are looking for better vision care.”

Like Employee Navigator, Bennie’s platform brings XP Health access to additional members and additional seamlessness to the process. Bennie customers will be able to access XP Health via Bennie’s Employer Marketplace, where administrators can browse and select benefit options to add to their organization’s offerings.

Founded in 2019, Bennie’s all-in-one platform brings competitive plans to their members for an easy, convenient benefits experience. The Bennie Marketplace offers members discounted rates on a wide range of insurances, family planning tools, and health and wellness solutions. The Bennie App makes it easy for employees to fully benefit from their benefits and access plan information, find in-network doctors, and chat with a healthcare concierge about questions regarding claims, coverage, and more.

“Like XP Health, we are here because the benefits industry needs to change,” said Ronelle Lichman, director of partnerships, Bennie. “At Bennie, we understand that companies are eager to find simple, modern, and useful solutions for vision care that seamlessly integrate into one platform for all of their benefits and HR needs.”

“Both Employee Navigator and Bennie offer leading platforms that will mesh with our offerings. The vision programs will be branded as XP Health, with Employee Navigator as the conduit to brokers and their clients,” added Ryan VanOverbeke, chief commercial officer, XP Health. “Our pre-packaged vision programs are available instantly in Bennie’s Employer Marketplace and live in the coming months in Employee Navigator’s Marketplace, eliminating the complexity and wait times for quoting, empowering brokers to provide top-tier care offerings immediately and seamlessly without the usual back-and-forth.

These impactful partnerships come on the heels of XP Health’s new $33.2 million Series B infusion round of funding led by global fintech VC firm QED Investors with other prominent investors including Canvas Ventures, Semper Virens, American Family Ventures, HC9 Ventures, Valor Capital Group, and Manchester Story. The company offers vision care programs that help reduce employee expenses, while providing refreshingly pleasant consumer experiences. Its vision programs cover more than 250,000 people and have seen rapid growth in the last two years since launching its platform, expanding from 30 to over 3000 business customers, including DocuSign, Navistar, Chegg, Sequoia Consulting, and strategic partners like The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

Continuing on its growth trajectory, XP Health has also welcomed to its board of directors noted Silicon Valley executive and investor Jeff Epstein, former executive vice president and CFO of Oracle, and operating partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. Jeff is a board member of several companies including Okta ($12 billion market cap), Twilio ($11 billion market cap) and the non-profit Kaiser Permanente ($100 billion revenue).

“Healthcare is a challenging and exciting sector, and XP Health’s vision care programs are changing the way vision care is offered with new depth of choice for patients and new opportunities for employers to look out for their employees,” said Jeff Epstein, operating partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and XP Health board member. “I look forward to bringing my experience with technology and healthcare to support XP Health’s continued rapid growth and success.”

About XP Health
XP Health democratizes access to high-quality, delightful experiences in vision care that doubles coverage and reduces costs. It is a digital-first vision platform focused on eye exams and eyewear that uses customer-centric design and technology to create a better member experience and improve access. XP Health was founded to combat the often confusing, expensive, and frustrating experiences common with vision care. XP Health was named to Fast Company’s 2021 list of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies,” and over the past couple of years has expanded from 30 to 3000+ customers, including DocuSign, Navistar, Chegg, Sequoia Consulting, and strategic partner Guardian Life Insurance. To learn more visit xphealth.co.

About Employee Navigator
Employee Navigator is a rapidly growing benefits and HR software company integrated with over 400+ of the nation’s leading insurance carriers, payroll companies, and TPA’s. Its platform delivers brokers and employers a connected digital experience, streamlining the management of everything from online enrollment and onboarding to ACA reporting, time off tracking, and more. The company currently works with more than 5,000 brokers, providing benefits administration and HR products to over 175,000 companies and 14+ million employees and dependents. For more information, visit www.employeenavigator.com

About Bennie
Bennie provides a modern, cost-effective approach to employee benefits with a user-friendly app and world-class brokerage services. The Bennie App is a go-to resource for employees to easily find and understand benefits information. From viewing ID cards to finding in-network providers to connecting with Ask Bennie (a dedicated healthcare concierge service within the app), employees have the benefits information and tools they need. To learn more, visit Bennie.com or contact us today.

Media Contacts
Ivy Cohen
Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications
(212) 399-0026
[email protected] 

Chris Flores
Bennie Media
(866) 319-7358
[email protected]

Employee Navigator
(301) 583-5180
[email protected]

SOURCE XP Health

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