PROVO, Utah, Sept. 9, 2024 — Angel Studios—the studio empowering everyday fans to greenlight development and distribution of movies and TV shows—has completed its latest Regulation A+ (Reg A+) offering. Surpassing all expectations, the Reg A+ offering raised the maximum amount of $20 million in 11 days from over 20,500 investors.

Neal Harmon, CEO of Angel Studios, said, “Audiences are frustrated by what the Hollywood gatekeepers choose to greenlight for theaters and streaming. They feel most stories do not represent them. Now over 20,500 people have decided to take matters into their own hands by investing in Angel Studios. Their investments are helping us build the Angel Guild, a community of over 379k audience members from more than 150 countries who vote on which stories Angel should release next. It’s working. Based on the 95% average audience score for Angel films on Rotten Tomatoes, the Guild is far better at predicting what audiences will enjoy than traditional Hollywood gatekeepers.”

Angel Studios’ mission to tell stories that amplify light has found a dedicated community of supporters eager to be part of the entertainment industry’s next big successes, replacing the Hollywood gatekeepers with the Angel Guild.

Angel is unique to the industry as the only studio that operates solely on the decisions of the audience. Only after the Angel Guild supports a project at a certain threshold can the studio negotiate to bring their stories to big and small screens. The competition is fierce, from April 2022 to April 2023, filmmakers submitted over 900 projects to the Angel Guild but only 13 made it through the process. 

The funds raised from the Reg A+ offering will help grow the Angel Guild and support the development and production of an impressive lineup of new films and TV series, spanning a diverse array of genres and themes. From heartwarming family dramas to thought-provoking documentaries, Angel Studios’ upcoming projects seek to captivate audiences and drive the platform’s mission forward.

About Angel Studios: Angel Studios is a values-based distribution company for stories that amplify light to mainstream audiences. Through the Angel Guild, over 379,000 members choose which film and television projects the studio will market and distribute. 104,000 Angel Guild members in 155 countries have invested nearly $80M in projects distributed by the studio to date. Angel Studios is behind the global box office hit, SOUND OF FREEDOM, which has earned $250 million in theatrical box office. Learn more at Angel.com

Film Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Angel Studios, Inc.

HONG KONG, Sept. 9, 2024 — The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust convened its fourth Philanthropy for Better Cities (PBC) Forum 2024 at West Kowloon Cultural District today (9 September). It ushered in Hong Kong Philanthropy Week, in keeping with the HKSAR Government’s mission to promote the city as an international philanthropy hub.

The two-day PBC Forum provides a platform for foundations, thought-leaders, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and experts from around the world to convene, engage in dialogue and share transformative ideas on translating philanthropic action into tangible, sustainable impact. Under an overarching theme of “Delivering Impactful Philanthropy in the Real World”, the forum features keynote speeches and panel discussions. It brings together nearly 100 eminent speakers and more than 2,000 delegates from 40 countries and regions including representatives of over 200 local, regional and global foundations.

The Club’s Charities Trust convened the forum in association with the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), a charitable organisation launched by the Club and its Trust at the opening of the third PBC Forum in September 2023.

Through a video address at the forum, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said, “This forum is testament to Hong Kong’s commitment to philanthropy. It is proudly presented by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust, a long-standing leader in championing our philanthropic endeavours.” He added, “The HKSAR Government is committed to Hong Kong’s rise as a global centre for philanthropy. That goal was formalised in our Policy Statement on Developing Family Office Businesses in Hong Kong. Our vision is to provide philanthropists with the tools they need to manage their wealth, while channelling their resources into social initiatives that create tangible impact. We are determined to realise Hong Kong as a go-to destination for global family offices passionate about making a difference.”

Officiating at the opening ceremony of this year’s forum was HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki, the Club’s Chairman Michael Lee and Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

In his welcome speech at the opening ceremony, the Club’s Chairman said, “In Asia – home to the most populous nations and fastest-developing economies – we are experiencing rapid growth in philanthropic giving commensurate with the region’s rising prosperity through development. However, Asian philanthropy requires properly contextualised models and solutions to account for varied political, economic and cultural contexts that are different from established, largely Western models. Unlocking its full potential will be crucial in addressing shared social and environmental challenges most effectively.”

Leading foundations participating in this year’s PBC Forum include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Nippon Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Tanoto Foundation, Temasek Foundation, Tencent Charity Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Julia Gillard – Chair of the Wellcome Trust, Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and former Prime Minister of Australia – delivered today’s opening keynote entitled: “East is East and West is West: how does philanthropy differ and how can we best work together?”

Professor Michael Spence – 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics, Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean Emeritus of the Stanford Business School and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution of Stanford University – delivered the second keynote entitled: “The economics of giving: what makes us give? What stops us from giving more?”

Additionally at the forum, representatives from the Department of Health of the HKSAR Government, the Club and IoP witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration between the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and three local universities to strengthen capacity for monitoring and responding to epidemics in the Greater Bay Area. The local institutes are the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute at the University of Hong Kong, the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science at the City University of Hong Kong. The memorandum follows the “One Health” approach which the Club has long supported including through the establishment of these university institutes.

This year the forum programme spans five days. It began with a welcome luncheon at the opening of Hong Kong’s 2024/25 horseracing season on 8 September, followed by the two-day forum. The Foundations Circle and additional side-events will be convened by IoP on 11 and 12 September. In addition, the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy will also host a three-day summit from 12-14 September, rounding out Hong Kong Philanthropy Week.

The Club’s support for the PBC Forum, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2023/24, the Club returned a total of HK$40.1 billion to the community. This included HK$29.9 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$10.2 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors. Please visit www.hkjc.com.

Institute of Philanthropy
The Institute of Philanthropy was established in September 2023 through a strategic seed grant of HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust. Established as an independent “think-fund-do” tank for China and Asia, IoP is dedicated to promoting philanthropic thought leadership and enhancing sector capabilities at local, regional and global levels in collaboration with fellow funders. It seeks to provide an Asia-based platform bringing global stakeholders together to promote the betterment of societies everywhere. 

Photos can be downloaded from the website of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (www.hkjc.com/english/corporate/corp_news.asp).

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BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2024 — Bambusa Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing bispecific antibodies for the treatment of immunological and inflammatory (I&I) disorders, announced the successful closing of its Series Seed financing round, raising approximately $15 million. 

Bambusa Therapeutics was founded by a team of industry experts and scientific innovators united by a vision to transform the treatment landscape for I&I diseases. The company leverages validated targets to create bispecific antibody therapeutics through innovative antibody engineering, with an aim to achieve best-in-disease profiles for multiple indications.

The financing round was co-led by BVF Partners L.P. and Dawn Biopharma, a platform controlled by KKR, with participation from Salvia GmbH and INCE Capital. The capital raised will be used to accelerate the development of Bambusa Therapeutics Inc.’s promising pipeline of bispecific antibodies to Phase I clinical studies.

“We founded Bambusa Therapeutics with a belief that the I&I field is long overdue for innovative approaches and transformative therapeutics. Since our inception, we have built a diverse portfolio of molecules and is uniquely positioned to make significant contributions to patients suffering from debilitating and chronic inflammatory conditions,” said Dr. Shanshan Xu, CEO and Co-Founder of Bambusa Therapeutics. 

Helmut Jeggle, Managing Director of Salvia GmbH and Co-Founder of Bambusa Therapeutics, commented, “We are thrilled to have the support of such distinguished investors who share our vision. This funding will allow us to strengthen the team to advance our lead candidates through preclinical development and position us for success in clinical studies.” 

About Bambusa Therapeutics Inc.: 

Bambusa Therapeutics is a rapidly growing biotechnology company specializing in developing transformative inflammatory and immunological therapeutics. Based in the vibrant Boston Seaport area, our mission is to advance the field of immunology with cutting-edge solutions.

SOURCE Bambusa Therapeutics

Conference serves as gateway to larger tech ecosystem, not only connecting founders to capital but also serving as key place to network with those pivotal to business success

ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2024 — Venture Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious venture capital conferences, today announced the trailblazing tech companies to be featured at its 17^th annual event taking place October 8-9 at The Woodruff Arts Center and Atlanta Symphony Hall. To view the list of this year’s 88 hottest tech companies, go here.

Venture Atlanta 2024 is anticipated to draw over 1,500 attendees including 450 funds from across the nation.

“Based on our record number of applicants this year, our startup ecosystem is thriving despite the current economic challenges,” said Venture Atlanta CEO Allyson Eman. “If you’re a startup looking for funding, Venture Atlanta is the clear place to be. And even if you’re not fundraising, Venture Atlanta offers so much more, including the ability to connect with those who can further your success, from industry visionaries and top tech talent to potential mentors, partners, and customers. Whether you’re looking to raise funds, get inspired, learn, or build relationships that can help you achieve more, you’ll want to be there.”

Eman added that while Venture Atlanta is continuing its most popular programs, including last year’s highly attended pitch competitions, it is also providing even greater in-depth networking opportunities and exclusive events targeted to key groups such as founders, investors, and women entrepreneurs. “We’re continually refining programs and raising the bar to deliver the best experience,” she said.

This year’s Venture Atlanta has broken another record with 630 presenter applications—a 15 percent increase over last year and the most applicants ever. A big increase was comprised of companies from the Deep South (TN, KY, AL, AR, LA, and MS), with a 50 percent jump in the number of applicants from this region.

To date, Venture Atlanta has helped launch 843 companies and raise $7.7 billion in funding, also spinning out $17 billion in successful exits. The conference’s successful alumni include Bark, CallRail, Car360, Clearleap, Flock Safety, Florence, HealthSnap, ParkMobile, Rigor, Roadie, Salesloft, Stax, Terminus, and others. 

Over the last year, Venture Atlanta has partnered with a number of highly recognized accelerator programs, incubators, and venture conferences, including Seed the South Capital Summit, Florida Venture Capital Conference, Capital Factory, gener8tor, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, South Carolina Research Authority, Tampa Bay Wave, RevTech Labs, and more.

Pitch Event With $500K Investment Prize Continues for Second Year
Venture Atlanta 2024 will once again host pitch competitions for early-stage and growth companies—as well as the “Startup Showcase Live” competition for pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with the winner of the latter receiving a $500,000 investment prize.

The $500,000 prize is being funded by Catalyst by Wellstar, Front Porch Venture Partners, Knoll Ventures, Las Olas Venture Capital, and TiE Atlanta Angels. 

The first round of pitches will be voted on by the Venture Atlanta audience, who will determine the companies that move on to be judged by an all-star panel of investors. To view the list of this year’s judges, go here.

“We’re thrilled by another record-breaking year for applicants, resulting in the incredible lineup of innovators being featured at Venture Atlanta 2024,” said Drew Graves, Senior Sales Consultant at ExtensisHR and Venture Atlanta Committee Chair. “As always, our goal is to spotlight groundbreaking startups and connect them with the resources they need to thrive. This year, we’re excited to see the diverse talent and transformative ideas that will shape the future of the tech industry.”

USC Gamecocks Women’s Head Basketball Coach to Deliver Closing Keynote 
Underscoring Venture Atlanta 2024’s theme of Leadership and Performance, Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball program, will deliver the closing keynote address, which will explore Championship Mentality. Staley has garnered fame as being one of the driving forces behind the increase in attention, enthusiasm, and attendance for women’s basketball and women’s sports in general. 

During her time as the Gamecocks’ head coach, Staley has earned three NCAA National Championships (2017, 2022, 2024); six NCAA Final Fours in the last seven tournaments; seven 30-win seasons, including a program-record 38 wins in 2023-24; eight SEC regular-season championships; eight SEC tournament titles; 10 NCAA Attendance titles; and four Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year awards.

As a player, Staley’s accolades include being a five-time WNBA All-Star; two-time ABL All-Star; part of the WNBA All-Decade Team; an Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000, 2004); a flag bearer for the US in the 2004 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony; and a two-time USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

Venture Atlanta 2024 Is Presented by Invesco
Venture Atlanta is the premier must-attend technology event due in part to the generous support of its sponsors. Invesco is once again the conference’s Title Sponsor, with J.P. Morgan as Premier Sponsor and Headline Sponsors including Cherry Bekaert, Dell Technologies, ExtensisHR, Marketwake, and Morris, Manning & Martin.

There are more than 100 sponsors of Venture Atlanta 2024. For a complete list of this year’s sponsors, go here.

Venture Atlanta Culminates In Techstars Atlanta Block Party and Demo Day
On the afternoon of October 9, Techstars Atlanta will host an outdoor block party as part of its Demo Day, powered by Cox Enterprises. Demo Day offers the opportunity to hear directly from founders in the Techstars program about the innovative companies they have been building throughout its 13-week accelerator program. All Venture Atlanta attendees get automatic access to both of these events—a new perk being offered this year!

Register to Attend Venture Atlanta—Before Last-Call Pricing Begins
Taking place October 8-9, Venture Atlanta 2024 is anticipated to be a sold-out event with over 1,500 entrepreneurs, founders, investors, and business leaders expected to be in attendance. It will again be held at The Woodruff Arts Center at 1280 Peachtree Street with keynotes, panels, and pitches in the beautiful Atlanta Symphony Hall that is part of the Woodruff campus.

For the full Venture Atlanta conference schedule, go here.

To register for the 17^th annual Venture Atlanta before last-call pricing goes into effect on September 23 or passes are sold out, go here.

About Venture Atlanta
Venture Atlanta, the Southeast’s technology innovation event, is where the region’s most promising tech companies meet the country’s top-tier investors. As the Southeast’s largest investor showcase helping launch 843 companies and raise $7.7 billion in funding to date, the event connects the region’s top entrepreneurs with local and national investors and others in the technology ecosystem who can help them raise the capital they need to grow their businesses. The annual nonprofit event is a collaboration of the Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). For more information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org. For updates, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and visit our blog.

SOURCE Venture Atlanta

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 9, 2024 — ClearCam Inc., the leading innovator in improving laparoscopic visualization, is pleased to announce the appointment of two distinguished professionals to its Board of Directors. Bill Hale, of Hale Holdings, and Hal Jones, of Johnson and Jones Development and Universal Plant Services, will join the Board effective September 1, 2024. They will be joining existing board members John Uecker, MD, FACS; Douglas Stoakley; and David Laverty, MD.

Bill Hale is a principal, along with his father John and brother Joseph, in Hale Holdings Group, LLC, a Texas-based family office owned and operated by the Hale family. Hale Holdings is a highly qualified value-added investor bringing a breadth and depth of industry, financial, and managerial experience to its investment partners. Prior to joining Hale Holdings, Bill spent 20 years as an investment banker primarily involved in advising and investing in power and energy projects where he financed over $10B in capital projects. Bill’s extensive experience and discipline in finance, commercialization, and strategic operations will be a strong addition to the company.

Hal Jones carries many titles professionally. Currently, he is a partner in Johnson & Jones Development, which has four developments underway totaling $55M. He is also Co-Chairman of Universal Plant Services (servicing Power Generation and Petrochemical Industries) with sales of $700M. From 2006 to 2021, Mr. Jones partnered with Red McCombs and created Hal Jones Development, where they created 17 projects and sales of over $800M. Ultimately, Hal sees himself as an entrepreneur and brings his strong track record of driving business success to ClearCam’s Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bill and Hal to our Board of Directors,” said Dr. John Uecker, CEO of ClearCam Inc. “Their combined experience and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to innovate, expand, and commercialize our product offerings. We look forward to their contributions in guiding ClearCam towards achieving our strategic goals.”

ClearCam Inc. remains committed to improving the quality and efficiency of laparoscopic surgeries through its groundbreaking ClearScope™ technology. The addition of these esteemed board members underscores ClearCam’s dedication to excellence and growth in the medical device industry.

For more information about ClearCam Inc. and its innovative solutions, please visit www.clearcam-med.com.

Contact: Silvana Nasreddine
[email protected] 
(888) 863-8128

SOURCE ClearCam Inc.

Credit management platform provides unparalleled customization, flexibility, and automation to foster innovation across multiple industries with modern solutions.

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2024 — NetNow, a modern trade credit automation platform that automates the credit and collections process for wholesalers & distributors, today announces $1.8MM in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Ripple Ventures, with participation from Centre Street Partners, Antler, Motivate Venture Capital, and Day One Ventures. NetNow also secured a grant from Intuit for earning The Most Customer Obsessed company award. The funding will be used to accelerate AI product development – to simplify documents, analyze data, and generate risk scores and metrics. NetNow offers the most customizable and flexible credit management product – designed by credit managers for credit managers and built for the 21st century.

B2B Credit Management is entering a golden age of technology and transformation. Existing solutions are either very paper & process intensive or clunky and built over a decade ago. The industry is ripe for disruption with newer data sets, automation, integrations, and flexibility that NetNow delivers. For example, building materials distributors like lumber yards, steel mills, plumbing, electrical, HVAC supply houses, and even manufacturers need a better way to manage credit for new & existing contractors and construction projects. NetNow is providing them with a better option that helps them reduce their credit risk and daily sales outstanding, promotes better collaboration among Credit & Sales teams, and provides deeper insights into customers financial & credit health.

“Everyone deserves to allocate their time away from monotonous tasks,” says Nauman Hafeez, CEO of NetNow. “Yet, credit and finance teams spend 42 hours per week on manually processing credit applications – a ton of effort wasted on manual research and cross referencing. The NetNow platform was created to streamline the most time-intensive aspects of applying for credit, to prioritize what truly counts. We aim to continue to work with the incredible Credit Executives that have helped us shape our product to what it is today and help pioneer a digital-first approach to credit management.”

“NetNow is uniquely positioned to be the first credit management platform that prioritizes the building materials industries like lumber, steel, concrete, and agriculture. Their world-class team is dedicated to accelerating sales and credit approvals for industries that can benefit from this technology the most,” says Matt Cohen, Managing Partner at Ripple Ventures. “As a trailblazer in SaaS credit solutions, the platform’s growth is powered by automation, AI and customization that stands to open up lucrative revenue opportunities.”

NetNow was founded by Nauman Hafeez, Eli Costea, and Soroush Arghavan to reduce credit processing time, reduce debt, and identify the top credit accounts to increase sales – NetNow’s automation results in an average of 11x return on investment for its customers. By digitizing credit applications, providing instant trade and bank references, and constantly monitoring all credit accounts, finance teams can be assured every aspect of the trade credit process is covered – leading to 70% faster customer onboarding and ultimately better collaboration between sales and credit teams.

About NetNow
NetNow is the leading technology vendor that supports businesses across key industries including lumber & building materials, electrical wholesale, HVAC, heavy equipment, roofing, general wholesale & distribution and many more. The streamlined NetNow platform helps suppliers & distributors manage Trade Credit applications digitally. Credit teams can offer digital forms to buyers (no more PDFs), issue trade & bank references automatically, create automated workflows for faster approvals, access key business data sources and much more. Learn more at: www.netnow.io

Press Contact
Rick Medeiros
[email protected]
(510) 556-8517

SOURCE NetNow

Firm leads the industry in building environmental water management, surface management and sustainable infrastructure platforms

HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2024 — Five Point Energy LLC (“Five Point”), a leading private equity firm focused on building sustainable infrastructure, today announced the final closing of Five Point Energy Fund IV LP (“Fund IV”), receiving approximately $1.4 billion in cumulative capital commitments. Fund IV was oversubscribed and exceeded its target of $1.25 billion.

Fund IV is a continuation of Five Point’s successful strategy, leveraging the firm’s direct operating model, disciplined capital deployment into an undercapitalized market and attractive long-term value generation. Five Point features a highly experienced team with an exceptional track record, led by David Capobianco, CEO and Managing Partner, and Matthew Morrow, COO and Managing Partner.  

David Capobianco said, “We thank our existing limited partners and new investors for their overwhelming support. The closing of Fund IV is an endorsement of our team’s demonstrated strategy of establishing and operating best-in-class sustainable infrastructure platforms, including the highly successful initial public offering of LandBridge. Likewise, since our inception in 2012, Five Point has been a pioneer of midstream water management systems. We are proud to have progressively addressed the produced water needs of our blue-chip clients and to continuously bring next generation solutions, including recycling, enhanced evaporation and desalination technologies to our partners.”

Mr. Capobianco continued, “The demand for energy, land and water resources is accelerating by the day, across all industries – we sit at the intersection of these macro and infrastructure trends. Five Point is uniquely positioned to address the needs of all stakeholders with innovative midstream and land resourcing solutions to advance their business and environmental objectives. The opportunities before us are vast and compelling.”

Since the firm’s inception, Five Point has raised approximately $4 billion of limited partner commitments across four distinct funds and a yield fund, with each vintage increasing in size. Fund IV received support from institutional investors including endowments, public pensions and family offices.

About Five Point Energy

Five Point Energy is a private equity firm focused on building businesses within the environmental water management, surface management and sustainable infrastructure sectors. The firm was founded by industry veterans who have had successful careers investing in, building, and running midstream infrastructure companies. Five Point’s strategy is to buy and build assets, create companies, and grow them into sustainable enterprises with premier management teams and industry-leading E&P partners. Based in Houston, Five Point targets equity investments up to $1 billion and has approximately $6 billion of assets under management across multiple investment funds. For more information about Five Point Energy, please visit: www.fivepointenergy.com.

Media contact:
Daniel Yunger / Simone Leung
(917) 574-8582
[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE Five Point Energy

TVM Capital Life Science and Yonjin Venture co-led the round, joined by a strong syndicate of existing investors

BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2024 — CSA Medical Inc., developer of The RejuvenAir^® System, a Breakthrough Medical Device advancing the power of liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, today announced the completion of an oversubscribed $53 million Series D preferred stock equity financing. This round will fund the company though expected U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) premarket approval (PMA) and the building of a comprehensive commercialization strategy for successful U.S. launch. TVM Capital Life Science and Yonjin Ventures co-led the round, joined by a strong syndicate of existing shareholders SV Health Investors, Ascension Ventures, First Analysis, Blue Heron, and Intersouth Partners. In conjunction with the financing, Dr. Luc Marengere of TVM and Dr. Deng Mao of Yonjin Ventures will join CSA Medical’s Board of Directors. 

“We’re excited to bring new partners on board as we approach the next significant milestone of submitting the RejuvenAir System for regulatory approval,” said Wendelin Maners, CSA Medical CEO. “This new investment further validates the enormous market potential for the RejuvenAir therapeutic platform in this under-served patient population.” The RejuvenAir System is a medical device therapy aimed at treating the underlying cause of the chronic bronchitis, something no drug or device on the market does today.

“This successful funding round is a testament to our confidence in the Company’s team, vision and impact RejuvenAir will make in treating chronic bronchitis around the world,” said Dr. Luc Marengere, Managing Partner at TVM Capital Life Science. “I am excited to join the Board of CSA and look forward to see the upcoming data from the U.S. pivotal study.” 

On behalf of Yonjin Ventures, Dr. Deng Mao expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating “Our investment is driven by the clear and significant impact the RejuvenAir technology will have on chronic bronchitis patients worldwide.”

About COPD with Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic Bronchitis is the largest disease subset of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial airways. A chronic bronchitis diagnosis is defined by cough with productive sputum of three months duration for two consecutive years. In addition to chronic inflammation, cough and increased production of mucus, Chronic Bronchitis may or may not present with obstruction/partially blocked airways due to swelling and excess mucus in the bronchi or shortness of breath (dyspnea). In the United States, there are an estimated 16 million people with COPD, of which over 9 million have a diagnosis of Chronic Bronchitis, a subset of COPD.

About CSA Medical

CSA Medical is committed to developing spray cryotherapy devices that improve the lives of people suffering from COPD with Chronic Bronchitis. We are advancing our core liquid nitrogen spray technology, RejuvenAir, to target the underlying cause of Chronic Bronchitis – the over production of mucus and damaged cilia within the airways. By targeting and destroying these damaged cells without creating scar tissue, the body can begin the rapid regrowth of new, healthy normal functioning cells in the lung.

RejuvenAir is an investigational device and not currently commercially available in the United States.

SOURCE CSA Medical

$500+ million of additional funding will support fiber-to-the-home network construction to reach as many as 1 million locations across the state

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Sept. 9, 2024 — Race Communications, a leading Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) provider in California, announced today that it has secured more than $500 million in additional capital to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network across the state. This capital raise includes $375 million in equity from Oak Hill Capital, the existing majority investor, and its limited partners. The funding also features incremental debt financing from existing lender AB Private Credit Investors, who will also be participating in the equity round. This significant infusion of capital will support Race’s ambitious plan to extend its FTTH network to as many as 1 million locations throughout California over the next several years.

Established in 1994, Race Communications is a leader in delivering high-speed internet to communities across California. With a current reach of approximately 200,000 locations, Race has made significant strides in bridging the digital divide by providing reliable and fast internet service to a diverse range of communities in California, including metropolitan suburbs such as Lancaster, Chico, and Yuba City and rural areas in the Central Valley. This new funding will enable Race to enhance its efforts to connect even more Californians to the benefits of fiber-optic technology.

“California presents a tremendous opportunity for fiber deployment, and this new funding allows us to ramp up our construction efforts across the state,” Raul Alcaraz, CEO of Race Communications, said. “We are thrilled to have the continued support of Oak Hill Capital and to welcome our new partners as we work together to bring world-class internet service to an even larger number of residents and businesses throughout the state.”

Oak Hill Capital has been a dedicated partner to Race Communications, supporting its growth and expansion efforts since its initial investment in 2020. “Race Communications has a strong track record of success in delivering high-quality fiber-optic services to communities across California,” Scott Baker, Managing Partner at Oak Hill Capital, said. “We are excited to deepen our commitment to Race to further enhance Race’s ability to meet the growing demand for high-speed internet in our home state of California.”

Oak Hill Capital’s broader fiber portfolio, which spans thirty-one states, further underscores its commitment to advancing digital infrastructure across the United States. With significant investments in several FTTH companies, Oak Hill is a leading investor in the industry, seeking to drive innovation and growth in the broadband sector.

Race is also excited to announce the addition of two independent directors to its Board of Directors; Jim Gleason is the CEO of Vexus Fiber, a FTTH operator across Texas and surrounding states backed by Oak Hill and now a subsidiary of Metronet, and Harold Zeitz is the CEO of Ziply Fiber, a FTTH operator across the Pacific Northwest and former COO of Oak Hill-backed cable and fiber operator Wave Broadband. Mr. Gleason and Mr. Zeitz have both led the expansion of their companies’ FTTH networks to underserved markets in their respective regions and we believe are well-positioned to support Race’s accelerated growth in California as board members.

About Race Communications
Race Communications is a leading provider of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services, committed to delivering reliable, high-speed internet to communities across California. Founded in 1994, Race has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of communities and continues to expand its network to reach underserved and rural areas. Race is dedicated to bridging the digital divide and providing cutting-edge technology to all Californians.

About Oak Hill Capital
Oak Hill is a longstanding private equity firm focused on the North America middle-market. Oak Hill applies a specialized, theme-based approach to investing and implements a highly systematic approach to theme development, proactive origination, and value creation in partnership with management to build franchises of lasting value. Over the past 35+ years, Oak Hill and its predecessors have raised over $23 billion of initial capital commitments and co-investments and invested in over 110 companies. For more information, please visit www.oakhill.com.

About AB Private Credit Investors
Established in 2014, AB Private Credit Investors (AB-PCI) is AB’s private corporate credit platform. AB-PCI’s team of more than 80 professionals manages $19.2 billion of capital available for investment. AB-PCI’s Digital Infrastructure and Services team provides scalable and flexible credit solutions to support leveraged buyouts, network builds, acquisitions, and other growth initiatives to all sub-verticals in the digital infrastructure ecosystem.  The dedicated 9 person DIS team has committed nearly $5 billion to more than 50 sector companies.  Visit here for more information on AB-PCI.

For additional information or press inquiries please contact:
Kaitlin Colson
Director of Sales and Marketing
Race Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Race Communications