SAN FRANCISCO and ZURICH, Oct. 10, 2023 — Minds.ai, a pioneering company applying AI to semiconductor manufacturing optimization and autonomy, has secured a significant investment from Momenta. Minds.ai is poised to revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing by driving significant productivity and waste reduction advancements.

The World’s Most Expensive, Complex, and Productive Factories

Semiconductors are made in factories called ‘fabs.’ Building and outfitting a new fab cost as much as $20 billion. The latest fabs are heavily automated, with highly skilled workers augmented by robust software systems.

Last year, the semiconductor industry produced more transistors than the combined quantity of all goods produced by all other companies and industries in human history. Nothing else comes close. Fabricating ever-miniaturizing semiconductors has been the most significant engineering challenge of our time.

The potential of AI in the semiconductor industry

Semiconductor device makers have already begun their journey to generate value with AI. McKinsey believes that AI can contribute between $5 billion and $8 billion annually to earnings before interest and taxes across the industry. Within the next few years, AI could generate over $35 billion in value annually, and over the longer term, AI could contribute over $85 billion. The largest share of value creation will come from using AI to reduce semiconductor manufacturing costs and begin the move to Autonomous manufacturing.

The investment from Momenta

Recognizing the immense potential in semiconductor manufacturing, Momenta decided to invest in Minds.ai. With a strong commitment to optimizing efficiency, Minds.ai offers innovative solutions that revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing processes. Through the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, Minds.ai’s products are designed to address complex scheduling and resource allocation challenges faced by professionals in the industry.

“Minds.ai is privileged to count Momenta among our investors and board members, given their deep passion and engagement in smart manufacturing,” says Sumit Sanyal, Founder and CEO at minds.ai.

Michael Dolbec, Managing Partner of Momenta, said, “Minds.ai is pioneering deep commercial use of deep reinforcement learning for fab automation, with the potential to save hundreds of millions through productivity gains and waste reduction. They have a significant opportunity to transform semiconductor manufacturing.”

Jerry O’Gorman, VP at Advantech IIOT division, stated, “We are pleased to support this investment in Minds.ai. Our leading role in edge computing and IoT solutions gives us a deep appreciation for the value of semiconductor manufacturing operations and, thus, the potential for AI-powered optimization solutions. We see a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with Minds.ai to co-create solutions to address the huge investment in new semiconductor fabrication facilities in North America and Europe.”

This thirteenth investment from Momenta’s AIoT Ecosystem Fund, powered by Advantech, validates Minds.ai’s vision. The new funding will enable Minds.ai to extend its library of AI-enabled applications and expand its solutions to more fabs and geographies. 

About Minds.ai: For more information, please visit http://www.minds.ai.
About Advantech: For more information, please visit https://www.advantech.com.
About Momenta: For more information, please visit http://www.momenta.one.

Media Contact
Sandra Mueller, Momenta Partners AG, +41415620003, [email protected], https://www.momenta.one/

SOURCE Momenta

minds.ai Enables More Semiconductors to Be Produced Faster With Less Waste at a Lower Cost 

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Oct. 10, 2023 — minds.ai announced today that it has raised $5.3 million in seed funding to drive innovation in the application of AI in semiconductor manufacturing. The funding was led by Monta Vista Capital, with other investors, including Momenta joining the round. As part of the financing, minds.ai welcomes Venkatesh Shukla from Monta Vista Capital and Michael Dolbec from Momenta to its board of directors.

The CHIPS Act in the U.S. and the European Chips Act have highlighted the importance of semiconductor manufacturing as the most critical of all the smart manufacturing industry segments. McKinsey & Company predicts that semiconductor manufacturing will become a trillion-dollar industry by 2030. It’s also one of the most complex manufacturing processes in the world, requiring hundreds of process steps in hundreds of tools – with many dozens of scheduling, prediction and meeting of time constraints between steps in real time across the entire fab. That leads to the need for human intervention, but human capacity to make informed decisions in a complex and rapidly changing environment is limited, resulting in inefficiencies. Given the investment of tens of billions of dollars in modern fabs, every efficiency improvement has a significant impact on the bottom line.

To address the industry’s challenges, minds.ai is bringing its proven experience in applying deep learning to solve business and technical problems to dramatically improve the efficiency and productivity of large-scale semiconductor manufacturing processes. The minds.ai Maestro™ end-to-end solution integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, improving the efficiency and productivity of fab manufacturing processes using supervised learning, reinforcement learning and generative AI.

• Improved targeted key performance indicators: General managers and data science managers in semiconductor fabs will gain efficiencies in areas including throughput, fault detection and classification, preventive maintenance planning, reduction of wafer scraps and prediction of wafer lot processing times.
• Faster, more productive planning and investment: Business operations professionals can do capacity planning, product mix allocation, and capital investment planning and optimization quantitatively and more rapidly than with spreadsheets alone.
• Deep learning tools and established AI expertise: C-suite leaders can leverage minds.ai’s technology to assist with high-value programs ranging from product mix planning to demand forecasting and training of operators.

Venkatesh Shukla, Founder and General Partner of Monta Vista Capital, said: “Increasing the efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing operations is one of the most challenging programs in the industry. Traditional approaches don’t suffice and humans alone cannot make informed decisions using them. This is an intractable problem and minds.ai has created a solution portfolio with proven results for this sector.”

Michael Dolbec, Managing Partner of  Momenta, said: “With our focus on smart manufacturing, Momenta sought an investment to apply AI to semiconductor operations. We’ve found exactly that in the highly skilled team and groundbreaking product suite of minds.ai Maestro.”

Sumit Sanyal, CEO of minds.ai, said: “We’re on a mission to completely transform the semiconductor industry through the application of various deep learning techniques. These technologies are key to solving some of the biggest pain points in this sector, with the ability to deliver results that existing tools could never achieve. The investment from Monta Vista Capital and Momenta will help accelerate our journey.”

Additional resources:

Listen to Momenta’s Podcast “The Digital Thread” featuring

Sumit Sanyal: Podcast Link

About minds.ai
minds.ai dramatically improves the efficiency and productivity of semiconductor manufacturing processes. This includes enabling more semiconductor wafers to be produced faster with less waste at a lower cost, reducing the number of scraped wafers, and speeding up the design and planning processes. Founded in 2014, minds.ai is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Amsterdam and Bangalore. More information is available at https://minds.ai/

SOURCE minds.ai

FARMINGTON, Conn., Oct. 10, 2023 — Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: HRZN) (“Horizon”), an affiliate of Monroe Capital, and a leading specialty finance company that provides capital in the form of secured loans to venture capital-backed companies in the technology, life science, healthcare information and services, and sustainability industries, announced today that on September 15, 2023 it provided a $35 million venture loan facility to Mirantis, Inc. (“Mirantis”), of which $20 million has been initially funded.

Mirantis frees developers to create their most valuable code, building and managing open cloud software infrastructure, enabling enterprises across a wide range of industries to ship code more rapidly, notably improving the productivity and efficiency of developers. Through its use of open-source technologies, Mirantis leverages technology to allow organizations to automate, build, test, release and run modern software applications in the cloud. Mirantis serves more than 700 enterprise customers and supports 400,000 container nodes in production. Lens, Mirantis’ Kubernetes development platform, supports more than 50,000 companies and 1 million users. Mirantis is backed by top-tier investors including Intel Capital and Insight Partners. The company will use the loan proceeds for general growth and working capital.

“Mirantis eliminates the need for companies to devote vast resources to creating and managing their tech infrastructure,” said Gerald A. Michaud, President of Horizon. “Through its cloud infrastructure, Mirantis has developed a loyal base of Fortune 100 clients that are optimizing their IT efficiency and creating additional value for their customers. We are pleased to support Mirantis’ ongoing expansion.”

“Horizon’s support is a catalyst to help us pursue our growth strategy and accelerate our ability to empower enterprises to easily control and enhance their tech infrastructures,” said Adrian Ionel, Chief Executive Officer of Mirantis. “Mirantis is transforming how companies manage their IT infrastructure while greatly improving their efficiency and overall software development process, which ultimately increases their productivity and creativity.”

About Horizon Technology Finance
Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: HRZN), externally managed by Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC, an affiliate of Monroe Capital, is a leading specialty finance company that provides capital in the form of secured loans to venture capital backed companies in the technology, life science, healthcare information and services, and sustainability industries. The investment objective of Horizon is to maximize its investment portfolio’s return by generating current income from the debt investments it makes and capital appreciation from the warrants it receives when making such debt investments. Horizon is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut, with a regional office in Pleasanton, California, and investment professionals located throughout the U.S. Monroe Capital is a $17 billion asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, technology finance, venture debt, opportunistic, structured credit, real estate and equity. To learn more, please visit horizontechfinance.com. 

About Mirantis
Mirantis helps organizations ship code faster on public and private clouds, increasing developer productivity by removing the stress of managing infrastructure. The company combines intelligent automation and cloud native expertise to provide a ZeroOps approach to managing and operating Kubernetes and cloud environments. Mirantis delivers a public cloud experience on any infrastructure, from the data center to the edge, with one cohesive cloud experience for complete app and DevOps portability, a single pane of glass, and automated full-stack lifecycle management, all based on open source. 

Mirantis has a strong record of acquisitions – most recently, Shipa in January, amazee.io in July 2022, the staff behind Kontena in 2020, and Docker Enterprise in 2019 – and incorporating those companies’ technologies into the Mirantis product portfolio in order to boost developer productivity.

Mirantis serves many of the world’s leading enterprises, including Adobe, DocuSign, Inmarsat, PayPal, Reliance Jio, Societe Generale, Splunk, and S&P Global. Learn more at www.mirantis.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Horizon undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:
ICR
Garrett Edson
[email protected]
(860) 284-6450

Media Relations:
ICR
Chris Gillick
[email protected]   
(646) 677-1819

For Mirantis:
Joseph Eckert
Eckert Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Horizon Technology Finance Corporation

DOYLESTOWN, Pa., Oct. 10, 2023 — Korio, Inc., a pioneering technology-first Randomization & Trial Supply Management (RTSM) company, announced the successful conclusion of a $6.8 million funding round, aimed at catalyzing the widespread adoption of the company’s cutting-edge clinical trial software platform.

Excelerate Health Ventures, a leading digital health-focused venture capital firm, led the financing round with participation from syndicate partners Boston Millennia Partners and other strategic investors. The substantial infusion of capital positions Korio for significant expansion, enabling it to bolster its team and respond to increasing demand from life sciences and clinical research organizations. 

Founded in 2021 by industry veterans with a vision to revolutionize clinical trial management, Korio set out to challenge the status quo of complex, manual processes that have long plagued RTSM providers’ workflow and delivery models.

“For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has borne the brunt of short-sighted technology choices made by RTSM providers, hindering their ability to scale while meeting the evolving demands of clinical trials,” said Ryan Keane, Co-Founder and CEO of Korio. “Our approach is purpose-built to tackle these challenges, with a keen awareness of the rapid changes occurring in clinical development. With the support of our new investment partners, we are poised to scale our efforts significantly.”

Korio has recently formalized a strategic partnership with one of the world’s top 5 global biotechnology companies – adding to the roster of its customers – focusing on supporting clinical trials in personalized medicine. This partnership will also pave the way for innovative approaches to how clinical systems operate in this evolving landscape of clinical trial design.

Bobby Bahram, a partner at Excelerate Health Ventures, commended Korio’s advanced platform, stating, “Korio’s platform represents a quantum leap in enabling the realization of long-standing aspirations for RTSM, including feature reusability, process repeatability, system performance, and overall system quality. The Korio team’s unwavering commitment to elevating the site and sponsor experience in RTSM is truly remarkable, and we eagerly anticipate the next phase of their journey.”

About Korio

Korio’s mission is to empower individuals to accomplish more with clinical technology. By integrating the unique insights and expertise of the industry’s leading subject matter experts into our platform, Korio is reshaping the landscape of clinical trial setup and management. Korio’s platform instills confidence, streamlines processes, and consistently delivers predictable outcomes, all within shorter timeframes. In the ever-evolving world of clinical trials, we believe that Korio is your trusted co-pilot to success. For more information, visit  https://www.korioclinical.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn. 

SOURCE Korio, Inc.

• Während sich Y-Combinator (YC) aus Afrika zurückzieht, intensiviert Baobab seine Frühphasen-Investitionsstrategie in Afrika
• Neue Kohorten erhalten nach dem Start des Co-Investment-Vehikels von Baobab nun jeweils 100.000 US-Dollar (zuvor 50.000 US-Dollar)
• Das Portfolio von Baobab umfasst jetzt 45 Start-ups in 15 Ländern

NAIROBI, Kenia, LAGOS, Nigeria und LONDON, 10. Oktober 2023 — Baobab Network („Baobab”), ein Frühphaseninvestor und Accelerator, der Technologieunternehmen in ganz Afrika unterstützt, hat diese Woche angekündigt, bis 2033 in 1000 Unternehmen investieren zu wollen.

Seit dem Start seines Accelerators im Jahr 2019 ist Baobab einer der aktivsten Investoren in ganz Afrika, der seit dem ersten Tag lokal geführte Unternehmen unterstützt. Der Accelerator stellt jedem Unternehmen eine Finanzierung von 100.000 US-Dollar sowie einen 12-wöchigen Accelerator zur Verfügung, der jedes Unternehmen auf die Skalierung vorbereitet.

Toby Hanington (Mitbegründer von Baobab) erklärte bei der Bekanntgabe der jüngsten 5 Investitionen, dass Baobab nun über eine Plattform verfüge, mit der es die Anzahl der von ihm geprüften und durchgeführten Investitionen in ganz Afrika drastisch erhöhen könne.

Zur neuen Kohorte von Baobab zählen Brandrive, PocketFood und Bunce (alle Nigeria) sowie Kawu (Uganda) und Alal (Senegal). Jedes Unternehmen hat 50.000 US-Dollar direkt von Baobab erhalten und weitere 50.000 US-Dollar über das neu gegründete Co-Investment-Vehikel.

Der Rückzug von YC und andere Marktdynamiken, die Baobab optimistisch stimmen 

Afrika ist nicht immun gegen die globale Marktdynamik, doch Baobab bleibt weiterhin einer der aktivsten Pre-Seed-Investoren in Afrika. Baobab Network hat in diesem Jahr bereits 10 Geschäftsabschlüsse getätigt und im vierten Quartal wird eine weitere große Kohorte erwartet.

Darüber hinaus hat Baobab vor kurzem Niama El Bassunie als geschäftsführende Partnerin eingestellt, eine YC-Absolventin und eine der herausragendsten Unternehmerinnen Afrikas.

Baobab zählt eine Reihe weltweit führender Unternehmen, Institutionen und Investoren zu seinem Investorenstamm. Sie sind entschlossen, die Zukunft von Baobab als Multi-Produkt-Asset-Management-Plattform zu unterstützen und die nächste Generation von Technologieunternehmen in Afrika voranzutreiben.

Informationen zu Baobab Network 

Baobab Network ist ein Frühphaseninvestor und Accelerator, der Technologieunternehmen in ganz Afrika unterstützt. Baobab wurde 2016 gegründet und verfügt über Niederlassungen in Nairobi, Lagos und London. Baobab ist ein sektoral und geografisch agnostischer Investor in Afrika. Unternehmer, die am Baobab-Accelerator teilnehmen, erhalten eine Finanzierung in Höhe von 100.000 US-Dollar sowie Zugang zu einem globalen Netzwerk von Partnern und Co-Investoren. Die Vision von Baobab besteht im Aufbau eines Multi-Produkt-Investmentgeschäfts, das in den nächsten 10 Jahren in 1000 Start-ups in Afrika investiert. 

Wenn Sie weitere Informationen wünschen, Medienanfragen haben oder mit dem Baobab-Team in Kontakt treten möchten, senden Sie eine E-Mail, besuchen Sie unsere Website oder folgen Sie uns auf LinkedIn. E-Mail: team@thebaobabnetwork.com

© Baobab Network 2023 | Alle Rechte vorbehalten

SOURCE Baobab Network

MedTech FluidAI Medical secures funding to empower healthcare providers with data-driven insights to transform postoperative care.

KITCHENER, ON, Oct. 10, 2023 – FluidAI Medical (FluidAI), a pioneer in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for postoperative patient monitoring, today announced that it has raised $15 million in Series A funding, led by SOSV and Graphene Ventures with participation from Boutique Venture Partners, Threshold Impact, Cur8 Capital, Leva Capital, Kyto Technology & Life Science Inc., Juno Pharmaceuticals, and a number of esteemed angels, funds and government funding organizations.

Following any surgical intervention, there are inherent risks of adverse outcomes, irrespective of how minor or major the procedure may be. These complications can range from infections, bleeding, and wound healing issues to significant disability or death. They not only jeopardize the health and recovery of the patient but also place additional burdens on the healthcare system, including prolonged hospital stays and increased medical expenses. Recognizing these complications early on is paramount for the comprehensive care of surgical patients.

Some of the most devastating complications that can arise after surgery are anastomotic leaks, which occur after surgery when there’s a connection (anastomosis) between two parts of the digestive tract. A leak from this connection can lead to serious complications, including sepsis (blood infection) and death. On average, the leak rate stands at 8% across various types of surgeries, but this can spike to as high as 30% in more complex procedures. The condition also comes with a concerning average mortality rate of 12%. Per 1,000 patients undergoing colorectal surgery in the United States, anastomotic leaks add an extra 9,500 days of hospital care and impose an average additional cost of about $50,000 per affected patient.

FluidAI’s first solution, Stream™ Platform, uses advanced sensors and an AI-driven algorithm that may prompt surgeons to identify these leaks earlier, helping surgeons achieve better clinical outcomes and efficiencies within the greater healthcare system. FluidAI’s timely funding underscores the industry’s pressing need for innovative solutions that can ensure patient safety, reduce hospital stays, and ultimately cut down healthcare costs.

“This funding not only validates our vision but also fuels our mission. At FluidAI, our goal is to continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible in postoperative care, ensuring patients recover safely and quickly. With the trust and support of our investors, we’re poised to make a monumental impact on how data informs care decisions,” said Youssef Helwa, CEO at FluidAI.

“FluidAI is a perfect example of AI-powered proprietary sensing being developed to save lives,” said Duncan Turner, SOSV GP. “With FluidAI, surgeons can ensure better clinical outcomes, shorter hospital stays for patients, and cost efficiencies across the healthcare ecosystem. We’re thrilled to back the FluidAI team, a passionate group of scientists, engineers and healthcare professionals who are leading this compelling development in post-operative care.”

“FluidAI is pushing the frontiers of AI for early postoperative leak monitoring in a way that could save many lives by detecting leaks earlier than what surgeons are accustomed to seeing today. Our investment marks a pivotal step in revolutionizing medical technology. Together, we are committed to a healthier, brighter future for all,” said Nabil Borhanu, Founder & Managing Partner, Graphene Ventures

The investment will allow FluidAI to expand into existing and new global markets, grow its dynamic team, amplify R&D efforts, and introduce novel AI-driven solutions catering to a broader range of postoperative complications.

About FluidAI Medical

FluidAI (formerly known as NERv Technology Inc.) is a Canadian medical technology company that uses AI to aid with the early detection of postoperative leaks. From general to gastrointestinal surgeries, FluidAI’s mission is to empower healthcare providers with data-driven solutions that improve patient outcomes and advance postoperative care. To learn more about FluidAI and how the company is transforming postoperative care, please visit https://fluidai.md/.

About SOSV

SOSV is a global, multi-stage venture capital firm dedicated to funding deep tech startups focused on human and planetary health. Operating programs like HAX, IndieBio, and Orbit Startups in cities from New York to Tokyo, the firm has backed nearly 1000 startups in 60 countries. As of April 2023, SOSV’s top health startups boast a combined valuation of $6.47 billion. The firm manages a $277 million core Fund IV and a $100 million Select Fund for follow-on investments, along with the Genesis Consortium that provides extra funding for select life sciences startups. With a diverse team and a portfolio representing 84 nationalities, SOSV is committed to accelerating global innovation. Learn more at https://sosv.com/.

About Graphene Ventures

Graphene Ventures is a venture capital firm established in 2015, specializing in direct investments in private technology companies. With offices in Palo Alto, Toronto, São Paulo, and Riyadh, the firm has a global reach and is dedicated to helping its portfolio companies scale into multiple markets. The lean but experienced team at Graphene brings decades of expertise in growing high-impact startups, uniquely positioning them to identify promising teams and innovative companies. Learn more at https://graphenevc.com/.

SOURCE Fluid AI Medical

Dwellr is an online marketplace that directly connects families with the best senior communities tailored to the needs of their loved ones.

LINCOLN, Neb., Oct. 10, 2023 — Dwellr, a Nebraska-based startup, has secured $500,000 in funding, led by Move Venture Capital and Invest Nebraska. This initial round of funding allows founders Davey Owens and Drew Tuzson to publicly launch the online marketplace that is designed to transform the way families find senior care by offering a direct connection between seniors and their desired communities.

Dwellr was founded because the founders discovered that searching for senior living is an extremely antiquated experience in 2023. Most senior living communities are forced into using traditional referral services, meaning families are required to fill out convoluted online forms and receive cold calls and emails from communities across the state.

“Getting dozens of calls a day from senior communities within a 50-mile radius to schedule a tour is extremely stressful during an already sensitive time,” stated Owens, CEO of Dwellr. “So we created an experience similar to how Zillow works, but for senior living.”

Dwellr’s mission goes beyond simplifying searches. It challenges the status quo of referral services that often prioritize commissions over genuine senior needs. With its user-friendly interface and direct communication channels, Dwellr ensures families can make informed decisions with higher confidence.

“Dwellr provides a user-friendly and streamlined experience for consumers searching for senior living options in their local area,” stated Thomas Cloutier, CMO of Arete Living, a Dwellr customer. “Just as leading household rental companies have succeeded, I believe Dwellr has the potential to establish itself as a household name in the senior living industry.”

With its initial launch targeting cities in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado, Dwellr is gearing up to expand its services, aiming to set a new industry standard in senior care searches.

About Dwellr
Dwellr is an online marketplace revolutionizing the search for senior care facilities by offering a direct, transparent, and efficient platform that connects families with the best senior communities tailored to the needs of their loved ones.

Media Contact:
Davey Owens
Phone: (206) 293-7637
Email: davey@heydwellr.com

SOURCE Dwellr

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss., Oct. 10, 2023 — Evolution Space, a Mojave, Calif.-based solid propulsion and launch provider, announced today with NASA Stennis that it has signed an agreement and begun construction on the first-ever solid propulsion center and solid rocket motor testing at the historic NASA Stennis Space Center. The company also announced the close of its bridge funding round on the heels of multiple successful flight missions in April and May of this year, enabling the execution of the deal with Stennis.

Located near the iconic NASA test stands, the Evolution Space Propulsion Center will repurpose former Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant facilities acquired by NASA in 2011. The center is scheduled for active operations in Q2, 2024, and will host the company’s 200-gallon propellant mixer, provide propellant storage, and serve as an operational base for static fire testing using the E-3 Test Complex.

“By partnering with NASA, we are able to rapidly stand up a facility which will add considerable capability to the U.S. solid rocket motor industrial base” said Manny Ballestero, U.S. Army Veteran and Evolution’s VP of Production and Development. “We look forward to the future of our partnership as we continue to expand our presence at Stennis.”

The ability for efficient interfacing with Evolution’s growing testing and flight operations in the Gulf region, in partnership with The Spaceport Company, factored heavily into the company’s site selection process. The deal also doubles down on NASA’s growing support of the private spaceflight sector.

“This is another great addition to South Mississippi’s commercial space engagement,” said Dr. Rick Gilbrech, Director of NASA Stennis Space Center. “Evolution Space gains access to critical NASA Stennis infrastructure and expertise as it continues to build its propulsion capabilities. In turn, we continue frontline work with commercial companies as we support NASA’s commitment to increase access to space and grow our federal city. We look forward to working with Evolution Space.”

The selection of South Mississippi was a personal one for Steve Heller, Evolution’s Founder, CTO and Chief Executive Officer, who traces the very beginnings of the company back to his earliest propulsion work as a child in nearby Clarke County, Mississippi. “We’re stoked to be part of NASA’s mission to create jobs and fuel South Mississippi’s local economy, and selfishly the full-circle angle is a cool one for me,” Heller said. “Mississippi is where my rocket journey started, and now we’re back to kick things into high gear.”

ABOUT NASA STENNIS SPACE CENTER
NASA Stennis in south Mississippi, the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site and a growing aerospace and technology hub, has helped power American spaceflight since the mid-1960s.

ABOUT EVOLUTION SPACE
Evolution Space, based in Mojave, Calif., is a provider of rapidly-responsive solutions for the next generation of private spaceflight and defense. For more information visit www.evolutionspace.com. 

SOURCE Evolution Space

HUDDINGE, Sweden, Oct. 10, 2023 — XNK Therapeutics AB (“XNK”) today announced that it has applied for and been granted funding by Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova. The grant consists of SME support through the Competence Center for Next-generation NK Cell-based Cancer Immunotherapy (NextGenNK). The competence center is coordinated by the Karolinska Institutet and XNK has been a member since the center’s inception in 2020. The funding amounts to up to 1.7 million SEK over two years and will be used in a specific preclinical program in XNK’s project portfolio.

For more information, please contact:
Johan Liwing, CEO, XNK Therapeutics
Tel: +46 706 70 36 75
E-mail: [email protected]

About XNK Therapeutics AB

XNK Therapeutics is a clinical stage immunotherapy company focused on bringing new and more effective treatments to cancer patients. The company is at the forefront of autologous NK cell-based cell therapy development with a proprietary technology platform and a pipeline spanning both hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications. The most advanced product, evencaleucel, is in phase II studies in combination with the CD38 antibody isatuximab targeting multiple myeloma. Other programs include XNK02 in AML, currently in advanced preclinical studies in collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center, XNK03 in bladder cancer, currently in preclinical studies in collaboration with the Karolinska University Hospital and XNK04 in preclinical studies in collaboration with a global pharma. XNK’s efforts are supported by a dedicated team that include world-renowned NK cell experts and by an approved in-house GMP facility. XNK Therapeutics is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. For more info, please visit www.xnktherapeutics.com.

About NextGenNK

NextGenNK is a Competence Center for the development of next generation NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies. The Center is coordinated by Karolinska Institutet and collaborates with the Karolinska University Hospital and prominent national and international industrial partners. The Center was launched in 2020, and is jointly funded by Karolinska Institutet, the Industrial partners, and Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency.

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE XNK Therapeutics AB