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  <title>This LA Startup Wants Dealers to Fight Over Your Car</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:57:40 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-07-10T13:57:40Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[Deep Dive]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Happy Friday Los Angeles, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Selling a car is one of those modern processes that somehow still feels like it was designed to test your patience.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">You can list it yourself and deal with strangers from the internet. You can take the first online offer and wonder if you left money on the table. Or you can walk into a dealership and prepare for the emotional sport of negotiation.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://bidbus.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bidbus</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is trying to make that process feel a little less broken.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company raised a </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bidbus_were-thrilled-to-announce-our-15m-series-activity-7480261788186406912-2mdn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAESMPCQB172cFhV_lIk3VKQjd2c_vQi0NmI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$15M Series A</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led by Ibex Investors, with participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://mucker.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mucker Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, FJ Labs, Motley Fool Ventures, Data Point Capital, Walter Ventures and Yossi Levi, better known as the Car Dealership Guy.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Bidbus lets consumers submit their cars and have verified dealerships compete to buy them. Instead of a seller shopping the same car around manually, the platform turns the process into a competitive auction where dealers bid against each other for inventory.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That model is especially interesting right now because used cars remain one of the strangest corners of consumer commerce. The market is huge, the transaction is high-stakes and the average seller still has very little visibility into whether they are getting a fair price.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Bidbus says its marketplace can generate offers that are $2,000 to $3,000 higher than Carvana in some cases. That is the kind of delta that can make people pay attention, especially in a category where convenience often comes at the cost of leverage.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company is currently focused on California and Texas and plans to use the new funding to expand into more markets. The bigger question is whether it can make dealer competition feel as simple and trustworthy as the instant-offer platforms consumers already know.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For sellers, the pitch is easy to understand: make the dealers fight for your car, not the other way around.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">More from this week’s LA startup and venture scene below.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.edvisorly.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">EdVisorly</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $13.3M Series A led by Breachway Capital, with participation from U.S. News & World Report, Lumina Foundation, Strada Education Foundation, Motley Fool Ventures, Juvo Ventures and Zeal Capital Partners. The company builds AI-powered software that helps colleges and universities automate admissions, transcript processing, transfer credit evaluation and enrollment workflows, with the new funding going toward product innovation, engineering infrastructure and expanding its student-facing tools. </span><a class="link" href="https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/edtech-university-ai-platform-funding-edvisorly/?_gl=1*cgap7i*_gcl_au*MTg0MDYzMjAyMC4xNzc3NTY4ODk3*_ga*MTQ4MjUyNjYzLjE3Njk3MDk2Mzk.*_ga_97DKWJJNRK*czE3ODM2MjM1MDkkbzE1MSRnMSR0MTc4MzYyNTQzNSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.savisecurity.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Savi Security</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> launched its iOS and Android app to help families detect and avoid AI-powered scams and fraud, while also announcing $7M in seed funding led by Acrew Capital. The app uses behavioral AI to screen calls, texts, voicemails and suspicious messages before users engage, with features including text protection, voicemail screening, live call monitoring and a free scam-checking tool called Scamwise. The round also included participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://www.magnify.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Magnify Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, TTCER and Resolute Ventures. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/07/3323124/0/en/savi-security-launches-app-to-protect-families-from-ai-scams-and-fraud.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://up.partners/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP.Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://skapion.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Skapion’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $36M seed round alongside Khosla Ventures, with participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://www.fusion-vc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fusion VC</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Stratos Ventures, TBD VC and q Fund. Skapion is developing a counter-drone swarm defense system designed to address large-scale UAV attacks involving dozens or hundreds of drones operating at once. The company was founded in late 2025, has R&D operations in Ramat Gan and a headquarters in Washington, D.C., and plans to use the funding to expand engineering, system development, integration, testing and work with defense and government customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://techtime.co.il/2026/07/09/skapion/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://trousdale.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Trousdale Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.venusaero.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Venus Aerospace’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $91M Series B, which was led by Mercury Fund with backing from investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures. Houston-based Venus Aerospace is scaling its rotating detonation rocket engine technology after completing a U.S. flight test in 2025, with potential applications across hypersonic aircraft, defense systems, orbital vehicles and space propulsion. The funding will help move the company’s engine technology from prototype toward production. </span><a class="link" href="https://spacenews.com/venus-aerospace-raises-91-million-to-scale-rocket-engine-technology/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://kaon.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kaon AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Series B, backing the company’s push to build an AI-native content engine for brands and creators. Kaon AI is developing tools that combine deep computer science with mainstream culture, helping teams generate, personalize and distribute content for the generative AI era. The company plans to use the new funding to expand its platform, grow its team and support broader adoption across enterprise and creative customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/where-deep-computer-science-meets-mainstream-culture-kaon-ai-closes-series-b-to-define-content-engine-of-the-generative-ai-era-302820035.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://ulyssescap.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ulysses Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.pearlhealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pearl Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $110M capital raise, which included a $50M equity round led by Andreessen Horowitz and a $60M debt facility led by Trinity Capital. Pearl Health builds AI-powered technology for Medicare-focused providers, helping care teams manage risk, predict patient needs and automate workflows across value-based care. The company supports more than 10,000 providers across over 40 states and plans to use the new capital to expand its AI platform, Medicare Advantage offerings and provider partnerships. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/health-tech-deals/2026/07/07/pearl-health-raise-medicare-tech?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://wonderdoghealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wonderdog’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M pre-seed round alongside Maveron, with participation from Cultivate Next, Mars Petcare’s early-stage investment program. Hermosa Beach-based Wonderdog is building an AI-powered preventive health platform for dogs, using microbiome, blood and genetic testing to help identify health risks earlier and recommend personalized diet, supplement and care plans. The company plans to use the funding to scale its diagnostics platform, expand its AI tools and grow into new markets. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.finsmes.com/2026/07/wonderdog-secures-5m-in-pre-seed-funding.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.gordonmdglobalinvestment.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GordonMD Global Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cyllene-tx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cyllene Therapeutics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> €33M Series C alongside M Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Andera Partners, Bpifrance’s InnoBio 3 Fund and Lamond Ventures. Paris-based Cyllene, formerly known as EG 427, is developing precision genetic medicines using its non-replicating HSV-1 HERMES platform, with the funding going toward continued clinical development of EG110A for neuro-urology indications and broader pipeline expansion. The company plans to initiate a Phase 2b/3 study for EG110A in 2027. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cyllene-tx.com/web/DATA/20260707_Cyllene_Serie_C_CP_US.pdf?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonfirevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonfire Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.katalyzeai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Katalyze AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $10.5M seed round, with participation from Inovia Capital, Ripple Ventures, Alumni Ventures and angel investors including Gokul Rajaram and Farzad Soleimani. San Francisco-based Katalyze is building an agentic operating system for pharmaceutical companies, helping scientists, engineers and analysts deploy AI agents across scientific, engineering and manufacturing workflows. The company says its platform is already used by five of the 20 largest global pharma companies. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.katalyzeai.com/news/katalyze-ai-announces-10.5m-seed-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://strongvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Strong Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in Studio Kiko’s undisclosed Pre-A round for </span><a class="link" href="https://neardoc.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">NearDoc</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, alongside Smilegate Investment and Korea Investment Accelerator. NearDoc is an AI medical charting service that listens to doctor-patient conversations in real time and automatically generates completed SOAP notes for EMR systems, helping reduce physicians’ documentation burden. The company says NearDoc was adopted by more than 300 clinics and hospitals within two months of launch and plans to use the funding to recruit talent, advance the product into a clinical decision support system and expand into non-English-speaking Asian markets.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/article/stock-etc/2026070611223723895?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://foxhog.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Foxhog Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> invested $1.34M in </span><a class="link" href="http://fundingbazar.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FundingBazar.com</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a fintech platform building a digital marketplace to help startups, SMEs and businesses access capital. Currently in beta, </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><a class="link" href="https://FundingBazar.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FundingBazar.com</a></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> plans to connect companies with investors through both equity funding and revenue-based financing, while adding tools for investor discovery, digital documentation, due diligence and founder-investor communication. </span><a class="link" href="https://foxhog.vc/fundingbazar-com-raises-us-1-34-million-from-foxhog/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://marchcp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">March Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.together.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Together AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $800M Series C, alongside investors including Aramco Ventures, NVIDIA, Vista Equity, General Catalyst, Emergence Capital, SE Ventures, Pegatron, Salesforce Ventures, DTCP Growth, Lux Capital, Geodesic and others. Together AI provides infrastructure for open-source and custom AI, spanning inference, training, fine-tuning, GPU clusters and accelerated compute for companies building production AI applications. The company also secured commitments for more than 500 MW of compute capacity to support future growth. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.together.ai/blog/announcing-our-series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wavemaker360.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wavemaker360</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Health co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.maternamedical.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Materna Medical’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M B3 financing alongside InnovaHealth Partners and Band of Angels, with continued support from existing investors. Mountain View-based Materna is developing women’s pelvic health products, including Milli, an FDA-cleared vaginal dilator, and Ellora, an investigational obstetrical system designed to reduce pelvic floor muscle injury during vaginal delivery. The funding will support Materna’s EASE pivotal trial readout, Ellora launch preparations, market access work and commercial manufacturing capabilities. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260630642501/en/Materna-Announces-Successful-%245-Million-B3-Financing-to-Support-Transformational-Year-Ahead?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.civ.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CIV</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://1001.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">1001’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $30M Series A, which was led by Lux Capital with participation from Sanabil Investments, 9Yards, Hanabi and existing backers including General Catalyst. Dubai- and London-based 1001 is building sovereign AI operating systems for critical infrastructure sectors such as aviation, ports, logistics, energy and industrial operations, helping operators automate decisions while keeping AI systems locally owned and governed. The company plans to use the funding to expand engineering and go-to-market teams across key GCC markets. </span><a class="link" href="https://1001.ai/blog/series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fifthwall.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fifth Wall</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.higharc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Higharc’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $95M Series C, which was led by Insight Partners with additional backing from Wellington Management and existing investors including Spark Capital, Lux Capital, SE Ventures, Simpson Strong-Tie, PSP Partners, RXR Arden Digital Ventures, Suffolk Technologies, Vertex Ventures, NC Tweener Fund and MetaProp. Higharc builds AI software for homebuilding, generating homes as 3D spatial data so builders and suppliers can better manage design, estimating, sales and construction workflows. The new funding brings Higharc’s total raised to more than $170M and will support AI product development and expansion into building materials supply chain workflows through a new partnership with US LBM. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.higharc.com/newsroom/higharc-95m-series-c-for-homebuilding-ai?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=series-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.storyhousevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">StoryHouse Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is an existing investor in </span><a class="link" href="https://pvxpartners.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">PvX Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which secured a new $5M equity investment from MIT to expand its user acquisition financing platform for consumer apps and mobile games. Singapore-based PvX uses its machine learning system, PvX Lambda, to evaluate marketing and performance data before underwriting user acquisition campaigns, giving app companies an alternative to traditional venture capital or lending. The company has now surpassed $750M in committed user acquisition financing. </span><a class="link" href="https://e27.co/singapore-based-pvx-lands-mit-investment-to-fund-the-next-wave-of-app-user-acquisition-20260630/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.8090.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">8090 Labs’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $135M Series A, which was led by Salesforce Ventures with additional backing from Craft Ventures, The Production Board and Launch. Founded by Chamath Palihapitiya, 8090 Labs is building Software Factory, an AI coding agent designed for enterprise engineering teams that need production-quality software, audit trails and controls rather than quick prototypes. Palihapitiya is also stepping in as CEO. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/29/chamath-palihapitiya-raises-135m-series-a-for-his-ai-coding-startup-takes-ceo-role/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://multiball.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Multiball Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.nebex.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nebex’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $30M seed round, which was led by GV, as the company builds market infrastructure for the global space economy. Nebex connects sovereign space programs with the founders and companies building space technologies, while also announcing a banking relationship with J.P. Morgan to support revenue, cash flow and transaction infrastructure for space-sector deals. The company was founded by former Axiom Space executives and entrepreneurs Tejpaul Bhatia and Anand Subramanian. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260629317768/en/Nebex-Raises-%2430M-Seed-Round-Led-by-GV-to-Build-Market-Infrastructure-for-the-Global-Space-Economy?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://versedskin.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Versed</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the clean skincare and makeup brand founded by Katherine Power, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.bellebrands.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Belle Brands</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a platform company formed by consumer-focused private investment firm Windsong Global. Versed will join JVN Hair, Pipette and KVD Beauty under Belle Brands, with CEO Andy Chiu supporting the transition. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/belle-brands-acquires-versed-302821434.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-wants-dealers-to-fight-over-your-car"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=2473349b-e2f9-4f1e-ad9a-69ac0b96d773&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Not Every Robot Wants Your Job</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/not-every-robot-wants-your-job</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/not-every-robot-wants-your-job</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:36:30 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-06-26T16:36:30Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Happy Friday Los Angeles, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">When people talk about the robotics boom, the conversation usually turns to warehouses, defense, humanoids or automation.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">But one Los Angeles company is building a very different kind of robot.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://tombot.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tombot</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a local companion robotics startup, </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622330098/en/Tombot-Closes-%247-Million-Series-A3-Growth-Financing-to-Scale-Operations-and-Expand-Companion-Robotics-Product-Line?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">closed a $7 million Series A3 round</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> with participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://caduceus.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Caduceus Capital Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, </span><a class="link" href="https://www.wavemaker360.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wavemaker 360</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the </span><a class="link" href="https://www.lfltl.org/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and Florida Community Health Network to scale production of Jennie, its robotic companion dog. The product is designed for older adults, people with dementia, children with autism and others who may benefit from the emotional comfort of a pet but cannot safely or practically care for a real animal.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">It is a quieter kind of robotics story, but a revealing one.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The most common vision of the robotics future is built around productivity: robots that move boxes, patrol borders, assemble parts or perform repetitive tasks. Tombot is aiming at something more personal. Its bet is that robots will not only help people work faster, but also help them feel less alone.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That makes the company part of a broader shift in robotics, where the question is not just “What can a machine do?” but “What role can it play in someone’s daily life?”</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The need is real. Aging populations, caregiver shortages and rising demand for dementia care are putting pressure on families and health systems. At the same time, many people who would benefit from animal companionship cannot manage feeding, walking, grooming, vet bills or the safety risks that come with a live pet.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/3d5788e1-8c16-4ed7-bfc4-80b390e630c9/Tombot_127.jpeg?t=1782491106"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Tombot</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Tombot’s answer is a robotic dog that behaves like a companion, not a gadget. Jennie is designed to respond to touch, voice and interaction, giving users some of the emotional benefits of pet ownership without the responsibilities of caring for a living animal.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Southern California’s robotics scene is often viewed through the lens of defense, drones, aerospace and manufacturing. Those categories are important. But LA also has deep advantages in design, storytelling, entertainment, consumer products and human-centered technology. A companion robot sits at the intersection of all of those things.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">It has to work technically. But it also has to feel right. The movement, expression, texture and emotional cues matter. This is where robotics starts to look less like pure engineering and more like product design, character development and trust-building.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The broader robotics market is still difficult. Hardware is expensive. Manufacturing is hard. Consumer expectations are high. And companion robots have historically been a tricky category, with plenty of hype and uneven adoption.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">But Tombot’s traction suggests there may be real demand for robots that solve emotional and caregiving problems, not just operational ones. The company says it has built a large waitlist as it moves toward commercialization, giving it a chance to test whether companion robotics can move from novelty to necessity.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The bigger takeaway is that LA’s robotics future may not fit into one box.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Some companies will build for the battlefield. Some will build for factories. Some will build for space. And some, like Tombot, will build for the living room, the care facility and the family trying to support someone they love.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The robotics boom is often framed as a story about replacing human labor.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This one is about supporting human care.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">More from this week’s LA startup and venture scene below.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.cosm.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cosm</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> received a $100M strategic investment from Sony Pictures Entertainment, with Sony taking a minority stake as the lead investor in Cosm’s Series C financing round. Cosm operates immersive “Shared Reality” venues that use dome-shaped LED screens for live sports, concerts and entertainment experiences, and the funding will support venue expansion and new technology initiatives across sports and entertainment. Sony Pictures CEO Ravi Ahuja will join Cosm’s board as part of the deal. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cosm.com/news/sony-pictures-entertainment-announces-100m-strategic-investment-in-cosm-to-accelerate-the-next-era-of-immersive-entertainment?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Pasadena-based </span><a class="link" href="https://sophia.space/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sophia Space</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> finalized a $7M SAFE financing round, bringing its total funding to $22M. The round included participation from EverGreen, The NVIDIA Alumni Investment Network, SparkLabs Group and other strategic investors, with the new capital going toward product development, engineering and commercial hiring, partnerships and deployment across government, commercial and international markets. Sophia Space is building AI-powered infrastructure and intelligent systems for the space economy, including autonomous computing capabilities for orbital and terrestrial environments. </span><a class="link" href="https://sophia.space/news/sophia-space-announces-7-million-safe-financing-bringing-total-funding-to-22-million?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.soundventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sound Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.warp.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Warp’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $60M Series B, which was led by Battery Ventures with additional backing from Peak XV and Y Combinator. Warp is building an AI-native employee management platform for payroll, benefits, compliance, onboarding, offboarding and workforce operations, with the new funding bringing its total raised to $85M. The company says the capital will support deeper AI agents, expanded tax and compliance infrastructure, a broader product suite and more customer support. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.warp.co/b?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://mucker.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mucker Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://zave.app/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zave’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> ₹4.7 crore bridge round, which was led by Inflection Point Ventures. Zave is building an AI-native shopping assistant that helps consumers discover products, compare prices and make purchase decisions across Amazon, Flipkart and more than 5,000 brand websites. The company plans to use the funding to strengthen its AI product, improve platform reliability and scalability, and support continued user growth. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.indianstartuptimes.com/investment/ai-shopping-assistant-startup-zave-raises-rs-4-7-crore-in-bridge-round-led-by-inflection-point-ventures/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://seltz.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Seltz’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $12.5M seed round alongside Speedinvest, with participation from Future Present, Italian Founders Fund, Arc Investors, United Ventures, Vento Ventures, Mango Capital, 2100 Ventures and Future Back Ventures. Seltz is building web search infrastructure for AI agents, designed for the way agents query the internet: running long, parallel searches, pulling full documents and accessing live web context. The company plans to use the funding to scale its index to tens of billions of documents and build out engineering, sales and marketing. </span><a class="link" href="https://seltz.ai/blog/seed-round-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Technology Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.caplight.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Caplight’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $16M Series A, which was led by BlackRock and Fin Capital, with strategic participation from UBS Investment Bank. San Francisco-based Caplight is building data, trading and workflow infrastructure for private markets, including secondary market pricing, institutional trading, company and investor intelligence, and AI-powered venture deal sourcing. The company says the new funding will help expand its role in rebuilding the rails for venture capital as private markets become larger, more liquid and more complex. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.caplight.com/insights/venture-capital-outgrew-its-rails-it-s-time-to-rebuild-them?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://macventurecapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MaC Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.coval.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Coval’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $28M Series A, which was led by Norwest with backing from Base10 Partners, Twilio Ventures, Y Combinator and others. San Francisco-based Coval builds simulation, evaluation and monitoring infrastructure for voice and chat AI agents, helping enterprises test and improve autonomous agents before and after deployment. The company works with more than 60 organizations, including Zoom and Deepgram. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.coval.ai/blog/coval-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cadence.care/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cadence’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $100M Series C, which was led by Spark Capital with additional backing from Thrive Capital, General Catalyst, Coatue, Corewell Health Ventures, Memorial Hermann and Duke Health. Cadence is a clinical AI company automating chronic care for older adults through supervised AI agents that monitor patient vitals, surface risks and coordinate care between visits. The company now works with more than 20 health systems, treats over 100,000 active patients and will use the funding to expand across new health systems, advance its AI agents and grow value-based care models. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cadence.care/post/cadence-raises-100m-series-c-led-by-spark-capital-to-automate-chronic-care?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.partly.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Partly’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M Series B, which was led by DST Global Partners. Partly is building AI-powered infrastructure for the auto repair industry, helping repairers, insurers and parts suppliers identify and source the right vehicle parts as cars become more complex. The new funding will support Partly’s push to bring frontier AI into repair workflows and reduce friction across the global replacement parts market. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/partly-has-raised-a-us50m-series-b-led-share-7475181288124235776-zp_g/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAFTH2FQB1MBe1wHKEvChCRtF2ghhWuNafmQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://doepfnercapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Döpfner Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://stark-defence.com/en?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stark Defence’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> €500M funding round, which was backed by major investors including Sequoia Capital and Founders Fund and valued the German drone company at roughly €3.2B to €3.5B. Stark develops unmanned defense systems, including loitering munitions, and plans to use the funding to expand R&D and manufacturing capacity across Europe. The raise comes as European defense tech continues attracting significant investor interest amid rising military spending and demand for autonomous systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-23/sequoia-founders-fund-back-german-drone-startup-stark-at-3-5-billion-valuation?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://smashcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Smash Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://redo.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Redo’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $81M Series B, with participation from existing investors Pelion Venture Partners and Cervin Ventures, valuing the commerce technology company at a reported $1.25B. Draper, Utah-based Redo started in returns and exchanges but has expanded into a broader post-purchase and AI-powered commerce platform covering order tracking, package protection, fulfillment, customer service, marketing and shopper engagement. The funding will support product development, AI initiatives and international expansion. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/23/3316439/0/en/redo-announces-81-million-series-b-to-support-commerce-technology-expansion.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wavemaker360.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wavemaker 360</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Health participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.chemtbio.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ChemT Biotechnology’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4M seed round, which was led by Wavemaker Ventures with participation from co-investment partner SEEDS. Singapore-based ChemT has raised $5M total in 18 months and is building AI infrastructure for biomanufacturing, including its CelMo virtual cell platform, which helps manufacturers model and guide cell behavior to improve biologics production, scalability and cost. The funding will support expansion of ChemT’s AI and experimental infrastructure, advancement of its molecular products toward GMP standards and broader commercial partnerships. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chemt-biotechnology-raises-us5-million-in-18-months-to-bring-ai-to-biomanufacturing-302806228.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://thenewbar.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The New Bar</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a Venice-born non-alcoholic beverage discovery platform, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://thezeroproof.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Zero Proof</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. The deal combines The New Bar’s hospitality, live events and cultural partnerships with The Zero Proof’s national e-commerce, owned brand portfolio and retail distribution platform. The New Bar’s leadership will join The Zero Proof, with founder Brianda Gonzalez becoming Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-zero-proof-acquires-the-new-bar-creating-one-of-the-most-comprehensive-brand-and-distribution-platforms-in-adult-non-alcoholic-beverages-302809453.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-every-robot-wants-your-job"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=de4a3f56-29fb-4bce-98e2-c9d1c3bcc9d4&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>Snap May Have Finally Found AR’s Moment</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:25:58 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-06-19T16:25:58Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
    <div class='beehiiv'><style>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.snap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Snap</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has spent years trying to make augmented reality feel less like a demo and more like a daily habit. This week, it introduced its latest attempt.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">At Augmented World Expo, Santa Monica-based Snap </span><a class="link" href="https://newsroom.snap.com/introducing-specs-augmented-reality-glasses?lang=en-US&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">unveiled SPECS</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, its new standalone augmented reality glasses. The device is designed to bring AI assistance, work tools, entertainment and shared experiences into the physical world without requiring a phone, puck or tether.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The pitch is not simply “screens on your face.” Snap is trying to position SPECS as a different kind of computer: one that can understand what you are looking at, respond to your surroundings and make AI useful in the moment. That could mean directions placed where you need them, a virtual workspace that travels with you or AI assistance that sees the same context you do.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The developer piece may be just as important as the hardware. Snap says developers have already built hundreds of Lenses for SPECS, and the company is rolling out new tools inside Lens Studio, including agentic development support through Claude Code, Codex and Cursor, a new Native Development Kit and a spatial benchmark for AR experiences.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That matters because AR has always had a chicken-and-egg problem: impressive demos, but not enough everyday reasons to wear the device. Snap is trying to solve that by building not only the glasses, but the software, developer tools, operating system, computer vision stack and creative ecosystem around them.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/27e5362f-5d49-442b-bcd0-ab0006766e5a/SME_26001_0010_077_v4_11_QC.jpg?t=1781886173"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Specs</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.specs.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SPECS</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> are available for pre-order at $2,195, with a $200 refundable deposit, and are expected to ship this fall in the U.S., U.K. and France.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For Snap, the bigger question is whether augmented reality can finally move from developer demos and futuristic keynote moments into something people actually want to use. SPECS are its latest answer, but the real test will be whether developers can build experiences useful enough to make the glasses feel less like a gadget and more like a habit.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">More from this week’s LA startup and venture scene below.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://criticalenergy.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Critical Energy</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $19M in seed funding co-led by </span><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and Susa Ventures, and also secured $3M in venture debt from Silicon Valley Bank, bringing its total early capital to $22M. Founded by SpaceX alum Spencer Jackson, the company is adapting rocket-engine-style turbomachinery for modular geothermal power plants and plans to use the funding to build its first 2.5 MW project. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/17/spacex-alum-nabs-22m-to-turn-rocket-engines-into-geothermal-power-plants/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="http://www.group11.vc?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Group 11</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.dreamgroup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Dream’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $260M funding round alongside Bicycle Capital, with participation from Antler, Bain Capital Ventures, Tru Arrow Partners and other investors. Dream builds sovereign AI and cyber defense technology for governments and critical infrastructure operators, with the new funding valuing the company at $3B and bringing total funding to $412M. The company plans to use the capital to expand its national cyber defense and AI platforms across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dream-raises-260m-and-reveals-its-sovereign-ai-for-nations-302804223.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.undeterredcapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Undeterred Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://portal.bio/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Portal Biotechnologies’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $9M financing round, which was led by NFX with backing from existing investors including IA Ventures, Pear VC, IKJ Capital and TechU Ventures. Watertown-based Portal is building cell engineering infrastructure for drug discovery, AI data generation and cell therapy manufacturing, using its mechanoporation platform to deliver RNA, gene editors and other molecules into hard-to-transfect cells. The company also expanded its DARPA work through an Embedded Entrepreneur Initiative contract tied to point-of-care cell therapy manufacturing and says its platform has been adopted by more than 100 customer sites. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260618787432/en/Portal-Biotechnologies-Accelerates-Growth-with-Latest-Round-Led-by-NFX-Expanded-DARPA-Contract-and-Broad-Adoption-Across-Top-Pharma-and-Academic-Centers?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.tracefinance.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Trace Finance’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $32M Series A, which was led by CoinFund with backing from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, Jump Crypto, Valor Capital, Paxos, HOF Capital and others. Trace Finance is building regulated banking and stablecoin infrastructure for cross-border payments across Brazil, the U.S. and emerging markets, combining local payment rails, FX, compliance operations and stablecoin settlement. The company has processed more than $10B in institutional cross-border volume and will use the funding to expand product capabilities and grow across LatAm, APAC and other priority markets.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.tracefinance.com/series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://vedanatx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vedana Therapeutics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $46M Series A, which was co-led by Westlake BioPartners and Canaan Partners, with additional participation from Dawn Biopharma. Seattle-based Vedana is developing next-generation preventive migraine therapies, including antibody-based treatments targeting PACAP and CGRP pathways, with the funding going toward advancing its internally discovered portfolio of subcutaneously delivered antibodies. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260617177215/en/Vedana-Therapeutics-Launches-With-%2446-Million-Series-A-Financing-to-Advance-Next-Generation-Migraine-Therapies?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fulcrumvg.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fulcrum Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://highgroundai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HighGround’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $6.5M seed round, which was led by Next Frontier Capital with additional backing from Tandem Ventures and Context Ventures. HighGround is building an intelligence platform for defense and aerospace capital markets, helping investors, operators and advisors analyze government spending, procurement signals, deal risks and market demand. The funding will support expanded data coverage and deeper analytical models for defense-focused investment and business development workflows.</span><a class="link" href="https://highgroundai.com/resources/highground-6-5m-seed-funding?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonfirevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonfire Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://vali.health/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vali Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $6M funding round, alongside Supernode, Comma Capital and healthcare industry veteran Jacquelyn Kung. San Francisco-based Vali Health is building responsible AI infrastructure for healthcare, helping providers and health systems evaluate, monitor and safely deploy AI tools across clinical and administrative workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=356384&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.conkarta.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Karta’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M Series A, which was led by Galaxy Ventures, with additional backing from Canary and Illuminate Financial. Miami-based Karta is building a WhatsApp-first premium U.S. credit card for non-U.S. clients, helping global travelers with U.S. bank or brokerage accounts access dollar-denominated spending power without needing a traditional U.S. credit history. The company also secured a $125M credit facility from Community Investment Management, bringing its total new financing to $140M. </span><a class="link" href="https://fortune.com/2026/06/17/karta-15-million-whatsapp-run-us-credit-cards-global-travelers/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://triveni.bio/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Triveni Bio’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $65M Series C, which was co-led by Ascenta Capital and Janus Henderson Investors, with significant participation from Deep Track Capital. Watertown-based Triveni is developing antibody treatments for immunological and inflammatory disorders, with the funding going toward expanding clinical development of TRIV-573, its bispecific antibody targeting atopic dermatitis, including a larger Phase 2 proof-of-concept study expected to begin later this year. </span><a class="link" href="https://triveni.bio/triveni-bio-raises-65-million-series-c-financing-to-expand-scope-of-first-in-class-bispecific-triv-573-clinical-studies-and-drive-next-stage-company-growth/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.xdof.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">XDOF’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $70M funding round, alongside investors including Thrive Capital, Spark Capital, a16z and Lux Capital. XDOF is building robotics data infrastructure for AI labs, handling the unglamorous but critical work of collecting, labeling and organizing real-world robot training data. The company says it already works with about 20 customers, including several frontier AI labs. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/17/collecting-robot-training-data-is-dirty-unglamorous-work-some-ai-labs-are-already-paying-xdof-to-do-it/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fika.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fika Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.subbase.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SubBase’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7M Series A, which was led by FINTOP and brings the company’s total funding to more than $15M. Ft. Lauderdale-based SubBase is a construction materials procurement platform that helps specialty trade contractors and self-performing general contractors manage pricing requests, orders, supplier communication, delivery tracking and invoice reconciliation in one system. The company plans to use the funding to expand product and engineering, deepen supplier integrations and build more AI-driven workflow and intelligence features. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/17/3313616/0/en/subbase-raises-7-million-series-a-to-further-grow-and-scale-its-construction-materials-procurement-platform.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.bland.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bland’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M Series C, which was led by Dell Technologies Capital with additional participation from HubSpot Ventures, Archerman Capital and Tribeca Venture Partners. San Francisco-based Bland builds voice AI agents for complex phone, SMS and chat conversations, with a focus on longer, high-stakes workflows in regulated industries like healthcare and financial services. The round brings Bland’s total funding to more than $100M. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/today-were-sharing-that-weve-closed-a-ugcPost-7472694484300918784-oqEP/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAD4lVWEBe7CUKjsTEgW4w6nIGNpiTO1Td3I" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.impatient.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Impatient Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.traysar.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Traysar’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M seed round, which was led by Silent Ventures and included backing from Lux Capital, Ora Global, NeverLift VC, Mana, New Vista, Entree Capital and angel investors. Traysar emerged from stealth at the 2026 Reindustrialize Summit as a subterranean defense tech company building autonomous “subterra” platforms designed to detect, penetrate and secure underground environments. The company says its technology is aimed at addressing underground military facilities and other hard-to-reach subsurface domains. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/traysar-raises-25m-seed-emerges-from-stealth-at-reindustrialize-as-the-worlds-first-subterranean-defense-tech-company-302802698.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://macventurecapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MaC Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.joinswsh.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Swsh’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4M seed round, which was led by Game Changers Ventures with additional backing from Stellation Capital, SignalFire and angel investors including Scooter Braun and Guy Oseary. Swsh is building an AI-powered fan engagement platform for live events, helping artists, teams and brands organize fan-captured photos and videos while turning that content into audience insights and first-party engagement data. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/scooter-braun-and-guy-oseary-among-backers-of-swsh-which-has-raised-4m-to-turn-fan-captured-live-content-into-data/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.solarsquare.in/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SolarSquare Energy’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $53M Series C, backing the Mumbai-based residential rooftop solar company as investor interest grows in India’s home solar market. The round valued SolarSquare at roughly $450M–$500M and included participation from existing investors including Lightspeed, Lowercarbon Capital, Rainmatter by Zerodha and Good Capital. SolarSquare plans to use the funding to expand into new cities, strengthen its technology platform and scale operations. </span><a class="link" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/startups/b-capital-leads-solarsquares-50-55-million-round-at-500-million-valuation/articleshow/131676087.cms?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mavidahealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mavida Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a digital mental health company focused on women and families, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.wpshealthsolutions.com/index.shtml?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WPS Health Solutions</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. The deal expands WPS’ digital health capabilities with Mavida’s virtual therapy, medication management and specialized mental health support across fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, loss, parenting and menopause. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.wpshealthsolutions.com/news/?p=wps-announces-acquisition-of-mavida-health-expanding-digital-mental-health-capabilities-for-women-and-families&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.vica-ai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vica</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, an AI video startup focused on helping small businesses create cinematic-quality marketing content, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://addi.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Addi</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. The acquisition brings Vica’s AI video capabilities into Addi’s growth platform for Main Street businesses, which combines financial intelligence with marketing tools to help small businesses attract and retain customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prweb.com/releases/addi-merges-financial-intelligence-and-ai-marketing-to-fuel-small-business-growth-debuts-proprietary-adbyte-302801940.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://gatemakercommunity.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GateMaker</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a female-founded influencer marketing agency, was added to </span><a class="link" href="https://www.residence.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Residence</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the Los Angeles-based global network of independent creative companies. The deal brings GateMaker’s creator economy expertise across paid, earned and owned influencer relationships into Residence’s broader creative network, which also includes companies like BUCK, OK COOL, Giant Ant, Part & Sum and Wild. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/residence-adds-gatemaker-bringing-creator-economy-expertise-to-its-growing-creative-network-302800263.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.gavel.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Gavel</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, an AI-native legal tech company used by legal professionals to draft, review and automate legal work in Microsoft Word and on the web, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.relativity.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Relativity</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. The deal will bring Gavel’s drafting, redlining and document automation tools into Relativity’s legal data intelligence platform, allowing work product created in RelativityOne and Relativity aiR to be edited in Microsoft Word while syncing back to the underlying matter data. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://relativity.com/news-events/relativity-acquires-gavel-to-extend-its-ai-platform-for-legal-data-intelligence-into-microsoft-word/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-may-have-finally-found-ar-s-moment"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=1e4262bc-769b-4a5c-9eab-b1b468d21141&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Evotrex Raises $30M to Electrify the RV</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:18:03 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-06-12T16:18:03Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The RV has not changed much in decades: tow it, park it, plug it in and hope the campground has enough power. Evotrex is betting the next version should act less like a trailer and more like a mobile energy system.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://www.evotrex.com/blogs/evotrex/evotrex-raises-30-million-series-a-to-accelerate-production-of-the-evotrex-pg5-electric-rv-trailer?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Evotrex raised a $30M Series A</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its total funding to $46M, to accelerate production of its Evotrex-PG5 electric RV trailer. The round included participation from GSR United Capital, Forebright Concerto Capital, Unique Capital, Pegasus Capital, TTGG Ventures, ChunJia Capital, Thundersoft and other investors.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The PG5 is designed as both an RV and a mobile power platform, combining onboard power generation, energy storage and intelligent energy management in one off-grid trailer. In other words, Evotrex is not just selling a place to sleep outdoors. It is building a rolling power system for camping, remote work, events, mobile businesses and backup energy.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The timing lines up with a few bigger trends at once: EV adoption, off-grid travel, distributed energy and consumers treating vehicles as extensions of the home. That puts Evotrex at the intersection of several hard categories: vehicles, energy storage, consumer hardware and outdoor lifestyle.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company plans to use the funding for final product development, automotive-standard testing and validation, and production preparation ahead of planned customer deliveries in 2027. Starting in Q4 2026, Evotrex expects to begin testing across towing, range, braking, lateral stability, structural durability, water exposure and regulatory compliance.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That testing phase matters. It is one thing to create a sleek prototype. It is another to build something that can be towed, powered, lived in and trusted far from a charging station or service center.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Evotrex says roughly 90% of its order book is for the fully loaded Premium trim, priced at $159,990, which it plans to prioritize for initial deliveries. That suggests early buyers are treating the PG5 less like a basic camper and more like a high-end mobile living product.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now Evotrex has to prove the hardest thing in hardware: that the product works as well on the road as it does in the renderings.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">More from this week’s LA startup and venture scene below.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://poetic.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Poetic</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $50M Series A led by Kleiner Perkins to scale its enterprise AI automation platform. Formerly known as Forge, the company builds software that “learns like AI but runs like code,” helping automate complex, high-stakes business processes across areas like financial services, insurance, healthcare and other regulated industries. The funding will support product development, hiring and broader customer deployment. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/poetic-raises-50m-series-a-to-automate-the-worlds-most-complex-enterprise-processes-with-reliable-ai-302796939.html?tc=eml_cleartime&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://withleaf.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Leaf Agriculture</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $13M Series B led by Leaps by Bayer and a group of industry strategic investors. The agtech company helps agriculture businesses clean, structure and manage farm data from machinery, soil labs, weather stations, satellites and farm management systems so they can build AI tools and analytics on top of it. The funding will support Leaf’s push to become a core data infrastructure layer for agribusiness.. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/today-were-announcing-leafs-13m-series-ugcPost-7470514942207692800-X92-/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAD4lVWEBe7CUKjsTEgW4w6nIGNpiTO1Td3I" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://UP.Partners?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP.Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.coram.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Coram AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $35M Series B, which was co-led by Ansa Capital and Battery Ventures, with additional backing from 8VC and Mosaic Ventures. Sunnyvale-based Coram AI turns existing security infrastructure, including cameras, badge readers, visitor logs and emergency systems, into an AI-powered physical security platform that helps organizations detect incidents, investigate footage and respond faster. The company has now raised $66M total and is deployed across more than 1,500 sites in North America. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.coram.ai/post/coram-series-b-fundraise?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://smashcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Smash Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.digitalasset.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Digital Asset’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">s $355M funding round, which was led by a16z crypto and included backing from major financial institutions and investors including ADIA, Apollo Funds, BNP Paribas, Citadel Securities, Coinbase Ventures, HSBC, Polychain, SoFi, Tradeweb and others. Digital Asset is the creator of Canton, a public layer-one blockchain built for regulated financial markets, and will use the funding to expand Canton’s ecosystem across tokenization, settlement, payments, collateral mobility and other institutional finance workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://blog.digitalasset.com/press-release/digital-asset-355m-funding-canton-capital-markets?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://sonothera.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SonoThera’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $125M Series B, which was led by Vida Ventures and included backing from ARK Invest, CureDuchenne Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, UCB Ventures, Vivo Capital, ARCH Venture Partners, RA Capital and others. SonoThera is developing ultrasound-mediated, nonviral genetic medicines designed to deliver DNA and RNA payloads without traditional viral vectors, with the funding going toward advancing its lead programs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease into the clinic. </span><a class="link" href="https://sonothera.com/sonothera-closes-oversubscribed-125-million-series-b-financing-to-advance-clinical-development-of-ultrasound-mediated-nonviral-genetic-medicines/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wavemaker360.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wavemaker 360</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.lium.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lium’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.5M seed round, alongside SJF Ventures, Reach Capital and GC&H Investments. Formerly known as Astromind, Dallas-based Lium is building an “agentic harness” that helps large language models work with complex scientific and industrial datasets, including satellite imagery, seismic surveys and electromagnetic spectrum analysis. The platform is designed to make messy, non-text data easier for scientists, engineers and industrial teams to query and analyze with AI. </span><a class="link" href="https://siliconangle.com/2026/06/10/lium-raises-5-5m-unlock-complex-scientific-data-ai-models/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://riot.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Riot Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.enduranceenergy.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Endurance Energy’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $54M Series A, which was led by Founders Fund with additional backing from Ascend, Construct Capital, Felicis Ventures, First Round Capital, Point72 Ventures and Voyager Ventures. Founded by former SpaceX engineer Andrew Redd, Endurance is developing subsea geothermal power plants designed to tap volcanic heat deep in the ocean and provide 24/7 clean energy for rising demand from AI data centers, EVs and heavy industry. The funding will support development of its power plant plans as the company grows its team. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/11/endurance-energy-raises-54m-to-harness-a-massive-untapped-energy-source/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wavemaker360.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wavemaker 360</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://01health.ai/us?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">01Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M Series A, which was led by Gresham House Ventures, with follow-on backing from Balderton Capital and Eka Ventures. 01Health is building a healthtech platform that brings specialist care into local clinics through clinical protocols, specialist oversight, AI tools, patient communication and monitoring systems, with the funding supporting its UK rollout and U.S. market expansion. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.uktech.news/medtech/01health-raises-11-2m-to-bring-specialist-healthcare-to-local-clinics-20260610?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.calibratevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Calibrate Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.askflux.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Flux’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M funding round, with participation from existing investors True Ventures and Glasswing Ventures. Boston-based Flux is building a code-first engineering intelligence platform that analyzes code changes to give engineering leaders visibility into quality, security, technical debt and team dynamics as AI reshapes software development. The funding will support product development and go-to-market growth. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.askflux.ai/press-releases/flux-raises-5m-engineering-leaders-ground-truth-visibility/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.villageglobal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Village Global</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://mnx.fi/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MNX’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $6.4M pre-seed round, with participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://www.finality.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Finality Capital Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Cambrian, North Island Ventures, Relay Digital and angel investors. MNX is building a MegaETH-based decentralized futures exchange for the AI economy, with planned markets tied to AI company valuations, GPU compute prices, electricity costs, AI benchmarks and prediction markets. The company was valued at $40M in the round and plans to launch mainnet this summer. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7470518813252300800/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mantis Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://sandstone.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sandstone’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $30M Series A, which was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with additional backing from SV Angel, Operator Partners, Kearny Jackson, Daybreak Ventures and Litquidity Ventures. Sandstone is building AI-powered workflow automation for in-house legal teams, helping companies manage legal requests from tools like Slack, email and Jira while automating intake, triage, drafting, review and analysis. The round brings Sandstone’s total funding to $40M. </span><a class="link" href="https://sandstone.com/blog/sandstone-announces-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/idiliotv/about/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Idilio’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.5M seed round, alongside a16z Speedrun, Goodwater Capital, Precursor Ventures and other investors. Idilio is building an AI-powered microdrama platform for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences, producing short-form drama series at the intersection of telenovelas and vertical mobile video. The funding will support platform development, expanded content offerings and the launch of its Idilio Creators program. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/idilio-raises-5-5m-seed/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mantis Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://www.villageglobal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Village Globa</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">l participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.joinpogo.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pogo’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $32M in funding to date, alongside investors including Josh Buckley’s Buckley Ventures, 20VC, Lenny Rachitsky and the founders of Honey. Pogo is launching an AI-powered consumer research platform built around purchase-verified buyers, helping brands run surveys, AI-moderated interviews and behavioral research using verified transaction, receipt, app usage and location data from its opted-in consumer network. The company says its app has more than 3M users and visibility into more than $470B in transaction value.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.joinpogo.com/fundraising?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mantis Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://edgemarkets.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">EDGE Markets</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ $29.2M Series A, which was led by CoinFund with backing from Indicator Ventures, Stepstone Group and Bullpen Capital. EDGE Markets builds financial infrastructure for gaming, crypto and prediction markets, and will use the funding to launch EDGE Pro, a banking platform for market makers, and EDGE Connect, a purpose-built payment rail for regulated gaming and prediction market operators. </span><a class="link" href="https://edgemarkets.io/newsroom/edge-markets-raises-29.2-million-series-a-funding-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://mtechcapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MTech Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.finovox.com/en?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Finovox’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> €8.2M Series A, which was led by TX Ventures and included backing from Auriga Cyber Ventures II, Start Ventures, Force Over Mass and FDJ UNITED Ventures. Paris-based Finovox builds AI-powered document fraud detection software for financial services, insurance and other regulated industries, and will use the funding to expand across Europe, strengthen its technology and grow its team. The company says it now serves more than 70 organizations across 15 countries. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.finovox.com/en/articles/finovox-funding-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://riskfront.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RiskFront AI</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.k2integrity.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">K2 Integrity</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its agentic AI platform for financial crime compliance and risk operations into K2’s broader risk, compliance, investigations and monitoring business. RiskFront AI’s platform, Airos, automates research, transaction analysis and document processing to reduce manual work across financial crime and compliance workflows. Financial terms were not disclosed.</span><a class="link" href="https://riskfront.ai/riskfront-ai-joins-k2-integrity/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.levpro.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">LevPro</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://octus.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Octus</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its front-office software for CLO, broadly syndicated loan and private credit managers into Octus’ credit intelligence platform. LevPro will join Sky Road to help create an integrated AI-powered platform spanning market intelligence, investment analytics, trade workflows, portfolio management and monitoring. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://octus.com/company/news/octus-signs-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-levpro/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=evotrex-raises-30m-to-electrify-the-rv"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=13f35784-e618-4a0f-ad84-12fa1c96a977&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Apex Hits $2.3B Valuation as Satellite Demand Grows</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:24:45 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-06-05T16:24:45Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
    <div class='beehiiv'><style>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Happy Friday LA, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The space economy does not just need more rockets. It needs more spacecraft that can be built quickly, reliably and at scale.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Los Angeles-based Apex </span><a class="link" href="https://www.apexspace.com/blog/apex-announces-additional-fundraising-at-2b-valuation-to-scale-high-rate-satellite-production-for-proliferated-constellations?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">announced</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> more than $200M in new growth funding, nearly doubling its valuation to $2.3B just months after crossing the $1B mark. The round was led by Glade Brook Capital Partners and co-led by Washington Harbour Partners, with support from new and existing investors.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Apex builds productized, configurable satellite bus platforms for commercial and government customers. In simpler terms, it manufactures the core spacecraft infrastructure that carries payloads for missions ranging from remote sensing and communications to in-space power generation and national security architectures.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company is using the funding to expand its high-rate satellite manufacturing campus, vertically integrate more key subsystems and manufacture platforms ahead of customer demand. That last part is important: Apex is betting that satellite production needs to look less like one-off aerospace engineering and more like scalable, repeatable manufacturing.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The timing makes sense. Launch has gotten faster and more available, but spacecraft production remains one of the industry’s biggest constraints. If proliferated constellations are going to become central to commercial and national security missions, the market needs suppliers that can build reliable satellites at industrial scale.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/54fef869-7e59-4c85-8a67-47c689c0014a/Apex_-_Factory_One_2.png?t=1780676516"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Apex</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Apex says its Factory One facility in Los Angeles can produce more than 200 satellites per year at peak production. The company is also expanding the campus with an additional 30,000 square feet of space and has grown to more than 350 employees, more than doubling its team over the past year.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company is also moving deeper into defense. Apex recently announced a collaboration with Northrop Grumman tied to scalable space-based interceptor capabilities for the U.S. Space Force, and its Nova 1 platform is expected to host Project Shadow, a commercially led on-orbit demonstration for space-based interceptor technology.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That is the business Apex is trying to build: not custom spacecraft one mission at a time, but a repeatable satellite manufacturing operation that can keep pace with demand from commercial and government customers. If it works, Apex becomes less of a traditional aerospace contractor and more of a spacecraft production line for the proliferated constellation era.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Alfred, a Hawthorne-based stealth startup building software for robots, cars and other physical AI systems, is backed by investors including Chapter One, Khosla Ventures, SV Angel and Sam Altman’s Hydrazine Capital. Co-founded by former Tesla designer Ankit Ukil and former Meta engineer Dömötör Gulyas, the company is reportedly seeking funding at a $40M valuation as it develops tools to help robotics and automotive teams shorten R&D cycles and accelerate manufacturing. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-startup-alfred-building-software-for-robots-and-cars-2026-6?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://thecalifornianaturals.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">California Naturals</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a Series B funding round led by Align Ventures to support continued growth across major retailers including Target, Ulta Beauty and CVS. The clean personal care brand also named Hayden Hiatt as CEO as it expands its hair, body and everyday essentials business. </span><a class="link" href="https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/california-naturals-closes-seriesb-funding-hayden-hiatt-ceo-1238990761/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Redondo Beach-based </span><a class="link" href="https://www.impulsespace.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Impulse Space</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $500M Series D co-led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, bringing the company’s total funding to more than $1B. Founded by SpaceX alum Tom Mueller, Impulse is building in-space mobility infrastructure, including spacecraft and propulsion systems that help satellites and payloads move after launch. The new funding will support hiring and manufacturing growth as the company scales to meet demand across commercial, civil and government space missions. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-raises-500-million-dollar-series-d-to-build-in-space-mobility-infrastructure-for-the-space-economy?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/justwomenssports/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Just Women’s Sports</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a new seven-figure investment round led by Bolt Ventures, with returning investors including Starry Eyed Tomorrow, Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Blue Pool Capital and OVO Fund. The women’s sports media company, founded by Haley Rosen, plans to use the capital to expand news and content operations, grow its team and invest in athlete-led programming. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davidlasday_womenssports-sportsbusiness-sportsmedia-share-7467056610876579841-AcZA/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.gammatime.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GammaTime</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a microdrama streaming app, received a minority investment from Versant Media Group as part of its Series A round. The company produces short-form, mobile-first scripted series and will work with Versant to develop original projects using select entertainment IP and creative resources from the media company. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/versant-invests-microdrama-streaming-app-204445289.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://pinegrove.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pinegrove Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://ramp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ramp’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $750M Series F, which valued the fintech company at $44B. Ramp’s financial operations platform has expanded beyond corporate cards and expense management into payments, procurement, vendor management, accounting automation and AI-powered spend management. The company said its total purchase volume grew roughly 170% year-over-year in March 2026. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.inc.com/moses-jeanfrancois/ramp-just-secured-a-44-billion-valuation-the-new-invisible-cost-driving-growth/91355989?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.alphaedison.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alpha Edison</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://oqc.tech/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Oxford Quantum Circuits’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $350M Series C, which was led by Bullhound Capital and included backing from the British Business Bank, COFIDES, Fulcrum Asset Management, Pentland Ventures, Oxford Science Enterprises, Chevron Technology Ventures and others. The U.K.-based company builds and operates superconducting quantum computers for enterprise, government and research customers, with the funding going toward international expansion and continued development of its quantum computing roadmap. The round is described as Europe’s largest private funding round for a quantum computing company. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/916885033/firgun-ventures-participates-in-oxford-quantum-circuits-record-series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://patron.fund/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Patron</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://board.fun/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Board’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $20M Series A, which was led by Union Square Ventures, with additional backing from Raine Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Expa, 25madison, Red & Blue Ventures, Day One Ventures and others. New York-based Board is building a face-to-face gaming console and AI-powered creator platform that lets people play and make tabletop-style games together, with the funding going toward its upcoming Board Studio creation tools and broader expansion beyond hardware. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/02/3305364/0/en/board-raises-20-million-series-a-led-by-union-square-ventures-to-build-the-future-of-face-to-face-gaming-and-creation.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://pinegrove.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Pinegrove Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.layupparts.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Layup Parts’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $42M Series A, which was led by Marlinspike, with backing from Cerberus Ventures and existing investors Founders Fund, Lux Capital and Haystack. Huntington Beach-based Layup Parts is building a software-driven manufacturing platform for custom composite parts, aiming to make carbon-fiber and fiberglass components faster, easier and cheaper to source. The company plans to use the funding to grow its team, expand capacity and move into a larger facility as demand grows across aerospace, defense and other advanced manufacturing markets. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zack-eakin-869441289_im-so-proud-today-to-announce-that-layup-share-7467605987995234305-o1e5/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADnQ6v4BTjqkMOAfjNFRkjihhfRe2tQ_q_E" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.overture.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Overture Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://atanaelements.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Atana Elements</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ $27.5M seed round, which was led by Lowercarbon Capital with backing from Borusan Ventures, Earthshot Ventures, Redwoods Climate Capital, Sunna Ventures, Verve Ventures, Volta Energy Technologies, WovenEarth and others. Atana uses AI, machine learning and oil-and-gas-style subsurface expertise to identify and develop flowing critical mineral systems, including lithium brines, hydrogen, helium and emerging copper and uranium extraction opportunities. The company says it has already secured positions estimated to contain more than 100M tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent across the EU and Americas. </span><a class="link" href="https://atanaelements.com/27-million-seed-round-to-discover-critical-mineral-resources?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://bedrockcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bedrock Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://machindustries.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mach Industries’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $300M Series C, which was led by Infinite Capital and Ribbit Capital and valued the Huntington Beach defense tech company at $1.8B. Mach builds advanced unmanned defense systems, including platforms for strike, surveillance and counter-drone use, and plans to use the funding to expand manufacturing, advance second-generation systems and grow its Forge manufacturing network. The round comes shortly after Mach acquired Exquadrum, now Mach Energetics, to strengthen its propulsion and vertically integrated production capabilities. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/defense-tech-darling-mach-industries-hits-1-8b-valuation-a-4x-jump-in-a-year/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://strongvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Strong Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.unastella.com/en/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Unastella’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $24M Series B, which was led by Altos Ventures and also included Korea Development Bank, Hana Ventures and others. The Seoul-based rocket company is developing launch vehicles and engines for small satellite launch services, with a longer-term goal of crewed suborbital spaceflight. Unastella has now raised $44M total and plans to use its upcoming UNA EXPRESS-II launch to further validate its technology and commercial roadmap. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/unastella-a-south-korean-rocket-startup-that-launched-from-home-raises-24m/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.connectventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Connect Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://sekaiapp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sekai’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $20M Series A alongside Khosla Ventures, with participation from a16z Speedrun, Mayfield, A, MVP Ventures, 359 Capital, Parable VC* and 645 Ventures. Sekai is building an AI-powered platform that lets users create, remix and share mini apps through text prompts, with the new funding going toward expanding its engineering and product teams. The company has raised $26M across its seed and Series A rounds. </span><a class="link" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/exclusive-sekai-raises-20m-ai-130004474.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://shamrockcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Shamrock Capital Advisors</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in a strategic growth investment in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cardshq.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CardsHQ</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, alongside EnOne Ventures, bringing CardsHQ and Sports Card Investor together under one company. The combined platform will operate as CardsHQ and span sports cards, trading card games, retail, e-commerce, live breaking, content, data and technology, including Sports Card Investor’s media network and the Market Movers pricing and collection tracking platform. The funding will support new retail locations, expanded live events, broader inventory and further development of collector-facing tools. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cardshq-and-sports-card-investor-the-leading-collectibles-commerce-and-media-companies-join-forces-with-new-investment-from-shamrock-capital-and-enone-ventures-302786847.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.cwadvisorsgroup.com/catalina-welcome/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Catalina Capital Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a fee-only RIA based in Torrance, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cwadvisorsgroup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CW Advisors</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, giving the Boston-based wealth management firm its first Southern California office. Catalina brings about $655M in assets under management, and the deal expands CW Advisors’ national footprint to 24 offices and more than $16B in client assets. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260602674306/en/CW-Advisors-Continues-Western-Expansion-with-Addition-of-Catalina-Capital-Group?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://home.admixt.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">adMixt</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a performance marketing agency known for its proprietary technology and expertise across Meta, Google, TikTok and other digital platforms, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.interluxegroup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Interluxe Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. The deal expands Interluxe’s luxury marketing platform by adding paid search, paid social, performance creative, API integrations and advanced analytics capabilities for premium lifestyle and luxury brands. Financial terms were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/interluxe-group-acquires-admixt-to-expand-performance-marketing-capabilities-302786203.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apex-hits-2-3b-valuation-as-satellite-demand-grows"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=ea219db7-f543-4147-8c98-ae18ac942220&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Observable Space Raises $90M to Build Beyond Rockets</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 15:30:01 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-05-29T15:30:01Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Space infrastructure is having a week.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://observable.space/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Observable Space</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a $90M Series A and </span><a class="link" href="https://observable.space/news/observable-space-closes-90-million-series-a-to-scale-manufacturing-and-turnkey-lasercom-platform-announces-94-million-u-s-space-force-contract/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">announced</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> a $94M U.S. Space Force contract to scale its optical sensing and laser communications platforms. The round was led by Lux Capital and co-led by </span><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Detroit Venture Partners, Island Green Capital and RTX Ventures, with participation from BRV Capital, Fathom Fund and Venrex.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Observable Space is building advanced optical systems across three areas: laser communications ground stations, ground-based optical sensing and in-space payloads. In simpler terms, the company is working on the infrastructure that helps satellites and spacecraft see, track, navigate and communicate more effectively.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/361c5c4e-ad32-46a3-bdf3-a4c11eaa1a14/Laser_Communications.jpg?t=1780067614"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Observable Space</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The Space Force contract gives Observable Space an early $22M in task orders under a larger $94M award to deploy mobile, off-grid optical sensing stations for space domain awareness. These systems are designed to help track objects in orbit with more resilient, lower-cost and geographically distributed ground infrastructure.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That matters because space is getting more crowded, more commercial and more strategically important. Satellites are no longer just sitting quietly above us handling GPS, weather and communications. They are becoming part of a much larger network for national security, AI, connectivity and future space-based infrastructure.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Observable Space’s work sits in the less flashy, but increasingly critical layer of the space economy. Rockets may get the liftoff footage, but the next phase of space competition will also depend on who can track what is in orbit, move data quickly and keep communications reliable from space to ground.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company says its platform has already executed 2.6M automated tasks, identified more than 20M targets and completed 84,000 hours of continuous orbital monitoring. It is also expanding manufacturing across Detroit and Los Angeles, with spacecraft, engineering and design labs based in LA.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For Southern California’s space ecosystem, Observable Space adds another signal that the region’s advantage is not just launch. It is the full stack around space: optics, software, sensing, communications, payloads and the infrastructure needed to make orbit more usable.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Fragrance brand ’</span><a class="link" href="https://orebella.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ôrəbella</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a Series A growth equity investment led by Silas Capital, with participation from existing investor Celebrands, which incubated the brand. The funding will support global expansion, product innovation and retail growth as ’Ôrəbella scales beyond its Ulta Beauty base into international markets including Douglas, Selfridges and Ulta Beauty Middle East. The company also named Anish Agarwal, formerly CEO of T3 Micro, as CEO. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bella-hadids-orbella-closes-growth-equity-investment-led-by-silas-capital-302784560.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.emberlifesciences.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ember LifeSciences</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> added new strategic investments from Amgen Ventures and TDF Ventures, bringing its total Series A funding to $27M. The company makes reusable, temperature-controlled cold chain technology for transporting medicines and vaccines, and recently announced full commercial availability of its Ember Cube 2, which provides real-time monitoring and cloud-based tracking for healthcare logistics. Financial terms of the new investments were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ember-lifesciences-announces-new-strategic-investments-boosting-series-a-to-27m-302783076.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://iconic.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Iconic</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $6M to build its AI-enabled M&A advisory platform for small business owners. The company combines AI software with human advisors to help owners sell businesses that are often too small for traditional investment banks to support, especially those valued under $20M. Iconic is aiming to modernize the small-business sale process as millions of baby boomer-owned businesses prepare to change hands. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/fintech-deals/2026/05/27/iconic-ai-small-business-merger-advice?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.capitalgroup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Capital Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.anthropic.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anthropic’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $65B Series H, which was led by Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks and Sequoia Capital, valuing the company at $965B post-money. Anthropic said the new funding will support continued AI safety research, expanded compute capacity and broader product development as demand for Claude grows across enterprise customers and developers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.anthropic.com/news/series-h?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndr.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.reactor.inc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reactor’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $59M seed and Series A funding, which was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with backing from Amplify Partners, Sky9 Capital, FPV Ventures and others. San Francisco-based Reactor is building a developer platform for real-time generative video and “world models,” giving developers SDK and API access to create interactive AI applications across media and entertainment, physical AI and robotics. The company was co-founded by former Apple Vision Pro technical leads Alberto Taiuti and Bryce Schmidtchen, and WndrCo founding partner Jeffrey Katzenberg will join as a board observer. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.reactor.inc/blog/reactor-launch?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.kuberahealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kubera Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $6.5M seed round, with participation from Company Ventures, Dria Ventures and SemperVirens. Kubera is building a contract-to-payment system of record for healthcare, helping providers translate complex payer contracts into auditable payment logic so they can better identify underpayments, reimbursement gaps and administrative inefficiencies. The funding will support product development and growth as the company works to modernize healthcare’s payment infrastructure. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.kuberahealth.com/blog/why-we-raised-6.5m?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.soundventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sound Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://polsia.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Polsia’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $30M round, alongside True Ventures, Offline Ventures, Adjacent, Tekton Ventures, Drysdale Ventures, VaynerFund and angel investors. Polsia is building an AI operations platform designed to run company workflows across coding, research, sales, customer support, ads and investor diligence, with founder Ben Cera saying the company is approaching $10M in annual run rate with one founder and no employees. The round valued Polsia at $250M. </span><a class="link" href="https://pulse2.com/polsia-30-million-at-250-million-valuation-raised-for-ai-operations-platform/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://bluebearcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Blue Bear Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.lastwall.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lastwall’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $16M Series A extension, which was led by BDC Capital’s StrongNorth Fund, with additional backing from New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, Frostbite Capital, BlueWing Ventures and 18West. Fredericton-based Lastwall builds identity-first, quantum-resilient cybersecurity software for defense, government and critical infrastructure environments, with the funding going toward expanded deployment across North American municipal utilities, defense infrastructure and public sector cloud portals. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.lastwall.com/post/lastwall-raises-16m?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.itera.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Itera’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $12M seed round, alongside Costanoa Ventures and Colle Capital, as the deep tech company emerged from stealth with its real-time electronics prototyping platform. Itera has developed a fluid circuit board that uses glass and liquid metal to let engineers rewire and test real electronic designs in under a minute, aiming to cut traditional PCB prototyping cycles from weeks to days. The funding will support the launch and commercialization of its first product. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260527247911/en/Itera-Exits-Stealth-With-%2412M-to-Bring-Real-Time-Prototyping-to-Electronics?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rebelfund.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://didit.me/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Didit’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7.5M seed financing, alongside Y Combinator, Pioneer Fund, Orange Collective, Founders Future, Phosphor Capital, SaaSholic and angel investors including Tomer London and Taro Fukuyama. San Francisco-based Didit is building AI-native identity and fraud infrastructure for verifying people, businesses, wallets, transactions and AI agents, with the new funding going toward global go-to-market growth, product expansion and hiring across sales and customer success. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/didit-closes-7-5m-seed-round-to-build-identity-infrastructure-for-the-ai-era-302782036.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fifthwall.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fifth Wall</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.navigate.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">NavigateAI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M seed round, which was led by Elad Gil and backed by investors including Khosla Ventures, Lennar, Tishman Speyer and Helix Electric. Founded by Opendoor co-founder Eric Wu, NavigateAI is building an AI coach for construction workers that helps answer job-site questions, troubleshoot issues and improve field productivity across construction teams. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2026/05/26/opendoor-co-founder-eric-wu-launches-ai-for-construction-venture/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://strongvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Strong Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in K-Zone’s 6.3B won Series B, alongside TimeWorks Investment, BonAngels Venture Partners and Singapore-based Guardian Fund. K-Zone is building a global reverse logistics platform for returned, overstocked and obsolete inventory, using its REMEX platform and AI agents to automate buyer matching, deal proposals, sales workflows and market analysis as it expands further into the U.S. market. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.venturesquare.net/1085497/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://movies.comscore.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Comscore Movies</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the box office data business used by studios and exhibitors to track theatrical performance, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.advayacap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Advaya Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> in a $70M cash deal. The business will be renamed Rentrak, reviving the brand Comscore acquired in 2016, and former Paramount domestic distribution chief Chris Aronson will join the board. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/advaya-capital-70-million-deal-box-office-comscore-movies-1236606989/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=observable-space-raises-90m-to-build-beyond-rockets"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=290f04c1-b575-4852-b41c-574fe5aa5c04&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>From Rocket Motors to Consumer AI</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 16:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-05-22T16:01:00Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Happy Friday, </b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This week, one company moved deeper into rocket propulsion while another pushed further into consumer AI. Different industries, different stakes, same underlying shift: technology is moving further into the infrastructure of defense and entertainment.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">In defense, </span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="link" href="https://machindustries.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mach Industries</a></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> acquired </span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="link" href="https://www.exquadrum.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Exquadrum</a></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a 24-year-old rocket and propulsion company based in Victorville. </span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="link" href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/a-50-million-rocket-deal-fueled-by-trumps-hypersonic-dreams-4c14789e?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The deal</a></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> was worth $50M in cash and equity and brings Exquadrum’s IP, facilities, business lines and 85 employees into Mach’s operation.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Mach, based in Huntington Beach, has raised nearly $200M and is building autonomous aircraft and weapons systems. Exquadrum gives the company deeper control over solid rocket motors, propulsion testing and one of the more constrained parts of the defense supply chain. The company will now operate as Mach Energetics.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For companies building unmanned systems, hypersonics and missile-defense technology, the hard parts are still very physical: propulsion, testing, manufacturing and production capacity. Mach’s deal shows how much of the defense tech race now depends on owning more of that stack.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">In entertainment, </span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="link" href="https://www.paramount.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Paramount</a></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> brought in former Google executive </span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/baraktur/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Barak Turovsky</a></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> as EVP and Head of Consumer AI. In his LinkedIn post announcing the move, Turovsky said AI is beginning to reshape how consumers discover, engage with and experience content, especially across platforms like Paramount+ and Pluto TV.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The hire comes as Paramount pushes deeper into AI, product and streaming technology under David Ellison. It also reflects a broader shift in Hollywood: studios are no longer just competing on content libraries. They are competing on discovery, personalization, engagement and the consumer experience around that content.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The common thread is infrastructure. In defense, that means propulsion, testing and supply chain control. In entertainment, it means AI, product leadership and smarter consumer platforms. Both stories show how quickly traditional industries are becoming more technical, more integrated and more dependent on teams that can modernize the systems underneath them.</span></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://clouted.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clouted</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $7M seed round led by Slow Ventures, with participation from Gold House Ventures, Weekend Fund, LINE-Yahoo’s Z VC, Gondor Capital, Iterative, AppWorks, Peak XV’s Surge and a16z Speedrun. The company is building a “Distribution Intelligence” platform that uses AI agents to help consumer and entertainment brands plan, execute and optimize viral marketing campaigns across UGC, clipping, fan pages, influencer seeding, paid ads and social platforms. Clouted says the new funding will support its AI infrastructure, creator network growth and expansion into gaming and streaming. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adrielyongcj_we-just-raised-7m-to-decide-what-the-internet-ugcPost-7462889367519313922-qUeg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADTurP8BbCCvIo0fm0iIb49yWzz40isABqo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">El Segundo-based </span><a class="link" href="https://www.amca.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Amca</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $300M Series B led by Caffeinated Capital, with major participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners and continued backing from Andreessen Horowitz, Lux Capital, Construct Capital and House Capital, valuing the aerospace and defense manufacturer at more than $1B. The company builds critical aerospace and defense components by combining engineering, qualification testing, technical data and certified manufacturing into one platform, and plans to use the funding to expand its AI-powered RAPID system, acquire and build more factories nationwide and increase production capacity for major defense and aviation customers.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amca-closes-300m-series-b-at-1b-valuation-to-strengthen-americas-critical-component-supply-chain-302776943.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.meetkin.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kin Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $9M seed round led by Maveron, with participation from Town Hall Ventures, Eniac Ventures, Flex Capital, Foundry Square Capital, Pear VC, The Family Fund and several individual investors, including GoodRx co-founders Doug Hirsch and Trevor Bezdek. The company is building a free AI-powered notetaker for healthcare visits that records appointments and turns them into plain-language summaries, next steps and shareable context for patients and caregivers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/health-challenges-often-hit-when-were-least-share-7461899823324172288-QeU6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADTurP8BbCCvIo0fm0iIb49yWzz40isABqo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Technology Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.robbin.com.br/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Robbin’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $8M seed round, which was co-led by Canary, Atlântico and Caravela, with additional backing from AB Seed, Norte Ventures and Tomorrow Capital. Brazil-based Robbin is building an AI-native B2B payments and credit platform that lets large industrial companies offer co-branded virtual cards and credit products to retailer networks, using Pix rails instead of traditional card networks. The company also structured a separate $100M FIDC credit facility with Augme, an XP Investimentos asset manager, to finance retailer purchases through the platform. </span><a class="link" href="https://canalexecutivoblog.wordpress.com/2026/05/21/robbin-levanta-us-108-milhoes-para-digitalizar-o-credito-b2b-no-brasil/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.becvrd.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CVRD Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M seed round, joined by Waterline Ventures and Distributed Ventures. CVRD helps government contractors manage employee benefits, fringe-dollar compliance and audit readiness under Service Contract Act and Davis-Bacon requirements, with the funding going toward platform development, compliance and member advocacy teams, and national expansion across federal contractors. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.becvrd.com/blogs/cvrd-health-raises-5m-to-fix-the-broken-economics-of-government-contracting-benefits?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.sum.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sum VC</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://hellbender.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hellbender’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $12.5M seed round, which was co-led by Magarac Venture Partners and Veredas Partners, with additional backing from Mana Ventures, Gaingels and the Active Angels Network. Pittsburgh-based Hellbender builds physical AI infrastructure and edge computer vision systems for autonomous and industrial applications, with the new funding going toward launching its on-edge AI camera line, expanding product and growth teams, and scaling domestic hardware manufacturing. </span><a class="link" href="https://hellbender.com/hellbender-secures-12-5m-seed-round-to-accelerate-domestic-manufacturing-of-physical-ai-and-launch-its-on-edge-camera-line/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://rblventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="http://leadbay.ai?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Leadbay’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4.2M seed round, alongside Y Combinator, Roosh Ventures, Inovexus Ventures, TS Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Bright Ventures, Transpose Platform, Deel Ventures and founders and executives from Deel, Gusto and Pennylane. San Francisco-based Leadbay is building an AI-powered sales intelligence platform that helps sales teams discover and qualify small and mid-sized businesses with little or no digital footprint, especially in data-scarce sectors like construction, hospitality, manufacturing, retail and B2B services. The funding will support its U.S. go-to-market expansion in San Francisco, AI research partnership with Sorbonne University and engineering growth. </span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/leadbay-4-2m-seed-yc-apollo-zoominfo-linkedin-sales-intelligence/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.overture.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Overture Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://recheck.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Recheck’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $2M pre-seed round, alongside ReGen Ventures, Jetstream and MCJ. Recheck is a trust and compliance platform for residential solar that verifies sales reps, assigns portable Recheck IDs and has now launched Recheck Certified, a credential that combines ethical sales training, a code of conduct, background checks and ongoing monitoring to help installers and finance companies identify trustworthy sales professionals. Since launching, the company says it has verified more than 50,000 sales reps and 700 installers and dealers. </span><a class="link" href="https://recheck.co/news/announcing-recheck-certified?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.civ.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CIV</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.calibre.ac/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Calibre’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $3.3M pre-seed round alongside Vicus Ventures, with participation from I2BF Global Ventures, 9Yards Capital, Jigeum and angel investors including Nikesh Arora. London-based Calibre is building AI infrastructure for the testing, inspection and certification industry, helping automate certification workflows that still depend heavily on manual audits and document review across regulated sectors. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.calibre.ac/press/calibre-raises-3-3m/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://32flavors.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">32 Flavors</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the production company founded by Alex Baskin and known for unscripted franchises including Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Valley, was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com/home?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sony Pictures Television</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which took a majority stake in the company. Baskin will remain CEO, and the deal expands Sony’s premium nonfiction portfolio while keeping 32 Flavors’ existing leadership team in place. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.sonypictures.com/corp/press_releases/2026/0518#:~:text=FOR%20IMMEDIATE%20RELEASE-,SONY%20PICTURES%20TELEVISION%20ACQUIRES%20MAJORITY%20STAKE%20IN%20ALEX%20BASKIN&#39;S%2032,Baskin&#39;s%20production%20company%2C%2032%20Flavors." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=from-rocket-motors-to-consumer-ai"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=8790f0ce-73f6-4f0b-a2ab-8637e0dc0b5b&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Heaviside Raises $28M for Autonomous Precision Munitions</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 16:13:39 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-05-15T16:13:39Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hey Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For years, Southern California’s defense tech story has largely been told through satellites, rockets, drones and software. This week, another category stepped into the frame: autonomous precision munitions.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://theheaviside.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Heaviside Industries</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> emerged from stealth with a </span><a class="link" href="https://theheaviside.com/press-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$28M Series A</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led by Interlagos, with participation from Menlo Ventures, Flume Ventures, Cantos, Anorak Ventures and several individual defense and technology investors. The company, founded in 2024, is building autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied special operations and conventional forces.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The round will help Heaviside accelerate development, production and delivery of its multi-domain munitions platforms, including its first aerial and underwater systems. According to the company, its products are designed to operate in jammed and GPS-denied environments, where legacy systems can degrade or fail.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That detail matters. Modern warfare has been reshaped by unmanned systems, contested communications and the growing need for weapons that are not only precise, but affordable enough to be produced and deployed at scale. In other words, the defense tech race is not just about building more advanced systems. It is about building systems that can actually survive the battlefield they are designed for.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Heaviside has been operating in stealth for more than two years and says it has built a team of more than 50 engineers and operators across Los Angeles and Oslo, Norway. The company also says it already has a roster of U.S. and allied customers, with the new funding going toward expanding production and accelerating deliveries domestically and abroad.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For LA’s hard tech ecosystem, Heaviside adds to a growing defense-tech cluster that is less about splashy software and more about applied engineering. The company’s work sits at the intersection of autonomy, manufacturing and national security, where Southern California’s aerospace and robotics talent has become increasingly relevant.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals and fund announcements.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://furientis.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Furientis</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> emerged from stealth with a $5M pre-seed led by Silent Ventures, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, SV Angel and other investors. Founded in 2025, the defense technology startup is developing cost-effective, ship-based interceptor systems designed for scalable production, with the funding going toward initial production, expanded testing and hiring across engineering, manufacturing and operations. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/14/3294902/0/en/furientis-emerges-from-stealth-to-address-u-s-interceptor-missile-shortage.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://roguesnacks.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rogue</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $2.5M pre-seed led by Science Inc., with participation from Uncommon VC, Simple Food Ventures and strategic investors, to accelerate its national retail and digital commerce strategy. Built by the team behind Dollar Shave Club and Liquid Death, Rogue makes high-protein chips and puffs with active probiotics, no seed oils and no artificial ingredients, and will launch in 2,800 Walmart stores nationwide in July. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260511369399/en/Rogue-Raises-%242.5M-and-Secures-Launch-in-2800-Walmart-Stores-Nationwide?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://develo.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Develo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $14M led by Blueprint Equity, with participation from Villain Capital, Z21 Ventures and Bienville Capital, to grow its AI-native operating system for pediatric practices. The platform unifies clinical, billing and family engagement workflows beyond the traditional EMR, with the new capital going toward R&D and customer success as Develo expands across pediatric providers nationwide. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/910291044/develo-raises-14m-for-an-ai-native-pediatric-operating-system?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.kinshipventures.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kinship Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.nectarsocial.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nectar Social’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $30M Series A, which was led by Menlo Ventures and its Anthology Fund, with participation from True Ventures and GV. Nectar Social is building an agentic social operating system for modern marketing, helping brands manage social intelligence, community engagement, creator workflows and conversational commerce across platforms like Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit and X. The new funding will support engineering and applied AI hiring, deepen platform partnerships and expand Nectar Agent into more brand workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513604281/en/Nectar-Social-Raises-%2430M-Series-A-to-Build-the-Agentic-Operating-System-for-Modern-Marketing?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://createmedicines.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CREATE Medicines</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ $122M Series B, which was co-led by existing investors Newpath Partners, ARCH Venture Partners and Hatteras Venture Partners. The Cambridge-based biotech is developing in vivo CAR therapies for autoimmune disease and oncology using an mRNA-LNP platform that engineers immune cells directly inside the body, with the funding going toward advancing its CD19-targeted autoimmune program into the clinic, expanding its dual CAR CD19 x BCMA program and continuing work across its oncology pipeline. </span><a class="link" href="https://createmedicines.com/news/create-medicines-announces-usd122-million-series-b-financing-to-advance-in-vivo-car-pipeline-in?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.overture.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Overture Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.gridcare.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GridCARE’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $64M Series A, which was led by Sutter Hill Ventures with backing from John Doerr, National Grid Partners, Future Energy Ventures, Emerson Collective, Stanford University and other existing investors. Redwood City-based GridCARE is building a physics-based AI platform that helps identify underused grid capacity and accelerate power delivery for AI data centers, compressing interconnection timelines from years to months. The company says it is already engaged in projects across more than a dozen markets representing more than 2 GW of new AI compute capacity. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260514546216/en/GridCARE-Raises-%2464-Million-Series-A-from-Leading-AI-and-Energy-Investors-to-Create-a-New-Category-Power-Acceleration-for-AI?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://tastetomorrow.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Taste Tomorrow Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> invested in </span><a class="link" href="https://harkensweets.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Harken Sweets</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ seed round, joining Selva and GRTSHT as the early-stage VC firm continues backing better-for-you snack brands. Founded by Katie Lefkowitz, Harken Sweets makes cleaner-label chocolate bars sweetened with whole-food dates instead of refined sugar or synthetic alternatives, and is already sold through retailers including Sprouts, Whole Foods, Kroger, Costco, Walmart, Albertsons and Wegmans. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513729185/en/Taste-Tomorrow-Ventures-Announces-Investment-in-Harken-Sweets?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonfirevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonfire Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.rangerx.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ranger AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $8.4M seed round, with participation from 25madison, Inovia Capital and Panache Ventures. Ranger AI is building an agentic revenue operations platform for industrial tendering, helping industrial, manufacturing and supply chain companies automate complex RFP, bid and project workflows. The company says its platform is already being used across more than 1,000 projects and can cut industrial tendering time by up to 50%. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/james-zhan-4a74a135_today-ranger-ai-emerges-from-stealth-with-ugcPost-7460720858752307200-LjNL/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAGVVWYgB-QDP30Tu6LZ83oPH48ofFds-4ds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fika.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fika Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://outmarket.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Outmarket AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $17M Series A, which was led by Permanent Capital Ventures, with participation from SignalFire, TTV Capital, Dash Fund and senior insurance industry executives. Outmarket AI builds AI workflow software for insurance agencies and brokers, helping teams automate policy reviews, quote comparisons, renewals, coverage gap analysis, proposal building and other core workflows. The round brings the company’s total funding to $21.7M. </span><a class="link" href="https://outmarket.ai/blog/why-we-bet-on-insurance-and-why-the-industry-bet-on-us?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wedbushventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wedbush Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://secludy.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Secludy’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4M seed round, which was led by Impression Ventures and also included LAUNCH, The Syndicate, Precursor Ventures, Hustle Fund, Script Capital, Mana Ventures and Chispa VC. San Francisco-based Secludy helps banks, payments firms and fintech companies safely use proprietary customer data to train and evaluate GenAI models by generating privacy-protected synthetic data, with the funding going toward hiring, go-to-market growth and expanding its platform across more enterprise AI workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/13/3294051/0/en/Secludy-Raises-4M-to-Safely-Unlock-Proprietary-Data-for-GenAI.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.soundventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sound Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led a new $17M funding round for </span><a class="link" href="https://www.findanomaly.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anomaly Insights</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, joined by Alumni Ventures and existing investors Link Ventures, Redesign Health and RRE Ventures. The New York-based company uses AI to help health systems analyze payer behavior, identify denials, underpayments and contract issues, and strengthen how providers engage with insurers across claims management and managed care negotiations. The new funding brings Anomaly’s total raised to $34M. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513966755/en/Anomaly-Secures-an-Additional-%2417M-to-Fundamentally-Change-How-Health-Systems-Engage-With-Payers?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://UP.Partners?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP.Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://havocai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Havoc’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $100M Series A, backing the company’s push to scale its all-domain autonomous systems for defense operations. Havoc’s autonomy stack is designed to operate across air, sea and land platforms, and the new funding brings its total capital raised to nearly $200M as it expands deployment capacity, engineering and partnerships with defense manufacturers. </span><a class="link" href="https://ventureburn.com/havoc-raises-100m-to-advance-autonomy/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.star-catcher.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Star Catcher’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $65M Series A, with the round co-led by Shield Capital and Cerberus Ventures. The Florida-based company is building what it calls the first power grid in space, using optical power beaming to deliver electricity on demand to satellites and other spacecraft, with the funding going toward orbital demonstrations, engineering and commercial expansion. The round brings Star Catcher’s total funding to $88M. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.star-catcher.com/news/star-catcher-raises-65-million-to-build-the-first-power-grid-in-space?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.interlagos.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Interlagos</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cowboyspace.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cowboy Space Corporation’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $275M Series B, which was led by Index Ventures and valued the company at $2B. Formerly known as Aetherflux, the San Carlos-based company is building vertically integrated orbital infrastructure for the AI era, including low-Earth orbit satellites, purpose-built launch vehicles and in-orbit data centers designed to help meet rising demand for AI compute. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508036993/en/Cowboy-Space-Corporation-Raises-%24275M-Series-B-For-Vertically-Integrated-Orbital-Data-Centers-and-Rockets?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=heaviside-raises-28m-for-autonomous-precision-munitions"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=ff02419f-6ef9-4331-9f1c-b699b5ecc46f&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>The LA Startup Taking on One of Parenting’s Most Frustrating Problems</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 16:34:02 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-05-08T16:34:02Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Every parent knows the feeling of becoming an overnight expert in something they never wanted to learn.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For families navigating developmental delays, behavioral health needs, autism, speech therapy, occupational therapy or pediatric mental health support, that learning curve can become a full-time job. Finding the right specialist is hard enough. Getting those specialists, pediatricians, insurers and families to actually coordinate with each other? That’s often where the system breaks.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That’s the problem Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://village.health/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Village</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is trying to solve.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The specialty pediatrics startup </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/village-community_exclusive-village-lands-95m-for-pediatric-activity-7457426117549821953-tn88?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAESMPCQB172cFhV_lIk3VKQjd2c_vQi0NmI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">raised $9.5 million</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> in seed funding this week, led by </span><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, with participation from Bling Capital, GTMFund and Perceptive Ventures.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Its AI-powered platform is designed to bring families, providers, pediatricians and payers into one coordinated care system for children with developmental, behavioral and mental health needs.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company was born out of co-founder </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandondterry/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Brandon Terry</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’s personal experience navigating care for his daughter after she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. Like many parents, his family faced long waitlists, high out-of-pocket costs and a fragmented web of specialists who were not necessarily working from the same playbook.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The pitch is not simply “find a provider faster.” Village wants to coordinate the entire team around a child, including occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, behavioral therapists and pediatricians. Its AI agent, Vera, is designed to help with the administrative drag that often slows pediatric practices down: scheduling, documentation, billing and care coordination.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company’s raise also points to a less flashy, but deeply consequential corner of health tech: making complex care easier to navigate. In specialty pediatrics, the pain point is not always the quality of care itself. It is the space between appointments, referrals, insurance approvals and provider communication where families are often left to connect the dots themselves.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">So far, Village says it has built a network of more than 400 independent pediatric specialty providers in Southern California and has contracts with major commercial insurers including Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare. The new funding will help the company expand across Southern California, into other parts of California and eventually into new states.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">In other words, the next wave of healthcare infrastructure may not look like one giant hospital system. It may look more like a connected network built around the people who have been holding the system together all along: families.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And yes, in this case, it really does take a Village.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Venture deals follow below.</span><span style="color:rgb(90, 88, 88);">👇</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://moshlife.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MOSH</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, the brain health nutrition brand co-founded by Maria Shriver and Patrick Schwarzenegger, raised a $13M Series A led by Main Street Advisors to expand nationally across grocery retailers and accelerate product innovation. The Los Angeles-based company plans to use the funding to grow its retail footprint, including an upcoming Target launch, while expanding its lineup of brain-focused nutrition products with new high-protein bars designed to support both cognitive and physical performance. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mosh-raises-13-million-series-a-led-by-main-street-advisors-to-scale-brain-health-nutrition-brand-into-national-grocery-302763314.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.springlabs.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Spring Labs</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $5M to expand its AI-native compliance platform for banks and fintechs, with the funding led by BankTech Ventures and Haymaker Ventures. The Marina del Rey-based company is building AI agents that automate complaint handling, dispute resolution, and other compliance workflows, helping regulated financial institutions scale operations more efficiently while maintaining oversight and auditability. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spring-labs-raises-5m-to-help-compliance-teams-scale-like-modern-ai-powered-engineering-teams-302762679.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://FlowPrompt.ai?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FlowPrompt.ai</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> secured a strategic seed investment from ART Fund SP, part of ChainBLX SPC, as the company expands its AI orchestration platform designed to help developers build and manage complex AI workflows through a visual interface. Alongside the investment, the companies also launched a global AI hackathon and builder program that will give selected founders access to funding opportunities, platform tools, and a live investor pitch event in Los Angeles later this summer.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.pr.com/press-release/967342?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://chance.live/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chance Studios</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $3.2M to build a unified platform for trading card game collectors, aiming to bring inventory management, marketplace activity, and community features into a single ecosystem. The round was co-led by Makers Fund and Hashed, with participation from Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, GAM3GIRL VC, and others, as the company looks to modernize how collectors buy, track, and interact around physical and digital TCG assets. </span><a class="link" href="https://gamesbeat.com/chance-studios-raises-3-2m-to-unify-trading-card-game-collectors/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rebelfund.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.moritzlegal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Moritz’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $9M seed round, backing the AI-native law firm as it looks to automate large portions of routine corporate legal work. The company combines software with experienced attorneys to speed up contract drafting and review, and says it has already handled more than $2 billion worth of contracts across over 100 companies since launching earlier this year. </span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/moritz-9m-y-combinator-20vc-former-openai-lawyer-ai-law-firm/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rebelfund.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.corvera.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Corvera’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4.2M seed round, backing the AI-native supply chain platform as it automates back-office operations for consumer packaged goods brands. The Y Combinator-backed startup is building AI agents that can handle workflows like order processing, invoicing, and demand planning across fragmented enterprise systems, helping brands scale operations without significantly increasing headcount. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.corvera.ai/news/corvera-seed-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.chaacventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chaac Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.astrocade.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Astrocade’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.6M funding round, backing the gaming startup as it builds a social gaming platform centered around community-created interactive experiences. The company is focused on blending gaming, streaming, and creator tools into a more collaborative entertainment platform, and plans to use the funding to expand development and grow its creator ecosystem. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.astrocade.com/blog/astrocade-raises-56m-funding?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fusion-vc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fusion VC</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.msicspharma.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MSICS Pharma’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $3.6M funding round, backing the biotech company as it advances psilocybin-based treatments for PTSD, depression, and OCD. The company is developing medical-grade psychedelic compounds and plans to use the funding to expand production, accelerate clinical trials, and prepare for broader commercialization as interest in psychedelic therapies continues to grow.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/our-portfolio-company-msics-pharma-raised-share-7456994854699458560-1CWZ/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://jamfund.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">JAM Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://fun.xyz/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fun’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $72M Series A, backing the payments infrastructure startup as it scales its platform for moving money across fintech and digital asset applications. The round was co-led by Multicoin Capital and SignalFire, and the company plans to use the funding to expand internationally, pursue acquisitions, and deepen its infrastructure stack as demand grows for faster global payment systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://fun.xyz/news/series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.tapin2.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tapin2</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> was acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://greatersumventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Greater Sum Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, joining MyVenue as part of GSV’s expanded point-of-sale technology platform for stadiums, arenas and live entertainment venues. Tapin2 provides self-service, suite catering and mobile ordering technology for high-volume sports and entertainment venues, while MyVenue offers cloud-native POS software across concessions, premium seating, retail, in-seat ordering and other venue operations. Together, the companies say their technology is used in more than 70% of MLB and NFL stadiums. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260507474429/en/Greater-Sum-Ventures-Announces-Majority-Investment-in-Tapin2-Which-Joins-MyVenue-in-an-Expanded-Point-of-Sale-Technology-Platform?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://motivss.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Motiv Space Systems</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://rocketlabcorp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rocket Lab</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its space robotics, motion control systems and precision spacecraft mechanisms into Rocket Lab’s growing space systems business. Motiv’s technology has supported major missions including NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover and lunar rover programs, and the company will be rebranded as Rocket Lab Robotics after the deal closes, which is expected in the second quarter of 2026. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/07/3290619/0/en/rocket-lab-to-acquire-robotics-leader-motiv-space-systems.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearerobyn/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Robyn</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> was acquired by Los Angeles-based </span><a class="link" href="https://totsquad.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tot Squad</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its AI-powered doula tool into Tot Squad’s broader support platform for expecting and new moms. Robyn’s AI was trained on more than 70,000 de-identified messages between parents and doulas, and the acquisition will help Tot Squad offer free, around-the-clock pregnancy and early motherhood guidance alongside access to human experts like doulas, lactation consultants and sleep coaches. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/910872502/tot-squad-acquires-maternal-health-startup-robyn-to-build-the-modern-support-system-for-new-moms?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-la-startup-taking-on-one-of-parenting-s-most-frustrating-problems"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=58e6224a-1303-40e9-a6d8-a3bb709ebe6d&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>Match Goes Niche With $100M Move</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/match-goes-niche-with-100m-move</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/match-goes-niche-with-100m-move</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 17:43:02 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-05-01T17:43:02Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
    <div class='beehiiv'><style>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">It’s May, and LA is about to have one of its more important weeks.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://milkeninstitute.org/events/global-conference-2026?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Milken Institute Global Conference 2026</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> returns to Beverly Hills next week, bringing together thousands of investors, operators, policymakers, and executives. It’s one of the few places where public markets, private capital, and tech actually overlap in the same rooms, and where you can usually get an early read on what capital is leaning into before it fully shows up in the data.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This year, one theme is already starting to surface. Platforms are getting more specific, not more broad.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This week’s news is a good example.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://mtch.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Match Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/match-group-invests-100-million-in-fast-growing-platform-sniffies-for-gbtq-men-302754721.html?tc=eml_cleartime&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">investing $100 million</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> into </span><a class="link" href="https://sniffies.com/map?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sniffies</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a fast-growing, location-based platform built for gay, bi, trans, and queer men. It’s a notable move for a company best known for mainstream dating apps like Tinder and Hinge, and it signals a deeper push into more niche, community-driven platforms.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Sniffies operates very differently from traditional dating apps. It’s more real-time, more map-based, and more focused on immediacy than long-term matching. In other words, it’s built around behavior, not profiles.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And that’s what makes the investment interesting.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For years, the dominant strategy in consumer platforms was scale, build one product that works for everyone. But what we’re seeing now is the opposite. The platforms that are gaining traction tend to be the ones that understand a specific audience deeply and build for how that group actually behaves.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Match leaning into that shift isn’t just about expanding its portfolio. It’s a recognition that growth is coming from focus.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And in a city like Los Angeles, that’s usually where things start.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Below are this week’s venture deals and fund announcements across LA 👇</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.illuminant.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Illuminant Surgical</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised an $8.4M seed round to accelerate the rollout of its real-time anatomical projection platform, which aims to give surgeons enhanced visibility during procedures. The company’s “Skylight” system is designed to project internal imaging directly onto the patient, improving precision and reducing risk, and the funding will support product development and early commercialization efforts. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.illuminant.ai/announcing-illuminants-8-4m-seed-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://jupid.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Jupid</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $840K in  early funding to support its AI-native accounting platform, which is designed to automate bookkeeping, tax filing, and compliance for small businesses directly within banking platforms. The company is building what it describes as an embedded “AI accountant” that integrates with financial institutions to streamline operations for entrepreneurs, and plans to use the funding to expand partnerships and accelerate product development as demand grows for automated financial tools. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/p2svc_p2s-portfolio-startup-jupid-raises-840k-activity-7455627321467727873-J-6S/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB5KfkYBlHI_oZrZ8zQLUpcXe3_aQ1Ta3o4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://lumicup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lumicup</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $4.38M Series A to expand its product line and scale manufacturing as it looks to meet growing demand for its consumer health and wellness products. The company plans to use the funding to increase production capacity, invest in new product development, and strengthen its distribution as it continues to grow its footprint in the market. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/907577425/lumicup-raises-4-38m-in-series-a-funding-to-expand-product-line-and-scale-manufacturing?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://yourcounterpart.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Counterpart</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $50M Series C to expand its AI-driven “agentic insurance” platform, which helps small businesses manage growing legal and employment risks tied to AI adoption. The round was led by Valor Equity Partners with participation from existing investor Vy Capital, bringing the company’s total funding to $106M, and the capital will be used to launch new insurance products, expand risk management capabilities, and scale its underwriting platform. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428376223/en/AI-Layoffs-and-a-New-Wave-of-Employee-Lawsuits-Expose-Small-Businesses-to-Litigation-Risks-Counterparts-Agentic-Insurance-Platform-Protects-Them?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://nervonik.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nervonik</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $52.5M Series B to advance its next-generation peripheral nerve stimulation technology, which aims to deliver more precise, personalized treatment for chronic pain. The round was led by Amzak Health with participation from Elevage Medical Technologies, U.S. Venture Partners, Lumira Ventures, Foothill Ventures, and Shangbay Capital, and the company plans to use the funding to accelerate clinical programs and move toward commercialization. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nervonik-announces-52-5-million-series-b-financing-to-advance-peripheral-nerve-stimulation-therapy-302753428.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.lighthouseai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">LighthouseAI</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised an $8M Series A to expand its AI-powered platform that helps pharmaceutical companies manage state licensing and regulatory compliance. The round was led by Boxcars Ventures with participation from TGVP and existing investors, and the company plans to use the funding to enhance product development, improve service delivery, and support continued growth as it scales across the pharma supply chain. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.newswire.com/news/lighthouseai-raises-8-million-series-a-22769016?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://rogo.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rogo’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $75M Series C, backing the AI platform as it builds autonomous financial agents designed to streamline complex workflows for banks and investment firms. The round was led by Sequoia Capital and included a mix of major financial institutions and venture firms, signaling strong demand for AI tools that can augment decision-making across high-stakes finance. </span><a class="link" href="https://rogo.ai/news/series-d?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.m13.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">M13</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://chordcommerce.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chord’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7M funding round, backing the AI commerce platform as it builds a “context layer” designed to unify fragmented data, tools, and workflows for retail brands. The round was led by Equal Ventures with participation from Chingona Ventures and CEAS Investments, and the company aims to help operators move beyond dashboards toward systems that can make real-time decisions and automate actions across the business. </span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/chord-7m-funding-equal-ventures-ecommerce-ai-glossier/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fika.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fika Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://lumian.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lumian’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> funding round, backing the startup as it launches an AI-native Amazon agency designed to automate and optimize how brands operate on the marketplace. The company is focused on replacing traditional agency workflows with AI-driven systems that can manage everything from advertising to operations in real time, reflecting a broader shift toward automation in e-commerce.</span><a class="link" href="https://lumian.ai/resources/announcing-lumian-an-ai-native-amazon-agency-built-for-how-the-marketplace-works-now?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://riot.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Riot Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.trueanomaly.space/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">True Anomaly’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $650M Series D, backing the defense space startup as it scales spacecraft, software, and autonomous systems designed for national security missions in orbit. The round values the company at around $2.2 billion and brings total funding to over $1 billion since its 2022 founding, and the company plans to use the capital to accelerate mission deployments, expand manufacturing, and grow its workforce as demand increases for space-based defense capabilities. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.trueanomaly.space/newsroom/our-series-d-fundraise-650m-raised-to-accelerate-space-superiority-at-scale?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Technology Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://clarasight.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clarasight’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $11.5M Series A, backing the AI-powered travel and expense platform as it works to unify fragmented enterprise data into a single system. The round was led by AlleyCorp with participation from several travel and fintech-focused investors, and the company plans to use the funding to expand product development and scale go-to-market efforts as demand grows for AI-driven efficiency in corporate travel. </span><a class="link" href="https://clarasight.com/blog/clarasight-raises-11-5m-series-a-to-bring-ai-to-enterprise-travel?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://halogenvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Halogen Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://mucker.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mucker Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.skyfireai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SkyfireAI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $11M seed round, backing the startup as it builds an AI-native platform for coordinating autonomous, multi-drone operations. The company’s software is designed for public safety and defense use cases, helping teams deploy and manage fleets of drones with greater speed and efficiency without increasing staffing, and it plans to use the funding to accelerate product development, expand its team, and scale deployments with government and mission-critical customers as demand grows for autonomous drone systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/skyfireai-raises-11-million-seed-to-advance-autonomous-multi-ship-drone-opera-1161412?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattervp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Matter Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://openlightphotonics.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">OpenLight’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M Series A-1, with participation from Acclimate Ventures, Catapult Ventures, and existing investors, backing the photonics company as it scales its next-generation chip platform for AI infrastructure. The funding brings total capital raised to $84M and will be used to accelerate global deployment of its silicon photonics technology across data centers, telecom, and other high-bandwidth applications. </span><a class="link" href="https://openlightphotonics.com/newsroom/openlight-secures-50-million-in-series-a-1-funding-to-accelerate-global-deployment-of-next-generation-photonics?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.fathomtx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fathom Therapeutics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $47M Series A, backing the biotech startup as it applies quantum chemistry and AI to design next-generation small molecule drugs. The oversubscribed round was led by Sutter Hill Ventures with participation from Chemistry and other investors, and the company plans to advance its platform, which simulates protein behavior inside living cells to accelerate drug discovery. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-therapeutics-formerly-atommap-raises-47-million-in-oversubscribed-series-a-financing-to-translate-physics-and-ai-enabled-small-molecule-design-into-next-generation-medicines-302754272.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=match-goes-niche-with-100m-move"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=93dee03d-ee64-42f5-b1ba-9da92649ae00&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>Netflix Doubles Down on LA</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/netflix-doubles-down-on-la</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/netflix-doubles-down-on-la</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:57:07 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-04-24T17:57:07Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hey Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Goodbye Coachella, hello Stagecoach. The desert doesn’t stay quiet for long, and neither does LA’s entertainment machine.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This week, that momentum showed up in a more permanent way.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Netflix is expanding its footprint in Los Angeles with a major move to take over and invest in Radford Studio Center, a historic production lot in Studio City. The company is planning a long-term transformation of the site, with upgrades to soundstages, production offices, and infrastructure designed to support the next generation of film and television production.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">It’s a notable shift in a moment when production has been under pressure in California, with studios increasingly looking outside the state for cost advantages. Netflix going deeper in LA, and specifically into a legacy studio lot, signals a different kind of commitment. Not just to content, but to where that content actually gets made.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And it comes at a time when the streaming wars have matured. Growth is harder, budgets are tighter, and the focus has shifted from scale at all costs to efficiency and control. Owning or operating more of the production environment gives Netflix tighter control over timelines, costs, and output.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">For Los Angeles, it’s a reminder of what still anchors the city. Even as AI, defense tech, and infrastructure startups continue to rise, entertainment remains one of the few industries where LA isn’t just competitive, it’s foundational.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Different headlines each week, but a consistent theme underneath them. Whether it’s power, autonomy, or content, the companies that matter are investing in the layers they don’t want to outsource.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And in this case, that layer is Hollywood itself.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Below are this week’s venture deals, fund announcements, and acquisitions across LA 👇</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://up.partners/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://www.calmvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Calm Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://reliable.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reliable Robotics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $160M funding round, backing the autonomous aviation company as it advances pilotless flight technology for cargo and passenger aircraft. The round included a mix of new and existing investors, and the company plans to use the capital to accelerate certification efforts and expand deployment of its autonomous systems across commercial aviation. </span><a class="link" href="https://reliable.co/pr/reliable-robotics-$160M-funding?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://blueheronventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Blue Heron Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.tavahealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tava Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $40M Series C, backing the company as it expands its tech-enabled mental health platform into a more integrated, full-stack system for providers, employers, and health plans. The round was led by Centana Growth Partners with participation from existing investors, and the company plans to use the funding to roll out new AI-powered tools and broaden access to care while reducing administrative friction across the system. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.tavahealth.com/resources/40m-series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://vamosventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vamos Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://zocalo.health/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zócalo Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M Series A, backing the company as it scales its tech-enabled, community-based primary care model focused on high-need and underserved populations. The round was led by .406 Ventures with participation from existing and new investors, and the company plans to use the funding to expand its clinics and deepen partnerships with Medicaid programs as demand for accessible care grows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zocalo-health-raises-15-million-series-a-to-scale-community-based-care-for-high-need-populations-302751096.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.studio71.com/us/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Studio71</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://fixated.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fixated</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> as part of a broader deal in which German media company ProSiebenSat.1 sold its North American creator business, giving Fixated a large-scale network of creators and podcast operations and significantly expanding its footprint as it continues an aggressive roll-up strategy in the creator economy. The move signals continued consolidation in the space, with Fixated building a more vertically integrated platform across talent management, content production, and distribution. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam-boorstin-a9a83016_studio71-sold-to-fixated-giving-company-activity-7452380402469584899-UZ9d/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonsaihealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonsai Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.modmed.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ModMed</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing its AI-powered patient engagement platform into a broader healthcare software ecosystem. The deal is aimed at integrating Bonsai’s “agentic AI” capabilities into ModMed’s platform to automate patient outreach, fill care gaps, and improve scheduling across a network of nearly 50,000 providers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.modmed.com/press-release/modmed-acquires-bonsai-health-to-accelerate-ai-powered-patient-engagement/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=netflix-doubles-down-on-la"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=a0acadfb-136c-44bd-b4c4-8eac02bfd680&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>A $26M Push Into Power in LA</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/a-26m-push-into-power-in-la</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/a-26m-push-into-power-in-la</guid>
  <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:17:35 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-04-18T12:17:35Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello, Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Coachella Weekend 2 is here, which usually means LA is either heading back to the desert or happily staying put this time around. Back in the city, the focus this week is less about music infrastructure and more about something far more critical, power.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That’s where this week’s news comes in.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.criticalloop.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Critical Loop</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a Los Angeles-based energy startup, </span><a class="link" href="https://www.criticalloop.com/news/blog/critical-loop-raises-26m-series-a-to-accelerate-grid-interconnection?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">raised a $26 million Series A</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> to tackle one of the least talked about bottlenecks in tech right now, grid interconnection. In simple terms, it’s the process of getting power to where it’s needed, and increasingly, that process is too slow to keep up.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Critical Loop is building modular microgrid systems that can be deployed in days instead of years, giving industrial operators, data centers, and other energy-heavy users faster access to power without waiting on traditional grid upgrades. The round was led by Conifer Infrastructure Partners and Hanover, with participation from Better Ventures, Climate Capital, Adapt Nation Capital, and Cyrus Ventures.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The timing here matters. Between AI infrastructure demands, electrification, and a broader push toward domestic energy resilience, power is quickly becoming a gating factor for growth. You can build the data center, the factory, or the next big thing, but none of it works if you can’t turn it on.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That’s what makes companies like Critical Loop worth watching. They’re not building the flashiest part of the stack, but they’re solving for the piece everything else depends on.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And in a city that knows a thing or two about scaling ambition quickly, that might be the most important layer of all.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Below are this week’s fund announcements across LA 👇</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://anthoscapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anthos Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://Wealth.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wealth.com</a><a class="link" href="http://wealth.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $65M Series B, backing the AI-powered estate and tax planning platform as it scales across financial institutions. The oversubscribed round included new investors like Titanium Ventures and Pruven Capital alongside existing backers, and the company plans to use the funding to expand product development, pursue acquisitions, and grow its enterprise footprint as demand rises for AI-driven wealth management solutions. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.wealth.com/resources/press/wealth-com-raises-65-million-series-b-to-power-ai-future-of-wealth-management/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/anamika-ventures/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anamika Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://sagehavenforkids.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sage Haven’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $3M pre-seed round, backing the AI-powered messaging and calling app designed to create a safer communication environment for kids. The round was led by Anamika Ventures alongside Fabric Ventures and a group of early-stage investors, as the company launches a platform focused on preventing cyberbullying through real-time AI moderation and parent oversight tools. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260416830993/en/Sage-Haven-Launches-AI-Moderated-Messaging-and-Calling-App-for-Kids?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://factory.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Factory’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $150M Series C, backing the AI startup as it builds autonomous software engineering systems for enterprise teams. The round was led by Khosla Ventures and included firms like Sequoia Capital, Blackstone, Insight Partners, and NEA, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. Factory plans to use the funding to invest further in product development and global expansion as demand grows for AI-driven tools that can automate large portions of the software development process. </span><a class="link" href="https://factory.ai/news/series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rebelfund.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://uplane.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Uplane’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4.5M seed round, backing the AI startup as it looks to replace traditional marketing agencies with a platform that automates ad creation, testing, and budget optimization. The round was led by Play Ventures with participation from Y Combinator, 20VC, and Multimodal Ventures, and the company says its technology can improve return on ad spend by automating performance marketing workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/uplane-raises-4-5m-in-seed-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://presight.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Presight Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://alloytx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alloy Therapeutics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $40M Series E, backing the biotech infrastructure company as it scales its AI-powered platform for drug discovery and development. The round included a mix of new investors like 8VC and JIC Venture Growth Investments alongside returning backers, valuing the company at $1 billion and underscoring continued interest in platforms that combine AI, data, and lab services across the biopharma lifecycle. </span><a class="link" href="https://alloytx.com/alloy-therapeutics-announces-40m-series-e-to-scale-tech-enabled-biotech-infrastructure/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.finality.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Finality Capital Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://hyfix.ai/?srsltid=AfmBOopEVCAoshMj1TAR-cs4j2CDu7CdHlx5_AUXnmop-nDfq-1jTCyA&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HYFIX’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M seed round, backing the semiconductor startup as it builds American-made chips designed to power drones and autonomous robots. The round was led by Craft Ventures with participation from Catapult Ventures, Multicoin Capital, and Sky Dayton, and the company is developing an integrated system-on-a-chip to replace fragmented hardware stacks and reduce reliance on foreign components. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyfix-announces-15m-seed-round-to-build-american-made-chips-powering-the-next-generation-of-drones-and-robots-302743129.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rainfall.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rainfall Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://stendr.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stendr’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.4M pre-seed round, backing the Norwegian defense tech startup as it builds an AI-native platform for drone detection and counter-drone operations. The round was co-led by Rainfall alongside ACME Capital and Skyfall, with additional participation from Antler, StartupLab, and other early-stage investors, and the company plans to use the funding to accelerate development of its multi-sensor technology and expand engineering capabilities. </span><a class="link" href="https://stendr.com/news/stendr-pre-seed-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.slauson.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Slauson & Co.</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.slate.auto/en?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Slate Auto’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $650M funding round, backing the EV startup as it works to bring a lower-cost electric pickup truck to market. The round was led by TWG Global and comes as the Bezos-backed company prepares to begin production, targeting a more affordable segment of the EV market with a customizable truck expected to launch later this year. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/13/slate-auto-raises-650m-to-fund-its-affordable-ev-truck-plans/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.navitascap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Navitas Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.primepoint.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Primepoint’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $10M seed round, backing the AI startup as it builds a platform that reads and connects complex construction drawings to streamline project workflows. The round also included investors like Penny Jar Capital, NextView Ventures, GS Futures, and Aglaé Ventures, and the company plans to use the funding to expand its platform and grow adoption among large commercial contractors. </span><a class="link" href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/primepoint-closes-10m-seed-round-220500489.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://neomorph.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Neomorph’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $100M Series B, backing the biotech company as it advances its molecular glue degrader platform targeting previously undruggable diseases. The round was led by Deerfield Management with participation from Regeneron Ventures, Longwood Fund, and Binney Street Capital, and the company plans to use the funding to support ongoing clinical trials and expand its broader drug development pipeline. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/04/13/3272523/0/en/Neomorph-Announces-Closing-of-100-Million-Series-B-Financing.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=a-26m-push-into-power-in-la"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=b408dc2d-f31f-4f8d-b831-49ce6f8e5001&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Valar Atomics Wants to Power AI, Literally</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:48:22 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-04-03T16:48:22Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello, Los Angeles.</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This week’s spotlight belongs to a startup chasing one of the biggest and messiest questions in tech right now: where all the power for AI is actually supposed to come from. El Segundo-based </span><a class="link" href="https://www.valaratomics.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Valar Atomics</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, founded by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaiahptaylor/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Isaiah Taylor</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, is reportedly raising </span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/palmer-luckey-backed-valar-atomics-450m-2b-valuation-ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$450 million at a $2 billion valuation</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> to build clusters of small nuclear reactors aimed at powering data centers and other energy-hungry industrial sites.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That is not a subtle ambition. On its website, Valar says it wants to build “hundreds of nuclear reactors” on what it calls gigasites, focusing on grid-independent products including data center power, hydrogen, heavy industrial power, and clean hydrocarbon fuels. Its reactor approach is based on high-temperature gas reactor design principles using TRISO fuel, and the company is explicitly pitching its model as a way to meet the surge in power demand coming from AI.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Valar’s investor roster also helps explain why the company has drawn so much attention. The startup is backed by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/palmer-luckey-21a16959/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Palmer Luckey</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and Palantir CTO </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsankar/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Shyam Sankar</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, and its earlier $130M round in November 2025 was led by Snowpoint Ventures.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">What makes the story especially interesting is that this is not just another AI infrastructure company talking about faster chips or more efficient software. It is a bet that the next bottleneck is electricity itself, and that the winning response might look a lot more like hard infrastructure than cloud optimization. In a market full of startups promising to power the future metaphorically, Valar is making a much stranger and bolder claim: it wants to do it literally.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The company is also moving with unusual speed. Valar says it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to achieve criticality on American soil by July 4, 2026 under the administration’s accelerated nuclear program, and related company materials tie its Project NOVA work to the Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. Whether that timeline proves realistic or not, it tells you something important about the kind of company this wants to be: not a distant science project, but a startup trying to force nuclear power onto AI’s timetable.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">And maybe that is the bigger LA angle here. For all the conversation around software, content, and consumer apps, Southern California keeps producing founders who are drawn to the hard stuff: defense, aerospace, energy, logistics, real-world systems with real-world constraints. Valar may still have plenty to prove, but it is hard to accuse this one of thinking small.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattervp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Matter Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://anvil.bot/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anvil Robotics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.5M seed round, which it led and which also included Humba Ventures, DNX Ventures, Vivek Sodera, Spacecadet Ventures, and Position Ventures. Anvil said it is building a kind of “Legos for robots” platform for physical AI teams, with open-source custom robots that can ship in one to two days, and has already delivered more than 100 units globally while surpassing seven figures in revenue. </span><a class="link" href="https://news.crunchbase.com/robotics/physical-ai-custom-robot-builder-seed-funding-anvil/?_gl=1*wneyj5*_gcl_au*MTY4MTcwOTIuMTc2OTcwOTYzOS4xNzIyMDY1NzQ1LjE3NzUxODI2MTYuMTc3NTE4MjYxNw..*_ga*MTQ4MjUyNjYzLjE3Njk3MDk2Mzk.*_ga_97DKWJJNRK*czE3NzUyMzEwOTIkbzY0JGcxJHQxNzc1MjMxMTM5JGoxMyRsMCRoMA..&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.withdaydream.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">daydream’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M Series A, backing the AI-native SEO agency alongside First Round Capital and Basis Set Ventures. daydream said the round brings total funding to $21M and will be used to accelerate hiring, product development, and go-to-market expansion as it combines SEO agents with human experts to help companies navigate both traditional search and AI search. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/daydream-raises-15m-series-a-to-build-the-worlds-best-ai-native-agency-for-seo-302732323.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.embark.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Embark Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://viaseparations.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Via Separations</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ $36M funding round, which also brought in new strategic backing from Climate Investment, Aramco Ventures, and Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Via said the capital will help deploy more commercial projects and expand its membrane-based industrial filtration platform into refining and chemicals, building on commercial traction in pulp and paper and a pilot completed at a major Gulf Coast refinery. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260401520172/en/Via-Separations-Raises-%2436-Million-to-Deploy-Commercial-Projects-Expand-into-Refining-and-Chemicals-Markets?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.finality.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Finality Capital Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://alien.org/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alien’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7.1M round alongside Initialized, backing the company’s push to build identity infrastructure for both humans and AI agents. According to the X post announcing the raise, Alien plans to use the funding to develop unique identity systems at a time when proving whether an entity online is human or agentic is becoming increasingly important. </span><a class="link" href="https://x.com/kirillzzy/status/2039375944901644550?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.m13.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">M13</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.openfx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">OpenFX’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $94M Series A, as the company builds API infrastructure for global FX liquidity. OpenFX said it now moves more than $45B a year across borders, settles 98% of transactions in under 60 minutes, and plans to use the funding to expand its institutional-grade, API-first platform for cross-border payments and treasury operations. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.openfx.com/blog/announcing-openfx-s-94m-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.m13.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">M13</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://jiminihealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Jimini Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $17M seed round, backing the company alongside Town Hall Ventures, LionBird, Zetta Venture Partners, and OneMind as it builds a clinician-supervised AI platform for behavioral health. Jimini said the funding will help scale Sage into more care settings and deepen partnerships with major behavioral health providers across the U.S., positioning it as a safer alternative to unsupervised consumer AI tools for mental health support.</span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/jimini-health-secures-17m-from-m13-zetta-to-scale-safe-ai-in-behavioural-health/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://depthfirst.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">depthfirst’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $80M Series B, which was led by Meritech Capital and also included Forerunner Ventures, The House Fund, Accel, Box Group, Liquid 2 Ventures, and Alt Capital. The company said the new funding will be used to train additional security models, grow its AI research team, and scale enterprise adoption as it builds an AI-native platform for software security and launches its first in-house security model. </span><a class="link" href="https://depthfirst.com/post/series-b-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://freeflow.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Freeflow Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.tippingpointbiosciences.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TippingPoint Biosciences’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4.5M seed round, joining SOSV, LKS Fund, Sazze Partners, StoryHouse Ventures, Sontag Innovation Fund, BrightEdge, XEIA Venture Partners, West Coast Angel Network, and others. The company said the financing will help de-risk its epigenetic discovery platform as it works to translate chromatin biology into new therapeutics.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/laurajhsieh_im-thrilled-to-share-that-weve-closed-a-activity-7444705446487257088-A7Q5/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAD8eHF8BqcE_O4IYRrfBsvOTvrynXZqIAFk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wmg.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Warner Music Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> agreed to acquire </span><a class="link" href="https://revelator.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Revelator</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a B2B music platform focused on digital distribution, rights management, royalty accounting, and real-time analytics for independent labels, artists, and distributors. WMG said the deal will strengthen its distribution and label services business, expand the tools available through its labels and ADA, and allow Revelator to keep serving its existing customers while scaling through WMG’s global infrastructure. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-group-agrees-to-acquire-revelator-state-of-the-art-independent-music-platform?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://omniagentsolutions.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Omni Agent Solutions</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.fortress.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fortress Investment Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which said the deal will provide long-term capital and resources to expand Omni’s tech-forward platform for bankruptcy and restructuring case administration. Omni said the investment will support continued technology development and scale across services such as claims management, noticing, solicitation support, securities services, disbursements, and call center operations, while its executive and operational teams remain in place. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.fortress.com/media/2026-03-31-omni-agent-solutions-acquired-by-fortress-investment-group?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://apium.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Apium Swarm Robotics</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://redcat.red/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Red Cat</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, adding its distributed control technology for autonomous swarming drones and uncrewed surface vessels to Red Cat’s broader defense platform. Red Cat said Apium will continue operating independently while its autonomy stack is integrated across the business to strengthen coordinated multi-agent operations in contested and communications-degraded environments. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/30/3264914/0/en/Red-Cat-Closes-Acquisition-of-Apium-Swarm-Robotics.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://hopwtr.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HOPWTR</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being fully acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cbrands.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Constellation Brands</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which first invested in the non-alcoholic sparkling water brand through its venture arm in 2021. Constellation said the deal strengthens its no- and low-alcohol portfolio as consumer demand in the space grows, while HOPWTR is expected to keep operating as it does today in the near term with CEO Jordan Bass remaining involved. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.cbrands.com/blogs/press-releases/constellation-brands-announces-agreement-to-acquire-non-alcoholic-brand-hopwtr?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=valar-atomics-wants-to-power-ai-literally"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=81006bff-6ab1-4312-a3f9-e4f8700e9435&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>This LA Startup Just Raised $49M for the Chaos Behind High-Stakes Lawsuits</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:43:52 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-03-27T15:43:52Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Happy Friday, Los Angeles. </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">In a startup market obsessed with AI copilots and productivity promises, </span><a class="link" href="https://steno.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Steno</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> just </span><a class="link" href="https://brief.steno.com/steno-raises-49m-series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">raised $49M</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> for something far less glamorous and probably far more durable: the machinery behind depositions, transcripts, and high-stakes litigation. It is the kind of business that sounds boring right up until you realize how much money, urgency, and operational chaos moves through it every day.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">The LA legal tech company, which positions itself as both a court reporting service and a software platform, said the Series C was led by Savano Capital Partners, with continued backing from First Round Capital, The Legal Tech Fund, and other strategic investors. Steno plans to use the funding to expand geographically, deepen its reach into the AmLaw 200, and roll out the next evolution of its AI-powered Transcript Genius product.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Steno’s bet is not that lawyers want another standalone AI tool dropped into an already messy workflow. It is betting that the real opportunity is owning more of the process itself, from court reporting and remote depositions to transcript analysis and financing, then using software to make the whole machine run faster.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That is what makes this story interesting: Steno is building around legal work that is already happening, already expensive, and already painful. In a market full of companies trying to invent new behavior, there is something compelling about one focused on making an old, high-friction system work better.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now, onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://sigmas.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SIGMAS</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $1M seed round co-led by </span><a class="link" href="https://mucker.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mucker Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and HongShan Capital as the performancewear brand expands from marketplace incubation into a broader direct-to-consumer push. The company, which was incubated through SHEIN’s Supply Chain as a Service program, said it has already launched more than 600 men’s activewear SKUs and plans to use SHOPLINE to support its owned-channel and international growth. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sigmas-raises-1m-seed-round-led-by-mucker-capital-and-hongshan-capital-formerly-sequoia-china-302725851.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.solaceconcierge.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Solace</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> received an initial $50,000 investment from Audos as part of the launch of the </span><a class="link" href="https://audos.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Audos</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Publishing House, a new platform aimed at helping everyday entrepreneurs build AI-native businesses. The Santa Monica startup, created by founder Sarah Gwilliam after losing her father, is building an AI-powered grief coaching platform focused on active coaching, guided journaling, and memory preservation, with Audos also offering up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding through a 15% revenue-share model. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/901891575/solace-receives-receives-initial-50-000-investment-from-audos-as-part-of-inaugural-cohort?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.trianglehealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Triangle Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> emerged with $4M in pre-seed funding after cofounder Arun Verma turned his own brain cancer diagnosis into the inspiration for the company’s AI-powered health navigation platform. The Pasadena startup says its product helps patients gather complete medical records, surface treatment options and clinical trials, and review findings with a licensed physician, with backing from investors including Kevin Mahaffey, Hannah Grey, Antler Criticality Fund, John Hering, Marty Tenenbaum, and Kestrin Pantera. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/after-a-surprise-brain-cancer-diagnosis-a-tech-veteran-raised-4m-to-build-the-ai-health-tool-he-wished-hed-had-302723632.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://primestor.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Primestor</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> secured a $10M equity investment from New Jersey Community Capital for The Walk, its mixed-use development in Norwalk, marking NJCC’s expansion into Southern California. The 8.2-acre project is planned to include 374 homes, 56 of them affordable, along with about 94,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space as Primestor advances a broader community-focused development effort in the region. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-jersey-community-capital-expands-with-southern-california-investment-302722214.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.siftstack.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sift</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $42M Series B led by StepStone Group, with GV as its largest investor, bringing total funding to $67M as it builds what it calls an observability layer for hardware engineering. The El Segundo company said the funding will help scale its platform for turning fragmented telemetry from spacecraft, defense systems, autonomous vehicles, and factories into real-time, AI-ready data. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.siftstack.com/mission-critical/we-raised-42m-to-replace-the-legacy-tooling-hardware-engineers-still-depend-on?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.emmelineventures.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Emmeline Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://pricklypear.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Prickly Pear Health’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">s follow-on pre-seed round, helping bring the company’s total funding to more than $600,000 alongside existing backers Bayless Ventures and AZ Venture Capital Inc. Prickly Pear said it will use the new capital to accelerate user growth and expand deployments of its AI-powered women’s brain health platform with mental health practices, beginning in Arizona, after surpassing 2,000 active users since launching in 2024. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arizona-femtech-startup-prickly-pear-health-expands-pre-seed-funding-to-more-than-600k-with-investment-from-emmeline-ventures-302725910.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://riot.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Riot Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://shield.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Shield AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> new financing round, which values the defense tech company at $12.7B and accompanies its planned acquisition of software simulation company Aechelon. Shield AI said the capital will support growth across its autonomy software and broader defense platform, while the Aechelon deal is meant to strengthen its simulation and training capabilities as it scales AI-powered systems for military customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://shield.ai/shield-ai-to-acquire-software-simulation-company-aechelon-and-raise-2b-at-12-7b-valuation/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://starshotcapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Starshot Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://rumin8.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rumin8’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> latest funding round, which added a new $3M commitment from AgriZeroNZ as the company pushes toward commercializing its methane-reducing livestock feed additives in New Zealand. Rumin8 said the new backing will help support pivotal trials and move it toward final registration, with first commercial sales in New Zealand targeted for 2027. </span><a class="link" href="https://rumin8.com/rumin8-to-accelerate-new-zealand-commercialisation-with-agrizeronz-funding/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://compa.xyz/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Compa Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://kairosswap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kairos Labs’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $2.4M seed round, which was led by 6th Man Ventures and also included Lattice and Advancit Capital. The company said the funding follows a beta that generated more than $300M in notional swap volume and will help support the launch of its permissionless, non-custodial interest rate swap protocol on Ethereum mainnet and Base in the coming weeks. </span><a class="link" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/kairos-raises-2-4m-to-bring-the-500t-swap-market-onchain-1035962332?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://morpheus.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Morpheus Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.applied-atomics.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Applied Atomics’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $8.3M seed round, backing the company alongside Transition as it works to deploy full-stack nuclear power plants for industrial infrastructure customers. Applied Atomics said the funding will help bring test and integration stands online, strengthen its supply chain, and move toward deployment, with plans over the next 12 months to secure first host sites and customer agreements, advance NRC Part 50 licensing engagement, and push toward first commercial construction. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/25/3262324/0/en/Applied-Atomics-Raises-8-Million-to-Advance-Full-Stack-Nuclear-Power-Plant-Deployment.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://upfront.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Upfront Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://neonmoneytalks.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Neon’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> financing round, which brought in more than $25M in combined equity and credit from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Upper90, and other investors. The company said the new capital brings total funding to nearly $27M following a $1.5M pre-seed led by Upfront, as Neon scales its platform for paying users for anonymized conversation data and supplying that audio and video data to AI labs. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260325327391/en/Neon-Sets-Strong-Financial-Foundation-for-Future-Growth?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://heliospartnership.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Helios&Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://WhatIsMyAEO.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WhatIsMyAEO.com</a><a class="link" href="http://whatismyaeo.com?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> strategic investment round, backing the platform as it builds free AI-driven brand visibility diagnostics for answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. The company said the funding will help scale its open-source efforts and expand access to tools that measure brand citations, sentiment, trust signals, and technical AI-readiness as zero-click search becomes more common. </span><a class="link" href="https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/helios-partners-makes-strategic-investment-in-whatismyaeo-com-to-pioneer-ai-driven-brand-visibility-diagnostics-526605.shtml?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://moda.app/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Moda’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7.5M seed round, which was led by General Catalyst and also included Pear VC, as the company publicly launched its AI design platform. Moda said its product gives professionals a brand-aware design agent that can generate fully editable presentations, social posts, and other visual assets, and that thousands of beta users are already using it for materials like investor decks and marketing collateral. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.citybiz.co/article/822682/moda-raises-7-5m/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Technology Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in</span><a class="link" href="https://www.blissapp.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Bliss’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> R$ 57 million, or about $11M USD, Series A round, which was co-led by Kfund and Grupo Bradesco and also included Actyus. Bliss said the funding will help expand its AI-powered platform for health insurance brokers beyond São Paulo into cities including Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, while adding to its product and technology teams as it works to modernize health-plan sales for SMEs in Brazil. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.segs.com.br/seguros/443544-bliss-levanta-r-57-milhoes-para-transformar-a-venda-de-planos-de-saude-no-brasil/amp?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.magic.fund/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MAGIC Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in Guangzhou Weixiao Technology’s new strategic financing round, joining IDG Capital, 37 Interactive Entertainment, and miHoYo in the investment. The company said the new capital will be used to accelerate product development and market expansion, though it did not disclose the size of the round. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.iyiou.com/data/202603241125015?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mantis Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.doctronic.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Doctronic’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $40M Series B, which was co-led by Abstract and Lightspeed Venture Partners and also included Union Square Ventures, Seven Stars, and Tusk Ventures. The company said the new funding follows rapid growth to more than 300,000 weekly users and eight-figure annualized revenue, and will help it expand its AI-powered care platform after becoming the first AI-native system authorized to autonomously renew prescriptions under Utah’s AI Learning Lab.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.statnews.com/2026/03/23/ai-doctor-startup-doctronic-raises-40-million/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://rezyfi.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RezyFi</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://ecgiholdings.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ECGI Holdings</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> in a $25M transaction that would bring a 29-state licensed mortgage origination platform and about $140M in annual mortgage funding onto ECGI’s platform. ECGI said the deal is meant to pair RezyFi’s lending infrastructure with its mortgage tokenization strategy, following a pilot program to tokenize up to $10M of residential mortgage loans and as it prepares to launch an investor portal. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/ecgi-signs-definitive-25-million-agreement-to-acquire-rezyfi-1151115?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.saltandstone.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Salt & Stone</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.adventinternational.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Advent</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which signed a deal to buy a majority stake in the Los Angeles premium body care brand. The company said the partnership will help fuel its next phase of global growth after surpassing $165M in revenue in 2025, with founder and CEO Nima Jalali staying on as an equity holder and remaining in leadership alongside President Meagan Rosson and CMO Abby Tellam. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260324145498/en/Advent-to-Acquire-Salt-Stone-the-Premium-Body-Care-Brand?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.victoryyachts.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Victory Holdings</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> signed a definitive agreement to acquire </span><a class="link" href="https://dgbh.us/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Dunn & Groux</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> Beverage Holdings, marking its move into the functional beverage market. The company said the deal will make DGBH a wholly owned subsidiary and give it a platform to build and scale multiple beverage products around patented fulvic acid formulations and a distribution-first model, with initial expansion focused on California, Arizona, and Texas. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/accesswire/1150544msn/victory-holdings-announces-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-dunn-groux-beverage-holdings-and-enter-190b-functional-beverage-market?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=this-la-startup-just-raised-49m-for-the-chaos-behind-high-stakes-lawsuits"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=5bba8ab6-3e4c-42f2-a0b8-dcad9b7958de&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>Arc’s $50M Push Into Commercial Maritime</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:23:29 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-03-20T17:23:29Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hey LA, </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">As the city pushes through a record-breaking March heat wave, one of the week’s most interesting LA startup stories came with a reminder that climate tech gets a lot more real when it leaves the pitch deck and hits the water. In Arc’s case, that means tugboats.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">LA based </span><a class="link" href="https://arcboats.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Arc</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, founded in 2021 by a team of SpaceX alumni, </span><a class="link" href="https://arcboats.com/blog/arc-boats-series-c?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">announced</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> a $50M Series C this week, led by Eclipse, a16z, Menlo Ventures, Lowercarbon, Necessary Ventures, and Offline Ventures, as it pushes deeper into commercial maritime. The raise follows Arc’s $160M contract with Curtin Maritime to deliver eight hybrid-electric tugboats beginning at the Port of Los Angeles, with the first expected to hit the water this year.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/93959fc3-e9dc-44b4-bbdb-7bd8f6431ceb/Arc_Image.jpeg?t=1774027187"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Arc</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That feels notable not just because of the funding, but because it marks a clear evolution in Arc’s business. What started as a premium electric boat company is now making a serious push into the industrial side of maritime transportation, with ambitions spanning tugboats, ferries, and defense vessels.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">There is also something fitting about this story happening in Los Angeles. This is a city known for spectacle, but Arc is building in a category where performance actually has to perform. No amount of branding can fake a working tugboat, and that is exactly why this moment feels worth paying attention to.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now, onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://talinofoundry.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Talino</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a $7.5M Series A led by Chemonics International, with participation from Mt Sinai Capital and Gulf Blvd, as it shifts from a venture studio into what it calls a global fintech foundry. The company said the new funding will help build an API-first cross-border payments infrastructure layer connecting the U.S. with emerging markets, starting with the Philippines, where it is targeting faster, more compliant financial product launches and modernizing legacy rails with stablecoin and real-time payment capabilities. </span><a class="link" href="https://talinofoundry.com/blog/talino-closes-7-5m-series-a-to-launch-a-global-fintech-foundry-and-modernize-cross-border-infrastructure?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://pado.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">PADO AI</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $6M seed round led by NovaWave Capital to expand its AI-powered orchestration software for mid-market colocation data centers. The company said the funding will support product delivery and global growth as it helps operators better manage power, compute, cooling, and distributed energy resources to increase GPU utilization and maximize “compute per megawatt” without requiring major new infrastructure buildouts.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/19/3258928/0/en/PADO-AI-Announces-6-Million-Seed-Round-to-Deliver-AI-Powered-Workload-Orchestration-Resources-for-Data-Centers-to-Maximize-Compute-per-Megawatt.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.meadowmemorials.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Meadow Memorials</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $9M Series A led by Lachy Groom and Haystack to expand its software-enabled funeral planning platform, which lets families arrange services online or by phone. Founded in 2024 by former Stripe executive Sam Gerstenzang and Emma Gilsanz, the company says it is using a real-estate-light model to offer lower-cost funerals as it expands beyond California into states including Texas, Washington, and Arizona. </span><a class="link" href="https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/stripe-alum-raises-online-funeral-planning-startup-meadow/?_gl=1*npqrii*_gcl_au*MTY4MTcwOTIuMTc2OTcwOTYzOS4zMTExNDQ1MjYuMTc3MzE2MjQ2OS4xNzczMTYyNDcw*_ga*MTQ4MjUyNjYzLjE3Njk3MDk2Mzk.*_ga_97DKWJJNRK*czE3NzM5NDk3NTIkbzUxJGcxJHQxNzczOTUyMTUxJGozNSRsMCRoMA..&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://anthoscapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Anthos Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://bsky.social/about?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bluesky’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $100M Series B, which was led by Bain Capital Crypto and also included Alumni Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, Knight Foundation, and True Ventures. The company said the round gave it the resources to scale both the Bluesky app and the broader AT Protocol ecosystem, which it says has grown to more than 43 million users and now supports a fast-expanding network of third-party apps and developers. </span><a class="link" href="https://bsky.social/about/blog/03-19-2026-series-b?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.navigatevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Navigate Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.verbaflo.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">VerbaFlo’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $7M seed round, which was led by Pi Labs and also included Haatch and Old College Capital. VerbaFlo said it plans to use the funding to scale its conversational AI platform for real estate operators, building on traction across more than 200,000 units and expanding further into markets including the U.S., Middle East, and Australia. </span><a class="link" href="https://techfundingnews.com/verbaflo-pi-labs-real-estate-ai-agents-pitch-deck/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://marchcp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">March Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://xage.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Xage Security’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $15M equity financing round, which was led by Piva Capital as the company posted 81% year-over-year revenue growth and expanded its Zero Trust platform for AI and critical infrastructure. Xage said the funding, which closed in December 2025, will support go-to-market expansion and continued product innovation, including new AI security capabilities, as demand grows across sectors such as energy, manufacturing, utilities, transportation, and defense. </span><a class="link" href="https://xage.com/press/xage-security-hits-record-growth-by-architecting-the-future-of-zero-trust-for-ai-and-critical-infrastructure/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://knoxsystems.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Knox Systems’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M Series A, backing the company’s push to scale what it says is the largest AI-managed federal cloud and dramatically shorten the FedRAMP authorization process for software vendors. Knox said the new funding will help accelerate growth after its June 2025 seed round, with the goal of helping customers achieve FedRAMP authorization in as little as 90 days at roughly 90% lower first-year cost, while expanding adoption across both government and commercial environments. </span><a class="link" href="https://knoxsystems.com/blog/knox-systems-raises-25m-series-a-to-scale-largest-ai-managed-cloud-to-deliver-90-day-fedramp-at-90-lower-cost?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://tenkara.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tenkara’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7M round, which was led by True Ventures as the company builds AI-powered operations agents for American manufacturers. Tenkara said it is creating tooling to help factories handle sourcing and operational work more efficiently at a time of rising supply-chain pressure, with backing from a broader investor group that also included Articulate Capital, Night Capital, HF0, SF1, and Transpose Platform. </span><a class="link" href="https://tenkara.ai/blogs/i-spent-a-decade-building-factories-now-i-m-building-the-tooling-i-wish-existed?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.auroracap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Aurora Capita</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">l participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://niv-ai.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Niv-AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $12M seed round, backing the startup alongside Glilot Capital, Grove Ventures, Arc VC, Encoded VC, and Leap Forward as it emerged from stealth. Niv-AI is building sensors and software to measure millisecond-scale GPU power surges and help data centers use electricity more efficiently, with plans to deploy its system in a handful of U.S. facilities within the next six to eight months. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/17/niv-ai-exits-stealth-to-wring-more-power-performance-out-of-gpus/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.clocktowerventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Clocktower Technology Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.fusefinance.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fuse’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M Series A, which TechCrunch reported was led by Footwork, Primary Venture Partners, NextView Ventures, and Commerce Ventures, with Fuse also naming Clocktower Ventures among its backers. The company said it plans to use the funding to expand its AI-native loan origination and account opening platform for credit unions, building on traction with more than 100 customers and a $5M “rescue fund” aimed at helping institutions switch off legacy systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/16/fuse-raises-25m-to-disrupt-aging-loan-origination-systems-used-by-u-s-credit-unions/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.kairosventures.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kairos Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://alomana.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alomana’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> €4M seed round, which was led by CDP Venture Capital and also included Founders Factory, Italian Angels for Growth, Club degli Investitori, and others. Alomana said it will use the funding to strengthen its enterprise AI platform, add more capabilities for autonomous workflow automation, and support larger deployments across Europe as demand grows in sectors like finance, manufacturing, and pharma. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.founderstoday.news/alomana-raises-4m-seed-round/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.winwithoptimal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Optimal’s Entertainment Media</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> division is being acquired by Capstone Point Holdings, with the business set to operate under its legacy name, Optimad Media, following the deal. The transaction keeps founder Kevin Weisberg in place to lead the company from Los Angeles, while giving Optimad more backing to expand its entertainment media planning, buying, and prints-and-advertising investment capabilities across theatrical, streaming, and broadcast campaigns. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260316575446/en/Capstone-Point-Holdings-LLC-Acquires-Entertainment-Media-division-of-Optimal-Expanding-Media-Investment-Capabilities?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=arc-s-50m-push-into-commercial-maritime"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=bbd7c54b-2b3c-4fdf-bf32-bd17a735030b&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Inside Tinder’s Biggest Product Shift in Years</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:56:14 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-03-13T15:56:14Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Hailey Chang</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[Deep Dive]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Despite headlines about swipe fatigue and dating app burnout, </span><a class="link" href="https://tinder.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tinder</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> believes the problem isn’t that people are tired of dating. They’re tired of bad dating experiences.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">So it felt fitting that Tinder chose the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, a venue known for reinvention, to make its case that the category is far from over.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Walking into the El Rey, it was clear Tinder wanted this to feel less like a tech launch and more like a cultural moment. Music was bumping, the room buzzed with chatter and excited energy, red light beams cut through the room, and chandeliers glowed overhead.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">At </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Tinder Sparks 2026: Start Something New</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Match Group and Tinder CEO </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerrascoff?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Spencer Rascoff</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> took the stage to outline what the company calls the biggest evolution of the app in years. </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Tinder remains the largest dating app in the world, used by tens of millions of people across more than 185 countries and responsible for billions of matches every year.</b></span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/d9a36d3c-46ae-4e94-921e-a6b2ebe7b893/IMG_8808.jpg?t=1773416771"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Match Group and Tinder CEO Spencer Rascoff</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Rascoff framed the shift around a broader cultural reality. In a world where people increasingly interact with machines, technology and AI, the need for real human connection has not gone away. If anything, Tinder believes it has only grown stronger. </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">To respond to that shift, Tinder says it’s focusing on what it calls “sparks,” the moments when a match actually turns into a real conversation.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">As Rascoff put it on stage:</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>“We are not optimizing for swipes or likes. We are optimizing for sparks.”</b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">That philosophy is shaping a wave of new features discussed throughout the keynote by Tinder’s leadership team, including </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjkantor/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mark Kantor</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, SVP and Head of Product, </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoelroth/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Yoel Roth</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, SVP of Trust & Safety, and product leaders </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-w-953aa359/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Claire Watanabe</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthproduct/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hillary Paine</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/9e3ae099-f5a6-42b7-9fce-71a7da279d09/Astrology_Mode_Press_Asset.png?t=1773416840"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Tinder</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Among the updates are </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Music Mode</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which lets users connect through shared songs and artists, and a new </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Astrology Mode</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> that highlights compatibility between zodiac signs. Tinder is also leaning further into social dating with </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Double Date</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a feature that lets friends match with other pairs together. The feature is already gaining traction with Gen Z users, reflecting a broader shift toward more social and lower-pressure ways to meet people.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/d354ca37-75eb-46ad-87bf-2dc9a5db9468/Camera_Roll_Scan_Press_Asset.png?t=1773416867"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Tinder</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Tinder is also redesigning profiles to help users express more personality. New tools can surface stronger photos from a user’s camera roll, improve lighting, and highlight interests more visually, while integrations with platforms like Spotify, Duolingo and the restaurant app Belly bring more of a person’s real life into their profile.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/7cce5b64-9686-4afb-976f-13ce96a0f59e/Events_Press_Asset.png?t=1773416893"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Tinder</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">But the most interesting experiment might be happening right here in LA. Tinder is launching </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>IRL Events</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> in the city, letting users browse and RSVP to real-world meetups directly through the app. Think coffee shop raves, trivia nights and pickleball tournaments. The idea is simple. Dating works better when it feels like a social activity instead of an interview.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/2011f603-5864-4bf6-92e3-7abc771dfc95/AYSDTBY_Press_Asset.png?t=1773416923"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Tinder</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Under the hood, Tinder is also leaning more heavily on AI to improve recommendations. New tools like </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Learning Mode</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Chemistry</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> aim to better understand what users are actually looking for and surface stronger matches faster. At the same time, the company is investing heavily in safety, expanding </span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Face Check</b></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, a facial verification system designed to reduce bots and impersonation accounts.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Closing out the presentation, </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissahobley/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Melissa Hobley</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer, zoomed out from the product roadmap to the brand’s cultural footprint, noting that Tinder is mentioned in billions of TikTok videos and has become shorthand for how younger generations talk about dating.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Taken together, the updates represent Tinder’s most significant evolution in years. And judging by the energy inside the El Rey this week, the company believes the next chapter of dating will be more social, more expressive and more intentional. It’s a shift being shaped right here in Los Angeles, and one that could redefine how the next generation meets.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Now onto this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.hurraysgirlbeer.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hurray’s GIRL BEER</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $5M seed round led by Lakehouse Ventures, with participation from Spice Capital plus CPG insiders and entertainment executives, as it accelerates national expansion. The LA-based flavored light beer brand says it has already landed retail placements at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and Whole Foods, and plans to use the new capital to deepen distribution, enter new markets, and ramp up marketing, alongside a rollout of seven new flavors. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hurrays-girl-beer-announces-5m-funding-round-and-retail-expansion-into-walmart-kroger-and-albertsons-302710765.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://freestyle.world/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Freestyle</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> closed a $10M Series A led by Silas Capital, with significant participation from ECP Growth. The company also noted continued backing from existing investors including </span><a class="link" href="https://mucker.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mucker Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, Adapt Ventures, and Superangel, as it scales its premium diapers and wipes business following nationwide launches at Walmart and Target. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freestyle-closes-10m-series-a-funding-led-by-silas-capital-302711004.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://maxbiopharma.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MAX BioPharma</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> announced a new investment and partnership with Technomark Life Sciences to advance Oxy210, its oxysterol-based, orally available drug candidate for MASH. Technomark is joining as a strategic lead investor by participating in MAX BioPharma’s $13M Series A to fund a Phase 1a/1b first-in-human study, and the companies say the collaboration will pair MAX’s therapeutic platform with Technomark’s drug development experience. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/biotechnology/max-biopharma-and-technomark-life-sciences-announce-investment-and-partnership-agreem-1145516?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.orolabs.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ORO Labs’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $100M Series C, which was led by Brighton Park Capital and Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, as the company pushes deeper into what it calls agentic procurement orchestration. ORO said the new funding follows 300% revenue growth over the past year and will be used to speed up product development, expand go-to-market and customer teams globally, and broaden enterprise use cases across procurement, finance, legal, and supply chain workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.orolabs.ai/newsroom/oro-series-c-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://alimentcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Aliment Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://tropic.bio/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tropic’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $105M Series C, which was co-led by Forbion’s Bioeconomy Fund and Corteva as the company scales the commercial rollout of its gene-edited tropical crops. Tropic said the funding will help expand production of its banana portfolio, accelerate its banana and rice pipelines, and support entry into additional climate-resilient crops, following the 2025 launch of its first new banana varieties in more than 75 years and demand that is already outpacing supply. </span><a class="link" href="https://tropic.bio/series-c-raise/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> doubled down in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiommath/posts/?feedView=all&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Axiom’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $200M Series A, which valued the company at more than $1.6 billion and was led by Menlo Ventures. Axiom said the new funding will help it extend its lead from formal mathematics into what it calls “Verified AI,” with plans to apply its technology beyond mathematical discovery into software and hardware verification. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/axiommath_axiom-came-out-of-stealth-last-october-sharing-activity-7437871128997601280-Atar/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAD-VdZoBWsNYgCoScxt-mdtX4BT2-nWJhFE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.quince.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Quince’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $500M Series E, a round led by ICONIQ that values the manufacturer-to-consumer retail platform at $10.1B post-money. Quince says it will use the fresh capital to accelerate growth and global expansion of its proprietary M2C operating system, which uses AI-driven demand forecasting and direct factory partnerships to cut traditional retail markups. Other investors in the round included Basis Set Ventures, Wellington Management, MarcyPen Capital Partners, Baillie Gifford, Notable Capital, and DST Global. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quince-raises-500m-series-e-resulting-in-10-1b-valuation-to-accelerate-the-manufacturer-to-consumer-platform-302710298.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattervp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Matter Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://eridu.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Eridu’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed Series A, part of $200M+ raised as the AI networking startup emerges from stealth to tackle what it calls the “network wall” bottleneck in AI data centers. </span><a class="link" href="https://eridu.ai/pr/eridu-emerges-from-stealth-with-over-200m-in-funding/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattervp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Matter Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.rhoda.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rhoda AI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $450M Series A, backing the startup as it comes out of 18 months in stealth with FutureVision, a video-predictive control platform aimed at helping robots operate reliably in messy, real-world industrial environments. The round included a large syndicate of investors, including Capricorn Investment Group, Khosla Ventures, Leitmotif, Mayfield, Premji Invest, Prelude Ventures, Temasek, Xora, and John Doerr, and the company says the funding will accelerate development and industrial deployments. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260310715139/en/Rhoda-AI-Exits-Stealth-with-%24450-Million-Series-A-to-Bring-Robots-Out-of-the-Lab-and-Into-the-Real-World?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://halogenvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Halogen Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://rasa-legal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rasa Legal’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M late-seed round, backing the company’s push to scale its tech-enabled criminal record sealing and expungement service nationwide. The round was led by Rethink Education with participation from Social Finance and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and Rasa says the funding will help it expand leadership, speed product development, and grow beyond its current footprint (Utah, Arizona, and Pennsylvania). </span><a class="link" href="https://rasa-legal.com/press-releases/rasa-legal-raises-5-million/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://halogenvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Halogen Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.nyad.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nyad’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $1.3M oversubscribed pre-seed round, backing the Birmingham-based startup as it launches an AI decision-support tool for wastewater treatment operators. The round was led by Boost VC with participation from Draper Associates, Ollin Ventures, Apprentis, First Avenue Ventures, and strategic angel Troy Wallwork, and Nyad says it will use the funding to hire, grow customers, and keep building the product as retirements thin the wastewater workforce. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/clean-technology/nyad-launches-ai-solution-for-wastewater-operators-on-the-heels-of-1.3m-funding-1145088?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS VC</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://scanner.dev/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Scanner’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $22M Series A, which was led by Sequoia Capital and also included CRV, as the company builds a high-speed security data layer for AI-driven threat investigation. Scanner said the funding comes as security teams at companies like Notion, Ramp, and BeyondTrust use its platform to search years of log data quickly and power agentic workflows that help hunt threats, triage alerts, and investigate incidents more efficiently. </span><a class="link" href="https://scanner.dev/blog/scanner-raises-series-a-led-by-sequoia-capital?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.chapterone.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chapter One</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://zodl.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zcash Open Development Lab’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M+ seed round, joining a syndicate that included Paradigm, a16z crypto, Winklevoss Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Cypherpunk Technologies, and Maelstrom. The new company, formed by former Electric Coin Company team members, said the funding will support continued development of privacy-focused infrastructure for the Zcash ecosystem, including its self-custodial wallet and broader shielded payments tooling. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zcash-open-development-lab_zcash-open-development-lab-zodl-has-secured-activity-7436767113064644608-YYM2/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAEO7AVkBHp-vaCtv8s7p9Fs033tjw6Ra0bM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.civ.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CIV</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.isembard.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Isembard’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M Series A, which was led by Union Square Ventures and also included Tamarack Global, IQ Capital, and existing backer Notion Capital. Isembard said the new funding will help it open 25 AI-powered factories by the end of 2026, expand its engineering team, and enter Germany, France, and Ukraine as it scales software-driven component manufacturing for aerospace and defense customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.isembard.com/blogs-and-articles/isembard-raises-50m-series-a-to-open-25-ai-powered-factories-serving-aerospace-and-defence?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.crafting.dev/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Crafting’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5.5M seed round, which was led by Mischief as the startup launched general availability for Crafting for Agents. The company said the new capital will support its push to become core infrastructure for AI-driven engineering teams, giving agents secure access to production-like environments so they can validate, test, and ship code inside complex enterprise systems used by customers including Brex, Faire, and Webflow. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/09/3252022/0/en/Crafting-Announces-General-Availability-of-Crafting-for-Agents-and-5-5M-Seed-Round-to-Build-Infrastructure-for-AI-Driven-Engineering.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.hireguide.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hireguide</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.hirevue.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HireVue</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which is buying Hireguide’s underlying technology and bringing the Hireguide team into HireVue’s product org. HireVue says the deal accelerates its agentic AI roadmap, starting with a voice-based AI interviewer designed to help employers qualify candidates earlier and run smarter, more conversational hiring workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/10/3252648/0/en/Hirevue-Acquires-Hireguide-Technology-to-Accelerate-Agentic-AI-Hiring.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.ultracor.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ultracor</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://appliedaero.space/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Applied Aerospace & Defense</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing the California-based maker of specialized honeycomb core materials into Applied’s advanced composites platform. Applied says the deal supports its selective vertical integration strategy by strengthening supply chain control and boosting speed and capacity for space and defense programs, from satellites and missiles to antennas, radomes, and next-gen aircraft. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/applied-aerospace--defense-acquires-ultracor-enhancing-vertical-integration-in-advanced-composite-manufacturing-302707348.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=inside-tinder-s-biggest-product-shift-in-years"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=aa7c7ae9-7bdf-41b3-9bdd-21d25eabfaf9&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Montgomery Summit Is Back at the Fairmont Miramar</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:59:23 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-03-06T15:59:23Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hey Los Angeles, </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">If you’re looking to stack your March with the right rooms and the right people, </span><a class="link" href="https://montgomerysummit.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Montgomery Summit</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, presented by </span><a class="link" href="https://marchcp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">March Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, is coming back to Santa Monica (March 10–11, 2026) at the Fairmont Miramar. It’s been running since 2004, founded by March Capital co-founder Jamie Montgomery, and it consistently draws a tight mix of founders, investors, and execs who show up to have real conversations, not just do the conference lap.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This year’s program is shaping up to be a big one: 1,200+ attendees, 180+ speakers, and CEOs from 120+ carefully selected private tech companies. In other words, if you want early looks at breakout companies and the context you can’t get from a headline scroll, this is one of LA’s most high-signal two-day events.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">What I like about Montgomery is the vibe. It’s less “conference chaos” and more “high-signal collisions,” with structured ways to connect, including 1:1 meeting scheduling through the Summit app for eligible attendees. The agenda doesn’t stop when the panels do, there’s a Getty Villa reception and a closing reception, so the Summit keeps moving well past the main stage hours.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">It’s invitation-only, but you can </span><a class="link" href="https://montgomerysummit.com/request-invitation/?utm_source=external-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=organic-social&utm_content=dotsla-newsletter" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">request an invitation here</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Keep scrolling for the latest LA venture rounds, fund news and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.vastspace.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vast</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> secured $500M in new financing, made up of $300M in Series A equity and $200M in debt, to accelerate production of its Haven commercial space stations and expand its facilities and team. The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures with participation from IQT, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui & Co., MUFG, Nikon, Stellar Ventures, Space Capital, Earthrise Ventures, and founder/first investor Jed McCaleb, as Vast pushes toward Haven-1 and its longer-term successor vision. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.vastspace.com/updates/vast-secures-500m-in-funding-to-accelerate-production-of-haven-space-stations?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://partspulse.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">PartsPulse</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has raised $3M from </span><a class="link" href="https://UP.Partners?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP.Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and used the momentum to officially launch its unified AI platform at CONEXPO in Las Vegas. The startup says its “command center” combines inventory planning, pricing optimization, and sales intelligence into one system for OEMs, dealers, and fleet managers, and it was built with UP.Labs and co-developed with Wabash to help parts businesses spot revenue opportunities and stock the right parts at the right time.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/04/3249281/0/en/PartsPulse-Launches-Unified-AI-Platform-to-Streamline-Parts-Operations.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.tryprocode.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Procode AI</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> launched out of stealth with $4M in venture funding and acquired The Auctus Group, a major revenue cycle management (RCM) firm that bills for 300+ plastic surgery and dermatology providers. The company says the combination will bring AI into private-practice surgical billing, using its “Coding Copilot” to translate operative reports into billing codes faster and reduce denials, while Auctus continues operating under CEO John Gwin. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/procode-ai-launches-from-stealth-with-4m-and-the-acquisition-of-the-auctus-group-to-bring-ai-powered-rcm-to-private-practice-surgeons-302700050.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://smacktechnologies.com/about?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Smack</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has raised $32M across Seed and Series A to scale what it calls the first “frontier AI lab” built specifically for national security, after landing contracts with multiple branches of the U.S. military in 2025. The Series A was led by Geodesic Capital and Costanoa Ventures, with participation from Point72 Ventures, Felicis, First In, Scribble Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, Washington Harbour Partners, Palumni VC, Fulcrum Venture Group, Anomaly Fund, and Fortitude Ventures. </span><a class="link" href="https://smacktechnologies.com/journal/smack-announces-32m-in-funding-to-build-the-first-frontier-ai-lab-for-national-security?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://boldcapitalpartners.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BOLD Capital Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.keycare.org/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">KeyCare’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $27.4M financing round, backing the Epic-native virtual care company as it scales an AI-enabled model designed to extend health systems’ capacity with 24/7 virtual urgent, preventive, chronic, and virtual-first primary care. The round was led by HealthX Ventures and also included 8VC, LRVHealth, and Ikigai Venture Partners, plus strategic investors such as WellSpan Health, Allina Health, University of Chicago Ventures, Edge Ventures, and Exact Sciences, bringing KeyCare’s total funding to $55M+. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303870542/en/KeyCare-Raises-%2427.4-Million-to-Scale-their-AI-Powered-Epic-Based-Virtual-Care-Solution-for-Health-Systems?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fifthwall.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fifth Wall</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.renofi.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RenoFi’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $22M Series B, backing the Philadelphia startup’s push to make renovation financing simpler through an AI-enabled platform that underwrites loans based on a home’s after-renovation value. The round also included meaningful participation from Progressive Insurance and additional support from investors such as HighSage Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Flintlock Capital, and Gaingels, plus continued backing from Canaan, First Round Capital, Curql, TruStage Ventures, and several credit union partners. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renofi-raises-22m-series-b-to-redefine-renovation-financing-302702566.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://bounceinfinity.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bounce’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $5M internal round alongside existing backers Accel and Qualcomm Ventures, extending fresh capital without bringing in new investors. Bounce founder Vivekananda Hallekere told The Economic Times the round underscores continued support from its current investors as the electric mobility startup pushes forward in the EV space. </span><a class="link" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/funding/ev-startup-bounce-raises-5-million-from-accel-b-capital-qualcomm/articleshow/128942453.cms?UTM_Source=Google_Newsstand&UTM_Campaign=RSS_Feed&UTM_Medium=Referral&from=mdr&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://silent-house.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Silent House Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by concert staging and live-experiences giant </span><a class="link" href="https://www.taittowers.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TAIT,</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> formalizing a long-running partnership between the two companies. The deal pairs Silent House’s LA-born creative and production chops, behind major tours and live experiences including Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour, with TAIT’s engineering, staging, and global delivery capabilities to build touring, experiential, and broadcast productions at any scale. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.billboard.com/pro/concert-staging-company-tait-acquires-silent-house/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=montgomery-summit-is-back-at-the-fairmont-miramar"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=7121cca9-d41a-44e7-bb22-07ba261283bf&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>Revel’s Afterburner Round: $150M for Hard Tech Infrastructure</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:13:48 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-02-27T17:13:48Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">This week’s biggest hard tech funding headline belongs to </span><a class="link" href="https://www.revel.io/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Revel</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which just raised a </span><a class="link" href="https://www.revel.io/newsroom/accelerating-revel?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$150M Series B</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> to modernize the software layer behind hardware test and control. The round was led by Index Ventures, with major participation from Redpoint Ventures and returning investors Thrive Capital, Felicis, and Abstract Ventures, plus angel participation including Figma CEO Dylan Field.</span></p><div class="image"><img alt="" class="image__image" style="" src="https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/b569c216-3260-4947-8c76-0a339d3531e7/696adb8cddd13c44cb74ebee_DASHBOARD_-_ENGINE-p-3200.jpg?t=1772212250"/><div class="image__source"><span class="image__source_text"><p>Image Source: Revel</p></span></div></div><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Revel’s pitch is simple: rockets, advanced energy, robotics, and defense systems have evolved fast, but the tooling that tests and commands them is still stuck in the past. The company says its platform can cut test stand setup time from 14 days to about 8 hours, and that teams go from testing every other day to multiple tests per day. One customer, Impulse Space, reportedly runs 80+ instances of RevelTest, and Revel claims every pilot it has run has converted into a paying customer. </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">What makes this more than “just another big round” is where Revel is aiming next: expanding from test stands into industrial control across critical infrastructure, including nuclear facilities, power stations, refineries, water treatment, data centers, and biomedical manufacturing. Their platform includes live telemetry and safe command execution, and even a purpose built language, RevelCode, designed for deterministic, debuggable control in high consequence environments. In other words, if LA is becoming a capital of hard tech, Revel is trying to become the control room software those companies standardize on.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Keep scrolling for the latest LA venture rounds, fund news and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://thirdway.health/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Third Way Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised an oversubscribed $15M Series A led by Health Velocity Capital to scale its AI-enabled hybrid human and automation front-office operations for medical practices. The company says it will use the funding to accelerate customer growth, expand operations, and deepen its AI and automation roadmap, building on its claim of supporting practices serving 5M+ patients annually. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260226523354/en/Third-Way-Health-Raises-%2415M-to-Expand-AI-Powered-Healthcare-Front-Office-Operations?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.inhouse.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Inhouse</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $5M in seed funding to grow its AI legal platform that helps small and midsize businesses generate contracts, get answers to complex legal questions, and bring in attorneys when needed. The round included backing from Run Ventures, Royal Street Ventures, Switch, and LegalZoom cofounder and former CEO Brian Liu, and the company says it will use the new capital to expand its AI agent capabilities and increase automation across contract lifecycle management, compliance, and proactive risk management. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/895098391/inhouse-raises-5m-for-ai-empowering-business-owners-to-solve-their-own-legal-needs?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://subject.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Subject</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $28M growth investment led by </span><a class="link" href="https://vistaragrowth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vistara Growth</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, with participation from new backers NextEquity Partners, Green Street Impact Partners, and Outcomes Collective, plus existing investors including Kleiner Perkins and others. The company says it will use the funding to accelerate development of its AI-powered K–12 curriculum and online learning platform, expand accredited course offerings, and scale adoption with more districts and educators worldwide. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/subject-secures-28m-investment-led-by-vistara-growth-to-accelerate-ai-powered-k12-curriculum-and-online-learning-platform-302695051.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.usemogul.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mogul</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised $5M in a round led by the Yamaha Music Innovations Fund, with participation from Urban Innovation Fund, Mindset Ventures, Fairway Capital Partners, and renewed support from Amplify LA and Wonder Ventures. The royalty management platform says it will use the funding to expand services for artists and their teams, building on traction like processing over $1.5B in royalties and launching its new Catalog Valuation Center to help creators understand the value of their catalogs. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.usemogul.com/post/mogul-raises-5m-in-funding?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.handlhealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Handl Health</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> raised a $14.2M Series A led by Arthur Ventures, with follow-on investment from Syndra Capital Partners, an additional strategic investor, and increased participation from existing backers Mucker Capital, Riverfront Ventures, Digital Health Venture Partners, and Boutique Venture Partners. The company says it will use the new capital to expand its platform and deliver deeper analytics that help employers and benefits decision-makers design lower-cost health plans with more predictable pricing and better care outcomes. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.handlhealth.com/post/handl-health-secures-14m-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://skorppio.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Skorppio</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> launched a self-serve, on-premise high-performance computer rental platform that lets AI teams, VFX studios, researchers, and schools rent enterprise-grade systems without buying hardware or locking into the cloud. The company says its fleet includes everything from performance laptops to DGX-class AI systems and GPU servers, supported through a PNY Pro partnership that makes NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs available, plus curated “KIT” bundles designed for specific workflows. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/on-premise-computer-rentals-now-self-serve-skorppio-launches-platform-with-nvidia-blackwell-gpus-302693940.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.gushwork.one/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Gushwork’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $9M seed round, backing the startup’s bet that “AI search” will become a major new channel for B2B lead generation. The round was co-led by Susquehanna International Group and Lightspeed, and Gushwork says it’s helping businesses show up in answers from tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity using automated marketing agents that generate search optimized content and backlinks.</span><a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/25/gushwork-bets-on-ai-search-for-customer-leads-and-early-results-are-emerging/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://UP.Partners?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UP.Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://beyondmath.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BeyondMath’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $18.5M seed round, backing the company as it scales its “generative physics” approach to faster engineering-grade simulation. The raise included a $10M seed extension led by Cambridge Innovation Capital, with additional participation from Insight Partners and InMotion Ventures. </span><a class="link" href="https://beyondmath.com/news/seed-round-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS Venture Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://solve.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SolveAI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M funding round, backing the company as it launches a platform that lets employees build enterprise applications using natural language instead of code. The raise included a $45M Series A led by GV plus a previously undisclosed $5M pre-seed led by Accel, with additional participation from Northzone, NeverLift, and angels including Mike LoSapio, Pushmeet Kohli, and Olivier Godement.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.vestbee.com/insights/articles/solve-ai-launches-with-50-m?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.fabricvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fabric VC</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://kash.bot/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kash’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $2M pre-seed round, backing the startup as it embeds prediction markets directly into social media starting with X. Kash says users can turn posts into live, tradable markets through its @kash_bot, letting people express conviction on real-world outcomes inside the feed rather than in separate apps. The round also included investors such as Big Brain Holdings, Spartan Group, Coinbase Ventures, Kosmos Ventures, Halo Capital, MoonRock Capital, and Polaris Fund. </span><a class="link" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/kash-raises-2m-pre-seed-to-bring-prediction-markets-to-social-media-1035861998?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.m13.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">M13</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led</span><a class="link" href="https://www.luminos.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> LuminosAI’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> latest funding round as the company launched Lighthouse, a new feature it says can automatically test generative and agentic AI systems for concrete legal liability. LuminosAI says the new capital will help it accelerate growth and expand its team to support a growing customer base, with participation from investors including Bloomberg Beta, Hawktail, AME Cloud Ventures, Crosscourt, Octave, Great Oaks, Fundrise, and others. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.luminos.ai/resource-center/the-future-of-ai-governance-is-here-introducing-lighthouse-and-our-new-funding-round?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Niagen Bioscience has sold its ChromaDex Reference Standards business to LGC in an all-cash transaction that closed on Feb. 24, 2026, as the company sharpens its focus on its core longevity strategy. Niagen says the divestiture helps it fully exit non-core operations and concentrate resources on NAD+ science, intellectual property, and commercial growth around its Niagen solutions, while LGC adds the standards portfolio to deepen its reference materials offering for pharma and lab customers. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260226997493/en/Niagen-Bioscience-to-Streamline-and-Focus-its-Operations-with-the-Sale-of-ChromaDex-Reference-Standards-Business-to-LGC-in-All-Cash-Transaction?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mutiny.gg/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mutiny</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by LA-based investment firm </span><a class="link" href="https://shamrockcap.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Shamrock Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which says the deal will help Mutiny accelerate growth and strengthen its position as a leading gaming-focused creative agency. Founded in 2021 and previously incubated within Trailer Park Group, Mutiny works with publishers and brands on research-driven, player-first creative, social, and community campaigns. Shamrock says Mutiny will continue scaling as a standalone business, with support that could include strategic acquisitions. </span><a class="link" href="https://shamrockcap.com/media/shamrock-capital-acquires-leading-gaming-agency-mutiny/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://vestigoaerospace.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vestigo Aerospace</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has been acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://appliedaero.space/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Applied Aerospace & Defense</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, bringing Vestigo’s Spinnaker deorbit drag-sail product line into Applied’s portfolio. Applied says Spinnaker helps satellite and launch-vehicle operators meet tightening orbital debris rules by providing a lightweight, cost-effective way to deorbit objects in low Earth orbit, and Vestigo founder and CEO Dr. David Spencer will join Applied as VP of Deployable Systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/applied-aerospace--defense-invests-in-deorbit-systems-with-acquisition-of-vestigo-aerospace-and-its-spinnaker-product-line-302695877.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=revel-s-afterburner-round-150m-for-hard-tech-infrastructure"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=4330cef7-dace-47d2-9e28-34272fce223a&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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      <item>
  <title>Snap’s New Growth Engine Isn’t Ads</title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:57:43 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-02-20T17:57:43Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hey LA, </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">This week’s most interesting story isn’t a flashy new feature, it’s a quieter flex: Snapchat is getting people to pay for Snapchat, on purpose.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>Snap just proved “free app” isn’t the only business model</b></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Snap says its direct revenue business is now running at a <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a class="link" href="https://newsroom.snap.com/snap-1b-direct-revenue-25m-subscription?lang=en-US&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: rgb(71, 154, 210)">$1B annualized pace</a></span>, with 25M+ subscribers paying across a growing menu of products like Snapchat+, Lens+, Snapchat Premium, and Memories Storage Plans. That matters because it’s not just a nice add-on to ads, it’s a different kind of relationship with users. Ads monetize attention. Subscriptions monetize intent.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">And intent is sticky. If someone pulls out a card for you, they don’t churn the way an algorithm does.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>Creator Subscriptions are the real tell</b></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Snap is also launching <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a class="link" href="https://newsroom.snap.com/snapchat-launches-creator-subscriptions?lang=en-US&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: rgb(71, 154, 210)">Creator Subscriptions</a></span>, starting with an alpha on February 23 for select U.S. creators, then expanding to Snap Stars in Canada, the U.K., and France in the following weeks. The offer is straightforward: subscriber-only Stories and Snaps, priority replies, and an ad-free experience inside that creator’s Stories.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">The strategic move is even simpler. Snap wants “paying for closeness” to happen inside Stories and Chat, not on some external membership page. If they get that right, creators stop treating Snapchat as just a top-of-funnel channel and start treating it like a place to actually monetize their audience. Snap, meanwhile, gets a revenue stream that doesn’t care what CPMs are doing this quarter.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>Meanwhile, IRL: lululemon’s Studio Yet.</b></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Lululemon’s Studio Yet. <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a class="link" href="https://www.lululemonstudioyet.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: rgb(71, 154, 210)">pop-up</a></span> is running Feb. 18 through March 8 at 8175 Melrose Ave. It’s a ticketed, limited-capacity lineup of workouts and community programming, with proceeds (less fees) supporting BlacklistLA.</p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Keep scrolling for the latest LA venture rounds, fund news and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://radiantnuclear.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Radiant</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> announced a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin via </span><a class="link" href="https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-we-are/lockheed-martin-ventures.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lockheed Martin Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, further oversubscribing the company’s current financing round. Radiant is developing its 1 MW Kaleidos portable nuclear microreactor and says it’s targeting a first reactor startup this summer at Idaho National Laboratory, with initial customer deployments planned for 2028. </span><a class="link" href="https://radiantnuclear.com/blog/lockheed-strategic-investment/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.meshoptical.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mesh Optical Technologies</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> announced it has raised over $50M, led by Thrive Capital, to scale production of its Alpha C1 optical transceiver, which converts electrical signals to light at 1.6 Tbps for AI data centers. The startup says its edge is manufacturing: it builds the optical engine using fast, repeatable flip-chip die bonding to make high-volume, U.S.-based production of optical links possible, backed by a team with experience from SpaceX and Intel. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.meshoptical.com/blog/introducing-mesh?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.are.com/venture-investments.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alexandria Venture Investments</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated as an existing investor in </span><a class="link" href="https://ten63tx.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ten63 Therapeutics</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">’ latest strategic financing, which also included participation from </span><a class="link" href="https://morpheus.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Morpheus Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> and added new backers such as Chugai Venture Fund and the Gates Foundation, bringing total funding to more than $45M. Ten63 says it will use the capital to scale BEYOND, its AI-driven “Large Quantum Chemistry Model” platform for designing small-molecule drugs against historically “undruggable” targets, including programs in oncology and an HPV-focused effort supported by the Gates Foundation.-</span><a class="link" href="https://ten63tx.com/ten63-therapeutics-closes-strategic-financing-bringing-total-funding-to-more-than-45m-to-scale-the-next-generation-of-artificial-intelligent-drug-discovery/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.codemetal.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Code Metal’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $125M Series B, a round led by Salesforce Ventures that valued the company at $1.25B, alongside investors including Accel, J2 Ventures, Shield Capital, Smith Point Capital, and others.Code Metal says it will use the new capital to expand engineering, accelerate product development, grow government and commercial partnerships, and scale go-to-market for its “verifiable” AI code generation and translation platform used in mission-critical environments. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.codemetal.ai/news/code-metal-closes-125-million-series-b?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonfirevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonfire Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.odynn.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Odynn’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $9.5M seed round alongside 8VC, with participation from Khosla Ventures and General Catalyst. Odynn says it’s building personalized AI infrastructure for travel companies, aiming to replace one-size-fits-all booking portals with dynamic experiences that tailor search, recommendations, and conversion flows to each traveler. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/19/3241198/0/en/Odynn-Raises-9-5M-Seed-Round-to-Disrupt-Travel-Portals-with-Personalized-AI-Infrastructure.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://mtechcapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MTech Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.qumis.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Qumis’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $4.3M oversubscribed seed round, which also brought in American Family Ventures as a new strategic investor and pushed total funding to $6.75M. The company says it’s building an attorney-trained AI platform for commercial insurance “coverage intelligence,” and will use the funding to expand go-to-market and deepen product capabilities as adoption grows among large brokers and carriers (including NFP). </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/19/3241222/0/en/Qumis-Raises-4-3M-to-Bring-Attorney-Grade-Coverage-Intelligence-to-Commercial-Insurance.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.mansa.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mansa’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> seed funding round, which the company says totaled $12M and was led by MaC Venture Capital. Mansa is now launching a vertical “micro-drama” format inside its app, debuting with the 27-episode original series The Heiress, The Baller & The Secret Society and positioning the feature as a mobile-first way to release serialized stories globally. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260219876123/en/Mansa-Unveils-New-Vertical-Micro-Dramas-Debuting-With-Original-Series?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.alphaedison.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Alpha Edison</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.ownwell.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ownwell’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $50M Series B, with </span><a class="link" href="https://wondervc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wonder Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participating alongside investors including Mercato Partners, Intuit Ventures, Left Lane Capital, First Round Capital, Long Journey Ventures, and PROOF Fund. The round includes $30M in equity and $20M in debt financing from Western Alliance Bank, and Ownwell says it will use the capital to expand nationally and simplify the property-tax appeal process through a new “National Appeals Packet” product. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ownwell-raises-50m-launches-national-service-to-streamline-property-tax-appeals-and-make-home-ownership-more-affordable-302692103.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.threesixzero.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Three Six Zero</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated as an existing investor in </span><a class="link" href="https://hookmusic.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Hook’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $10M Series A, which was led by Khosla Ventures with participation from Point72 Ventures, Imaginary Ventures, and Waverley Capital, bringing Hook’s total funding to $16M. Hook is an artist-first social platform that lets fans legally remix licensed songs using simple AI-powered tools and share them across social platforms, and it says the new capital will fund user growth plus product expansion like an Android app, richer creation formats, and deeper ecosystem integrations. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/893173105/hook-raises-10m-series-a-funding-led-by-khosla-ventures-to-expand-the-social-music-platform-for-fan-creation?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.overture.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Overture Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated as an existing investor in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.zerohomes.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zero Homes’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $16.8M Series A, which was led by Prelude Ventures alongside SJF Ventures and the Exelon Foundation. Zero Homes says it’s using the funding to expand into new markets, broaden its home-upgrade offerings, and grow its contractor network, powered by a smartphone-based “digital twin” approach that produces upgrade designs and pricing remotely. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.zerohomes.com/blog/series-a-announcement?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.rebelfund.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rebel Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://sphinxhq.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sphinx’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7.1M seed round, which was led by Cherry Ventures alongside Y Combinator, Deel Ventures, and Singularity Capital. Sphinx is building browser-native compliance agents that work inside banks’ and fintechs’ existing tools to automate AML, KYC, and KYB work, with the new funding earmarked to scale that “agentic compliance workforce.” </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260217308151/en/Sphinx-Raises-%247.1M-to-Build-Every-Financial-Institutions-Last-Compliance-Hire?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattervp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Matter Venture Partners</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> led </span><a class="link" href="https://chipagents.ai/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ChipAgents’</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> oversubscribed $50M Series A1, bringing total capital raised to $74M, with participation from existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Micron, MediaTek, and Ericsson. ChipAgents says it will use the new funding to scale its agentic AI platform for chip design and verification, expand engineering and research, and accelerate global deployment of multi-agent “chip teams,” alongside a new HQ buildout in Santa Clara. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260217568914/en/ChipAgents-Raises-%2474M-to-Scale-an-Agentic-AI-Platform-to-Accelerate-Chip-Design?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://memorialcareinnovationfund.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MemorialCare Innovation Fund</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://spendrule.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SpendRule’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $2M round, which was led by Abundant Venture Partners with additional backing from Zeal Capital Partners. SpendRule is emerging from stealth with an AI-driven platform that helps hospitals validate invoices against complex contract terms before payments go out, aiming to reduce overspending and “contract leakage” across purchased services. The company says early customers include health systems like MemorialCare, Kettering Health, and MUSC Health.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/spendrule_spendrule-raises-2m-emerges-from-stealth-activity-7429532405608378368-THeT/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAEO7AVkBHp-vaCtv8s7p9Fs033tjw6Ra0bM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://fredsegal.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fred Segal</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.aritzia.com/us/en?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Aritzia</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which is buying the brand’s rights/IP (terms not disclosed) and planning a revival under its ownership. Melrose Avenue is central to the deal too, since Aritzia is also taking a lease on Fred Segal’s iconic ivy-covered site at 8100 Melrose as part of the comeback plan. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2026/02/19/aritzia-buys-rights-to-us-fashion-retailer-fred-segal-leases-iconic-melrose-site/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.theexpert.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Expert</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://havenlybrands.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Havenly</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> in an all-equity deal (terms not disclosed), bringing The Expert’s high-end virtual designer consultations and trade-oriented marketplace into Havenly’s broader home and commerce ecosystem. Lee Anne Blake will join Havenly as chief commercial officer, and while The Expert will remain a standalone website, Havenly plans to plug in its tech to strengthen The Expert’s purchasing and procurement tools for designers. </span><a class="link" href="https://businessofhome.com/articles/havenly-acquires-the-expert?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=snap-s-new-growth-engine-isn-t-ads"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=038148c9-0eb6-40f0-bf2b-a6dc5adc3da8&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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  <title>💘Zeitview’s New Valentine : Catching Methane Leaks </title>
  <description>dot.LA Weekly Update</description>
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  <link>https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks</link>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dotla.beehiiv.com/p/zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks</guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:20:58 +0000</pubDate>
  <atom:published>2026-02-13T18:20:58Z</atom:published>
    <dc:creator>Grace Lee</dc:creator>
    <category><![CDATA[Weekly Update]]></category>
    <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[
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</style><div class='beehiiv__body'><h2 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="spotlight">🔦 Spotlight</h2><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Hello Los Angeles, happy Friday and happy Valentine’s Day weekend. </b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">While the rest of us are debating flowers vs. gifts vs. reservations, LA’s infrastructure nerds are out here celebrating a different kind of romance: finding leaks before they ghost your entire operation.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Zeitview just made methane a first-class feature</b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.zeitview.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zeitview</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> has </span><a class="link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2026/02/11/zeitview-insight-m-acquisition-methane?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">acquired</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> </span><a class="link" href="https://www.insightm.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Insight M</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, folding high-frequency aerial methane detection into its broader “see it, measure it, fix it” play for critical infrastructure. The combined offering pairs methane monitoring with Zeitview’s predictive asset-health and inspection workflows, so operators can spot emissions faster, prioritize repairs, and tie results back to ROI instead of vibes.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>What Zeitview actually does, beyond the buzzwords</b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">If you haven’t been tracking them, Zeitview is essentially the operating layer for inspecting big, physical assets using drones, aircraft, and computer vision. They can analyze imagery you already have or capture fresh data, then turn it into inspection reports and analytics through their Asset Insights platform.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Zeitview was previously known as DroneBase and rebranded after raising an expansion round, signaling a broader push beyond “drones” into enterprise-grade infrastructure intelligence across energy and other asset-heavy industries.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Why Insight M fits, and why this isn’t just “climate tech”</b></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Methane is the rare climate problem that also hits the P&L, because a leak is both emissions and lost product. Insight M has built credibility around methane monitoring that’s meant to be operational, not just observational, and that plugs neatly into Zeitview’s inspection footprint.</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Put together, this looks less like a single acquisition and more like a workflow upgrade: one system that finds a problem, quantifies it, routes it to the right team, and proves it was fixed. The least romantic Valentine’s message of all, maybe, but also the most adult: “I noticed something small, and I handled it before it became expensive.”</span></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Keep scrolling for the latest LA venture rounds, fund news and acquisitions.</span></p><hr class="content_break"><h1 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="venture-deals">🤝 Venture Deals</h1><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Companies</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.hawkskids.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">HAWKs</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> (Hiking Adventures With Kids), a nature-based children’s enrichment brand founded in Los Angeles, secured a strategic investment from </span><a class="link" href="https://www.postinvestmentgroup.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Post Investment Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> to accelerate its nationwide franchise expansion. The company plans to scale its mobile, outdoor-program model (after-school adventures, camps, and weekend sessions) by opening franchise territories across the U.S. while using Post’s franchising platform to build the operational infrastructure and support system for new operators. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nature-based-enrichment-brand-hawks-hiking-adventures-with-kids-secures-investment-from-post-investment-group-to-fuel-national-franchise-expansion-302683403.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Venture Funds</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/allomer-capital-group/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Allomer Capital Group</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://trucesoftware.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TRUCE Software’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> newly closed Series B, a round led by Yttrium with additional backing from New Amsterdam Growth Capital. The company did not disclose the amount, but says it will use the funding to scale go-to-market for two mobile-first product suites: an AI video telematics platform for commercial fleets that runs on standard smartphones, and TRUCE Family, a software approach to limiting student phone distractions in K–12 schools.</span><a class="link" href="https://trucesoftware.com/truce-series-b-funding/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://wondervc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wonder Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.tbc.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks#1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Biological Computing Company’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $25M seed round, which was led by Primary Venture Partners alongside Builders VC, Refactor Capital, E1 Ventures, Proximity, and Tusk Ventures. The startup is commercializing “biological compute,” connecting living neurons to modern AI systems to make certain tasks dramatically more energy-efficient, and says its first product shows a 23x retained improvement in video model efficiency while also helping discover new AI architectures. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.primary.vc/articles/the-biological-computing-company-raises-25m-seed?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.bonfirevc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bonfire Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.santehq.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Santé’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $7.6M seed round, with backing from Operator Collective, Y Combinator, and Veridical Ventures. Santé is building an AI- and fintech-driven operating system for wine and liquor retailers that brings POS, inventory, e-commerce, delivery orders, and invoice workflows into one platform to replace a lot of manual, fragmented processes. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.santehq.com/blog/sante-liquor-pos-raises-seed-round-bonfire?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://b.capital/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">B Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://apptronik.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Apptronik’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> initial 2025 Series A and participated again in the company’s new $520M Series A extension, bringing the total Series A to $935M+ (nearly $1B raised overall). The company says it will use the fresh capital to ramp production and deployments of its Apollo humanoid robots and invest in facilities for robot training and data collection, with the extension also bringing in new backers like AT&T Ventures, John Deere, and Qatar Investment Authority alongside repeat investors including Google and Mercedes-Benz. </span><a class="link" href="https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-closes-over-935-million-series-a?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.wndrco.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">WndrCo</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://inertia.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Inertia Enterprises’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> new $450M Series A, a round led by Bessemer Venture Partners with additional investors including GV, Modern Capital, and Threshold Ventures. The company says it will use the milestone-based financing to commercialize laser-based fusion built on physics proven at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including building its “Thunderwall” high-power laser system and scaling a production line to mass-manufacture fusion fuel targets. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/11/3236274/0/en/Inertia-raises-450-million-to-commercialize-the-only-proven-fusion-science.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://riot.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Riot Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated as a returning investor in </span><a class="link" href="https://integrate.co/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Integrate’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $17M Series A, which was led by FPV Ventures with participation from Fuse VC and Rsquared VC. Integrate is pitching an ultra-secure project management platform built for classified, multi-organization programs, and says it has become a requirement for certain U.S. Space Force launch efforts. The company plans to use the new funding to ship additional capabilities for government customers and scale go-to-market across the defense tech sector. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/integrate-raises-17m-to-commercialize-the-worlds-first-ultra-secure-project-management-platform-for-classified-programs-302684794.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mantisvc.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MANTIS Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://projectomega.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Project Omega’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $12M oversubscribed seed round, which was led by Starship Ventures alongside Buckley Ventures, Decisive Point, Slow Ventures, and others. Project Omega is emerging from stealth to build an end-to-end nuclear fuel recycling capability in the U.S., aiming to turn spent nuclear fuel into long-duration power sources and critical materials, with early lab demonstrations underway and an ARPA-E partnership to validate a commercially viable recycling pathway.</span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211071777/en/Project-Omega-Emerges-From-Stealth-to-Recycle-Americas-Spent-Nuclear-Fuel?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> - learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.pluscapital.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Plus Capital</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> participated in </span><a class="link" href="https://www.garnerhealth.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Garner Health’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $118M round, which was led by Khosla Ventures with additional backing from Founders Fund and existing investors including Maverick Ventures and Thrive Capital, valuing the company at $1.35B. Garner says it helps employers steer members to high-quality doctors using its “Smart Match” provider recommendations and a reimbursement-style incentive called “Garner Rewards,” and it will use the funding to expand its offerings, grow its care team, and scale partnerships with payers and health systems. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/garner-health-raises-118-million-to-close-the-healthcare-quality-and-cost-gap-reaches-1-35-billion-valuation-302680953.html?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://emerging.vc/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Emerging Ventures</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> co-led </span><a class="link" href="https://www.taiv.tv/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Taiv’s</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> $13M Series A+ alongside IDC Ventures, with continued support from investors including Y Combinator and Garage Capital. Taiv says it will use the funding to scale its “Business TV” platform, which uses AI to detect and swap TV commercials in venues like bars and restaurants with more relevant ads and on-screen content, as it expands across major North American markets. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.taiv.tv/blog/taiv-raises-13m-series-a-plus-to-accelerate-the-future-of-business-tv?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><div class="section" style="background-color:transparent;margin:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;padding:0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><b>LA Exits</b></p><ul><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.mattel163.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mattel163</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"> is being acquired by </span><a class="link" href="https://about.mattel.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mattel</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which is buying out NetEase’s remaining 50% stake and valuing the mobile games studio at $318M. The deal gives Mattel full ownership and control of the team behind its IP driven mobile titles, strengthening its in-house publishing and user acquisition capabilities as it expands its digital games business. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210654553/en/Mattel-to-Acquire-Full-Ownership-of-Mattel163-Mobile-Games-Studio-Strengthening-its-Digital-Games-Business?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"></p></li><li><p class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><a class="link" href="https://www.djmexcorp.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">DJ Mex Corp</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">. is set to be acquired in part by </span><a class="link" href="https://www.marwynnholdings.com/?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Marwynn Holdings</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">, which signed a non-binding letter of intent to purchase a 51% stake in the U.S.-based e-waste sourcing and logistics company. The deal would bring DJ Mex into Marwynn’s EcoLoopX platform to expand its asset-light “reverse supply chain” services for recyclable materials, though it’s still subject to due diligence and final agreements. </span><a class="link" href="https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/marwynn-holdings-signs-letter-of-intent-to-acquire-majority-stake-in-d-1135626?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">- learn more</a></p></li></ul></div><hr class="content_break"><div class="button" style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" class="button__link" style="background-color:#0A557F;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dot-la/id6482981727?utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks"><span class="button__text" style="color:#F9FAFB;"> Download the dot.LA App </span></a></div><div class="custom_html"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:12px;text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="facebook logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fb-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=zeitview-s-new-valentine-catching-methane-leaks"><img alt="twitter logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-twitter-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F&utm_source=dotla.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=dot-la-weekly-update"><img alt="linkedin logo" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-linkedin-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:?body=mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20dot.LA&body=Dot.LA%20Weekly%20Update%3A%20Week%202%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdotla.beehiiv.com%2F" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration:none"><img alt="mail icon" src="https://media.beehiiv.net/static_assets/inline-fwd-share.png" style="display:inline-block;width:25px" width="25"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h6 class="heading" style="text-align:left;" id="want-to-reach-17000-southern-califo">Want to reach 17,000+ Southern California founders, investors, and operators? <a class="link" href="mailto:nick@dot.la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Reach out to learn more about sponsoring or hosting an event with dot.LA</a></h6></div><div class='beehiiv__footer'><br class='beehiiv__footer__break'><hr class='beehiiv__footer__line'><a target="_blank" class="beehiiv__footer_link" style="text-align: center;" href="https://www.beehiiv.com/?utm_campaign=149652ad-1dcd-4e0f-afea-a3fa8fb154a8&utm_medium=post_rss&utm_source=dot_la">Powered by beehiiv</a></div></div>
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