Upfront Ventures

Founder-Led VC Firm PPVP Launches Members-Only Co-Investment Network 'PariPassu'

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Networks, Finance, Start-Up, Professional Services, Technology, Apps, Applications, Electronic Commerce, Business, Melon, Angel investor, AI, Investment, Khloé Kardashian, SeedInvest, Homesick, Commerce, Sierra Ventures, Entrepreneurship, COVID-19, YPO, Coffee, Red Bull, Upfront Ventures, Accenture, Insight Partners, Kylie Cosmetics, Software as a service, Love Your Melon, Ecosystem, Partner (business rank), Sequoia Capital, Good, Longevity, Cryptocurrency

Pari Passu Venture Partners (“PPVP”), a founder-led, founder-backed early-stage venture capital firm investing at the intersection of technology and retail, today announced the launch of PariPassu.

Key Points: 
  • Pari Passu Venture Partners (“PPVP”), a founder-led, founder-backed early-stage venture capital firm investing at the intersection of technology and retail, today announced the launch of PariPassu.
  • “As founders backing founders, we’re launching PariPassu to create the world’s most powerful network of founder support,” said Julia Gudish Krieger, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of PPVP.
  • Beyond its unfair advantage in e-commerce tech, PPVP’s deep-rooted founder network sources highly-curated investment opportunities spanning consumer tech, AI, and longevity.
  • PPVP also has world-class advisors including Ryan Feit, Founder of SeedInvest, the pioneer equity crowdfunding platform, which he sold to Circle.

Former NCUA Chairman Rodney E. Hood Joins Zest AI's Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Hood, Woman, ACCESS, Access, Fintech, NeighborWorks America, Upfront Ventures, Matrix Partners, COVID-19, Insight Partners, NCUA, Black, Vice, National Credit Union Administration, AAPI, Humanity, JPMorgan Chase, Education, Management

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zest AI, the leader in AI lending technology, is honored to welcome the former National Credit Union Administration Board (NCUA) Chairman, Rodney E. Hood, to its Board of Directors. A longtime champion of economic empowerment and financial inclusion, Hood brings 30 years of both public and private financial services experience to the now five-person board, which also includes Upfront Ventures Partner Aditi Maliwal, Matrix Partners General Partner Dana Stalder, and Insight Partners Managing Director Jon Rosenbaum.

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zest AI , the leader in AI lending technology, is honored to welcome the former National Credit Union Administration Board (NCUA) Chairman, Rodney E. Hood, to its Board of Directors.
  • "It's a privilege to welcome Rodney to our Board of Directors," said Zest AI CEO Mike de Vere.
  • From his commitment to ensuring an equitable credit system to his fearless and forward-thinking mindset, Rodney embraces AI technology for good.
  • In 2019, he was nominated to serve again, this time as NCUA Board Chairman, making Hood the first Black American to lead a banking regulatory agency.

Starco Brands Announces Third Quarter 2023 Results

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Food Tech, Other Retail, Wine & Spirits, Specialty, Technology, Cosmetics, Retail, Other Technology, Sale, Acquisition, Behavior, GV (company), AOS, Marketing, Growth, Impulse (body mist), Vanilla, AMC, Sobeys, Administration, UNFI, Total Wine & More, EBITDA, NNDB, Safeway, Sean Hayes, Caramel, Kroger, History, Amazon (company), Millennials, GAAP, Elasticity, Partnership, War Production Board, Cardi B, Powder, Production board, Fry, Upfront Ventures, Albertsons, Fine chemical, Cryptocurrency, Rare-earth element, Video game, Grocery store, Tobacco, Music, Clothing, BevMo!, Nordstrom, Amazon, Sephora, Soylent, Meijer, Skyler, Ralphs, Walmart

Starco Brands, Inc. (the “Company” or “Starco Brands”) (OTCQB: STCB), developer and acquirer of behavior-changing technologies and brands that spark excitement in the everyday, today reported financial results for its third fiscal quarter and first nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Starco Brands, Inc. (the “Company” or “Starco Brands”) (OTCQB: STCB), developer and acquirer of behavior-changing technologies and brands that spark excitement in the everyday, today reported financial results for its third fiscal quarter and first nine months ended September 30, 2023.
  • In July 2023, Starco Brands expanded Soylent’s retail distribution throughout Canada through a partnership with grocery wholesaler United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI).
  • Third Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2023
    Reported net revenue for the third quarter of 2023 was $17.7 million, compared to $1.7 million in the third quarter of 2022.
  • Compensation expense was $1.8 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to $176,148 in the third quarter of 2022.

Starco Brands Issues Business Update and Partial Guidance for Full-Year 2023

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 10, 2023
Fashion, Online Retail, Cosmetics, Retail, Wine & Spirits, Specialty, Food, Beverage, Production board, Rising Star Award, Pepsi, South Indian International Movie Awards, Partnership, Powder, Snapple, Marketing, Integration, Culture, Brand, OTCQB, GV (company), AMC, The Summer I Turned Pretty (trilogy), Invention, Soylent, Amazon, Accounting, Pizza Hut, EV/Ebitda, EBITDA, Acquisition, Upfront Ventures, Art, Art of Sport, OTC, Meijer, Apple, Growth, R, VC, War Production Board, SB, Cardi B, Cryptocurrency, Fine chemical, Video game, Nordstrom, Sephora, Infiniti

Starco Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: STCB), developer and acquirer of behavior-changing technologies and brands that spark excitement in the everyday, today provided a business update and announced partial guidance for full-year 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Starco Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: STCB), developer and acquirer of behavior-changing technologies and brands that spark excitement in the everyday, today provided a business update and announced partial guidance for full-year 2023.
  • Addressing the Company's partial guidance, Starco Brands Chairman & CEO Ross Sklar said: "Starco Brand's year-end net revenue was $0.7 million in 2021 with an adjusted EBITDA of ($2.6 million).
  • With Starco Brands focusing on growing its retail business, Soylent expanded its distribution at Meijer to offer plant-based nutrition shakes in 260 stores.
  • Visit https://investors.starcobrands.com/presentations for an expanded view of Starco Brands' business update.

Fintech company Clair raises $175 million to launch first free, on-demand pay solution powered by FDIC-insured bank, to help front-line workers get paid same day

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Women, Human Resources, Finance, Fintech, Banking, Men, Professional Services, Business, Small Business, Consumer, Workforce, Maintenance, Partnership, Gen, TCP, Viking Range, Thrive Capital, FDIC, Kairos, Android, GNC, Generation Z, IOS, ATM, Upfront Ventures, Risk, Heel, Mastercard, DoubleTree, Employment, Bank

The new program provides for a participation amount of up to $150 million, which allows front-line workers to take wage advances from Pathward.

Key Points: 
  • The new program provides for a participation amount of up to $150 million, which allows front-line workers to take wage advances from Pathward.
  • Through the partnership, consumers get access to Pathward established FDIC-insured Clair Spending and Savings Accounts, among other financial services.
  • The funding includes an additional $25 million in equity in a round led by Thrive Capital.
  • Upfront Ventures and Kairos also participated in the equity round, bringing Clair’s total venture capital funding to $45 million.

Renew Announces Official Launch and $8M+ in Seed Funding

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Partnership, Marketing, Veteran, RXR, Upfront Ventures, Workload, NOI, Software, Management, Renewable energy, Renewal

NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Renew, a cutting-edge solution that automates and optimizes the entire resident renewal process to drive NOI, today announced its official launch. Founded by Rob Hayden and Kevin Murphy, two veterans of the rental housing industry, Renew has secured more than $8 million in seed funding and has an advisory board composed of some of multifamily's most prominent thought leaders.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Renew , a cutting-edge solution that automates and optimizes the entire resident renewal process to drive NOI, today announced its official launch.
  • Major investors in Renew include Upfront Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, Allen & Company LLC and Walkabout Ventures.
  • RXR and top executives from WC Smith, two companies that develop, own and operate apartment communities, are also key investors.
  • KETTLER, a strategic partner of Renew, is implementing the solution across its portfolio after recently completing a successful pilot project.

Switch Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team with Key Appointments

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Health, Genetics, Research, Pharmaceutical, Science, Biotechnology, Amgen, Central nervous system, University, Senior, Doctor of Philosophy, Vassar College, Business operations, University of California, Davis, Iron monosilicide, Medicine, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, RNA, Genentech, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, RNA interference, Business administration, Upfront Ventures, Pleasure, Drug discovery, ASO, Physics, Growth, Kezar Stadium, Johnson & Johnson, Therapy, Disease, Pharmaceutical industry, Fine chemical, Biophysics, Biology

“I am delighted to welcome Craig and Michael to our leadership team,” said Dee Datta, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Switch Therapeutics.

Key Points: 
  • “I am delighted to welcome Craig and Michael to our leadership team,” said Dee Datta, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Switch Therapeutics.
  • “Together, Craig and Michael bring substantial domain expertise, including their respective experience driving oligonucleotide research and providing operational leadership for growth and scale, which are highly relevant for Switch.
  • “I am thrilled to join the Switch Therapeutics team,” said Mr. Wolfe.
  • Following Switch’s $52 million financing announced earlier this month, Switch is operating from a position of strength, with a tremendous opportunity for further growth.

Switch Therapeutics Launches with $52 Million to Advance First-of-its-Kind RNAi Technology

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Biotechnology, Professional Services, Health, Philanthropy, General Health, Pharmaceutical, Other Science, Research, Fund Raising, Science, Finance, RNA, Insight Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, Partner, RNA interference, Cell, Medicine, Small RNA, Therapy, Upfront Ventures, Venture, Iron monosilicide, Pharmaceutical industry, Vaccine

Switch Therapeutics, a preclinical stage biotechnology company pioneering a new way to use RNA science to treat diseases, today announced its launch following $52 million of financing.

Key Points: 
  • Switch Therapeutics, a preclinical stage biotechnology company pioneering a new way to use RNA science to treat diseases, today announced its launch following $52 million of financing.
  • Additionally, we can design CASi molecules to activate only in select cells, allowing for expansion into targets that may require precision RNAi approaches.
  • Switch was founded on the premise of a new type of RNA medicine that integrates nucleic acid nanotechnology and RNA interference (RNAi) science.
  • The sensor allows efficient delivery of the siRNA while regulating the siRNA’s activity to “switch on” only in selected cells.

CNM LLP Appoints Bill Strong as President to Lead Global Business Operations and Strategic Growth

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Professional Services, Security, Technology, Other Technology, Finance, Consulting, Accounting, Culture, Upfront Ventures, Viking Global Investors, Temasek, Apeel Sciences, Growth, Idealab, Global Investors Summit, Face, Orange County Business Journal, GIC, Mental health, Love, CNM, World Bank Group, Information technology, Ernst & Young, Financial services, Nursing, Management

CNM LLP, a leading technical advisory firm, has named seasoned finance, operations, and corporate development executive Bill Strong as its first ever President.

Key Points: 
  • CNM LLP, a leading technical advisory firm, has named seasoned finance, operations, and corporate development executive Bill Strong as its first ever President.
  • In this position, Strong will collaborate with CNM’s Managing Partner Sanjay Sheth to further develop the firm’s personnel and culture while spearheading global business operations and strategic initiatives to support the firm’s continued growth.
  • “Bill is the ideal candidate to bring CNM to the next level,” said CNM Executive Chair and Founder Nathan Matthews.
  • “Bill’s vast knowledge of finance and expertise in global operations and corporate development will make him an undeniable force at CNM,” said Sheth.

DroneBase Secures $55 Million and Launches Next Stage of Advanced Inspection Under New Brand Zeitview

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Satellite, Software, Photography, Audio, Video, Hardware, Data Management, Technology, Drones, Automation, Data science, Upfront Ventures, Valor, NASS, Smartphone, Aircraft, Union Square Ventures, Health, Partnership, Growth, Multimedia, Longevity, Asset management

Further cementing its market leadership in advanced inspection software for energy and infrastructure, DroneBase has secured $55 million in investment and rebranded as Zeitview .

Key Points: 
  • Further cementing its market leadership in advanced inspection software for energy and infrastructure, DroneBase has secured $55 million in investment and rebranded as Zeitview .
  • The new funding will support the company’s AI-enabled software and global footprint in advanced inspection solutions.
  • “With Zeitview’s continued expansion of services and commitment to delivering accurate, real-time insights through advanced inspection software, we are naturally mission-aligned.
  • For more information on how Zeitview makes aerial inspection data accessible across markets, please visit www.zeitview.com .