Thursday, May 9, 2024Aardvark Therapeutics Raises $85M
San Diego-based Aardvark Therapeutics announced today that it has raised $85M in a Series C funding round. The funding was led by Decheng Capital and also included Cormorant Asset Management, Surveyor Capital, SymBiosis, Tetragon Financial Group, Walleye Capital, Laurion Capital Management, LG Technology Ventures, Cantor Fitzgerald & Co, Silver Arc Private Capital, The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association – USA, Vickers Venture Partners and the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research....Continue →
Thursday, May 9, 2024Toyota Sets Up Fuel Cell Headquarters In Gardena
Toyota has set up its fuel cell technology headquarters in Gardena, as part of the company's efforts to research, develop, commercialize, and sell fuel cell and hydrogen-related products, according to the company. Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) said last week that it is renaming its R&D office in Gardena as its "North American Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ)" and will focus on commercialization planning and sales of hydrogen-related products and technologies....Continue →
Wednesday, May 8, 2024Elementary Gets Funding For AI Vision
Los Angeles-based Elementary, a developer of AI-powered machine vision software, says it has received a round of strategic investment from Rockwell Automation. Size of that funding was not disclosed. The company says it is developing AI-powered vision inspection software for manufacturing automation. Elementary's CEO and founder is Arye Barnehama. The company said its other investors include Toyota Ventures.Continue →
Wednesday, May 8, 2024NASA Selects Three Groups Working On Climate Studies
NASA says it has selected four groups working on missions to help study the climate and climate change, including three companies based in Southern California. According to NASA, the proposals for concept studies of missions to help the agency better understand Earth science in such areas as greenhouse gases, the ozone layer, ocean surface currents, and changes in ice and glaciers around the world....Continue →
Friday, May 3, 2024Illinois Dangles $827M In Incentives To Rivian
The State of Illinois is hoping to attract more work in the state from Irvine-based EV maker Rivian, by offering up the auto maker $827M worth of incentives. Rivian currently builds its R1S and R1T vehicles there, in a plant it acquired from Mitsubishi.Continue →
Friday, May 3, 2024Rocket Lab Preparing Two NASA Launches
Long Beach-based Rocket Lab said this week that it is planning two, back-to-back missions for NASA, to deploy satellites for NASA. According to the company, it has two back-to-back Electronic launches to deploy the NASA PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission. The company said the first will launch no earlier than May 22, 2024, and the second within three weeks of the first mission....Continue →
Thursday, May 2, 2024Enlaza Therapeutics Finds $100M
La Jolla-based Enlaza Therapeutics, which is working on protein drugs, says it has raised $100M in a Series A financing round. The funding was led by Life Sciences Group of J.P. Morgan Private Capital, and also included existing investors Frazier Life Sciences, Avalon Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Samsara BioCapital along with new investorsAmgen Ventures, Regeneron Ventures, Bregua Corporation, Pappas Capital, and Alexandria Venture Investments....Continue →
Thursday, May 2, 2024HopSkipDrive Hails CO2 Savings
Los Angeles-based school ride provider HopSkipDrive, which provides rides to and from school to kids as a way for school districts to reduce school busing costs, says its "SmartPooling" service has saved 160,000 pounds of CO2 for school districts, as a result of reducing single occupancy rides and matching students together for transportation....Continue →
Wednesday, May 1, 2024Belkin Aims At 100 Percent Carbon Neutrality By 2030
Los Angeles-based consumer electronics manufacturer Belkin says it is now aiming to be entirely, 100 percent carbon neutral across its business by 2030. The company said it is on the way to 100 percent carbon neutral in its global offices and operations by 2025. The company did not say how it is meeting those goals, but did cite usage of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) capabilities to more accurately measure its product level emissions, and enforcing accountability in its supply chain....Continue →
Wednesday, May 1, 2024RentCafe Rolls Out AI Marketing Tools
Santa Barbara-based RentCafe, a provider of digital marketing services, says it is rolling out a new set of AI-powered tools. The company did not detail the new tools, saying it plans to launch them at an upcoming conference in Huntington Beach. The company said the tools include a "new content engine" and "AI-powered marketing tools" which include a "generative content engine" that creates copy for websites, blogs and Google Business Profile posts....Continue →
Wednesday, May 1, 2024Rently Rolls Out New Bluetooth Lock
Los Angeles-based Rently said today that it has launched a new, Bluetooth lock, called the Smart Bolt, which it says includes an extended batter life, stronger motor, and easy-to-install design. The company's products are used y property managers to allow for "self-guided touring" of properties. The company said the lock's extended battery life provides "reliable property access" for the duration of "most residential leases"....Continue →
Tuesday, April 30, 2024LiNova Energy Gets $15.8M
Monrovia-based LiNova Energy said this morning that it has raised $15.8M in a Series A financing round. The funding was led by Catalus Capital, and also include Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, Chevron Technology Ventures and a syndicate of other, un-named investors. LiNova says it is working on polymer cathode batteries for the energy storage market. Michael Nagus is CEO of LiNova Energy.Continue →
Tuesday, April 30, 2024Noteit Expands Beyond Romantic Partners
Culver City-based Iconic Hearts says that it is shifting how its Noteit social media app works, and rather than being limited to just a romantic partner, will allow you to connect with up to five friends on the app. The company's app originally allowed users to only exchange real-time photos, videos, and drawings with one partner, with an idea to bolster romantic relationships.Continue →
Friday, April 26, 2024Velotric Launches Electric Bike Models
Carson, California-based Velotric says it has launched several models of electric bicycles, aimed at the mountain bike market. According to the company, its Summit 1 and Fold 1 bicycles are electric mountain bikes, and start at $999. The company said the bicycles meet either Class 1, 2, or 3 ebike classifications and also include an app with smartphone integration and Apple's Find My integration. Velotric is led by co-founder and CEO Adam Zhang.Continue →
Thursday, April 25, 2024Rater Expands Dating App Beyond California
Carlsbad-based Rater--which claims to run an "anti-catfishing social app"--says it has expanded its platform beyond California. According to the dating app, it is now officially launching nationwide. The company said its single social app was "created in response to pervasive catfishing and romance scams rampant across all dating apps". The company's founder and CEO is Nicole Drew. The company said it uses "AI powered ID and photo verification" among other techniques to vet its users....Continue →
Wednesday, April 24, 2024Endeavor BioMedicines Gets $132.5M
San Diego-based biotechnology company Endeavor BioMedicine said this morning that it has raised $132.5M in the company's Series C financing. The company said the funding was led by AyurMaya, an affiliate of Matrix Capital Management, plus new investors including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Invus, SymBiosis, Velosity Capital, and Woodline Partners along with existing investors including funds managed by abrdn Inc....Continue →
Wednesday, April 24, 2024Fisker Eyes Bankruptcy, Slashes Staff
Troubled Los Angeles-based automotive company Fisker Automotive indicated in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it is in a liquidity crunch, which "raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern", and indicated that it could file for bankruptcy within the next 30 days. The company also indicated in the filing that it intends to "further reduce" its workforce and "streaming its operations", including "reducing its physical footprint" in an effort to control costs....Continue →
Wednesday, April 24, 2024Loop Media Gets NYSE Warning
Burbank-based multi-channel streaming platform Loop Media reports that it has received a warning from the NYSE American. According to the company, it was advised the company is "not in compliance with the NYSE American continued listing standards" citing "reported stockholder's deficit and "losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in its five most recent fiscal years ended September 30, 2023." The company said it is required to submit a "plan of compliance" by May 23, 2024....Continue →
Tuesday, April 23, 2024Former Snap Employees Launch Generative AI Firm Easel
A new startup, Easel, alucnhed today, saying that it has developed a generative AI app which lets you create images of yourself and friends "doing cool things", from Apple's iMessage. The company's founders are CEO Rajan Vaish and Sven Kratz, both former employees at Los Angeles-based Snap. Both apparently were at Snap until 2022, when they were laid off from the company after working in Snap's research division....Continue →
Tuesday, April 23, 2024Elf Labs Combines AI, Branded Characters
Los Angeles-based Elf Labs said this morning that it has launched a new company, which is combining hundreds of trademarked, iconic fairytale characters with "AI-powered production and distribution technology"....Continue →
