Colaeb (Collaborate and Elevate)

Fanstake, cofounded by Greg Glass, Donnie Flood, and Alex Boisvert, has raised $3 million in a pre-seed round led by Susa Ventures and Will Ventures, with participation from various angel investors. "We created Fanstake because we truly believe that engaging in the open market is the most effective way to create a fair and balanced environment in college sports," said Greg Glass, CEO. Read the full announcement in the news section on colaeb.com

I had the joy of speaking at Colaeb (Collaborate and Elevate) 2023 Digital Conference and am excited to catch all the gems that will be dropped at this years conference. Bravo Imanuel Larcher! If you haven’t experienced this conference I encourage you to check it out.

As many of you know, I recently announced NAACP Capital, a venture fund I’m raising to invest in fund managers and startups focused on leverage technology and innovation to close gaps. There’s been wonderful coverage of the announcement in Bloomberg, TechCrunch, SHOPPE BLACK, Cheddar and others.?I’m thrilled for this new chapter! I’m hiring three roles for my team: Chief of Staff, Analyst and Principal. Please share if there’s anyone in your network that might be interested. Chief of Staff: https://lnkd.in/gdFUmFC3 Analyst: https://lnkd.in/giKzt6uY Principal: https://lnkd.in/gUaq2cy7

?? Exciting news! We’re thrilled to have Jeanine Suah, Founding Partner at Rezilyent Capital, joining us as a speaker at the 2024 Conference! ?? Jeanine is a true force in entrepreneurship and venture capital—impacting over 15,000 entrepreneurs in just three years and demystifying access to funding for underrepresented founders. As a super-connector and advocate for equity, Jeanine’s session will inspire you to think bigger, build stronger networks, and unlock opportunities for growth. ?? Here’s what’s happening: ?? Dec. 12-13: Virtual conference (FREE!) with 30+ industry leaders Don’t miss your chance to learn from Jeanine and other incredible speakers. ??? RSVP today: https://lnkd.in/emNaacmV #Colaeb2024 #Conference #Innovation

CrewAI, founded by Jo?o (Joe) Moura, has raised $18M in funding to scale its multi-agentic AI platform to enterprise levels! Backed by boldstart ventures and Insight Partners, CrewAI's innovative platform allows businesses to automate workflows with intelligent AI agents that can collaborate, self-iterate, and improve over time. With the launch of CrewAI Enterprise, large companies can now build AI-powered systems tailored to their unique needs. The future of agentic AI is here! Learn more about CrewAI in the news section on colaeb.com

HealthEx, founded by Priyanka Agarwal, MD, MBA, and Anand Raghavan, has raised $14M in funding led by General Catalyst, with participation from Electric Capital! Their AI-driven platform simplifies patient consent, boosts healthcare compliance, and empowers patients to take control of their health data. Transforming the future of healthcare, HealthEx is making data access more secure, transparent, and efficient for patients and providers alike. Read the announcement in the news section on colaeb.com #HealthTech #AI

Mechanical Orchard, led by Rob Mee, has announced it has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round from GV (Google Ventures). Over-reliance on legacy software remains a critical, unresolved IT challenge worldwide: $13 trillion of the US economy and a minimum of 71% of the Fortune 500 still depend on aging mainframe systems. The costs of ignoring this issue grow daily. In the US alone, $1.52 trillion is the estimated cost to the economy which can be attributed to poor-quality software. Mechanical Orchard has built groundbreaking technology to transition the world’s largest organizations away from inflexible legacy IT systems to modern, cloud-based applications. It de-risks the modernization process by using AI-enhanced tooling and an iterative approach centered on reverse-engineering a cloud-based copy of the living, breathing systems. Read more in the news section on colaeb.com

Wow! National Apprenticeship Week 2024 was a milestone for South Florida, bringing together students, educators, and employers to celebrate apprenticeships as pathways to opportunity and economic mobility. Workforce.Miami is ?? We began on November 6th with Pre-Apprenticeship Day, hosted by Miami-Dade County Public Schools Career Technical Education Over 800 high school students explored career pathways in IT, AI, cybersecurity, hospitality, construction, and more. We proudly highlighted Miami EdTech’s AI Registered Apprenticeship Program and AI Pre-Apprenticeships. Special thanks to Papa Keith, James Riley, Lupe Ferran Diaz, Ph.D., Sonia Samaroo, and Kendrick Morris for their leadership. On November 19th, we gathered at the Miami-Dade Beacon Council for “Exploring How Apprenticeships Can Bridge the Talent Gap.” A proclamation from Eileen Higgins declared the day Apprenticeship Day in Miami-Dade County with an opening by Francesca de Quesada Covey. Speakers like Patrick Cohen William P. and Cathy Morgan (Apprenti), Rick Beasley (CareerSource South Florida), and Tony Allen (National Basketball Association (NBA) - GoSprout.app Advisor) showcased apprenticeships as pathways to community growth. Later, the M-DCPS STEM Advisory Board Fundraiser at Topgolf, raised vital funds for CTE teachers and scholarships, emphasizing the importance of recognizing educators who prepare students for success. The CareerSource South Florida Round Table on November 20th explored strategies for reaching underserved populations. With insights from Dr. Alexia Rolle, Ed.D.(Miami Dade College) and Rene Mantilla's team, we highlighted CareerSource South Florida’s benefits like OJT reimbursements and wage offsets, which help employers and apprentices succeed. On November 21st, the Pathways to Success Luncheon at Florida International University celebrated success stories from apprentices Norbert Seals María José Sotillo and keynote remarks by Victoria Tomas (Florida International University). Sponsors Aon, Kapor Center, and ECMC Foundation showed how partnerships are making apprenticeships scalable and impactful. Thanks Lili Gangas and Shantenae Robinson ?? We closed the week on November 22nd with a fireside chat on AI and Apprenticeships hosted by Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Krysti Specht. Alongside Tatenda Mahaka, we shared how Miami EdTech’s AI and UX/UI Apprenticeships prepare communities for an AI-driven workforce. Apprenticeships are the bridge to economic mobility and workforce innovation! Thank you to all who attended (limit reached and can't tag lol!) and our partners, sponsors, and supporters for helping us empower South Florida's workforce. The journey doesn’t end here—let’s continue to innovate, collaborate, and build a brighter future. Visit Workforce.Miami to learn more, get involved, and help us expand these life-changing programs. Together, we can empower the workforce of tomorrow, today. Check the video! https://lnkd.in/eWeJSTqq

Pantheon AI, led by David Mace, Tiger S., and Georgios Kontominas, has raised $25M to revolutionize architecture with AI! Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Felicis Ventures, and 8VC, the San Francisco-based startup is expanding its AI-driven platform to transform office, multifamily, and hospitality design. Faster architecture, powered by AI—this is the future! Read the announcement in the news section on colaeb.com

?? Meet Aaron Westbrook at the Colaeb Innovation Conference! Aaron Westbrook, Founder & CEO of Form5, is a true pioneer in the world of prosthetics and an inspiring example of resilience and innovation. Born with only one hand, Aaron began his journey as a high school freshman by creating his own prosthetic device using a 3D printer. By age 14, he had launched what would become a transformative mission to empower the limb difference community! Through his nonprofit Form5, Aaron has been changing lives since 2017 by providing confidence, resources, and support to individuals with limb differences. Guided by pillars like Community, Research & Development, Education, and Manufacturing, Aaron’s work is paving the way for a more inclusive and supportive future. Join us at the 2024 Conference to hear Aaron share his incredible journey—how he turned a personal challenge into a beacon of hope for so many others. ??? RSVP now to learn from this visionary and 25+ other accomplished speakers: https://lnkd.in/emNaacmV #2024Conference #Innovation #Entrepreneurship