$7.25M for driver safety + World’s first hen-free egg
A weekly selection of news and investment opportunities from OurCrowd, the global venture investing platform
Startup of the Week
Driver safety startup CorrActions raises $7.25M
Mobility pioneer CorrActions raised $7.25M for its AI-powered technology that monitors the brain activity of drivers and passengers to prevent accidents, Meir Orbach reports in Calcalist. CorrActions’ software uses sensors installed in the steering wheel, seats and other parts of a vehicle to detect micro muscle movements that reflect brain activity and can indicate various cognitive states, including intoxication, fatigue and distraction. The funding round was led by Volvo Cars Tech Fund, with participation from BlackBerry, NextGear Ventures, Mobilitech Capital, Regah Ventures, NextLeap Ventures, Stone Ventures and OurCrowd. A very limited allocation of CorrActions' funding round is available via the OurCrowd platform.
ABC News: NY gives ElliQ AI companion to elderly
Seniors in New York are getting some help dealing with isolation and loneliness from ElliQ, the AI-powered companion from our portfolio company Intuition Robotics, ABC News reports. The New York State Office for the Aging is giving out the interactive robot free of charge to people over the age of 75. “It's part of a campaign to fight post-pandemic loneliness. It’s nice that they are creating these kinds of technologies and to see AI used in a positive way. This is a perfect use of the technology,” the presenters say. California, Florida, Oregon and Washington State are running similar programs. OurCrowd is investing in Intuition Robotics’ current funding round. Further details available under NDA.
OncoHost used in key lung cancer drug trial
The groundbreaking technology from our portfolio company OncoHost is being used in a key lung cancer trial by Henlius USA, affiliated with global biopharmaceutical company Shanghai Henlius Biotech. Henlius is utilizing OncoHost's PROphet platform to identify biomarkers in patients to check the efficacy and safety of its drugs combined with chemotherapy. PROphet uses machine learning to analyze 7,000 proteins in a patient’s blood sample to predict treatment outcomes. “We stand at the height of a transformative era in cancer therapeutics, and we are honored to support Henlius USA in better understanding resistance mechanisms to truly personalize care,” says Ofer Sharon, MD, CEO of OncoHost, which is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.?
EVERY Company unveils world’s first hen-free liquid egg?
FoodTech pioneer the EVERY Company unveiled the EVERY Egg, the world's first liquid egg made without a hen. The EVERY Egg contains egg protein made with precision fermentation, and is the culmination of $233M of investment and nine years of protein and product development. It has eight grams of protein per serving, with zero cholesterol, saturated fat or artificial flavors. EVERY’s egg products are already available for sampling to food service operators and will be available at restaurants in 2024.
FDA clears Ossio bone-healing tech for children
The FDA has cleared the bio-integrative technology from our portfolio company Ossio used in orthopedic surgery for children and adolescents needing bone realignments, fusions or fracture fixation. The OSSIOfiber fixation technology is left inside the patient’s body and serves as an alternative to the implantation of traditional metal pins and screws, which often require a second operation for removal. “OSSIOfiber implants are strong like metal implants, with the added advantage of predictably becoming completely incorporated into the patient’s own bone within a reported two years, leaving no permanent foreign material behind,” says David Lin, MD, a leading pediatric orthopedic surgeon at the Pediatric Orthopedic Center in New Jersey.
领英推荐
Aillis wins Startup World Cup, $1M investment
MedTech pioneer Aillis won the Startup World Cup 2023 with a $1M investment grand prize. Thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world participated in the event organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures. A panel of investors judged the pitches of 10 finalists and awarded the prize to Aillis, which uses AI and machine learning to analyze pharyngeal images instead of specimens collected by swab to detect influenza. OurCrowd participated in Aillis’ pre-IPO round, our first investment in a Japanese startup.
D-ID launches AI-powered digital agents
D-ID, the OurCrowd generative AI company that enables users to make videos from photographs, launched Agents, interactive digital humans for customer-facing businesses. Driven by large language models, D-ID's Digital Agents let firms embed an AI-powered virtual assistant in their websites to engage in face-to-face conversations with customers, for a personalized user experience. “These interfaces understand and earn the trust of the user, without any typing or clicking. They will adapt and evolve along with the business and digital landscape. This advancement powers D-ID's Agents, allowing them to respond intelligently to customer questions and provide personalized advice, meeting the customers' need for prompt and effective interaction,” says Gil Perry, CEO and Co-founder of D-ID.
Phoenix taps Kando for AI-powered wastewater monitoring
The city of Phoenix, Arizona, contracted our portfolio company Kando to monitor municipal wastewater systems and facilities, SignalsAZ reports. The AI-powered system uses sensors to obtain data from wastewater that indicate irregularities ranging from pH issues to high temperatures, caused mainly by illegal dumping at industrial sites. After undergoing treatment and testing, 97% of Phoenix’s wastewater is recycled and used for irrigation, cooling the local power station and replenishing underground water resources.
Dallas College spurs 191% increase in degrees with EduNav
Dallas College, one of the largest community colleges in Texas, is showing a 191% year-on-year increase in the number of non-applicant degrees awarded for the 2022–2023 academic year, thanks to our portfolio company EduNav. By using EduNav's Summit app, the college was able to identify students who completed the requirements but did not know they qualified for a degree. In the first full academic year of using Summit, the college discovered 2,408 unawarded degrees earned by 1,926 students. “Over 1,900 Dallas College students will earn degrees, certificates or marketable skills awards that they wouldn't have known they were on track to complete without Summit,” says Erinn Farrell, Associate Dean of Degree Audit at Dallas College.
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Startup Beat?is a weekly selection of news and investment opportunities from?OurCrowd, the global venture investing platform.
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