AI bots drive Netflix boycott campaign + George Gilder’s online investing masterclass
A weekly selection of news and investment opportunities from OurCrowd, the global venture investing platform
Startup of the Week
Clinch: Hyper-personalized AI-powered advertising platform serving the world’s major brands
Marketing strategies need to adapt to major changes in global consumer behavior – especially the need to tailor ad experiences to individual consumers. OurCrowd portfolio company Clinch has created a revolutionary AI-powered SaaS platform which enables agencies and advertisers to efficiently build, run, and measure highly personalized campaigns across all digital channels without requiring any specialized technical knowledge. Clinch’s “Flight Control” platform provides advanced AI-based and data-driven ad serving and creative optimization across all media channels, and unifies campaign management in one end-to-end system which includes advanced analytics and unique insights. Clinch’s revenues grew by 60% in 2023 and the company projects ~50% revenue growth in 2024. Its gross margins reached 86% in 2023 and are projected to rise to 90% in 2024. The company’s long list of marquee clients includes Albertsons, Coca-Cola, J.P. Morgan Chase, Hyundai, Iberia, L’Oréal, Mars Wrigley, Nespresso, and Tesco. Dentsu and IPG, two of the world’s largest holding group ad agencies, selected Clinch as their preferred campaign management and dynamic creative optimization platform. Clinch’s current funding round is now open to OurCrowd investors.
AI bots drive Netflix boycott campaign, Cyabra reveals
Nearly a quarter of the calls on X to cancel Netflix for allegedly backing Kamala Harris’ US presidential campaign that flooded social media sites were traced to fake profiles by OurCrowd’s disinformation security experts at Cyabra , France24 reports . “Brand disinformation campaigns in today's polarized climate have far-reaching impacts beyond just corporate reputation,” Dan Brahmy, Cyabra's CEO, tells AFP. “The Netflix case demonstrates how rapidly these campaigns spread, potentially reaching hundreds of millions” and shows how “disinformation can manipulate public opinion and consumer behavior,” Brahmy says. Cyabra has helped safeguard 19 elections globally in the past year and has 35 paying customers in Asia, Latin America, and North America. Information on Cyabra’s current funding round ahead of its Nasdaq listing is available under NDA.?
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Gilder Online Masterclass, Sep. 11: Investing in the AI Landscape
Join us online on Wednesday, Sep. 11, at 10AM ET, for a Startup Investing Masterclass where Jon Medved, OurCrowd CEO, and George Gilder of Gilder’s Private Reserve will be discussing the AI investment landscape with Roger Michalski of Eagle Financial Publications and OurCrowd's Lisa Graston. The panel will also explore the OurCrowd AI Fund , the partnership between OurCrowd and Gilder’s Private Reserve, and how George Gilder’s analysis in Gilder’s Private Reserve has become a must-have resource for individuals looking to invest in private opportunities. Register now to join us online. If you can’t join live, register and we’ll send you the video to watch at your leisure.
Fortune: BioCatch protects global finance against AI-powered criminals
“AI has given cybercriminals better tools to trick us and created new challenges in establishing who pays for it,” report Diane Brady and Joey Abrams in a Fortune interview with Gadi Mazor , CEO of our FinTech cybercrime buster unicorn BioCatch . Too often, the fraudsters are able to penetrate sophisticated defenses around major banks and financial institutions by tricking employees and customers into sharing their login details through subtle phishing attacks. “The more educated you are, the more prone you are to fall for this because you feel like you know what you’re doing,” Mazor observes. BioCatch measures hundreds of signals to identify when someone is being scammed, and helps protect billions of dollars of daily transactions around the world.?
4 reasons why Israel is leading a global VC rebound despite the war
“What was the fastest-growing venture economy in the world in the first half of this year?” asks OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved . “Let me surprise you. It was Israel. Foreign investors cast a resounding vote of confidence in Israel’s innovation ecosystem even as the rockets were flying. The resilience of Israel tech, and the growing investment in it from abroad, have significant implications for Israel’s fundamental economic stability.” Read more in Jon’s new 'Investors on the Frontlines ' column.
$17M purchase orders for AIR ONE eVTOL
AIR ONE, the car-sized electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) created by OurCrowd portfolio company Air EV , has notched up $17M in purchase orders for its cargo version, CEO and Co-founder Rani Plaut tells Courtney Blackann , host of the “On Air with Air Cargo Next” podcast. AIR ONE can fly at speeds up to 150 MPH with a payload of 550 pounds. The eVTOL, which is intended to optimize last-mile cargo deliveries, can also be used recreationally with seats for two people. “The cargo unit is the same unit, simply without the seats and the avionics,” Plaut says. “So far, we have $17M in purchase orders for cargo units.” Air EV generated more than $1M in revenue in 2023 and expects to reach $7M revenue in 2024.
Nokia adds high-speed cellular tech to Axiom’s NASA spacesuit
Nokia and Axiom Space will incorporate high-speed cellular-network capabilities in Axiom’s next-generation Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit that will be used for NASA’s Artemis III lunar mission. The technology will support HD video, telemetry data, and voice transmission over multiple kilometers on the moon. This advancement will enable Artemis III crew members to capture real-time video and communicate with mission controllers on earth while they explore the lunar surface. “Adding high-speed 4G/LTE network capability on the moon will serve as a vital bridge linking astronauts to earth, facilitating crucial data exchange, and enabling high-definition video communication over long distances,” says Russell Ralston, Axiom Space Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity
领英推荐
Salt Lake City consumers get help from TechSee to cut energy bills
Wattsmart, powered by TechSee ’s advanced visual AI, now offers a free, self-guided virtual home energy assessment, making it easier to find ways to save money on home energy bills, Morgan Saxton reports for Fox 13 Utah. Rocky Mountain Power customers in the Salt Lake City area enter their phone number into Wattsmart’s app and get a customized link that walks them through a home energy assessment that covers heating, cooling, thermostats, insulation, water heating, windows, air sealing, appliances, and lighting. “We're proud to support Wattsmart in making energy efficiency accessible to all,” says TechSee, an OurCrowd portfolio company that helps companies provide AI video-assisted remote technical assistance.
Oshi granted US trademark for plant-based salmon
Oshi , the OurCrowd portfolio company whose plant-based seafood and fish substitutes are now on the menu at selected US restaurants, achieved another step toward consolidating its market presence by officially registering the OSHI trademark in the US. “This milestone represents another step forward in our journey to revolutionize the seafood industry with delicious, sustainable, plant-based alternatives. Being officially recognized allows us to strengthen our brand presence and continue spreading our mission across the US,” says the company, which recently relocated its production center from Israel to California to be closer to US customers.
IQM prototype quantum processor achieves 99.9% fidelity?
IQM , OurCrowd’s global leader in building quantum computers, reached significant milestones in superconducting quantum computing, demonstrating improvements in two key metrics: the accuracy of operations between qubits — the most basic units of quantum information — and the stability of qubits over time. IQM achieved 99.9% fidelity in two-qubit gate operations and hit a new record in “qubit relaxation time” – the time it takes for a qubit to lose its quantum state, Owen Hughes reports for Live Science. These achievements bring fault-tolerant quantum computing – where errors in quantum calculations correct themselves automatically – closer to reality, says IQM.?
49ers add Zippin stores to Levi’s Stadium in $200M upgrade
Checkout-free concessions powered by Zippin , OurCrowd’s seamless retail leader, feature in a $200M upgrade of Levi’s Stadium ー home of the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers ー which is preparing for 2026 when it will become the world’s first venue to host a FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl in the same year. Zippin’s frictionless concession stands will provide an alternative, cashierless way for fans to obtain basic food and beverages on the main concourse, Retail Innovation Hub reports . “We have collectively made Levi’s Stadium a world class sports and entertainment destination,” says Brent Schoeb, 49ers Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer. “As we embark on the next decade of 49ers games, Super Bowl 60, FIFA World Cup, concerts and other events, we will continue investing in the fan experience.”
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About this Newsletter
Startup Beat?is a weekly selection of news and investment opportunities from?OurCrowd , the global venture investing platform.
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OurCrowd is a global venture and private market alternatives investing platform. To date we have more than $2.3 billion in commitments, 235,000 registered investors, 460 portfolio companies, 57 venture funds and 65 exits.
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Biotech Market Access Executive
2 个月How do you join the masterclass?
CEO at Cyabra
2 个月I appreciate it!