Tag Archives: Venture Capital

Our Investment in Cursor – accel

Accel

We’re pleased to announce our investment in Cursor, the company shaping the future of software engineering. What Michael, Aman, Arvid, and Sualeh have accomplished in just a few short years is without precedent, and it’s clear they’re only getting started.

As software has accelerated every company and industry over the past several decades, tools supporting engineering teams have flourished – yet astonishingly, the process of writing code itself has hardly changed. Cursor shrinks the gap between human intent and action.  We believe it will become the collaborative interface between humans and computers, where every keystroke, action or inaction is an exchange of information that helps to accelerate cycles and achieve better outcomes. With relentless execution and distinctive product taste, the Cursor team is making software engineering a seamless extension of the human brain.

With over $1.5 billion invested in AI-native companies, we have observed the compounding leadership effect of winners in certain categories. In coding, developer choice —> wider distribution & deeper engagement —> higher fidelity keystroke data —> compounding product differentiation. With market leadership comes disproportionate access to talent, capital, GPU capacity, and marketplace influence.

The future is uncertain, but it will likely involve various configurations of humans and agents writing code together.  Today, Cursor changes the paradigm for building software; tomorrow, we believe it will be the operating system for human-machine collaboration across all developers.  We’re delighted to back Michael and this incredibly talented team for the ambitious journey ahead.

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Congratulations, Circle! – Accel

Accel

Today marks an exciting milestone for Jeremy Allaire and the Circle team as they go public. For those of us who have watched this journey up close, this is a milestone years in the making—and a testament to Jeremy and the Circle team’s persistence.

This isn’t Jeremy’s first time on the podium. He last rang the bell when he took Accel portfolio company Brightcove public in 2012. With Circle, he took on his next challenge: launching a company with the ambitious goal of building a new digital financial system in an industry characterized by complexity, intense public scrutiny, and regulatory uncertainty. It turns out that Jeremy and his team were more than up to the task.

Circle was founded in 2013 with a broad vision to facilitate the next stage of internet-driven globalization and commerce. Today, USDC—Circle’s stablecoin—has become one of the most widely used digital currencies in the world, with more than $25 trillion in on-chain transactions as of late March.

What stands out about the Circle team is their willingness to take the long view, even when it means doing things the hard way—in particular, through their commitment to a regulatory-first posture and their reputation for integrity and transparency.

Congratulations to Jeremy and everyone at Circle!

–The Accel Team

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ABB invests in strategic partnership with US start-up Molg to transform drive design and accelerate its contribution to the circular economy

ABB Ventures
  • Investment by ABB Drive Products to develop next generation products for circularity and resource-efficient future
  • Companies will develop design architecture for drive manufacturing by optimizing testing and assembly processes in Molg’s robotic Microfactories
  • Collaboration started in 2024, with ABB Robotics participation in Molg’s seed round of funding  

ABB Motion’s Drive Products division has invested, through ABB Motion Ventures, in Virginia-based circular manufacturing company Molg to optimize manufacturing design and reusability of ABB drives. The collaboration will leverage Molg’s design expertise and US-based robotic Microfactories to streamline the assembly and testing processes within ABB’s manufacturing operations, while simultaneously increasing drives’ circularity and resource efficiency.

ABB and Molg’s relationship began in 2023 when the company was recognized as a winner of the ABB Accelerating Circularity Startup Challenge. ABB Drive Products and Molg have subsequently delivered a successful proof of concept in drives assembly in robotics-based Molg Microfactories and this fresh investment will enable the next phase of their partnership.

A central aspect of ABB Drive Products’ choice to invest in Molg is the firm’s circularity credentials. ABB is committed to achieving a full life cycle circular approach for 80 percent of its products by 2030 and Molg’s robotic Microfactories will help to improve the efficiency of manufacturing configured-to-order drives by streamlining the assembly and testing processes with automation. The investment strengthens ABB’s position as a key enabler of circular economy by re-using, re-purposing, and recycling components. ABB Robotics & Automation Ventures participated in Molg’s seed round of funding in October 2024 to help scale the start-up’s production capacity and tackle e-waste with robotics and design.

This strategic partnership follows ABB’s recent $100 million campus project in New Berlin, Wisconsin, and further enables its ‘local for local’ strategy – using locally-sourced materials for in-country manufacturing to service local customers. This is also a vital part of ABB’s circularity-based approach, not only minimizing waste and manufacturing-related carbon emissions, but providing crucial in-market support for companies across the supply chain.

“Our investment in Molg means we are part of an innovation ecosystem which develops new solutions for product circularity,” said Tuomo Hoysniemi, ABB Drive Products Division President. “This investment to develop our drives portfolio through recycling and reusing of components is aligned with our aims to increase circularity within our portfolio. What’s more, Molg’s Microfactories are especially suited to the ABB Drive Products’ customizable product range and will give us and increased ability to meet unique customer and market future requirements, while at the same time preserving valuable resources.”

“Winning ABB’s Accelerating Circularity Startup Challenge was great recognition for us, and we are even more excited to continue our collaboration with ABB Drive Products within circularity and automation,” said Rob Lawson-Shanks, CEO & Co-Founder of Molg. “We are thrilled to work with ABB Drive Products to design more circular products and create circular manufacturing processes for electronics to enhance supply chain resilience and ensure valuable materials are kept in circulation.”

The financial details of the investment have not been disclosed.

  • Drive Products division invests in a strategic partnership with US start-up company Molg to optimize manufacturing design and reusability for ABB drives

  • ABB and Molg

(1/3) Drive Products division invests in a strategic partnership with US start-up company Molg to optimize manufacturing design and reusability for ABB drives

Notes to editors

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com

ABB Motion Ventures is the venture capital unit of ABB Motion. ABB through its business-led venture capital investment framework, ABB Ventures, looks for breakthrough technology companies aligned with ABB’s goal to write the future of industrial electrification and automation. Since its formation in 2009, ABB Ventures has deployed around $500 million into startups spanning a range of sectors including robotics, industrial IoT, AI/machine learning, energy transition, cybersecurity, electric mobility, smart buildings, and distributed energy. For more information, visit www.abb.com/ventures

Molg tackles the growing e-waste problem by making manufacturing circular. The company’s robotic microfactory can autonomously disassemble complex electronic products like laptops and servers, helping keep valuable components and materials within supply chains and out of landfills. Molg partners with leading electronics manufacturers to design the next generation of products with reuse in mind, ensuring that one product’s end is another’s beginning. To learn more, visit molg.ai.

For more information please contact:

Media Relations: media-motion@abb.com

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ABB invests in generative AI energy manager startup Edgecom

ABB Ventures
  • BB extends partnership with Edgecom, winner of its 2024 Startup Challenge
  • Edgecom and ABB will collaborate on AI solutions for large industrial customers

ABB is investing in a strategic partnership with Edgecom Energy, the Toronto-based energy management startup. The company’s unique energy management platform uses artificial intelligence to help industrial and commercial users manage and reduce peaks in their power demand. It is the first in the market to use a generative AI copilot to optimize the user experience.

The partnership involves a minority investment in Edgecom through ABB Electrification Ventures, the venture capital arm of ABB Electrification. ABB Electrification Ventures is part of the group-wide ABB Ventures framework, investing in transformative technology companies that advance ABB’s vision of a more sustainable, electrified, and automated world. Edgecom was a winner in ABB’s 2024 Startup Challenge.

The International Energy Agency has stated that the world must double the pace of energy efficiency progress in the next decade to meet net zero targets. It highlights the key role digital energy management must play. Innovation teams at ABB’s Smart Power division will collaborate with Edgecom to develop new AI-enabled solutions to help customers in North America save energy and reduce costs.

Massimiliano Cifalitti, President of ABB’s Smart Power division, said: “Partnerships are key to ABB Electrification’s artificial intelligence strategy for energy management. Edgecom shows how gen AI can create business value from complex data sets with an easy-to-use interface. The company also has the scalability and interoperability ABB is looking for as we grow our AI ecosystem for energy management.”

Artificial intelligence can be a game-changer for energy management. ABB’s digitalised electrification solutions collect data from across a site’s power network; Edgecom’s AI Energy Copilot can turn complex dataset into energy saving opportunities. Adapting to the customer’s goals, the AI Energy Copilot suggests small adjustments to lower bills or smart ideas to reduce environmental footprint.

Behdad Bahrami, CEO and Co-Founder of Edgecom, said: “ABB’s commitment to our vision underscores the transformative impact we’re bringing to energy management. Together, we’re empowering large energy users to achieve significant cost savings and emissions reductions through innovative solutions that deliver real world cost savings and emissions reductions. As the energy transition accelerates, innovative partnerships like this are key to creating a more efficient and sustainable future for industries worldwide.”

Mehdi Parvizi, CTO and Co-Founder of Edgecom, added: “Generative AI is transforming energy management by enabling tailored strategies that unlock savings across energy-intensive assets and facilities. This technology optimizes asset performance, integrates operations with energy market programs and price tariffs, improves energy efficiency, and guides operator behavior toward more effective energy decisions.”

The investment in Edgecom brings the total portfolio of ABB Electrification Ventures to 15 companies, with investments totalling €80 million since 2021. It is part of ABB Ventures, which has invested more than $450 million in 70 startups across electrification and automation sectors since 2010.

Edgecom Energy's unique energy management platform uses generative AI to help users reduce power demand peaks
Edgecom Energy’s unique energy management platform uses generative AI to help users reduce power demand peaks

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and more than 105,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com

ABB Electrification is a global technology leader enabling the efficient and reliable distribution of electricity from source to socket. With more than 50,000 employees across 100 countries, we collaborate with our customers and partners to solve the world’s greatest challenges in electrical distribution and energy management. As the energy transition accelerates and electricity demands grow, we are electrifying the world in a safe, smart and sustainable way. At ABB, we are ‘Engineered to Outrun’, and we are passionate about helping our customers and partners do the same. go.abb/electrification

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Scaling Science and Sustainability: Voima Ventures Finalises Fund III, north from €100M.

Voima Ventures

Helsinki, Finland – Voima Ventures has announced the final closing of its €100M+ Fund III, an Article 8 compliant deep tech fund. Based in both Helsinki and Stockholm, the fund has already begun deploying capital with 8 finalised investments from its first closing to accelerate breakthrough innovations across the Nordic and Baltic deeptech landscape.

Key Highlights:

  • €100M+ final close of Voima Ventures Fund III
  • Focused on science and deeptech startups across the Nordic and Baltic region
  • Investing into 25-30 companies, with initial entry tickets varying from €200k to 3M€.
  • Article 8 compliant under the EU’s SFDR, reinforcing Voima’s dedication to sustainable and impact-driven investing thesis
  • Investors of the Voima Ventures Fund III include among others European Investment Fund EIF, Finnish Tesi and its fund of funds KRR, VTT of Finland, Saminvest from Sweden, and pension funds Nordea Life and Elo, as well as established foundations, and family offices.

Inka Mero, CEO and Managing Partner of Voima Ventures

Scaling Nordic Deeptech- From Labs to Unicorn Potential

With this closing, Voima Ventures emphasised its unique insight to invest in visionary scientific founders and entrepreneurs who are reshaping whole industries, including Life Sciences, energy, food, quantum and advanced AI, to mention a few.

The new Fund is uniquely positioned to support the next generation of science-driven unicorns. Initial investment tickets range from €200k to €3M, with the capacity for significant follow-on investments. The firm aims to further grow its presence in the Nordic and Baltic regions while being the go-to and longterm partner for early-stage university spinouts and startups.

Since its foundation in 2019, Voima Ventures established itself as a trusted partner for early-stage founders, leveraging deep expertise and networks within academia and industry to bridge the gap between research and commercial success. With over 70% of its portfolio companies originating directly from university spin-offs or research ecosystems, the firm remains committed to fostering groundbreaking innovation at its roots.

Growth and Impact

Voima Ventures prioritises high-potential VC investments that deliver both financial returns and positive environmental and societal impact. The fund is committed to ESG principles and is aligned with the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), as an Article 8 fund.

“In deeptech, pushing the boundaries of science-driven entrepreneurship isn’t just about innovation, it’s about delivering meaningful global impact alongside strong returns,” said Inka Mero, Founder and Managing Partner of Voima Ventures. “Our recent Impact Report highlights this commitment, showing that Voima Ventures Fund III achieves a net impact score of +48%, compared to the average -8% impact of US Fortune 500 companies. This means that every Euro we invest creates significant positive change, driven by more sustainable practices and transformative technologies.”

Voima Ventures Partners From Left to Right: Jussi Sainiemi, Jenny Engerfelt, Inka Mero, Pontus Stråhlman

The Journey Continues

Lately, Voima Ventures has focused on expanding its presence in Sweden, hiring Stina Wallmark as Life Sciences Investment Director and promoting Jenny Engerfelt to Partner earlier in the year. Together, they are driving efforts to strengthen operations and manage the growing deal flow from the region.

The fund will make 25-30 investments and has so far done 8 new investments. Closed investments include examples like ÄIO – replaces palm oil, coconut oil and animal fats with sustainable and healthier alternatives, Liquid sun – sustainable aviation fuel from carbon dioxide and Avenue Biosciences – protein optimization platform enhancing production yield and the quality of pharmaceuticals.

“The Nordic and Baltic regions are setting the global standard for deep tech innovation, and we are proud to grow alongside this thriving ecosystem,” said Jussi Sainiemi, Partner at Voima Ventures. “With a unique blend of cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial talent, these regions are driving solutions that not only tackle global challenges but also redefine industries, creating sustainable value for future generations.”

Voima Ventures Team Day at Solein Production Facility, with Juha-Pekka Pitkänen CScO of Solar Foods Centre

About Voima Ventures

Voima Ventures, founded in 2019, is a Nordic early-stage investor investing in science-based innovations and companies across the Nordics and Baltics. Voima Ventures help founders to accelerate the growth of deep technology ventures to global markets. Voima Ventures is a team of 12 investment and growth entrepreneurship professionals who share a passion for science-based tech. Voima Ventures holds a strong track record in investing in high-growth science-based solutions by being an early investor in success stories like Solar Foods, Dispelix, MVision, Betolar and EniferBio.

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Marktlink Capital closes second Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds at €80 million

Marktlink Capital

Amsterdam 15 July 2024 – Marktlink Capital has successfully closed the subscription for its second venture capital fund-of-funds in six months, securing €80 million in capital commitments from approximately 150 private investors. This second fund follows the success of the first fund launched in 2022, which was fully subscribed within six months. A significant portion of the private investors in the new fund also invested in the first fund, attracted by the access to top venture capital funds in Europe and North America.

Unicorns and trends
The strategy, size, and diversification of the funds in the second venture capital fund-of-funds are largely similar to those in 2022. Based on extensive research, the Marktlink Capital team selects funds that perform exceptionally well. “There are thousands of VC funds, but only a few consistently perform well”, says Bouke Marsman, partner at Marktlink Capital. “In venture capital, good funds continue to perform well year after year. 85% of Unicorns (companies valued over a billion) are owned by just 5% of the funds.”

Marsman continues, “Only 0.5% of companies grow into Unicorns, but ten companies in our portfolio have achieved that status. This is relatively high, especially considering we’ve only been operating for a year and a half. The results so far are in line with our expectations.”

Marktlink Capital has taken broader technological trends into account when composing its portfolio, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). Marsman explains, “With an investment in Saga Ventures, a fund specialising in AI led by Max Altman, and in funds backing the European AI champion Mistral, we aim to reflect this trend in our portfolio.”

About Marktlink Capital
Marktlink Capital, born from the merger of Marktlink Investment Partners and Welt Ventures, is an investment company providing entrepreneurs and private investors with access to the best private equity and venture capital funds in Europe and North America. The team consists of approximately 35 FTEs with specialist knowledge and experience in private equity and venture capital. To date, more than €1.5 billion in committed capital has been secured, almost entirely from Dutch entrepreneurs. The initiator of Marktlink Capital is Marktlink, which has been advising entrepreneurs on the sale or purchase of companies in the upper mid-market segment since 1996. With more than 300 employees and 150 deals per year, Marktlink understands the critical role private equity and venture capital play in the development and growth of businesses.

END of RELEASE

 

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Veesual raises a $7.5 million Seed round

AXA

AI-Powered Virtual Try-On Technology Platform For The Fashion Industry Veesual Raises $7.5 Million, Announces US Expansion With New EILEEN FISHER Partnership

Investment for market leader of image generation technology for fashion brands and retailers in Europe will now support US customers looking to overcome inclusivity challenges

New York, NY—April 17, 2024—Veesual, a Paris-based virtual try-on platform for the fashion industry that revolutionizes the way online shoppers experience digital retail, today announced the closing of a $7.5 million dollar Seed round led by AVP (AXA Venture Partners) and Techstars. The investment will accelerate delivery of the company’s plans to expand into the US market by opening its first US-based office, recruiting senior US talent, enhancing its current product offering for US apparel companies and more. A cornerstone of Veesual’s US expansion is a new partnership with leading women’s fashion brand EILEEN FISHER. Under the terms of the collaboration, Veesual’s augmented shopping experiences powered by next-generation virtual try-on technology have been integrated into the EILEEN FISHER online shopping experience.

Founded in 2020, Veesual is on a mission to transform the online shopping experience for all customers, independent of style, fit and fashion preferences. Through its Augmented Shopping solutions Mix&Match, Switch Model and Look Inspiration, Veesual’s proprietary 2D-based Image Generation Engine (IGT) was designed specifically for fashion brands to deliver high-quality imagery at scale, and to be able to adapt several pieces of clothing on any model, with natural renderings and precise fitting. Veesual works with leading brands and retailers in Europe including premium (Claudie Pierlot), kids fashion (Sergent Major and DPAM), and popular fashion (La Redoute and Gemo).

While brands are working to reflect diversity for e-commerce shoppers by featuring models of different ethnicities, ages and body types, it can be extremely costly to shoot individual products on various models. Veesual’s Switch Model experience allows customers to choose a model they identify with while simultaneously accelerating online sales and reducing returns for brands.

“We are thrilled to be the first US brand to partner with Veesual on this innovative new virtual try-on tool,” notes Blair Silverman, Vice President of E-commerce at EILEEN FISHER. “EILEEN FISHER is committed to inclusivity, designing clothes that cater to every body shape. Navigating online shopping poses challenges, particularly in predicting how garments fit diverse body types. Our collaboration with Veesual addresses these challenges head-on and we are proud to be launching a tool that is sure to be a new standard for e-commerce.”

While 3D-based try-on technology can be expensive and time-consuming, 2D image solutions offer a scalable and cost-effective solution for brands that engage shoppers. According to recent data published by Insider Intelligence, by 2026 e-commerce is expected to total over $8.1 trillion and 24% of retail purchases are expected to take place online. Veesual enables brands to create a more seamless and inclusive shopping experience for customers and in turn, yield higher sales and a lower return rate, allowing them to capture a larger percentage of online sales.

“We are proud to invest in Veesual, in order to accelerate its commercial roll-out and pursue its technological developments, as well as its international expansion,” said François Robinet, Managing Partner of AVP. “We believe in Maxime and his team’s vision. They have demonstrated a strong ability to execute and understand market challenges by offering fashion brands solutions to optimize their customer experience. With a presence on both sides of the Atlantic, AVP’s teams will be able to support Veesual in the next stages of its development.”

To support aggressive growth in the US, Veesual is working to recruit more senior talent and will open its first US office in New York in 2025. In addition to e-commerce, Veesual aims to create value for brands by displaying generated images on their acquisition and retargeting channels.

“The global fashion ecosystem is undergoing a seismic shift right now. The industry is increasingly focused on sustainable production, a better, more relevant buying experience and upcycling as a new standard. At Veesual, we’re meeting those changes by drastically improving how shoppers buy online which creates a more inclusive retail experience while also improving fit and reducing waste,” said Veesual Co-Founder and CEO, Maxime Patte. “This fundraise is critical for our plans as we scale in the United States with brands who are pioneering the augmented shopping experience. We anticipate significant growth in 2024 and beyond.”

About AVP

AVP is a global venture capital firm specializing in high-growth, technology-enabled companies, managing more than $2 billion in assets across four investment strategies: Venture, Growth, Late Growth, and Fund of Funds. Since its establishment in 2016, AVP has invested in more than 60 technology companies in Venture and Growth stages in the US and Europe. With offices in New York, London, and Paris, AVP supports companies in expanding internationally and provides portfolio companies with tailored business development opportunities to further accelerate their growth. AVP operates under AXA IM- Alts, the alternative investment business unit of AXA IM.

For more information, visit axavp.com
Contact: Sébastien Loubry, Partner Business development (sebastien@axavp.com)

About Veesual

Founded in 2020, Veesual was developed when co-founders Maxime Patte and Damien Meurisse recognized the limited means of fashion brands to visually engage diverse customers online. The platform offers solutions that leverage the power of images to create inclusive experiences that engage all customers. Globally, brands including Claudie Pierlot, Sergeant Major and La Redoute use Veesual. To date, these partnerships have outperformed expectations, with a 75% average increase in conversation rate and a more than 20% increase in average order value for shoppers who engaged with one of Veesual’s solutions. Veesual, a Techstars portfolio company, was part of Station F’s Founders program and has raised $7.5M to date. For more information, please visit https://www.veesual.ai/.

About EILEEN FISHER, Inc.

EILEEN FISHER has been making a system of simple, timeless clothes for nearly 40 years. A socially conscious company, EILEEN FISHER designs its clothing to be part of a responsible lifecycle, starting with sustainable materials, then taking back its clothes to be resold (Renew) or remade into something entirely new (Waste No More). The company became a B Corp in 2016, which means it voluntarily meets high criteria for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. The company’s clothes are sold online at eileenfisher.com, in more than 50 EILEEN FISHER stores in North America and over 500 department and specialty stores globally. Good-as-new pieces are resold at eileenfisherrenew.com, in two EILEEN FISHER Renew stores, and select EILEEN FISHER retail stores nationwide.

Media Contact

Courtney Page
Rally Point PR courtney.page@rallypoint.pr

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Dawn Capital and Insight Partners back Spain’s data startup Onum with a $28m Series A

Dawn

The startup will use the money to expand to the US

Zosia Wanat

2 min read

Madrid-based Onum has raised a $28m Series A led by Dawn Capital — just seven months after its launch. The startup, which helps companies manage and monitor big datasets, will use the money to expand globally, mostly to the US.

What does Onum do? 

Onum’s mission is to help companies isolate and observe valuable information within large datasets in real-time.

According to the company, only about 15% of a typical organisation’s data is business-critical, requiring immediate analysis. Since most businesses have no way of discerning the valuable information from the noise, however, many organisations send all of their data to analytics platforms for analysis, resulting in higher costs and longer processing times.

Onum gives the example of a large bank that’s trying to enhance its IT network security capabilities and meet strict compliance requirements. The startup says it allows the bank to focus exclusively on the data that matters, so they can more accurately and cost-effectively detect security threats based on warning signs in their data across their whole network.

Unlike some of its competitors, Onum says it doesn’t only reduce the amount of data that a client needs to process, but can also tailor the service to individual business needs, such as risk reduction, compliance, customer usage, and network efficiency.

The startup was cofounded in October 2023 by Lucas Varela, Pedro Tortosa and Pedro Castillo, the latter of whom also founded cloud analytics and security platform Devo, valued at more than $2bn. It says it’s already won several enterprise customers including major financial institutions, global consulting firms and large telecommunications companies, mostly in Spain.

Where will the money go? 

Onum employs nearly 50 employees, and plans to use the fresh funding to accelerate product development and hire more people this year, opening a new office in Boston.

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Who has invested? 

  • Dawn Capital, London-based B2B software VC venture capital;
  • Kibo Ventures, Madrid-based VC;
  • Insight Partners, New York-based VC.

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Toyota Ventures Raises Another $300 Million to Expand Early-Stage Investments in Frontier Technology and Climate Solutions

Toyota Venture fund

Firm’s committed capital grows to over $800 million, underscoring Toyota’s commitment to investing in groundbreaking startups around the globe

LOS ALTOS, Calif. (April 10, 2024) – Toyota Ventures, the early-stage venture capital arm of Toyota, announced two $150 million funds to expand its investments in startups developing disruptive technologies and business models at the forefront of innovation. The addition of the new funds, Toyota Ventures Frontier Fund II (TVFF II) and Toyota Ventures Climate Fund II (TVCF II), brings the firm’s total assets under management to over $800 million.  

Since its founding in July 2017, Toyota Ventures has furthered its mission of helping Toyota discover what’s next by investing in more than 75 startups across areas ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to hydrogen solutions and renewable energy. Toyota Ventures is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has portfolio companies in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. With these new funds, the firm can support more entrepreneurs around the world as they tackle tough challenges to build a better future for society and the planet.  

“At Toyota Ventures, we are explorers. Our role is to understand technology trends that could advance Toyota’s mobility transformation in the near term and embrace the next generation of disruptive innovation in the long term,” said Jim Adler, founder and general partner of Toyota Ventures. “At a time when some investors have scaled back, we’re scaling up by doubling down on our initial Frontier and Climate Funds. With seismic breakthroughs in generative AI, e-fuels, space commercialization, carbon capture, and synthetic biology, it’s a crucial time to be investing for Toyota.”  

TVFF II will focus on startups at the cutting edge of deep technology in areas like AI, robotics, mobility, cloud, and quantum computing, with an eye towards expanding Toyota Ventures’ international presence. The new fund will be led by Frontier Fund partner David Sokolic, a veteran investor and operating executive. Portfolio companies in the initial Frontier Fund include satellite servicing provider Starfish Space, biosensor maker Scentian Bio, and quantum computing software startup Haiqu, among others.  

TVCF II will seek out startups developing smart, scalable solutions that combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability. It will build on the firm’s inaugural climate-focused fund, which launched in 2021 and grew to a portfolio of 18 companies under the leadership of Climate Fund partner Lisa Coca. The first Climate Fund portfolio includes companies in renewable energy like Avalanche Energy; energy storage and batteries like e-Zinc and AM Batteries; carbon capture, removal and utilization like Air Company and Living Carbon; hydrogen solutions like Ecolectro; and other areas aligned with Toyota’s carbon neutrality goals.  

“Innovation is a team sport, and today, more than ever, it’s important for leaders like Toyota to collaborate with up-and-coming startups to take on the critical challenges we all face in a rapidly evolving world,” said Gill Pratt, chief scientist of Toyota Motor Corporation, CEO of TRI, and board member at Toyota Ventures. “These new funds underscore our dedication to supporting entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and I’m thrilled to continue this journey alongside the Toyota Ventures team and portfolio.”  

Going beyond capital, Toyota Ventures aims to leverage Toyota’s global network, deep technical expertise, and strategic partnerships to assist startups in its portfolio. It has a portfolio support team dedicated to providing guidance in product and business development, fundraising, marketing, and other areas to help companies scale effectively. Some of the firm’s early portfolio companies that continue to partner with Toyota include aerial ridesharing pioneer Joby Aviation and autonomous vehicle leader May Mobility.  

Entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding are invited to learn more and submit an online pitch at the Toyota Ventures website.  

Supporting quotes and testimonials  

“The team at Toyota Ventures has been instrumental in our growth, having gone above and beyond by not simply offering capital support but also their mentorship in navigating various challenges and paving pathways into Toyota as an early customer,” said Dor Skuler, co-founder and CEO of Intuition Robotics.  

“Toyota Ventures has been a committed strategic partner to Revel since 2018, working with us hand-in-hand as we expanded our business into all-electric rideshare and public fast charging infrastructure in dense cities like New York,” said Frank Reig, co-founder and CEO of Revel. “Beyond financial investments, Toyota Ventures has been essential in creating new relationships to support and develop our mission — the best kind of partner a founder can ask for.” 

“The Toyota Ventures team had a deep level of understanding and appreciation of the technical aspects around the large problems we are solving in the green hydrogen space,” said Gabriel G. Rodríguez-Calero, co-founder and CEO of Ecolectro. “On top of this, the level of guidance we received was well beyond the technical aspects of our business, and it has created enormous value for Ecolectro. Toyota Ventures’ unique approach and engagement shows the holistic support they provide around our whole business beyond just capital.”  

“AM Batteries has experienced significant growth over the past year, thanks in no small part to the invaluable support from Toyota Ventures, “ said Lie Shi, CEO of AM Batteries. “In the time we’ve been working together with Lisa Coca and her team, it has become clear that Toyota Ventures possesses a deep understanding of how corporate venture capital can effectively cultivate successful alliances with startups. Their insight, financial backing, and partnership have been pivotal as we chart the course for AM Batteries’ future endeavors.”

About Toyota Ventures
Toyota Ventures is the early-stage venture capital arm of Toyota. Founded in July 2017, its mission is to discover what’s next for Toyota by helping startups bring disruptive technologies and business models to market quickly. With more than $800 million in assets under management, the firm is dedicated to investing in talented entrepreneurs around the world who are driving innovation in frontier technologies and climate solutions. For more information about Toyota Ventures and its portfolio companies, please visit www.toyota.ventures.

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Maggie Mouat
maggie@toyota.ventures

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Metaview’s tool records interview notes so that hiring managers don’t have to

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Kyle Wiggers@kyle_l_wiggers / 

Illustration of a group of applicants waiting outside a door for a job interview.

Image Credits: lemono / Getty Images

Siadhal Magos and Shahriar Tajbakhsh were working at Uber and Palantir, respectively, when they both came to the realization that hiring — particularly the process of interviewing — was becoming unwieldy for many corporate HR departments.

“It was clear to us that the most important part of the hiring process is the interviews, but also the most opaque and unreliable part,” Magos told TechCrunch. “On top of this, there’s a bunch of toil associated with taking notes and writing up feedback that many interviewers and hiring managers do everything they can to avoid.”

Magos and Tajbakhsh thought that the hiring process was ripe for disruption, but they wanted to avoid abstracting away too much of the human element. So they launched Metaview, an AI-powered note-taking app for recruiters and hiring managers that records, analyzes and summarizes job interviews.

“Metaview is an AI note-taker built specifically for the hiring process,” Magos said. “It helps recruiters and hiring managers focus more on getting to know candidates and less on extracting data from the conversations. As a consequence, recruiters and hiring managers save a ton of time writing up notes and are more present during interviews because they’re not having to multitask.”

Metaview integrates with apps, phone systems, videoconferencing platforms and tools like Calendly and GoodTime to automatically capture the content of interviews. Magos says the platform “accounts for the nuances of recruiting conversations” and “enriches itself with data from other sources,” such as applicant tracking systems, to highlight the most relevant moments.

“Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet all have transcription built in, which is a possible alternative to Metaview,” Magos said. “But the information that Metaview’s AI pulls out from interviews is far more relevant to the recruiting use case than generic alternatives, and we also assist users with the next steps in their recruiting workflows in and around these conversations.”

Metaview

Image Credits: Metaview

Certainly, there’s plenty wrong with traditional job interviewing, and a note-taking and conversation-analyzing app like Metaview could help, at least in theory. As a piece in Psychology Today notes, the human brain is rife with biases that hinder our judgement and decision making, for example a tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered and to interpret information in a way that confirms our preexisting beliefs.

The question is, does Metaview work — and, more importantly, work equally well for all users?

Even the best AI-powered speech dictation systems suffer from their own biases. A Stanford study showed that error rates for Black speakers on speech-to-text services from Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM and Microsoft are nearly double those for white speakers. Another, more recent study published in the journal Computer Speech and Language found statistically significant differences in the way two leading speech recognition models treated speakers of different genders, ages and accents.

There’s also hallucination to consider. AI makes mistakes summarizing, including in meeting summaries. In a recent story, The Wall Street Journal cited an instance where, for one early adopter using Microsoft’s AI Copilot tool for summarizing meetings, Copilot invented attendees and implied calls were about subjects that were never discussed.

When asked what steps Metaview has taken, if any, to mitigate bias and other algorithmic issues, Magos claimed that Metaview’s training data is diverse enough to yield models that “surpass human performance” on recruitment workflows and perform well on popular benchmarks for bias.

I’m skeptical and a bit wary, too, of Metaview’s approach to how it handles speech data. Magos says that Metaview stores conversation data for two years by default unless users request that the data be deleted. That seems like an exceptionally long time.

But none of this appears to have affected Metaview’s ability to get funding or customers.

Metaview this month raised $7 million from investors including Plural, Coelius Capital and Vertex Ventures, bringing the London-based startup’s total raised to $14 million. Metaview’s client count stands at 500 companies, Magos says, including Brex, Quora, Pleo and Improbable — and it’s grown 2,000% year-over-year.

“The money will be used to grow the product and engineering team primarily, and give more fuel to our sales and marketing efforts,” Magos said. “We will triple the product and engineering team, further fine-tune our conversation synthesis engine so our AI is automatically extracting exactly the right information our customers need and develop systems to proactively detect issues like inconsistencies in the interview process and candidates that appear to be losing interest.”

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