Tech Coast Angels is the largest angel investor group in the United States, possessing more than 300 members in five networks in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Central Coast, and the Inland Empire. Its members provide funding and guidance to more early-stage, high-growth companies in Southern California than any other investment group.  Members invest in companies in a wide range of industries, including the life sciences, biotech, IT, services, retail, Internet, financial, software, media, consumer products, and tech startups. TCA as a whole gives companies more than just capital; they also provide counsel, mentoring, and access to an extensive network of potential investors, customers, strategic partners, and management talent.   Tech Coast Angels has been ranked by CB Insights to be among the Top 20 Angel Groups in the US; TCA was also ranked as #1 for Network Centrality, meaning we have more connections than anyone! If you are in the game-changing business, we are here to help.

Tech Coast Angels

Menlo Ventures provides capital for multi-stage consumer, enterprise, and life sciences technology companies. Since 1976, the firm’s market-driven analysis has led to the identification of opportunities and successful investments in innovative markets. Notable areas of investment include Marketplaces (Uber, Rover.com, Poshmark); Consumer Services (Tumblr, Betterment, Roku, Siri); Dev/Ops (Harness, Edge Delta, Fire hydrant); SaaS (Carta, ScoutRFP, Qualia, Benchling, Everlaw); Fintech (Betterment, Bluevine, Chime); Cybersecurity (Cavium, IronPort, BitSight, Abnormal, StackRox); and Life Sciences Technology (Synthego, Cofactor Genomics, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, 3T Biosciences). Menlo’s portfolio includes more than 70 public companies, and more than 100 mergers and acquisitions, with $5 billion under management. The firm is currently investing in Menlo Ventures XV, a $500 million early-stage fund, as well as its $500 million Inflection Fund, which targets early-growth investments.

Menlo Ventures

JMI Equity is a growth equity firm focused on investing in software companies. Founded in 1992, JMI has invested in over 145 businesses in its target markets, successfully completed over 95 exits, and raised more than $4 billion of committed capital. JMI partners with exceptional management teams to help build their companies into industry leaders.

JMI Equity

Triangle Peak Partners conducts private investments in companies where it can work with management and help create value. The firm has a deep background in venture capital and private equity investing in private and public technology, energy, and alternative energy companies. Triangle Peak focuses on Series B through PIPE stage deals.

Triangle Peak Partners

Insight Partners is a global software investor that partners with growth-stage technology and software companies. Insight has a deep focus in Fintech, Cybersecurity, AI/ML, DevOps, and Healthcare sectors. Across their people and their portfolio, they encourage a culture around a core belief growth equals opportunity. As of December 31, 2022, the firm has over $75B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 750 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO.

Insight Partners

Integral Capital Partners operates a family of partnerships that invests in expansion-stage private and growth-stage public companies in the information technology and life sciences industries.  Integral was incubated within Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 1991. Integral's principals continue to collaborate with the KPCB partners in the pursuit of investment excellence. While Integral focuses on the same markets as KPCB, they maintain an independent investment program that focuses on companies beyond the start-up stage.

Integral Capital Partners

HarbourVest is an independent investment firm that provides innovative private equity solutions to institutional clients worldwide.  As one of the first private equity fund-of-funds, they have a long and distinguished history of investing in venture, buyout, and mezzanine and distressed markets in the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific, and emerging markets through primary partnerships, secondary purchases, and direct investments.

HarbourVest Partners

Clearlake Capital Group is a private equity group that invests in communications, healthcare, and industrial companies. Clearlake has a flexible mandate to invest in both private and public transactions across the capital structure in debt or equity securities in the lower and middle market through buyouts, corporate divestitures, recapitalizations and reorganizations.

Clearlake Capital Group

PSP Investments is one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers, with $116.8 billion of assets under management as at March 31, 2016. We invest funds for the pension plans of the Public Service, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force.  Our skilled and dedicated team of more than 600 professionals manages a diversified global portfolio including stocks, bonds and other fixed-income securities, and investments in Private Equity, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Private Debt.  Our business offices are in Montreal, New York, London and Luxembourg. Our head office is in Ottawa.

PSP Investments

Guggenheim Investments is the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners with more than $250 billion* in total assets across fixed income, equity, and alternative strategies. We focus on the return and risk needs of insurance companies, corporate and public pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, wealth managers, and high-net-worth investors.

Guggenheim Investments

Lytx

Lytx, Inc. develops video-based driver safety and fleet management solutions.  The company offers DriveCam that identifies, prioritizes, and corrects the causes of poor driving to set standards for driver safety needs; RAIR web-based suite of compliance services that helps carriers manage CSA, hours-of-service, driver vehicle inspection report, and driver qualification aspects; a fleet tracking solution; and a fuel management solution.  The company provides its solutions to trucking and transportation organizations, and their drivers; and the construction, distribution, government, transit, utility, waste and environmental, and commercial markets. It serves customers in the United States and internationally.  The company was formerly known as DriveCam, Inc. and changed its name to Lytx, Inc. in November 2013. It was founded in 1998 and is based in San Diego, California.

Lytx (formerly DriveCam) is a fleet management technology company that provides hardware, software, and IP integrations to provide fleet managers with a consolidated view of their truck fleet.

Using online platforms, autonomy, electric and fuel-cell tech solutions to shape the future of trucking.

Truck Industry Tech

Lytx's 2024 "State of the Data" Report Highlights Increased Road Risks and Key Safety Trends

Lytx (formerly DriveCam) is a fleet management technology company that provides hardware, software, and IP integrations to provide fleet managers with a consolidated view of their truck fleet.The company's flagship product, the DriveCam Event Recorder, is a dash cam paired with machine vision with AI technologies, which tracks and monitors driver safety. It also captures and analyzes driving behavior to help fleet managers identify and correct risky driving habits.Key customers and partnershipsAs of July 2024, Lytx’s technology was used by more than 5,500 organizations, representing more than 3.4 million drivers. It has a diverse customer base that includes companies such as Liquid Environmental Solutions, Dart Transit Company, CalArk, Flogas, A.D. Transport Express, Waste Management, Inc., Coca-Cola, and Ryder System, Inc., as well as government agencies such as the Concho Valley Transit District, USMC, Orange County Florida, and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.Lytx also has a product partnership with the telematics solution provider Geotab to integrate its video-based safety solutions with Geotab's telematics platform (March 2023).

<div>
 
 Einride is a Swedish startup developing technology for both autonomous and electric trucks. Its product portfolio includes the freight-hauling autonomous Class 8 trucks &ldquo;Pods,&rdquo; electrified commercial mobility solutions &ldquo;E-trucks,&rdquo; electric semi-trailer 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10558">
 &ldquo;Einride Trailer,&rdquo;
 </a>
 its operating system &ldquo;Saga&rdquo;&mdash;an IoT-based system that runs through Einride&rsquo;s vehicles 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14209">
 (also offered to third parties),
 </a>
 a developer application programming interface called 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10558">
 &ldquo;Einride Extend&rdquo;;
 </a>
 and charging stations called 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14209">
 &ldquo;Einride Stations.&rdquo;
 </a>
 The company offers electric trucks to customers across Europe, US, and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19012">
 the UAE.
 </a>
 It also has approval to launch its autonomous trucks in countries including Sweden, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11283">
 the US,
 </a>
 and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13069">
 Germany.
 </a>
 &nbsp;
 
 
 Einride offers its products on a subscription-based delivery-as-a-service business model. The subscription includes the use of Einride's electric and autonomous trucks, access to its routing software, and maintenance services.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Einride&rsquo;s customers using its electric trucking solutions include 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9350">
 A.P. Moller-Maersk
 </a>
 (US), Bridgestone (US), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9350">
 Beyond Meat
 </a>
 (US), Lidl (Sweden), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11100">
 Oatly
 </a>
 (Sweden and US), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25917">
 Mars
 </a>
 (Europe), Heineken (Netherlands and Germany), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15017">
 AB InBev
 </a>
 (Benelux region), PepsiCo snack food subsidiary 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17838">
 Walkers
 </a>
 (UK), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18586">
 REWE
 </a>
 (Germany), and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19409">
 PostNord
 </a>
 (Sweden and Norway). Its customers that use the autonomous version of its trucks include 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24002">
 GE Appliances
 </a>
 (US).&nbsp;
 
 
 Einride has truck purchase agreements with automakers including Mercedes-Benz (120 trucks for deployments in Europe; 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/sectors/commerce-and-hospitality/updates/7396">
 December 2021)
 </a>
 BYD (200 trucks for US deployments; 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8645">
 February 2022)
 </a>
 , Scania (110 trucks for deployment in Europe; 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11190">
 May 2022),
 </a>
 DAF Trucks (50 electric trucks; 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18731">
 May 2023)
 </a>
 and Paccar (150 trucks, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29863">
 May 2024),
 </a>
 which would be retrofitted with Einride&rsquo;s autonomous/operating software.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key competitors: None comparable 
 (Einride is the only company in the Truck Industry Tech that offers battery-electric and autonomous trucking solutions.)
 
</div>

Einride

Kodiak Robotics develops Level-4 autonomous trucks (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles but limited to specific locations and/or conditions) powered by its autonomous technology “Kodiak Driver,” for long-haul transportation. Its approach to system engineering is unique and involves a ground-up approach without retrofitting systems from other autonomous vehicles. Its technology consists of 1) “SensorPods,” a sensor suite that uses cameras, LiDAR, and radars to perceive the environment; 2) “Kodiak Maps,” a flexible routing layer that offers information for autonomous driving; and 3) “Guardian,” its fault management system that runs safety and performance checks to ensure safe movements.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25348">January 2024</a>, the company unveiled its sixth-generation driverless semi-truck designed for scaled deployment on public roads. The company plans to make the technology available for users in two ways: 1) shippers can either request to integrate the sensor pods into their fleets and pay a subscription fee for Kodiak Driver or 2) partner with Kodiak Robotics to ship goods using Kodiak’s fleet of autonomous trucks for a subscription fee. The company launched commercial operations in 2019 and launched the Partner Deployment Program (PDP) to structure work with commercial partners in 2022. It operates in cities in states including Texas, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21110">Georgia,</a> Oklahoma, and Florida. The company also planned to expand operations <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3402">to Asia-Pacific</a>, including South Korea and China (via a partnership with South Korean conglomerate SK Group; announced in May 2021).In terms of driverless operations, Kodiak Robotics had a fleet of 40 autonomous trucks in testing, with a driver following the route as of September 2023. The company intended to launch fully driverless tests in 2024 and commercial driverless operations by 2025.Key customers and partnershipsKodiak Robotics’ customers include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8991">Ceva Logistics,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9650">U.S. Xpress,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11864">10 Roads Express,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22474">Maersk,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13839">IKEA,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27196">Martin Brower,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13398">Werner Enterprises,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19644">Loadsmith,</a> Tyson Foods, C.R. England, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30953">Artur Express</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31883">Atlas Energy Solutions</a>.The company also has partnerships to establish truckports and other related services to facilitate its operations. Such partnerships include 1) Wabash, a producer of semi-trailers, to use its trailers-as-a-service (TaaS) offering for autonomous fleet (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33939">September 2024</a>); 2) logistics and transportation firm Ryder Systems to establish a truckport in Houston, Texas <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25804">(January 2024);</a> 3) weigh station bypass solutions provider Drivewyze to pilot a motor vehicle inspection program for autonomous trucks in Texas <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20326">(July 2023);</a> 4) Forward Air Corporation, an asset-light provider of transportation services, to operate 24/7 trucking services between routes in Dallas (Texas) and Atlanta (Georgia; March 2023); and 5) travel center operator Pilot Company to co-develop truck service stations across North America <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12559">(August 2022).</a>Its other product partners include semiconductor design company Ambarella to integrate Ambarella’s perception system-on-chip (SoC) (January 2023) and AI domain control SoC (January 2024) into Kodiak’s self-driving trucks.

Kodiak Robotics

Plus (formerly Plus.ai) develops automated and autonomous trucking solutions. Its product portfolio consists of 1) “PlusVision,” an AI-based perception software designed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and higher levels of autonomous driving; 2) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29369">“PlusProtect,”</a> a scalable AI-based technology that allows global tier 1 automotive suppliers and OEMs to develop functionalities such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, traffic jam assist, predictive fuel optimization, etc.; 3) “PlusDrive,” for advanced Level 2++ supervised driving functions (i.e., vehicles can control the speed and the steering but require a safety driver to maintain full vigilance); 4) “SuperDrive,” a Level 4 autonomous driving software for driverless operations (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions); and 5) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26625">“Plus Open Platform for Autonomy,”</a> an initiative focused on providing a set of hardware and software tools that allow developers to create and integrate various autonomous driving solutions.As of May 2024, the company had customers in the US, Europe, and Australia. The company offers its technology as a subscription-based SaaS offering.Key customers and partnershipsOEMs that have integrated Plus’ technology include Nikola (to integrate PlusDrive into Nikola’s trucks; February 2023), TRATON Group (to integrate Scania, MAN, and Navistar trucks with SuperDrive to be sold directly to the OEMs’ customers; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27515">March 2024),</a> and IVECO (to integrate IVECO’s heavy-duty truck with PlusDrive in April 2021; public road tests commenced in Germany <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19927">in July 2023)</a>. Its customers include Amazon, which ordered 1,000 self-driving truck systems (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3407">June 2021).</a> The company also has a partnership with Hyundai Motor Company to equip fuel-cell electric trucks with Plus SuperDrive (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29863">May 2024</a>).Plus’ key product partnerships include ones with 1) automotive technology company Luminar to integrate Luminar’s LiDAR solutions into PlusDrive <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19201">(June 2023);</a> 2) engineering and technology company Bosch to integrate PlusDrive with the Bosch integrated steering systems <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18177">(May 2023);</a> and 3) Transurban, a company managing urban toll road networks, to test Level 4 autonomous driving technology in Australia <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21220">(August 2023).</a>Its business in China was separated <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22722">in October 2023</a> following a deal with China-based digital freight platform operator Full Truck Alliance (FTA), which enabled Plus to operate and expand across other global markets while FTA was to operate its China business.

Plus

Gatik develops and operates a fleet of light and medium-duty trucks with Level-4 automation (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions) for middle-mile delivery. Gatik operates as an autonomous delivery as a service (ADaaS) provider to its customers. The company has operations in Arkansas, Texas, and California in the US and Ontario in Canada. As of May 2024, Gatik had a fleet of more than 60 trucks and had completed more than 600,000 order deliveries.Key customers and partnershipsGatik’s customers include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17132">Kroger</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6505">Walmart</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12708">Pitney Bowes</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21574">Tyson Food</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10926">Georgia-Pacific, KBX</a> (US), and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13535">Loblaw’s PC Express</a> (Canada).Gatik’s product collaborations include those with 1) electric vehicle manufacturer Via Motors (introduced electric autonomous box trucks; February 2021); 2) Isuzu North America to mass-produce autonomous medium-duty delivery trucks (April 2021); 3) American multinational tire manufacturer Goodyear for tire intelligence technology (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5712">September 2021;</a> extended in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25347">January 2024</a>); 4) fleet management solutions provider Ryder System to retrofit its autonomous technology into Ryder’s trucks and obtain its maintenance facilities (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6070">October 2021);</a> 5) ChargePoint, an EV charging network to offer charging infrastructure and services for Gatik’s customers (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9390">March 2022); </a>and 6) Isuzu Motors to co-design a redundant chassis for autonomous driving systems <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29407">(May 2024).</a>Gatik also has secured strategic partnerships with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/32844">Nippon Express Holdings</a>, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30366">ITOCHU Corporation</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29407">Isuzu Motors</a> under which it secured strategic investments.&nbsp;

Gatik

<div>
 
 Aurora Innovation (Aurora) is an autonomous vehicle technology startup providing autonomous vehicles under two divisions, namely &ldquo;Aurora Horizon&rdquo; (its autonomous trucking service) and &ldquo;Aurora Connect&rdquo; (its autonomous ride-hailing service). Both are powered by the company&rsquo;s self-driving technology &ldquo;Aurora Driver,&rdquo; which is equipped with a hardware kit that includes a computer, proprietary &ldquo;FirstLight Lidar,&rdquo; radar, and cameras, as well as a software platform that features perception, motion planning, mapping, and simulation systems to understand its environment.
 
 
 Aurora has operations in cities including the Bay Area (California), Bozeman (Montana), Dallas (Texas), Detroit (Michigan), Louisville (Colorado), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), and Seattle (Washington). It launched its first commercial-ready truck route connecting Dallas and Houston, Texas in 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23374">
 November 2023.
 </a>
 However, Aurora laid off 3% of its workforce (about 53 employees) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25865">
 in January 2024,
 </a>
 to boost the commercial launch efficiency of its autonomous trucking business.
 
 
 Aurora planned to provide the service to customers on a subscription-based delivery-as-a-service business model, charging a fee per mile. As of January 2024, the company intended to launch the service commercially in late 2024 and start mass producing trucks by 2027.
 
 
 Aurora&rsquo;s complementary acquisitions include Uber&rsquo;s self-driving car unit, Advanced Technologies Group (ATG; December 2020), to complement its autonomous technology development and LiDAR startups Blackmore (May 2019) and OURS Technology (February 2021) to expedite and complement its LiDAR development process.
 
 
 Aurora was listed on the Nasdaq in November 2021 by 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4258">
 merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC),
 </a>
 valuing the combined entity at USD 13 billion. The company did not generate revenue in 2023 and reported an operating loss of USD 835 million for the year.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Aurora&rsquo;s partners to pilot its technology include logistics companies such as 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9619">
 Werner Enterprises,
 </a>
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18176">
 Hirschbach,
 </a>
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10521">
 FedEx,
 </a>
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30781">
 Uber Freight,
 </a>
 and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11986">
 Schneider.
 </a>
 
 
 Its product partners include OEMs, such as Volvo (March 2021; a production-ready version unveiled 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29593">
 in May 2024)
 </a>
 and PACCAR (January 2021) to jointly develop autonomous trucks, fleet service partner 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14317">
 Ryder
 </a>
 (November 2022), and hardware and service partner 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18085">
 Continental
 </a>
 (April 2023).
 
 
 
</div>

Aurora Innovation

Developers of autonomous light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks. Most companies outfit truck chassis with their technology. The majority of autonomous trucks available test at SAE Level 3 (i.e., require a driver present and ready to take control or remote assistance by an operator).

Providers of self-driving and safety-related hardware and software that provide features such as platooning, collision avoidance alerts, blind spot detection, automatic braking, automated manual transmissions, and eco-driving systems.

Developers of electric and hydrogen-powered trucks.

Apps and devices that show comprehensive routes and provide truck drivers with up-to-date gas prices, locations of nearby truck stops, bypass weigh stations, available parking, etc.

Apps that help shippers connect with carriers, optimize freight logistics, track shipment and driver hours, etc.

Companies in "safety and driving assist tools" and "autonomous trucks" use AI/ML for autonomous navigation

Companies operating in "Autonomous trucks" segment often provide autonomous mobility solutions

Autonomous trucking solutions fall under Industry 4.0

Electric and fuel cell trucks contribute to reduced carbon footprint of vehicle fleets

Lytx

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