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        Conversica announced its new two-way AI conversations solution for marketing automation platforms (MAPs), which integrates real-time, AI-powered conversations directly into core marketing activities. The advancement enables marketers to trigger highly personalized, human-like dialogues within platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Marketo, Oracle Eloqua, Hubspot Marketing Hub, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing.
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    <a href="https://www.martechcube.com/conversica-announces-dynamic-two-way-ai-conversations-for-maps/">
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Sales Engagement Platforms

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>Conversica has launched a new two-way AI conversations solution for marketing automation platforms (MAPs). This development integrates real-time, AI-powered dialogues into key marketing activities. It allows marketers to initiate highly personalized, human-like conversations within platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Marketo, Oracle Eloqua, Hubspot Marketing Hub, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing.</p> 
</div>

Conversica introduces two-way AI conversations to drive marketing automation

A decentralized version of the web powered by the blockchain

Web3 Ecosystem

<div>
 
 <p>Starkware has partnered with Herodotus to introduce a tool called Integrity Verifier on its Ethereum-based layer-2 (L2) platform, Starknet. The incorporation of this tool will allow Starknet to support layer-3 (L3) appchains, resulting in improved scalability and lower transaction costs. Notably, Integrity Verifier carries out transactions on L3 chains and ensures scalable validation for storage proofs and zero-knowledge machine learning (ZKM).</p>
 
</div>

Starkware partners with Herodotus to launch Integrity Verifier for layer-3 appchains

Technologies bringing about a new reality

Extended Reality

<div>
 <p>Belgian company Oisoi Studio, a VR painting game developer, succeeded in raising EUR 450,000 (~USD 485,000) in a recent funding round. The funding round was led by ForsVC and Thomas and Emmanuel Dewitte, who are angel investors.</p>
 <p>Funds raised in this round will be used to upgrade Painting VR, their application, and to fuel the development of new immersive experiences for players.</p>
 <p>Oisoi Studio has established credibility in its niche with its development of Painting VR. This virtual painting studio provides users with over 10,000 square feet to paint on various canvas sizes. The company has impressively sold over 72,000 game copies around the world, which has generated them more than USD 1.1 million in revenue.</p>
 
</div>

Oisoi Studio raises EUR 450,000 in funding for product development

Disrupting the traditional financial system using blockchain

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

<div>
 
 <p>Euclid Protocol, a liquidity aggregation service, has received USD 600,000 in pre-seed funding. The funding round was led by Kahuna Network and Tomoaki Sato, along with other investors from companies such as Lavender Five, Andromeda, and Nibiru Chain. Euclid also received a grant and extra support for its liquidity pools.</p>
 <p>Euclid plans to use the funding for a range of purposes. These include business development, audits, marketing and further product development. Another planned use is to expand the platform to include both EVM and non-EVM chains.</p>
 <p>Based on the Cosmos blockchain network, Euclid Protocol provides an infrastructure layer that allows users to source liquidity from multiple blockchain networks. These include Cosmos, Solana, and Ethereum. The platform uses the Virtual Liquidity Pool (VLP) model to gather liquidity from virtual pools across integrated chains, with no need for migration. Users have the ability to track and move liquidity across all integrated chains.</p>
 
</div>

Euclid Protocol raises USD 600,000 in pre-seed funding

Making meat sustainable over the long term.

Cell-cultured Meat

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

<div>
 <p>Alabama Governor, Kay Ivey, has approved Bill SB23, making the sale and manufacture of lab-grown meat illegal in the state. Offenders will face a Class C misdemeanor.</p>
 <p>Those found guilty of breaking the law could face a sentence of three months in jail and a fine of $500. Despite this, educational institutions and government departments who research cell-cultured meat are not subject to the new restrictions.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Bill <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/26701"> SB23 </a> was proposed to the Senate in February 2024 and passed without any opposition. This latest development joins Bill <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29008"> SB 1084 </a> , recently signed into legislation in Florida, making Alabama the second state to ban the sale and production of cultivated meats. If more states follow suit, it may pose a threat to the viability of US cell-cultured meat companies despite <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/19588"> approvals </a> from the USDA.</p>

Alabama signs Bill SB23 into law banning sale and production of cultivated meat

Making banking work, without the paperwork

Neobanks

<div>
<p>Swiss digital bank Alpian has secured CHF 76 million (approximately USD 84 million) in a Series C financing round. The round was spearheaded by Fideuram - Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking, and also included contributions from existing investors. This injection of funds brings Alpian's total capital raised to CHF 124.1 million (about USD 135 million).</p>
<p>The newly acquired funds are earmarked for further development of Alpian's financial offerings and overall expansion of the company.</p>
<p>In the initial four-month period of 2024, Alpian has experienced substantial growth, demonstrating a doubling of its client base to reach several thousand customers. The company's total assets have also risen, now standing at CHF 100 million (equivalent to around USD 110 million).</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Alpian’s previous funding round was in April 2022, during which it raised CHF 19 million (USD 20.4 million). It used the funds to develop and launch its platform.</p>

Alpian raises USD 84 million in Series C funding for product innovation and expansion

Foundation Models

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

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 <p>Fujitsu has introduced Fugaku-LLM, an open-source LLM designed to enhance Japanese language processing. This model, developed by Japanese researchers, is available for both commercial and research purposes.</p>
 <p>Fugaku-LLM outperforms other models in processing the Japanese language, having achieved an average score of 5.5 on the Japanese MT-Bench. The model, developed using the powerful Fugaku supercomputer, boasts 13 billion parameters. It's also adaptable for tasks in the humanities and social sciences.</p>
 
</div>

Fujitsu releases Fugaku-LLM with enhanced Japanese language ability for research and business

Building future-ready applications in the cloud

Cloud-native Tech

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 <p>Red Hat, well-known for its open-source hybrid and cloud solutions, has forged a partnership with data protection provider Veeam.</p>
 <p>This partnership, facilitated through Kasten, intends to offer essential tools and support to companies shifting to OpenShift virtualization. This process incorporates the integration of virtual machines and containers.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> This marks the latest in a series of announcements at the Red Hat Summit 2024. Earlier, Red Hat announced partnerships with <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29309"> Intel </a> , <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29195"> NVIDIA </a> , and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29311"> Cloudera </a> and introduced the Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI ( <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29181"> RHEL AI) </a> platform.</p>

Red Hat partners with Veeam to provide data protection solutions

Incorporating technology to improve efficiency and success rate of clinical trials

Clinical Trial Technology

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 <p>Triomics, a firm specializing in patient recruitment for oncology-related clinical trials, has raised USD 15 million in a venture funding round. The participating investors in the round included Lightspeed, Nexus Venture Partners, General Catalyst, and Y Combinator.</p>
 <p>The company intends to use the raised funds for the development of their platform and to expand their customer base. As of May 2024, the patient recruitment solution is in use by six cancer centers and hospitals, and the company aims to double this number by the end of the year.</p>
 <p>The firm has developed an AI-based platform called "OncoLLM", aimed at improving cancer care. The platform assists trial operators to recruit patients for clinical trials more efficiently, thereby preventing patient care delays, reducing backlogs and inefficiencies, and minimizing provider burnout. OncoLLM is designed to analyze unstructured oncology data, eliminating the need for manual data analysis and consequently improving patient-trial matching accuracy.</p>
 
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Triomics raises USD 15 million in venture funding

Clear the air on carbon capture, reuse, and storage

Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS)

<div>

<p>British firm C-Capture has teamed up with Heidelberg Materials, a UK manufacturer of building supplies, for a trial of a new carbon capture system at a Ketton cement plant. It forms part of the startup's XLR8 carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, which sets out to prove that carbon capture is a practical, affordable option for industries which emit a high amount of carbon.</p>

</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> C-Capture’s XLR8 CCS project has conducted its first trial in Europe, demonstrating its carbon capture technology at <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25044"> Pilkington’s </a> flat glass manufacturing facility in the UK in December 2023. The company also plans to extend its trial to the waste-to-energy industry. The project will involve six carbon capture trials deployed at partner sites, including Heidelberg Materials, Energy Works Hull, Glass Futures, and Pilkington UK.</p>

C-Capture and Heidelberg Materials trial new carbon capture system in cement industry

<div>
 <p>holoride, a startup offering in-car VR entertainment, has filed for insolvency due to its inability to gather more funding. The CEO, Nils Wollny, announced on LinkedIn that negotiation for an investment round had ultimately failed. Nevertheless, the company views this insolvency as a period of restructuring that may allow the company to attract new investors or owners.&nbsp;</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> In <a href="https:<br>
//www.holoride.com/en/newsroom/holoride-completes-series-a-funding-round"> April 2021 </a> , holoride raised EUR 10 million (~USD 12 million) in a Series A funding round, which valued the company at EUR 30 million (~USD 32 million). While Holoride aimed for a unique value proposition within the industry, this ultimately led to it operating in a niche market, partnering with automotive companies such as Audi and Porsche to integrate its tech stack into their vehicles.</p>

All Updates