<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Substack, an online publishing platform, acquired Cocoon, a subscription-based private social networking app, to onboard product and design talent to help further develop the functionality of the Substack platform.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. While the Cocoon app will remain independent, its team will join Substack. The new design and engineering talent is expected to assist with the strengthening of Substack&rsquo;s network of writers and readers by supporting its community-building initiatives.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Cocoon is a private social media app for close friends to share text and photo updates. Users can also use passive data from sources including mobile location data or fitness stats to update Slack channel-like feeds for specific groups of friends. Cocoon charges a USD 4 monthly subscription and does not rely on advertising or monetization of user data.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://on.substack.com/p/welcome-cocoon">
      Company Blog
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/24/substack-acqui-hires-team-behind-subscription-social-app-cocoon/">
      TechCrunch
    </a>
  </p>
</div>


Creator Economy

Substack acqui-hires subscription-based social media app Cocoon

Automation and robotics are finally creating solutions for the complexities of doorstep deliveries.

Last-mile Delivery Automation

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

<div>
 <p>UK company Wayve, which specializes in autonomous vehicle tech, has successfully raised USD 1.05 billion in a Series C funding round. Major participants of this round included SoftBank Group, NVIDIA, and their existing investor, Microsoft. With this latest round of investment, Wayve's total funds now stand at over USD 1.3 billion.</p>
 <p>The funds accrued will be utilized by the company to further advance its AI-assisted automotive technologies and autonomous driving technologies. Furthermore, Wayve also intends to use this capital to broaden its operations at a global level.</p>
 <p>This funding round has not only been recognized as the largest AI fundraiser in the UK but also ranks among the top 20 AI fund raises worldwide.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Wayve is one of the few companies that offers autonomous vehicle technologies for passenger vehicles and last-mile delivery applications; hence, it is featured in our <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/industry/70"> Auto Tech </a> and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/industry/1"> Last-mile Delivery Automation </a> hubs. With today’s fund raise, Wayve leapfrogs as the second-highest funded privately held company in the Auto Tech space, after US- and China-based autonomous vehicle tech company <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/companies/588243"> Pony.ai, </a> which has raised USD 1.33 million to date. The company has also become the second-highest funded startup in the Last-mile Delivery Automation space after peer autonomous delivery vehicle developer <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/companies/454812"> Nuro, </a> which has raised USD 2.1 billion to date.</p>

Wayve raises USD 1.05 billion in Series C funding led by SoftBank

Autonomous and connected technologies shaping the future of the auto industry

Auto Tech

<div>
 <p>Wayve, a UK-based company specialising in autonomous vehicle technology, has successfully raised USD 1.05 billion in a Series C funding round. SoftBank Group led this round of funding, with participation coming from NVIDIA and existing investor Microsoft. The total amount of funds raised by the company now exceeds USD 1.3 billion.</p>
 <p>Wayve stated its intent to use these new funds to further develop autonomous and automated driving technologies. This includes their AI-assisted automotive technologies. Furthermore, there is also a plan to expand the company's operations on a global scale.</p>
 <p>This funding round has been noted as the UK’s largest AI fundraiser, and is also one of the top 20 AI fund raises worldwide.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Wayve is one of the few companies that offers autonomous vehicle technologies for passenger vehicles and last-mile delivery applications; hence, it is featured in our <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/industry/70"> Auto Tech </a> and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/industry/1"> Last-mile Delivery Automation </a> hubs. With today’s fund raise, Wayve leapfrogs as the second-highest funded privately held company in the Auto Tech space, after US- and China-based autonomous vehicle tech company <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/companies/588243"> Pony.ai, </a> which has raised USD 1.33 million to date. The company has also become the second-highest funded startup in the Last-mile Delivery Automation space after peer autonomous delivery vehicle developer <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/companies/454812"> Nuro, </a> which has raised USD 2.1 billion to date.</p>

Reinventing gene therapies with next-generation technologies

Human Gene Editing

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 
 <p>Gene-editing company, Cellectis, has received an additional $140 million in equity investment from AstraZeneca, raising AstraZeneca's stake in Cellectis to 44%. This transaction forms part of the ongoing collaboration between the two firms that began in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23389"> November 2023 </a>.</p>
 
<p>The investment will further support their joint development of up to ten new cell and gene therapy products. The main focus areas will be oncology, immunology, and rare diseases which have large unmet medical needs. Cellectis stands to gain an option fee and milestone payments ranging from $70 million to $220 million per program.</p>
   
<p>AstraZeneca will have worldwide exclusive license options for the developed candidate products through this collaboration.</p>

</div>

Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

Novel therapies to reboot cells and organs

Cell & Gene Therapy

<div>
 
 <p>Gene editing and CAR T-cell therapy company, Cellectis, has obtained an additional equity funding of USD 140 million (28 million shares at USD 5 per share) from AstraZeneca, adding to its existing collaboration begun in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23389"> November 2023 </a>. This new injection of funds gives AstraZeneca a 44% stake in Cellectis.</p>
 <p>The funds will bolster the the partnership efforts involving Cellectis' gene-editing technologies and the development of up to 10 new gene and cell therapy products, targeting areas with high unmet need, such as immunology, oncology, and rare diseases. Each scheme could earn Cellectis anywhere from USD 70 million to USD 220 million in option fees and milestone payments.</p>
 <p>AstraZeneca retains a worldwide exclusive license option for the candidate products developed under this agreement.</p>
 
</div>

<div>
 
 <p>OverT Bio, a cancer-focused cell therapy company, has raised USD 16 million in seed funding. The financing round was co-led by ARTIS Ventures and Wing VC, and included investments from Fusion Fund, OMX Ventures, and Alexandria Venture Investments.</p>
 <p>The funds will be used to improve discovery platforms, with a particular emphasis on developing new cell therapies for advanced solid tumors.</p>
 <p>The company specializes in creating cellular therapies for treating solid tumors. It uses two platforms called OverTarget and OverTune to develop engineered immune cells that can be used in immunotherapy for cancer treatment. The techniques involve researching the full human genome to improve the life and efficiency of cell therapies in eliminating cancers.</p>
 
</div>

OverT Bio emerges from stealth with USD 16 million in seed funding

Empowering sustainable food innovation through food engineering tech

Novel Foods

<div>
 <p>A Canadian firm, CULT Food Science, leader in the cellular agriculture technologies and products domain, has raised CAD 800,000 (~USD 585,140) by selling 16,000,000 units at CAD 0.05 (~USD 0.04) per unit. The private placement was administered by PowerOne Capital Markets Limited.</p>
 <p>The funds will be channeled towards expanding the Noochies! Freeze-Dried Dog and Cat Snacks line. Noochies! is recognized as North America's first vegan cat treat and is made using Bmmune, a cultured yeast protein.</p>
</div>
 <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Beyond its investments in cellular agriculture, CULT Food Science has developed proprietary pet food ingredients. These include Bmmune, a nutritional yeast fused with fermented proteins, Bflora, a probiotic tailored for the gastrointestinal health of cats and dogs, and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/24575"> Bmeaty </a> , an ingredient that adds umami flavor to pet food products.</p>

CULT Food Science raises CAD 800,000 via private placement to expand sustainable pet food range

A new wave of meat, fish, and poultry alternatives are driving this hyper-growth industry into the mainstream.

Plant-based Meat

<div>
 <p>THIS, a UK-based plant-based meat company, has launched a unique, hyper-realistic plant-based chicken thigh product. It's the first such product to hit retail markets.</p>
 <p>This product uses three proprietary technologies to replicate the complex three-dimensional structure of real meat. It uses extrusion technology to get a meat-like texture, incorporates olive oil-based fat for richness, and applies a seaweed layer to emulate the texture of chicken skin.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> This new product joins the company’s extensive range of plant-based chicken offerings that includes products like <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/23904"> THIS Isn’t Chicken Pieces </a> , <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25182"> THIS Isn’t Chicken Breast </a> , and the recently launched <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28147"> THIS Isn’t Chicken Shawarma </a> .</p>

THIS launches most realistic plant-based chicken product to date

<div>
 <p>The Plant-Based Seafood Co., a plant-based seafood manufacturer, has joined forces with Wegmans Food Markets. This partnership will allow the distribution of the company's Mind Blown-branded products in 80 Wegmans outlets throughout the US.</p>
 <p>Starting in May, consumers in several states including Washington D.C., Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia will have the opportunity to buy Mind Blown’s Plant-Based Crab Cakes and Dusted Scallops from Wegmans.</p> 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> The company previously partnered with US retailer Harris Teeter to launch Mind Blown products across 261 locations in several states. Further, in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/22463"> October 2023 </a> , it partnered with Sam Rust Seafood, a wholesale supplier, to increase the accessibility of its plant-based seafood alternatives to American consumers.</p>

The Plant-Based Seafood Co. partners with Wegmans to expand distribution in US

Platforms, apps, and cards to keep the corporate wallet in check

Business Expense Management

<div>

<p>Jeeves, a B2B payments platform operating in Latin America, has secured a USD 75 million credit facility from Community Investment Management (CIM), an investment manager with a focus on global impact. This credit facility will support Jeeves in broadening its product suite, such as Jeeves Pay, primarily in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.</p>
 
<p>Jeeves Pay is now available in Brazil as a part of this expansion. This service facilitates cross-border payments across numerous countries. It also provides a BRL account for Brazilian businesses to receive and manage their funds. Jeeves has seen a 150% growth in payment volumes since its launch in Latin America.</p>

</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> The latest funding round doubles down on the company's focus on Latin American markets, where it has experienced rapid growth. As of June 2023, the company revealed that around 60% of its revenue is generated from Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil.</p>

Jeeves raises USD 75 million in debt funding to expand in Latin America; Jeeves Pay launches in Brazil

AI, robotics, and IoT to streamline the flow of goods and information

Logistics Tech

<div>
 <p>Humanoid robot developer Agility Robotics has forged a partnership with Zion Solutions Group, a comprehensive system integrations provider. The partnership aims to introduce humanoid robotics solutions in the supply chain industry, particularly for tasks difficultly managed by human labor due to frequent turnovers and injuries.</p>
 <p>Zion is set to incorporate Agility Robotics' offerings into its warehouse solutions and designs. This includes the bipedal humanoid robot called 'Digit' and 'Agility Arc' - a cloud automation platform.</p>
 <p>With this partnership, Zion has become the first systems integrator to bring a humanoid robot to the supply chain industry.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> The partnership marks one of the first serious attempts at bringing humanoid robotics into the supply chain industry, with high expectations of a future where humans and robots work collaboratively in warehouses. Agility Robotics previously partnered with Amazon to test Digit units at the latter’s warehousing facilities <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/22840"> (October 2023) </a> and GXO Logistics to test robots at a facility in Georgia <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/24716"> (December 2023). </a></p>

All Updates

Wayve raises USD 1.05 billion in Series C funding led by SoftBank

Wayve raises USD 1.05 billion in Series C funding led by SoftBank

Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

OverT Bio emerges from stealth with USD 16 million in seed funding

CULT Food Science raises CAD 800,000 via private placement to expand sustainable pet food range

THIS launches most realistic plant-based chicken product to date

The Plant-Based Seafood Co. partners with Wegmans to expand distribution in US

Jeeves raises USD 75 million in debt funding to expand in Latin America; Jeeves Pay launches in Brazil

Agility Robotics partners with Zion Solutions to offer humanoid robotics for supply chain industry