<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Nature&rsquo;s Fynd, a startup producing plant-based meat and dairy products using microbes, has announced the construction of a new 200,000-square-foot production plant in Chicago to expand its meatless and dairy-free products. The startup has a headcount of 152 and will now use the investment to provide over 200 employment opportunities in the Chicago region.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        The startup raised USD 350 million in Series C funding led by SoftBank in July 2021, increasing the total funds raised to USD 500 million. Nature&rsquo;s Fynd CEO Thomas Jonas recently noted that the company has achieved unicorn status, making it one of a few startups in Chicago this year to reach this milestone.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://vegconomist.com/investments-acquisitions/newly-crowned-unicorn-natures-fynd-to-reinvent-the-future-of-food-with-huge-new-facility/">
      Vegconomist
    </a>
  </p>
</div>


Plant-based Meat

Nature’s Fynd announces construction of new production facility in Chicago

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

Last-mile Delivery Automation

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

<div>
 <p>Agility Robotics, a company specializing in humanoid robot development, has made significant changes to its leadership team by appointing Daniel Diez, Melonee Wise, and Pras Velagapudi as chief strategy officer, chief product officer, and chief technology officer respectively. These additions are anticipated to enhance the strategic focus towards productization and commercialization within the company.</p>
 <p>Within their new roles, Diez is tasked with setting overreaching business and market strategies, Wise will manage a new product organization in addition to maintaining her position spearheading the engineering initiatives while Velagapudi will be leading the product-related innovation as well as technological advancements. </p>
 <p>Prior to joining Agility Robotics, Diez held prominent roles such as the chief commercial officer at Magic Leap and various positions at Transform Brands and R/GA. Wise brings in expertise in autonomous robot development from her time at Zebra Technologies and Fetch Robotics. Velagapudi, on the other hand, boasts a strong background in robotics and AI, having co-founded a robotics tech firm, Platypus and holding the position of chief architect of mobile robotics at Berkshire Grey.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Agility Robotics is in the process of commercializing its technology. It has partnered with Amazon to test its 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>

Agility Robotics announces changes to leadership team

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

Logistics Tech

<div>
 <p>Humanoid robot developer, Agility Robotics, has made changes to its leadership team. New appointments include Daniel Diez as chief strategy officer, Melonee Wise as chief product officer, and Pras Velagapudi as chief technology officer. These changes are aimed at improving the company's focus on productization and commercialization.</p>
 <p>Diez will be tasked with defining the business and go-to-market strategies. Wise will lead engineering initiatives and manage a new product organization, while Velagapudi will lead innovation and technological developments related to products.</p>
 <p>Prior to joining Agility Robotics, Diez was the chief commercial officer at Magic Leap having also worked at Transform Brands and R/GA. Wise brings experience from Zebra Technologies and Fetch Robotics, specifically in autonomous robot development. Velagapudi's past roles include chief architect of mobile robotics at Berkshire Grey and co-founder of robotics tech firm, Platypus.</p> 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Agility Robotics is in the process of commercializing its technology. It has partnered with Amazon to test its 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>

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

Truck Industry Tech

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

<div>
 <p>Mullen Automotive, an electric vehicles (EVs) manufacturer owned by Net Element, has secured a total of USD 150 million in funding. This consists of a USD 100 million commitment by an undisclosed family office and USD 50 million raised through the sale of senior secured convertible notes to high-net-worth investors and family offices.</p>
 <p>The company plans to use these funds to boost Mullen's sales efforts both domestically and internationally for the next 13 months.</p>
 <p>A portion of the capital will be directed towards the serial production of an acquired EV truck maker, Bollinger's B4, a heavy-duty EV truck.</p>
</div>

Mullen raises USD 150 million to produce Bollinger EV trucks and support sales efforts

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>Geek+, a company specializing in robotics for logistics and warehouses, has joined forces with automation firm BlueSkye Automation to deliver a fully automated smart warehouse solution. This solution is controlled by Geek+'s Goods-to-Person mobile robots and has been implemented for a Georgia-based third-party logistics (3PL) company.</p>
 <p>This solution utilizes a mix of robot technologies to handle a variety of order fulfillment types, with BlueSkye Automation offering maintenance and support services.</p>
 <p>With the initial phase of implementation, the 3PL company has been able to handle the increased volume of ecommerce sales and address labor shortages.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Today Geek+ serves over 1,000 companies, including Decathlon, Dell, Nike, Walmart, ASKUL, and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28489"> Toll Group. </a> The company also has partnerships with <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/23406"> FORTNA, </a> <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/23840"> Kerry TJ Logistics, </a> <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/24715"> Logistex, </a> and <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28775"> System Teknik </a> to offer robotic warehouse solutions to the partners’ customers.</p>

Geek+ and BlueSkye Automation partner to deploy automated smart warehouse solutions in Georgia

Technologies bringing about a new reality

Extended Reality

<div>
 <p>In the 2024 I/O conference, Google declared the addition of geospatial AR content to Google Maps for mobile applications. This feature will first be a part of a pilot program in Singapore and Paris.</p>
 <p>Google Maps will provide this AR content when users search for specific sites. If users are close to these places and the places contain AR content, they can initiate the “AR Experience” and raise their phones. Furthermore, this will give users the benefit of exploring a location distantly via Street View, and they'll also have the ability to share the AR experience through a deep link URL or QR code on different social media platforms.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> The features will offer a greater level of immersion on Google Maps, an improvement over the 360° view Google Street View offers. Additionally, Google <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/29405"> announced </a> a potential AR glass prototype at the conference, where users can ask questions about their environment and receive answers through an LLM.</p>

Google announces AR geospatial content on Google Maps at I/O 2024 conference

Disrupting the traditional financial system using blockchain

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

<div>

 <p>Sonne Finance, a DeFi lending protocol, recently suffered a loss of USD 20 million in USDC and Wrapped Ethereum tokens due to an exploit in its Optimism chain. Following the attack, Sonne Finance decided to suspend its Optimism Market, while its markets operating on Base, a supported layer-2 network, weren't affected. Both the vulnerability that led to the exploit and the identity of the attackers are currently being investigated.</p>
 <p>This DeFi lending protocol provided by Sonne Finance is an open-source decentralized system constructed on the Optimism chain. It offers users the ability to lend and borrow a variety of cryptocurrencies. Users are allowed to deposit their cryptocurrency assets, use these deposits as collateral, get loans against these assets, or earn yield from lending them out.&nbsp;</p>
 
</div>

Sonne Finance loses USD 20 million in hack

Artificial intelligence is identifying and testing new therapies faster than ever.

AI Drug Discovery

<div>
<p>Massachusetts-based antibody drug developer Nabla Bio has secured USD 26 million in a Series A funding round led by Radical Ventures, with further participation from all existing investors. The company also revealed partnerships with AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb Company, and Takeda, promising potential earnings more than USD 550 million in upfront and milestone payments as well as royalties.</p>

<p>The funds raised will be utilized by Nabla Bio to expedite its drug development projects, mainly concentrating on antibodies that target multipass membrane proteins. The investment will be used in advancing the company’s research for formulating solutions to tackle difficult-to-drug targets and intricate cellular processes.</p>

<p>Nabla Bio is a biotechnology firm that uses AI to develop antibodies for treating tough diseases. The company's AI platform merges AI with massively parallel experimentation to design antibody therapeutics, mainly committing to complex multipass membrane proteins like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels.</p>
</div>

Nabla Bio raises USD 26 million in Series A funding; signs three Big Pharma deals

Helping employers provide personalized, high-touch, and holistic financial wellness tools to their entire workforce.

Financial Wellness Tools

<div>
 
 <p>Financial wellbeing support platforms, Kashable and BrightDime, have formed a partnership to offer free personalised financial coaching and money management tools. The collaboration aims to expand their product reach across the US.</p>
 <p>Their plan is to offer these services to more than 50 companies, including IKEA, Chobani, and Nasdaq, benefiting over 170,000 employees. Kashable users will be able to access free financial coaching sessions and other educational resources provided by BrightDime. </p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Early this year, Kashable secured USD 25.6 million in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25686"> Series B funding </a> to support its expansion plans, develop new financial wellness services, and enhance its capabilities to extend affordable credit to employees across the credit spectrum.</p>

Kashable and BrightDime partner to grow product reach across US

Leveraging personal data for custom-fit diagnosis and treatment

Precision Medicine

<div>
 <p>Dandelion Health has introduced the GLP-1 Data Library, an extensive dataset developed to uncover new insights and opportunities related to the GLP-1 receptor agonist drug class. This library reportedly hosts health records of millions of patients from multiple health systems, featuring data from 200,000 patients on a variety of GLP-1 agonists.</p>
 <p>Data in the collection is comprised of both structured EHR data and raw clinical data generated during care procedures, integrating information from every stage of the patient's experience. The raw clinical data includes radiology images, ECG waveforms, and clinical notes.</p>
 <p>Dandelion Health uses its AI platform to harness real-world data for precision medicine. It looks into a range of longitudinal health records to provide important data to healthcare researchers, helping them in early diagnosis, personalized screening, prevention strategies, and the development of more effective therapies. ​</p>
 
</div>

Dandelion Health launches GLP-1 data library for cardiometabolic disease management

<div>
 <p>PlaqueTec and the Babraham Institute's Welch lab have teamed up to assess the drugability of a pro-inflammatory protein as part of the BIOPATTERN trial. This trial focuses on endotyping coronary artery disease (CAD). They have previously argued for the potential of this protein to be targeted by small-molecule drugs in a human cell-culture model.</p>
 <p>PlaqueTec, a UK-based company, is specialised in the development and application of endotype-specific biomarkers for developing new treatments for CAD. The company uses its unique Liquid Biopsy System to capture biomarkers directly from coronary arteries. This method helps them achieve a deeper understanding of the disease and develop precise treatments.</p>
</div>

All Updates

Agility Robotics announces changes to leadership team

Agility Robotics announces changes to leadership team

Mullen raises USD 150 million to produce Bollinger EV trucks and support sales efforts

Geek+ and BlueSkye Automation partner to deploy automated smart warehouse solutions in Georgia

Google announces AR geospatial content on Google Maps at I/O 2024 conference

Sonne Finance loses USD 20 million in hack

Nabla Bio raises USD 26 million in Series A funding; signs three Big Pharma deals

Kashable and BrightDime partner to grow product reach across US

Dandelion Health launches GLP-1 data library for cardiometabolic disease management

PlaqueTec collaborates with Babraham Institute to evaluate druggability of pro-inflammatory protein