Akenta Health Takes First Prize in dot.LA's Pitch Contest

David Shultz

David Shultz reports on clean technology and electric vehicles, among other industries, for dot.LA. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Outside, Nautilus and many other publications.

Akenta Health Takes First Prize in dot.LA's Pitch Contest
Image by David Ruano

The first night of the 2022 dot.LA summit concluded on Thursday with a pitch contest featuring three carefully selected L.A.-based startups, the founders vied for a prize package from WeWork, Fenwick & West and Evolution.

The pitches—screened in pre-recorded segments between the night’s fireside conversations—were judged by three L.A. business experts: M13 Partner Anna Barber, Fenwick & West Associate Chance Goldberg and Evolution’s Managing Director and Co-founder Matt Auron


The three finalists included Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia, founder of Whiz Girls Academy, a female-focused tech lifestyle brand that hosts hackathons and sells merchandise designed to inspire interest in STEM education; Marco Paschina, the founder of Akenta Health, a digital platform aimed at making healthcare more accessible for Latinos; and Antony Tran, the founder of Foundry Six, an augmented reality gaming company trying to bridge the gap between digital fantasy and the real world.

The judges grilled each founder on a host of topics: from headwinds in the healthcare industry to business model specifics to whether or not it’s possible to get hardcore fantasy RPG players out of their gaming chair and into the real world.

Salemnia was up first. She explained her vision for a her lifestyle brand serve a function far beyond simply being cool and making money. Whiz Girl’s main focus it to make STEM topics exciting to girls ages 8-13. Through a combination of secret agent-themed hackathons and a line of slick merchandise, Whiz Girls plans to leverage Salemnia’s prior experience at Mattel to make tech attractive to a new generation of girls. The company plans to operate through a sponsorship model and has already inked deals with big names like Adidas and the L.A. Sparks.

“We want to be a household brand,” said Salemnia.

Akenta followed suit, fielding questions about how Akenta planned to navigate an environment as complex as the United States healthcare system and how the company would be different from other telehealth ventures. It’s a lofty goal aimed at serving a real need: If the platform is successful, it could expand healthcare access for one of America’s fastest growing demographics, providing tangible benefits to 63 million Latino Americans. The basic concept is that the digital service would connect Latinos with bilingual doctors and allow patients to take advantage of telehealth appointments, renew prescriptions and view lab work. And because it’s employers that pay to use the platform, the service comes at no cost to the patient.

“The big problem is that Latinos are extremely under served,” said Paschina during his pitch. “We want to help those people that cannot afford to pay those out of pocket costs. If you don’t trust your doctor, you don’t want to get the care.”

Finally it was Tran’s turn to take center stage. Foundry Six is trying to build an augmented reality gaming experience quite unlike anything that’s come before it. Positioned as a fantasy role playing game, many aspects of the game felt familiar: a leveling system, gear and loot and a host of mythical enemies. But all of this is taking place against the backdrop of the real world. A magic shield might be hidden on an actual mountain top; Chuthulu might spawn in a pond down the street. You’ll actually have to leave your house to find quests and rewards. If done right, the game should blur the lines between gameplay and reality.

“That’s the space we want to play. We think that’s going to be a lot more magical,” said Tran.

With pitches pitched, Barber, Goldberg, and Auron then left the stage to deliberate. Unseasonably warm Los Angeles air circulated amidst the crowd gathered atop the Petersen Automotive Museum’s penthouse patio. Hors d'oeuvres sweated on table tops. A drum rolled, metaphorically.

When the judges returned to the stage, Barber announced that it would be Akenta that would take this year’s prize. Paschina returned to the stage to accept his trophy and pose for photos.

Well deserved. Congratulations to all our entrants and good luck.

LA’s Upgrade in Travel and NBA Viewing
Image Source: Los Angeles World Airports

🔦 Spotlight

Exciting developments are underway for Los Angeles as the city prepares for major upgrades in both travel and entertainment. The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners has approved an additional $400 million for the Automated People Mover (APM) at LAX, increasing its total budget to $3.34 billion. This boost ensures the elevated train’s completion by December 8, 2025, with service starting in January 2026. For Angelenos, this means a significant improvement in travel convenience. The APM will streamline connections between parking, rental car facilities, and the new Metro transit station, drastically cutting traffic congestion around the airport. Imagine a future without the dreaded 30-minute traffic delays at LAX! The APM will operate 24/7, reducing airport traffic by 42 million vehicle miles annually and carrying 30 million passengers each year, while also creating thousands of local jobs and supporting small businesses.

Meanwhile, the NBA is also making waves with its new broadcasting deals. The league has signed multi-year agreements with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video, marking a notable shift in media partnerships. ESPN will maintain its long-standing role, NBC returns as a network broadcaster after years away, and Amazon Prime Video will provide NBA games through its streaming platform. Starting with the 2025-2026 season, these deals will enhance the league's reach and revenue, aligning with the NBA's goal to expand its audience and adapt to evolving viewing habits. Whether you're catching the action on TV or streaming online, these changes promise to elevate the fan experience and bring more basketball excitement to Los Angeles.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Pearl, a startup that makes AI-powered software that assists dentists in identifying cavities, gum disease, and other dental conditions, raised a $58M Series B funding led by Left Lane Capital with Smash Capital, and others also participating. - learn more

LA Venture Funds

  • Fulcrum Venture Group participated in a prior $3.5M Pre-Seed Round for Code Metal, a developer tools startup. - learn more
  • B Capital co-led a $12.5M Seed Round for Star Catcher, a startup that aims to develop a space-based grid that captures solar energy in space and distributes it to satellites and other space assets. - learn more
  • Mantis VC and Amplify participated in a $140M Series C for Chainguard, an open source security startup. - learn more
  • Prominent LA venture capitalist, Carter Reum and wife, Paris Hilton, participated in a $14M Seed/Series A for W, the men’s personal care brand from Jake Paul. - learn more

LA Exits


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🤫 The Secret to Staying Fit at Your Desk: 6 Essential Under-Desk Exercise Machines

Health experts are sounding the alarm: our sedentary jobs are slowly killing us, yet we can't abandon our desks if we want to keep the lights on. It feels like we're caught between a rock and a hard place. Enter under-desk exercise machines – the overlooked heroes (albeit kind of goofy looking) of the modern workspace. These devices let tech professionals stay active, enhance their health, and increase their productivity, all without stepping away from their screens. Here are 6 fantastic options that will enhance the way you work and workout simultaneously.

DeskCycle Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser

This bike has nearly ten thousand five-star reviews on amazon. It works with nearly any desk/chair setup. It is quiet, sturdy and allows up to 40 pounds of resistance. If you are looking for an under-desk bike this is a fantastic option.

Type: Under-Desk Bike

Price: $180 - $200


Sunny Health & Fitness Dual Function Under Desk Pedal Exerciser

This under-desk bike is extremely quiet due to the magnetic resistance making it an ideal option if you work in a shared space. It doesn’t slip, has eight levels of resistance, and the option to work legs and arms. It’s about half the price of the DeskCycle bike making it a solid mid-range option for those looking to increase their daily activity.

Type: Under-Desk Bike

Price: $100 - $110


Sunny Health & Fitness Sitting Under Desk Elliptical

This under-desk elliptical comes in multiple colors if you really want to underscore that you are a quirky individual, in case an under-desk elliptical isn’t enough. This model is a bit heavy (very sturdy), has eight different resistance levels, and has more than nine thousand 5-star reviews.

Type: Under-Desk Elliptical

Price: $120 - $230


DeskCycle Ellipse Leg Exerciser

This under-desk elliptical is another great option. It is a bit pricey but it’s quiet, well-made and has eight resistance levels. It also syncs with your apple watch or fitbit which is a very large perk for those office-wide “step” challenges. Get ready to win.

Type: Under-Desk Elliptical

Price: $220 - $230


Daeyegim Quiet LED Remote Treadmill

If you have a standing desk and are looking to walk and work this is a fantastic option. This walking-only treadmill allows you to walk between 0.5 to 5 mph (or jog unless you have the stride length of an NBA forward). It is very quiet, which is perfect if you want to use it near others or during a meeting. You can’t change the incline or fold it in half but it is great for simply getting in some extra steps during the work day.

Type: Under-Desk Treadmill

Price: $220 - $230


Sunny Health & Fitness Foldable Manual Treadmill

This under-desk treadmill isn’t the most premium model but it is affordable and has an impressive array of features. It is a manual treadmill meaning it doesn’t need to be plugged in; it is foldable and offers an incline up to 13%. I personally can’t imagine working and walking up a 13% incline but if that sounds like your cup of tea, then I truly respect the hustle.

Type: Under-Desk Treadmill

Price: $150 - $200




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🤠Musk Picks Texas and 🔥Tinder AI Picks Your Profile Pictures

🔦 Spotlight

Tinder is altering dating profile creation with its new AI-powered Photo Selector feature, designed to help users choose their most appealing dating profile pictures. This innovative tool employs facial recognition technology to curate a set of up to 10 photos from the user's device, streamlining the often time-consuming process of profile setup. To use the feature, users simply take a selfie within the Tinder app and grant access to their camera roll. The AI then analyzes the photos based on factors like lighting and composition, drawing from Tinder's research on what makes an effective profile picture.

The selection process occurs entirely on the user's device, ensuring privacy and data security. Tinder doesn't collect or store any biometric data or photos beyond those chosen for the profile, and the facial recognition data is deleted once the user exits the feature. This new tool addresses a common pain point for users, as Tinder's research shows that young singles typically spend about 25 to 33 minutes selecting a profile picture. By automating this process, Tinder aims to reduce profile creation time and allow users to focus more on making meaningful connections.

In wholly unrelated news, Elon Musk has announced plans to relocate the headquarters of X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX from California to Texas. SpaceX will move from Hawthorne to Starbase, while X will shift from San Francisco to Austin. Musk cited concerns about aggressive drug users near X's current headquarters and a new California law regarding gender identity notification in schools as reasons for the move. This decision follows Musk's previous relocation of Tesla's headquarters to Texas in 2021.

🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

LA Venture Funds

LA Exits

  • Penguin Random House agreed to acquire comic book publisher Boom! Studios from backers like Walt Disney Co. - learn more

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