Column: How to Establish Core Values at a Startup

Spencer Rascoff

Spencer Rascoff serves as executive chairman of dot.LA. He is an entrepreneur and company leader who co-founded Zillow, Hotwire, dot.LA, Pacaso and Supernova, and who served as Zillow's CEO for a decade. During Spencer's time as CEO, Zillow won dozens of "best places to work" awards as it grew to over 4,500 employees, $3 billion in revenue, and $10 billion in market capitalization. Prior to Zillow, Spencer co-founded and was VP Corporate Development of Hotwire, which was sold to Expedia for $685 million in 2003. Through his startup studio and venture capital firm, 75 & Sunny, Spencer is an active angel investor in over 100 companies and is incubating several more.

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Missions and core values are ubiquitous at companies today. They're expected — by employees, new recruits, even investors — because they take a stand on the company's purpose and path to get there.

You need both because one without the other isn't enough. A mission is the purpose of the company, its north star, its reason for existing, whereas core values are how you fulfill that purpose, the set of navigational tools in service to your mission that are more useful for immediate, near-term decisions. They're a code of conduct, a common language, guiding principles, shorthand for new employees, partners and outsiders to understand how your company operates.


But you can't establish both your mission and core values simultaneously. While a mission is often the inspiration for the company itself and can be simply declared as the destination, core values are trickier. To last, and to be effective, core values need to be an authentic reflection of your company, your people and your culture; core values take more self awareness on behalf of the company than a mission.

A question I often get from founders is how and when to introduce core values, specifically: How do you identify what matters to your company in a unique way, and when do you really know? How do you get employees to understand, embrace and act according to these values? And, do you have to keep the same values forever? Here are five pieces of advice for establishing core values at a startup, or even revisiting values at a young and growing company:

1. Wait, Watch and Learn.

Companies are living entities full of forces, personalities, pressures and motivators. Just like people and relationships, the combination of these things produces something unique that drives it forward — and that something takes time to emerge. Even if you have a pretty good idea of who you are already, I always advise founders to wait to formally establish your values until you reach five to 10 employees and the company has been formed for a few months, but is still a couple months ahead of your first product launch. Observe how you make decisions together amid your different forces and personalities at play; this is probably the strongest signal of what your culture authentically is at its core (hence, "core values"). You can always make your values partly aspirational, but to make them stick you must also root them in reality.

2. Tie Your Values to Your Product.

Since core values are a guide to your every day, it's incredibly helpful if they tie to what you're building every day. The best example I have for this is from Zillow, where a core value is Turn on the Lights. Zillow was the company that brought real estate information out of the dark and into the light for consumers. While this innovation has now become an expectation among consumers, the core value of Turn on the Lights continues to keep empowerment front and center as the company matures and evolves. So at Zillow, the core value "Turn On The Lights" means that people are meant to be transparent with each other internally, but also that the product is supposed to provide real estate transparency to its users.

A more recent example is from my latest startup, Pacaso, where we have the value of "Empty the dishwasher: When you encounter an unmet need, step up and own it." Pacaso's service creates fractional vacation home ownership — in other words, owning a quarter of a second home rather than the whole thing, making it more affordable, accessible and practical for many more people. The core value of "Empty the Dishwasher" means that no job is beneath any individual employee. But it is also a nod to the product itself, since "emptying the dishwasher" is the ultimate act of teamwork inside one's household.

3. Be Prescriptive and Memorable.

Try to avoid corporate jargon and overarching words that are meaningless without context. In gathering my thoughts for this piece, I came across an article in Harvard Business Review and learned that the values "communication", "respect", "integrity" and "excellence" were all values of Enron — a company that committed one of the biggest accounting frauds in history. Clearly these words weren't prescriptive or memorable enough to keep the company on the right path.

If integrity is a core value, define what you mean by integrity, and make it something you'd say every day. My favorite example is from Box: "Make Mom Proud." This value is all about creating an environment of safety and trust where people's voices are heard and employees do right by one another. It's not corporate speak; it's pithy, playful and a clear reflection of their culture while also saying something specific about the way employees collaborate at Box.

4. Tie Core Values into Your Operations.

To truly live your core values, they need to be part of your existence at the company; you can't just print them on a poster and expect them to be followed. Your values should be part of how people join, operate within and sometimes exit your company.

Interview and evaluate candidates based on your company's core values, and even better, create standard questions for your interviewers to ask based on your values. This not only reinforces what the company is looking for, it also helps fight unconscious bias. Structure employee recognition around your core values for awards and announcements. Evaluate employee performance — including annual reviews, feedback loops and compensation — around your core values. At Zillow, core values were equally rated to outcomes in our annual reviews, which means you couldn't be an all-star and a jerk and be rewarded for it.

5. Revisit Your Values, and Amend Them Accordingly.

Like the Constitution, you need to be able to amend your core values — infrequently, but regularly. Why? Because things change. You grow. You acquire companies that have their own values. You evolve your business model. At Zillow, changes like these prompted changes in our values. When we acquired Trulia, we added the value "Act with Integrity," which was a core value of theirs but not part of Zillow's, yet critically important as once-fierce competitors became colleagues with shared objectives. When we expanded into buying and selling homes with Zillow Offers, we added a value around operational rigor and excellence, since new factors like time on market and closing deals quickly became critically important to the success of the business. Yes, you are creating core values, but sometimes your core changes as you mature, and you must consciously account for that every few years.

Core Values are a critically important part of a well-run company. But, like so many aspects of a company's culture, to make core values truly come alive takes effort. When well executed, they can contribute immeasurably to your company's success.

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🛰️LA Is Emerging as a Space Powerhouse—And Investors Are Lining Up

🔦 Spotlight

Hello, Happy Friday!

This week, Los Angeles proved once again why it's at the center of space, tech, and innovation. From a major satellite funding round to a big push for wildfire relief, the city is making moves across multiple industries.

K2 Space Lands $110M to Build High-Power Satellites

Image Source: K2 Space

Torrance-based K2 Space just raised $110 million in Series B funding, co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Altimeter Capital. The company, which has now secured $180 million since its launch in 2022, is working on high-power, multi-orbit satellites designed to make space operations more efficient and affordable.

With a new 180,000-square-foot facility in Torrance, K2 is scaling up production—and a successful in-space demo proves they’re on the right track. As demand grows for more powerful satellites, this funding puts them in a strong position to compete.

True Anomaly Expands into Long Beach

LA's space industry is scaling fast, andTrue Anomaly is the latest company to plant roots in Long Beach. The defense tech startup is opening a 90,000-square-foot facility to develop next-gen space security and reconnaissance systems.

Of that, 70,000 square feet will be dedicated to engineering and production, while the remaining space will house office and R&D teams. With more satellites playing key roles in national security and commercial operations, True Anomaly’s expansion positions it right where it needs to be—close to top aerospace talent and major government clients.

Apple Unveils iPhone 16e

Image Source: Apple

Apple has added a new model to its lineup with the iPhone 16e, a budget-friendly but powerful option. Priced at $599, it includes:

  • A18 chip with Apple Intelligence
  • 48MP 2-in-1 camera system
  • 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
  • Face ID, replacing the classic home button

Pre-orders start February 21, with availability beginning February 28. Apple is positioning the 16e as a mid-tier option that brings AI-driven capabilities to a wider audience without the premium price tag.

TikTok Returns to U.S. App Stores

After a brief removal,TikTok is back on Apple and Google app stores following a delay in enforcement of a potential national ban. The White House assured tech platforms they won’t face penalties for keeping the app available, at least for now.

For creators, brands, and businesses that depend on TikTok, it’s a relief—but the platform’s long-term future in the U.S. is still up in the air.

FireAid Distributes $50M for Wildfire Relief

Image Source: Fire Aid

While LA’s tech industry looks ahead, major efforts this week focused on immediate recovery.FireAid announced $50 million in wildfire relief grants to support Los Angeles communities impacted by the recent devastating wildfires.

The first round of grants will help local nonprofits and organizations providing housing, financial assistance, essential goods, and emergency support to those affected. Some of the initial recipients include:

  • United Way of Greater Los Angeles – Providing direct financial aid and community-based recovery efforts.
  • Baby2Baby – Supplying essential goods to families and children impacted by the fires.
  • CA Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund – Supporting emergency relief and long-term recovery.
  • LA Fire Department Foundation – Assisting first responders with wildfire-related resources.
  • Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND) – Providing emergency food, housing, and job resources for displaced individuals.

FireAid’s benefit concert, which drew millions of viewers worldwide, has continued to raise funds, with additional grants expected to roll out in the coming months to further aid recovery and rebuilding efforts.

LA Isn't Just Keeping Up With the Future—It's Defining It.

From major investments in space and national security to new consumer tech and philanthropic efforts, LA is proving its influence across industries. The question isn’t what’s happening here—it’s what’s happening next.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • CREE8, a company offering a centralized virtual workspace with on-demand, high-performance workstations, secure storage solutions, and real-time collaboration tools for creatives, has received an investment from Moneta Ventures. The funding will be used to enhance its platform capabilities and expand its market presence, providing seamless workflows for creators and professionals in need of cloud-based creative solutions. - learn more
  • Breakthrough, an AI-driven startup founded by former Google executive Adit Abhyankar, has secured a $600,000 Pre-seed funding led by Senvest Capital. The company specializes in enhancing B2B sales messaging by optimizing content in real-time through its self-learning AI platform. The funds will be used to expand Breakthrough's enterprise client base, explore applications beyond traditional sales outreach, and refine the product to better align with market needs. - learn more
  • UVIONIX, a robotics and automation startup specializing in AI-powered autonomous flying robots for warehouse inventory management, has secured a $3.5M Seed funding led by LAUNCHub Ventures. The investment will accelerate UVIONIX's product release, expand its presence in the U.S. and Europe, and support the growth of its AI and engineering teams in Bulgaria and the U.S. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
  • March Capital participated in a $305M Series B funding round for Together AI, a San Francisco-based company specializing in providing a cloud platform for developers and researchers to train and deploy generative AI models. The funds will be used to expand Together AI's cloud infrastructure, including the large-scale deployment of Nvidia Blackwell GPUs, to support over 200 open-source models and serve its growing user base of more than 450,000 AI developers worldwide. - learn more
  • Amboy Street Ventures participated in a $12M Series A funding round for Millie, a San Francisco-based tech-enabled maternity clinic. Millie offers comprehensive, patient-centered maternity care, integrating clinical best practices with digital tools to support individuals from conception through postpartum. The funds will be used to expand Millie's technology platform, enhance service offerings, and open new clinics, starting with a collaboration in California in 2025. - learn more
  • StoryHouse Ventures participated in a $4.3M Seed funding round for Henry AI, a company specializing in automating commercial real estate transactions. Based in New York, Henry AI uses AI-powered technology to streamline real estate deal execution. The funds will be used to enhance its platform and expand its capabilities, making commercial real estate transactions more efficient and scalable. - learn more
  • Amplify.LA participated in a $6.2M Seed funding round for Mavvrik, an Austin-based FinOps platform formerly known as DigitalEx. Mavvrik helps organizations manage and optimize IT expenditures through advanced financial operations solutions. The funds will be used to enhance its platform capabilities, addressing rising IT costs and improving financial efficiency for its clients. - learn more
  • Generational Partners participated in a $4M Pre-seed funding round for Everstar, a company specializing in AI-driven solutions for nuclear compliance. The funds will be used to develop Everstar's platform, aiming to enhance safety and efficiency in the nuclear energy sector. - learn more
  • Watertower Ventures participated in a $1.2M pre-seed funding round for Glassbox, a Toronto-based fintech startup developing an AI-compatible financial analysis platform. The funds will be used to expand Glassbox's team and bring its platform to market, aiming to transform traditional spreadsheet-based workflows into more efficient, transparent, and AI-driven processes. - learn more
  • March Capital participated in a $75M Series C funding round for Luminance, a Cambridge, UK-based legal technology company specializing in AI-powered contract generation, negotiation, and analysis. The funds will be used to accelerate Luminance's global expansion, particularly in the U.S., and to enhance its AI platform, extending its applications to adjacent areas such as procurement and compliance. - learn more
  • Rebel Fund participated in a €17.2M Series A funding round for Capi Money, a London-based FinTech startup specializing in streamlining international payments for SMEs in emerging markets. The funds will be used to scale Capi Money's platform, enabling small and medium-sized importers in regions like Africa, Latin America, and China to pay international suppliers more efficiently. - learn more
  • Group 11 participated in a $100M Series B funding round for Dream, an AI company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, specializing in cyber resilience solutions for nations and critical infrastructure. The investment, led by Bain Capital Ventures, will be used to enhance Dream's product capabilities and expand its global market reach, aiming to bolster national cybersecurity defenses against sophisticated threats. - learn more
  • B Capital participated in a $320M Series C funding round for Lambda, a San Jose, California-based company specializing in GPU cloud services for AI applications. The funds will be used to expand Lambda's AI cloud business, including their on-demand and reserved cloud offerings, to meet the growing demand for AI infrastructure. - learn more
  • B Capital co-led a $350M Series A funding round for Apptronik, an Austin, Texas-based company specializing in AI-powered humanoid robots. The investment will be used to scale the production of their humanoid robot, Apollo, designed for tasks in logistics and manufacturing sectors. Apptronik plans to expand Apollo's capabilities to other industries, including elder care and healthcare. - learn more
  • Upfront Ventures led a $7.5M Seed funding round for Keragon, a New York City-based company providing an AI-powered, HIPAA-compliant automation platform for healthcare. The funds will be used to expand operations and development efforts, enabling healthcare professionals to integrate over 300 software tools—including electronic health records, scheduling platforms, and AI medical scribes—without requiring engineering expertise. This integration aims to streamline data exchange, reduce administrative burdens, and safeguard patient information. - learn more
  • Blue Bear Capital participated in a $16M Series B funding round for ACCURE Battery Intelligence, an Aachen, Germany-based company specializing in AI-based battery safety and performance solutions. The funds will be used to expand ACCURE's predictive analytics software offerings across Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific regions, addressing the growing demand for enhanced battery safety and reliability in energy storage systems and electric vehicle fleets. - learn more
  • Clocktower Ventures participated in a $6.2M Seed funding round for Era Finance, a company specializing in AI-powered personal wealth management solutions. The funds will be used to expand Era's 'wealth-care' platform, aiming to make advanced financial intelligence accessible to a broader audience. - learn more
  • Climate Avengers participated in a $25M Series B funding round for Mast, a company specializing in restorative carbon removal projects. The funds will be used to launch a first-of-its-kind biomass burial and reforestation project, aiming to enhance carbon sequestration and combat climate change. - learn more
  • Clocktower Ventures participated in a $5M Seed funding round for Vigil, a New York-based insurtech startup specializing in annuities. The funds will be used to expand Vigil's platform and enhance its services in the annuities market. - learn more
  • Finality Capital Partners co-led a $7M Seed funding round for Fragmetric, a company specializing in native liquid restaking protocols on the Solana blockchain. The funds will be used to enhance Fragmetric's platform, focusing on efficient distribution of Node Consensus Network rewards and determining appropriate slashing ratios for Liquid Staking Tokens, thereby strengthening the security and economic potential of the Solana ecosystem. - learn more

      LA Exits

      • Guidance, a leading digital commerce services provider, has been acquired by OneMagnify, a global marketing and technology solutions company backed by Crestview Partners. This strategic acquisition aims to enhance OneMagnify's digital experience and eCommerce capabilities, enabling the combined entity to offer comprehensive, data-driven digital solutions to their clients. - learn more
      • Maple Media, a leader in mobile app publishing with a diverse portfolio of "Top 10" apps across productivity, entertainment, and lifestyle categories, has been acquired by Skybound Entertainment. This acquisition aims to enhance Skybound's reach by integrating Maple Media's stable revenue, proprietary app management technology, and direct consumer relationships, thereby expanding Skybound's audience and engagement. - learn more
      • Prima, a science-backed wellness brand specializing in clean and clinical CBD skincare and body care, has been acquired by Sky Marketing Corporation, a Texas-based house of hemp brands. The acquisition will allow Prima to expand its reach and continue its mission of delivering high-quality, plant-based wellness solutions under Sky Marketing's portfolio. - learn more

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        🏈Snapchat’s Super Bowl Push & Apple’s New App 📲—Here’s What’s New

        🔦 Spotlight

        Hello, Los Angeles!

        With Super Bowl LIX coming up this Sunday, the buzz isn’t just about the Chiefs vs. Eagles matchup—it’s also about how tech is shaping the experience. From Snapchat’s interactive game-day features to Apple’s latest product launch, there’s plenty happening beyond the field.

        Snapchat’s Super Bowl Features

        If you're watching the game, chances are you’ll be on your phone just as much as your TV. This year, Snapchat is rolling out AR Lenses, live score updates, and Spotlight challenges to make game day more interactive. Want to try on your team’s jersey? There’s a Lens for that. Need real-time updates? Snap has them covered. Attending the game in New Orleans? Live Location can help you track down friends in the crowd. As the second-screen experience becomes more ingrained in live sports, Snap is making sure it’s front and center.

        Snap’s New Initiative: The Department of Angels

        Super Bowl Sunday is about competition, but what happens when the challenge isn’t on the field? Yesterday, Snap announced The Department of Angels, a new initiative aimed at supporting communities recovering from disasters, offering independent funding and resources to help them rebuild on their own terms. Backed by $10 million from Snap Inc., Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and the California Community Foundation, the program shifts away from traditional corporate donations and toward grassroots, community-led recovery efforts. Could this be a model for how tech companies engage with real-world crises in the future?

        Apple Wants to Change How You Send Invites

        Apple is stepping into the event invite space with Apple Invites, a new app designed to make organizing gatherings simpler. Competing with platforms like Partiful and Evite, Apple’s version integrates directly into iMessage and Apple Calendar, making it an easy, built-in option for Apple users. With so many invite platforms out there, will Apple’s streamlined approach become the go-to for iPhone users, or will it simply be another tool in the mix?

        Where to Watch Super Bowl LIX

        The Chiefs and Eagles face off this Sunday at 3:30 PM PT on FOX. Here’s a helpful link to directly access ways to watch. You can stream the game for free on Tubi, or catch it on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, NFL+, and fuboTV. And of course, we’ll be watching to see which brands—including tech giants—deliver the most memorable ads of the night.

        Between Snap’s game-day integrations, its push to support community-led recovery, and Apple’s move into digital invites, this week is full of shifts in how we connect. Which of these will redefine the way we interact? We’ll be watching.

        🤝 Venture Deals

        LA Companies

        • Musical AI, a company specializing in rights management for generative AI music, has raised a $1.5M seed funding round led by Build Ventures. The investment will support the development of Musical AI's attribution model, which analyzes tracks to determine the contribution of various data sources in AI-generated music. This enables rightsholders to monitor and manage the use of their works, while providing generative AI companies with access to quality licensed data and detailed usage reports. - learn more

        LA Venture Funds
        • Fika Ventures participated in a $16M Series A funding round for Ivo, a San Francisco-based AI-powered contract review platform, bringing its total funding to $22.2M. The company plans to use the funds to scale its AI-driven contract review solutions and has launched the Ivo Search Agent to enhance contract search and analysis capabilities. - learn more
        • Freeflow Ventures participated in a $7M seed funding round for Miist Therapeutics, a Bay Area-based company specializing in physics-based inhaled medicines. Miist plans to use the funds to advance its two lead programs: MST-01 for smoking addiction and MST-02 for migraine treatment. Their proprietary inhaler delivers sterile aqueous drug particles to the peripheral lung, achieving rapid absorption and symptom relief. - learn more
        • Fiore Ventures participated in a $9.5M strategic funding round for Little Otter, a digital mental health care provider specializing in whole-family services. The company plans to use the funds to expand its services to reach millions of families covered by Medicaid and commercial insurance plans, leveraging an AI-powered platform to enhance patient triage and personalized care. - learn more
        • Arca participated in a $13.5M Series A funding round for Beamable, a company specializing in providing live game services for game developers. The funds will be used to expand Beamable's decentralized gaming infrastructure and enhance its platform offerings. - learn more
        • Village Global participated in an $8M seed funding round for Desteia, a company leveraging AI and graph theory to address supply chain disruptions. The funds will be used to enhance Desteia's technology and expand its market reach. - learn more
        • TI Capital and QBIT Capital co-led a $7.5M Series A funding round for Largo.ai, a company specializing in AI-driven solutions for the film industry. The funds will be used to enhance Largo.ai's AI-powered platform and expand its market presence. - learn more
        • Strong Ventures participated in a ₩3.5 billion (approximately $2.9M) funding round for Class101, a South Korea-based all-in-one creator content platform. The company plans to use the funds to enhance its 'Creator Home' service, recruit top creators in fields such as economics, side jobs, art, crafts, and careers, and expand corporate subscription services for employee education and welfare. - learn more
        • Village Global participated in a $4M Seed funding round for Perspective AI, a Palo Alto, California-based company specializing in AI-mediated customer conversations. The funds will be used to expand operations and development efforts. - learn more

            LA Exits

            • SpringboardVR, a provider of virtual reality (VR) venue management software and a leading content marketplace for location-based entertainment, has been acquired by SynthesisVR. Previously owned by Vertigo Games, SpringboardVR is known for its platform that enables VR arcade operators to manage content licensing and operations efficiently. With this acquisition, SynthesisVR aims to enhance its offerings for VR arcades and developers, supporting the growth and innovation of the VR industry. - learn more
            • Generation Genius, an educational streaming platform that provides K-8 science and math videos, activities, and lessons, has been acquired by Newsela to enhance its instructional content and strengthen real-world connections in science and math education. - learn more

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              AI Dominates the Headlines, but Defense Tech Is Gaining Speed

              🔦 Spotlight

              Hello, Los Angeles!

              This week, DeepSeekAI has been dominating the tech conversation. The Chinese AI startup’s chatbot app surged to the No. 1 spot on the App Store, drawing both excitement and scrutiny. Supporters see its open-weight model as a potential game-changer, offering developers more flexibility compared to closed AI systems like OpenAI’s. But the rapid rise has also raised questions about security, data governance, and global AI competition. Whether DeepSeek will be a long-term disruptor or just a momentary sensation remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—AI remains the tech industry’s driving force.

              But while AI continues to dominate headlines, another sector is quietly making waves—defense technology. And one LA-based startup just secured a major endorsement from investors and the U.S. government.

              Castelion’s Hypersonic Bet—Can It Outrun the Defense Industry’s Red Tape?

              Image Source: Castelion

              El Segundo-based Castelionjust raised$100 million to accelerate its mission to build hypersonic weapons faster, cheaper, and at scale. The financing—$70 million in equity (led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with participation from a16z, Lavrock Ventures, Cantos, First In, BlueYard Capital, and Interlagos) and $30 million in venture debt (from Silicon Valley Bank)—is the latest sign that venture capital sees national security startups as a high-growth opportunity.

              Unlike traditional defense contractors, Castelion is operating like a fast-moving startup, not a slow-moving government supplier. Founded by former SpaceX engineers, the company is applying an iterative, test-heavy approach to building long-range hypersonic strike weapons—which travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (3,800+ mph) and are designed to evade modern missile defenses.

              Not Just VC-Backed—The U.S. Military is Betting on Castelion Too

              While the $100 million raise is a major milestone, Castelion already has funded contracts with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army. These contracts are focused on hypersonic technology development and scaled manufacturing, areas where the military has struggled to move quickly due to bureaucratic delays and reliance on traditional defense giants.

              To prove it can execute, Castelion recently successfully launched a low-cost ballistic missile from a self-built launcher in Mojave. Now, with both government contracts and venture capital behind it, the company is pushing forward on more flight tests and building out its scaled production capabilities.

              Image Source: Castelion - Castelion launches a missile prototype in Mojave, CA

              With rising geopolitical tensions and an increasing focus on faster, cost-effective deterrence, Castelion is positioning itself as a new kind of defense player—one that moves at startup speed. Whether it can sustain that pace while navigating the complexities of government procurement remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of defense tech isn’t just about who can build the best weapons—it’s about who can build them fast enough.


              🤝 Venture Deals

              LA Companies

              • Omnitron Sensors, a Los Angeles-based pioneer in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication technology, has secured over $13M in a Series A funding round led by Corriente Advisors, LLC, with participation from L'ATTITUDE Ventures. The company plans to use the funds to expand its engineering and operations teams and accelerate the mass production of its first product, a reliable and affordable MEMS step-scanning mirror designed for various applications, including AI data centers, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), drones, extended reality (XR) headsets, and toxic gas-detection systems. - learn more
              • Camouflet, a Los Angeles-based technology company specializing in AI-driven dynamic pricing solutions, has secured a $12M Series A funding round led by QVM. The company plans to utilize the proceeds to scale its platform across various industries, expand into international markets, and enhance its technology and team to better serve its clients. - learn more
              LA Venture Funds
              • Clocktower Ventures participated in a $6.2M Seed funding round for Foyer, a New York-based fintech startup that assists individuals in saving for home purchases. The funds will be used to enhance Foyer's platform and expand its user base. - learn more
              • Smash Capital participated in ElevenLabs' $180M Series C funding round, bringing the company's valuation to $3.3 billion. Based in New York, ElevenLabs specializes in AI-powered text-to-speech and voice cloning technology. The newly secured funds will be used to enhance its AI audio platform and expand its global presence. - learn more
              • March Capital participated in a $25M Series C funding round for SuperOps to support the company's efforts in advancing AI research and development, expanding offerings for mid-market and enterprise managed service providers (MSPs), and scaling its global presence. Additionally, SuperOps is launching an AI-powered Endpoint Management tool to enhance IT team productivity. - learn more
              • Cedars-Sinai participated in a $2M funding round for Neu Health to support its AI-driven neurology care platform for conditions like Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Originating from the University of Oxford, Neu Health will use the funds to enter the U.S. market, beginning with a six-month pilot program at Cedars-Sinai focused on improving neurology patient care. - learn more
              • Chapter One Ventures participated in a $2.8M seed funding round for Mevvy, a blockchain startup aiming to democratize Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) trading by simplifying access and reducing technical complexities. The funds will be used to further develop Mevvy's platform, expand its user base, and enhance its offerings. - learn more

                LA Exits

                • Kona, an AI-powered assistant and coach for remote managers, has been acquired by 15Five, a performance management platform. Founded in 2019, Kona integrates with virtual meeting platforms like Zoom and Google Meet to provide tailored coaching and enablement for remote managers. The acquisition aims to enhance 15Five's offerings by incorporating Kona's capabilities to improve manager effectiveness within existing workflows. - learn more

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