Launch House, an accelerator-like experiment that started off as part co-working space, part dorm for startup founders, has secured $3 million in seed funding to expand to New York and other locations. Launch House co-founder Jacob Peters told dot.LA that the company has a bigger market in mind: to rival prestigious Ivy League universities in turning out talent. It's hoping to make the jump this year.
🚫 OnlyFans, a monetization platform for content creators, will no longer allow sexually explicit content beginning October.
📸 TikTok has partnered with Audius, a music streaming service built on the Ethereum and Solana blockchains.
🎞 HBO Max is partnering with Cricket Wireless to offer ad-supported content free to its customers.
🗳 A Claremont-based startup has launched a program to jumpstart students' political careers.
💵 A new L.A.-based venture firm, Audacity Capital, has entered the scene to help Black-owned startups with cryptocurrency.
🕶 Facebook is expanding into virtual reality conference calls and Reels.
⚖️ The FTC also recently hit Facebook with a new antitrust suit.
How Does Launch House Even Work?
Launch House approaches the whole accelerator concept much differently: It hosts four-week programs where a group of around 25 tech startup founders live and work out of a Beverly Hills mansion. There, they mingle with other founders and meet potential funders – a round-the-clock networking session.
Read our previous profile of Launch House published back in March.
RepairSmith Expands To Major US Cities
El Segundo-based startup RepairSmith announced that it raised $42 million in a Series B round and it is expanding its at-home service to major U.S. cities by next year.
Bird Unveils Its Electric Bike
Bird, the Santa Monica-based electric scooter company, said its second-quarter revenue "significantly exceeded expectations" and also unveiled a new electric bike to add to its inventory of micro-mobility products: the Bird Bike. It says the bike has a range of 50 miles and a removable 36v battery.
Afterparty Brings Crypto Tokens To Online Events
As creators host more online events, one L.A. startup wants to make it easier for fans to get their hands on crypto tokens and tickets. Today, Afterparty launched a new tool for creators to both mint NFTs and host online events that require crypto tokens for entry.
Matt Cooley Joins Emotive as President and COO
Software-as-a-service veteran Matt Cooley has been named president and chief operating officer for Emotive, an L.A.-based SMS marketing platform. Cooley was previously an investor in Emotive.