Labs processed nearly 1.6 million COVID-19 tests between Aug. 8 and Aug. 14, a big jump from the peak of the pandemic last winter, when labs were processing around half a million tests a day. That number is expected to grow exponentially as Los Angeles imposes more COVID test mandates for workers. dot.LA reporter Keerthi Vedantam takes a look at the labs achieving the critical task of keeping the virus at bay.
🏢 Rexford Industrial Realty has acquired the 27-acre Torrance Technology Campus for about $182 million.
🎙 Spotify has opened its premium podcast feature to all creators and podcasters in the U.S.
🪴 GrowGeneration Corp. has acquired Commercial Grow Supply, a Santa Clarita-based hydroponic supplier in Los Angeles County.
📸 A set of never-before-seen photos of the late NBA star Kobe Bryant will be auctioned off as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with proceeds going to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.
🔬 Biocom California has named Bernard Parker as its new Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Charles Dadswell as chairman of its Public Policy Advisory Committee.
🛍 TikTok has partnered with Shopify to allow merchants to add a shopping tab to profiles and link products to posts.
Among Labs Processing COVID Tests: SummerBio, Valencia Branch Lab
SummerBio, which has contracted with the Los Angeles School District to test students and employees, was responsible for approximately 8% of COVID-19 testing in California for the first week of August.
Valencia Branch Lab is a public health laboratory north of Los Angeles that has partnered with Color, a startup creating testing kits for hereditary health problems that pivoted to COVID testing during the pandemic.
Greenfly Gets $8.4 Million and NBA Star Chris Paul's Backing
When fans couldn't celebrate the Dodgers' World Series Championship at the stadium, Greenfly stepped in to make the virtual celebration possible. The Santa Monica-based company, whose software-as-a-service content management system helps the NBA and the MLB crowdsource and distribute video and photos on social media, has just scored with an $8.4 million funding round and backing from 16-year NBA veteran Chris Paul.
Infinite Canvas' Bid to Build on the Metaverse
Popularity of the gaming metaverse is on the rise. Now, Infinite Canvas is poised to capitalize on the value of user-created content in video games with $2.8 million pre-seed funding.
Tango Raises $5.7M to Solve Companies' Productivity Problems
Tango promises to improve worker productivity with how-to guides. The company that brands itself a "workflow intelligence platform" raised a $5.7 million seed round this week.