Coco, an L.A.-based startup that runs and operates pink delivery robots, is among the several semi-automated robot delivery services that have popped up in cities across California. Coco's delivery robots are equipped with GPS tracking, two-way microphones and a human pilot controlling it from far away. On Wednesday, the startup raised $36 million to keep expanding its fleet, but can it stand out from its competitors like Kiwibot, Starship and Nuro?
⬆️ As it prepares for its public listing, Universal Music Group says it expects 2021 revenue to grow by more than 10%.
💡 Involve.ai Inc., a Santa Monica-based developer of a customer experience platform, secured $16 million in a Series A funding round.
🎙 Joe Rogan is believed to have lost some influence following his exclusive Spotify deal.
🏘 L.A.'s multiple listing service provider, TheMLS, has partnered with RentSpree to give more than 16,000 Southern California agents access to its technology.
🏭 Irvine Electronics Inc. gets acquired by Volex for $16.4 million to expand its profile in North America.
🚨 Reddit users are calling on the platform to scale up its efforts to fight COVID-19 disinformation.
💉 COVID-19 vaccine booster shots given at six months are close to getting the FDA approval.
Can City Hall Keep Up With The Delivery Robots?
Coco is not the only robot delivery service in Los Angeles. Kiwibot has been quietly testing its four-wheeled robots in the streets of L.A. for some time. What remains to be seen is how the city will adapt its street and sidewalk rules to fit robots. Currently, L.A. is weighing regulations that could limit how many robots operate in certain neighborhoods.
The proposed legislation would cap the number of delivery robots a company could place in a city council district to 75 and require machines to yield to pedestrians and obey traffic signals and signs.
Superpedestrian Takes to LA Streets, Promising Safety
Superpedestrian began rolling out 5,000 LINK e-scooters to Los Angeles' sidewalks today, joining Bird, Spin, Lyft, Lime and Wheels in a race to capture a share of the crowded market. Superpedestrian's e-scooters promise a safer experience for both riders and pedestrians.
Bright's Big Push To Get Celebrities Onto Its Platform
The Los Angeles-based startup behind Bright is coming up as an emerging player in the live, online course space with celebrity names like Lindsay Vonn, Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow. On Thursday, the startup announced it had raised $15 million to aid its effort to bring more stars to its platform.
AllVoices Offers Cover To Company Whistleblowers
AllVoices, the L.A.-based startup born in the wake of the #MeToo movement, acts like a third-party tool to help employees report workplace harassment anonymously. This week, the company raised $9.6 million.
LA Venture: How WorkLife Ventures Founder Brianne Kimmel Became a Top Angel Investor
"I had talked to a number of traditional VC firms. And many of them were like, 'this isn't going to happen.'"
In this episode of the LA Venture podcast, WorkLife Ventures founder Brianne Kimmel shares her experience becoming an investor. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.