Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health announced over the weekend that all residents are eligible to receive free at-home PCR tests from Temple City-based Fulgent Genetics, in an effort to encourage testing and prevent the highly transmissible virus from spreading even further. Read more >>
Here's what else we're reading in the news:
- SpaceX raised $337.4 million in equity financing last week, putting it at a $100 billion valuation.
- Riot Games settled a gender discrimination lawsuit for $100 million.
- Kiira Health, a healthcare technology company based in Los Angeles, raised $4 million in a seed round.
- Mote Inc., a clean-tech startup based in Culver City, has plans to build a $100 million gasification plant to extract carbon dioxide from wood waste in Kern County.
- Nikola’s first Tre battery-electric truck has arrived at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
- A West Hollywood fintech company launched a new banking program aimed at growing Hispanic wealth in the cryptocurrency sector.
Demand for Testing Kits Surges as Omicron Spreads
Two years into the pandemic, Los Angeles County is struggling to maintain proper testing infrastructure as demand rises exponentially amid the spread of the omicron variant. Now, a recent spike in COVID-19 cases is putting pressure on health officials to keep up their testing efforts and avoid overwhelming the hospitals.
Sweetgreen Launches a Salad Subscription Service
On Monday, Sweetgreeen launched a monthly subscription service for discounted bowls of its leafy greens. The launch of the subscription comes less than two months after Sweetgreen’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.
Upgrading California's Cannabis Laws
Five years after California legalized marijuana in 2018, varying regulations have cost cannabis producers tens of thousands of dollars while endangering consumers and the environment. A new law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered the state to develop clear and specific guidelines to test cannabis products.
Tech Industry Experts Predict What's to Come in 2022
Last year brought big changes to L.A.'s startup and tech scene, from video streaming to blockchain technology to a boom in electric vehicles and the sectors supporting them. What's next for 2022? Tech industry experts told us what they see coming in the new year — more autonomous robots in the food industry, soaring EV sales, more media giant mergers and more.