Column: How to Make Sure We Address Bias in the Workplace, Even as the Workplace Dramatically Shifts

Cheryl Ingram, PhD
Cheryl Ingram, EdD. is the CEO and founder of Inclusology, a software company that is using machine learning to build the world's greatest diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) assessments, benchmarks, and automated solutions). Diverse City LLC is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm working with organizations across the United States. Cheryl has been training and coaching in the area of diversity and inclusion for 18 years. She has her Doctorate of Education with a specialization in D&I, a Master of Arts in Education, and her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, all from New Mexico State University. Cheryl's company works with clients such as Netflix, Uber, Foursquare, University of Washington and others to help them build sustainable and fair DEI Practices. Cheryl's many passions related to social justice and equity include serving on the board of directors for Unloop, a national technical training program that addresses recidivism in prisons throughout Washington State.
Column: How to Make Sure We Address Bias in the Workplace, Even as the Workplace Dramatically Shifts

We will soon be turning the page on the pandemic of 2020 that has dominated headlines and consumed the conversation in boardrooms across America. Along with the rapid adaptation of digital workforces, we have also seen another growing revolution that is gaining momentum in its quest for change. The year brought with it a duality that kept our attention on the pandemic while at the same time we watched in disbelief as so many occurrences of racial injustice dominated the headlines. COVID-19 may eventually fade from public view, but we cannot allow the issue of pervasive racism to slip below the surface, too. As we move into the next year it is important for us to continue building awareness on the fundamental conversations needed for the country to heal around racial boundaries. Corporate leaders have a vital role to play in that process as we adapt to the technology-driven distributed workforce of tomorrow.


Now is the time to elevate discussions about racism in the workplace. Public opinion is shifting rapidly on the topic, and there is an expectation for brands and leaders to make public statements on where they stand. Professional sports, the fashion industry, big tech and even food delivery apps have generated viral stories because of their action or hesitance to take a position on racism during the pandemic. C-suite professionals can no longer take a neutral approach on the topic of racism because the conversation is now growing louder within their own workplaces. The good news is that many leaders and brands are beginning to make commitments to better understand the complexity of the issues we face.

Creating the workforce of tomorrow also means building an equitable environment for all people. That dynamic is creating a growing consensus that the days of racism, sexism, ageism and all forms of discrimination must end. The new distributed structure of the digital work environment has created opportunities for change, but at the same time challenges to progress that must be addressed. This dynamic is especially relevant for tech firms like VMware, Facebook and Google. Companies have generally faced geographic staffing limitations that excluded potential new hires from diverse cultural backgrounds because of the relocation requirements. Tech firms must consider diversity in hiring more than ever as more barriers are removed by the evolving remote workforce opportunities.

Many companies hoped to implement diversity training and strategies to create more inclusive workplaces in the months ahead. When those plans were created, they assumed employees would be predominantly based in the same physical locations. Newly formed distributed employee environments have created barriers to communication and more subtle, but equally harmful, forms of racism and discrimination have increased.

Instances of racism on digital platforms are on the rise and are not always limited to social media. Even Airbnb and Uber have found it necessary to implement strict measures to weed out pervasive forms of racism on their platforms. A 2015 study by Harvard Professor Michael Luca and colleagues Benjamin Edelman and Dan Svirsky — now economists Microsoft and Uber, respectively — used booking requests by 20 mock Airbnb profiles without photos to gauge discrimination among 6,400 Airbnb hosts in five American cities. Requests made from profiles with African American-sounding names were about 16% less likely to be accepted. Members of the new application Clubhouse have even posted chats rooms where Black women have been criticized and harmed, just for being Black women. Additionally, messaging platforms like Telegram have been widely criticized as hundreds of white supremacist groups have sprung up on their apps. Most digital workforces are now communicating through a myriad of messaging, email and social applications where bias, microaggressions, and even overt racism take place, while the perpetrators launch culture-destroying ideology from behind a keyboard. Marginalized communities have previously found their "safe place" at home and in their digital lives. As the new digital work culture blurs those lines it is having a detrimental impact.

Corporate leaders must consider this challenge as an opportunity to create an all-encompassing approach to their diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Many forward-looking companies have been quick to act on pandemic-era adjustments, but as the remote workforce becomes permanent it is important to evaluate the new environment.

  • Start by establishing an internal committee dedicated to your diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to understand the unique impact of your new distributed workforce. This group should be rewarded for their efforts and not seen as an additional task force.
  • Consider all current communication platforms and evaluate necessary technology and policy changes. Create membership agreements that emphasize inclusive and non-discriminatory practices and fire people who violate those terms with consequence.
  • Create safe spaces for open dialogue, where marginalized populations can feel safe to speak up about their experience without being tone policed. Real change will only happen when all people truly know that their voice is heard and used when decision making is happening within your company at the highest level.
  • Recruit more BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) in executive and leadership positions. Develop competencies that respect their expertise and allow them to contribute.
  • Stop expecting one practice to solve your problems. Companies like Netflix, Comcast, Parametrix and Zillow have long-term plans that dedicate resources to diversity, equity and inclusion for up to 5 years. They are realistic, diligent and patient when creating goals and metrics. You need a plan and well-intentioned and competent people to develop and execute it!

Finally, we need to recognize that progress is being made. America is on a journey to building more equitable workplaces. Catalyst events have occurred that created more urgency to make change. Some brands and leaders have been quick to implement new strategies while others are still considering their best path forward. We did not get here overnight, and we will not have instant transformation, but doing nothing is no longer an option. Considering the workforce of tomorrow as an ever-evolving environment with opportunities for consistent improvement is important. Yes, the road forward for many companies will be challenging as they implement changes. However, the road behind us is filled with bias, discrimination, and injustice for marginalized groups. Leaders that see this reality and understand that their workplace will only truly thrive when it is equitable will see results as the most successful workplaces of tomorrow.

Dr. Cheryl Ingram, PhD is a diversity, equity and inclusion strategist and founder and CEO of Inclusology and Diverse City LLC.

El Segundo Startup Turns Tax Credits into Big Business

🔦 Spotlight

Hello LA,

Step into the world of Incentify, the El Segundo-based innovator turning the headache of managing tax credits and incentives into a walk in the park. Founded in 2019, this trailblazing company is reshaping how businesses approach what was once a daunting bureaucratic challenge.

Incentify’s platform is revolutionizing the industry by helping businesses discover and effectively manage a share of the estimated $1.2 trillion in tax credits and incentives that often go unclaimed each year. This critical service not only simplifies the process but also ensures that companies can more easily access and leverage these financial opportunities to fuel their growth and sustainability initiatives.

Recently, Incentify reached a new milestone by securing $9.5 million Series A funding led by Innovent Capital Group. This significant investment underscores the market’s confidence in their innovative approach and supports their mission to expand their technological capabilities and market reach.

As Incentify gears up for this expansion, their efforts are set to make tax incentives more accessible to a broader spectrum of businesses. This is especially vital in today’s economy, where optimizing financial strategies is crucial for business resilience and growth.

Incentify's success story from El Segundo is not just about financial gains but also about empowering companies with the tools to turn complex financial engagements into strategic advantages.

Stay tuned for more from LA’s vibrant tech scene. Let’s continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Enjoy your weekend, and keep innovating, LA!

🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • TOGETHXR, a pioneering women's sports media and commerce brand co-founded by athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird, has achieved profitability and significant growth, including tripling its year-over-year revenue and increasing its social media following by 17% year-to-date. The company has secured additional growth capital in a funding round led by Alex Morgan's Trybe Ventures. The funds will be used to expand TOGETHXR's presence in the women's sports marketplace. Additionally, media executive Nancy Dubuc has joined the company as Executive Chair, bringing her extensive experience to support TOGETHXR's mission of elevating women's sports and culture. - learn more
  • Airvet, a Los Angeles-based pet telehealth platform, has secured $11M in an oversubscribed Series B-2 funding round led by HighlandX. This investment follows a year of significant growth, including a 4x increase in year-over-year revenue and a tripling of its client base. Airvet partners with leading employers across various industries, such as PepsiCo, Adobe, and Lyft, to provide employees with 24/7 access to veterinary care via video or chat. The platform's services include online pharmacy, e-prescriptions, discounted pet insurance, wellness programs, and specialty care, with recent expansions into Spanish and French language support. The funds will be used to further enhance Airvet's platform and expand its reach, aiming to make veterinary care more accessible and affordable for pet families globally. - learn more
          LA Venture Funds
          • Interlagos co-led a $50M Series A funding round for Aetherflux, a San Carlos, California-based startup developing satellites to collect and transmit solar energy from space to Earth. The funds will be used to expand Aetherflux's engineering team and advance the technology for its planned low Earth orbit demonstration mission in 2026. - learn more
          • Bungalow Capital Management co-led a $2M seed funding round for Juno, a Denver-based startup specializing in corporate guest travel management. Juno offers an integrated platform that streamlines booking, logistics, payments, reimbursements, and support for non-employee travelers such as job candidates, contractors, and customers. The funds will be used to accelerate product development and expand partnerships, including a collaboration with ALTOUR as their first travel management company partner. - learn more
          • Veridical Ventures co-led a $3.75M seed funding round for Flagship, a Sydney, Australia-based retail technology company specializing in visual merchandising solutions. Flagship's platform creates digital twins of retail stores, enabling data-driven optimization of product placement and store layouts to enhance sales performance. The funds will be used to expand Flagship's presence in the U.S. market and further develop its product offerings. - learn more
          • Miroma Ventures participated in a £6.5M Series A funding round for Limitless Travel, a Birmingham, UK-based company specializing in accessible holidays for individuals with disabilities. Founded in 2015 by Angus Drummond, who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at 22, Limitless Travel offers curated group holidays with trained carers, ensuring accommodations and excursions meet specific accessibility needs. The investment will enable the company to enhance its technology, expand its range of destinations, and lay the groundwork for international growth, aiming to transform the lives of disabled individuals through travel. - learn more
          • B Capital participated in a $20M Series A funding round for Gable, a Seattle-based company specializing in data management solutions. Gable's platform focuses on "shifting left" in data management by enabling software and data developers to collaboratively build and manage high-quality data assets through API-based data contracts. The funds will be used to accelerate product development and expand Gable's team to meet the growing demand for data collaboration tools. - learn more
          • Rebel Fund participated in a $3.8M funding round for Sohar Health, a health technology company. Sohar Health is developing an AI-powered platform designed to streamline patient intake and triage, aiming to enhance access to healthcare services. The funds will be used to accelerate product development and expand the company's reach within the healthcare industry. - learn more

              LA Exits

              • Tixologi, a next-generation ticketing platform, has been acquired by Punchup Live, a New York-based comedy platform. This strategic move integrates Tixologi's advanced ticketing technology into Punchup Live's ecosystem, enabling seamless, direct-to-fan ticket sales for comedians and venues. The acquisition aims to enhance the ticket purchasing experience by providing features such as fast checkout, unified outreach tools, and advanced anti-scalping solutions, thereby empowering comedians to connect more effectively with their audiences. - learn more
              • InVisit, a Calabasas, California-based provider of cloud-based visitor management solutions, has been acquired by Motorola Solutions. InVisit's platform streamlines visitor registration, access, and host notifications across sectors such as commercial offices, education, and healthcare, enhancing security through features like blocklist screening and real-time guest activity insights. This acquisition aims to integrate InVisit's capabilities into Motorola Solutions' Avigilon Alta security suite, offering enterprise customers a unified, cloud-native approach to managing security threats and improving operational efficiency. - learn more

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                          $207M Later, Napster is Back and Ready for the Metaverse

                          🔦 Spotlight

                          Happy Friday, Los Angeles!

                          This week, we’re rewinding the clock and fast-forwarding into the future at the same time. Napster, yes, that Napster, just got acquired for $207 million byInfinite Reality, a metaverse and immersive tech company that’s aiming to bring the iconic music platform into the next generation.

                          For anyone who came of age in the early 2000s, Napster was either your musical awakening or the reason your dial-up connection crashed. Launched in 1999 by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker, it was the face of peer-to-peer file sharing and a lightning rod in the music industry’s first wave of digital disruption. After its legal battles and shutdown in 2001, Napster bounced between owners like Roxio and Best Buy, before eventually merging with Rhapsody and evolving into a legitimate streaming service.

                          Now, Infinite Reality is giving Napster a fresh remix. The company says it plans to turn Napster into a social-first music platform that emphasizes artist-fan interaction over passive listening. We’re talking virtual 3D concert experiences, listening parties, fan communities, and merch drops… essentially, a metaverse-native platform built for music superfans.

                          According to Infinite Reality CEO John Acunto, this aligns with the company’s bigger vision: moving the internet away from “a flat 2D clickable web” into “a 3D conversational one.” They’re betting that a brand like Napster, which already carries cultural weight, can thrive in a world where fans want deeper connections and creators want modern monetization tools.

                          It’s a bold move, but maybe a smart one. Nostalgia is a powerful asset, and in an era where legacy brands keep getting digital reboots, Napster has a chance to go from early disruptor to comeback story.

                          Will today’s listeners hit play? We’ll see. But as far as tech comebacks go, we’re here for this remix.

                          🤝 Venture Deals

                          LA Companies

                          • Topanga, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in AI-driven waste reduction solutions for commercial kitchens, has raised an $8M Series A funding round led by Blue Bear Capital, with participation from Struck Capital, Amasia, and Wonder Ventures. This investment brings Topanga's total funding to $12.2M. The company plans to use the proceeds to expand its food waste tracking platform into the senior living, health care, and hospitality sectors, accelerate the growth of its ReusePass system beyond universities into enterprise food service, and enhance integration with major food-service platforms like Grubhub and Jamix. - learn more
                          • Flight Science, an aviation tech startup focused on AI-powered flight optimization, raised $1.5M in pre-seed funding led by Outsiders Fund. The company helps airlines reduce fuel costs, emissions, and turbulence impact, and will use the funds to grow its team and expand product rollout by summer 2025. - learn more
                                LA Venture Funds
                                  • Second Sight Ventures participated in a $14.2M Series A1 funding round for Lucky Energy, an Austin, Texas-based energy drink company. Lucky Energy offers a line of zero-sugar, zero-calorie beverages in six flavors, formulated with ingredients like maca and beta-alanine. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate distribution, introduce new products, support strategic partnerships, and recruit in key business areas. - learn more
                                  • M13 led a $5.5M funding round for Chord Commerce, with participation from Act One Ventures and others. The New York-based company provides an AI-powered customer data platform (CDP) that helps commerce brands unify customer data, generate real-time insights, and automate marketing decisions. The funding will be used to further develop the platform and support brands in scaling their data-driven marketing efforts. - learn more
                                  • Upfront Ventures led a $4M Seed funding round for Arlo Health, a New York City-based AI-powered health insurance underwriter focused on small and mid-sized businesses. Arlo offers level-funded health plans designed to improve preventive care and cost transparency through value-based care and AI-driven underwriting. The funds will be used to expand its broker network, grow its engineering and sales teams, and scale operations. - learn more
                                  • Bonfire Ventures co-led a $5M Seed funding round for VoiceOps, with participation from Village Global and others. Based in New York City, VoiceOps uses generative AI to analyze phone calls and surface insights that boost sales performance, ensure compliance, and optimize marketing. The funding will support product development, team expansion, and broader market adoption. - learn more
                                  • MANTIS Venture Capital participated in a $17.2M Seed funding round for EDGE Markets, a fintech company building banking tools tailored to the gaming industry. EDGE’s flagship product, EDGE Boost, offers a debit card and bank account specifically designed for betting, with features like spending limits, financial transparency, and cash-back rewards. The funds will be used to further develop the platform and expand its presence within the gaming market. - learn more

                                      LA Exits

                                      • SmartDepo, a leading provider of AI-powered deposition summaries for the legal industry, has been acquired by Rev, a prominent speech-to-text technology company. Founded in 2023 by civil rights attorney Isaac Manoff, SmartDepo delivers comprehensive deposition summaries featuring 100% accurate page-line citations, hyperlinked tables of contents, key admissions analyses, and deposition memos highlighting essential themes. This strategic acquisition combines Rev's highly accurate transcription services with SmartDepo's advanced summarization capabilities, aiming to enhance productivity for attorneys and court reporters by reducing manual review time and improving client outcomes. - learn more
                                      • Stem, a platform offering personalized distribution and digital strategy services for independent artists and labels, has been acquired by Concord, a leading independent music company. Stem will operate as a separate division within Concord Label Group, with CEO Milana Lewis and President Kristin Graziani continuing in their roles. This acquisition provides Stem with the capital and resources to invest in new technology, expand its suite of label services, and accelerate global growth, while maintaining its mission to empower independent artists with autonomy and support. - learn more

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                                                  $100M in Wheels and Wings: Startups Changing How We Move

                                                  🔦 Spotlight

                                                  Happy Friday, LA —

                                                  LA’s mobility scene is shifting gears — fast.

                                                  We’ve got movement on the ground and in the skies this week.

                                                  Image Source: Upway

                                                  Let’s start on two wheels. Sequoia-backed startup Upway just launched its new 30,000 square-foot flagship facility in Redondo Beach, and it’s not your average bike shop. The UpCenter, as they’re calling it, is the largest e-bike refurbishment center in California — and it’s a big bet on LA becoming a leader in urban micromobility.

                                                  If you haven’t heard of Upway yet, you will soon. The company refurbishes e-bikes at scale, with $70 million in funding and operations in both the U.S. and Europe. Their mission? Make high-quality e-bikes more affordable and accessible, especially in cities where traffic is, well… legendary.

                                                  With California’s new e-bike rebate in effect and Angelenos increasingly looking for car-free ways to move around town, Upway’s timing couldn’t be better. Whether you’re commuting, cruising the Strand, or just sick of spending half your life on the 405, a refurbished ride might be the smoothest move you make all year.

                                                  Now — from bikes to drones.

                                                  Image Source: Neros

                                                  Neros, a young LA-based startup focused on American-made autonomous drones, just announced a $35 million Series A to ramp up manufacturing. In a market long dominated by overseas players, Neros is building drone tech domestically — and it’s not just for hobbyists. Their AI-powered drones are designed to be rugged, adaptable, and mission-ready, with applications across defense, public safety, and infrastructure.

                                                  The round was led by Vy Capital, with participation from Interlagos Capital, D3, Sequoia, and Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, the CEO of Zipline. Neros’ co-founder and CEO, Soren Monroe-Anderson, summed it up well: this is about “freedom through autonomy.”

                                                  Now, on to this week’s LA venture deals, fund announcements, and acquisitions…

                                                  🤝 Venture Deals

                                                  LA Companies

                                                  • BuildOps, a Los Angeles-based provider of a unified cloud-based platform for commercial contractors, has raised a $127M Series C funding round led by Meritech Capital Partners, with participation from B Capital, Fika Ventures and others. This investment elevates BuildOps to unicorn status with a valuation of $1 billion. The company plans to use the funds to enhance product capabilities, improve customer support, and scale operations to meet the growing demand from commercial contractors nationwide. - learn more
                                                  • Proteus Space, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in rapid custom satellite bus solutions, has raised an oversubscribed $6.1M Seed-2 funding round, led by Lavrock Ventures with participation from Crosscut Ventures and others. The funds will be used to accelerate the development and deployment of MERCURY™, Proteus’ automated computational engineering system, which aims to revolutionize custom satellite bus design by significantly reducing development time and costs. - learn more
                                                  • Occuspace, a Westlake Village, California-based company specializing in occupancy intelligence technology, has secured a $6M Series A funding round led by Lewis & Clark Ventures. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate its growth across higher education, corporate, and government facilities, aiming to make space utilization data the source of truth for understanding and managing the built environment. - learn more
                                                  • Qolab, a company specializing in quantum computing hardware, has secured Series A funding from Applied Ventures, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials. The investment will be used to advance the development and scalable manufacturing of superconducting qubits, a critical component for large-scale quantum computing. As part of the collaboration, Qolab and Applied Materials have also co-authored a technical roadmap outlining strategies to scale quantum computing from hundreds to millions of qubits. - learn more
                                                      LA Venture Funds
                                                        • Wasserman participated in a $56M funding round for Carbon Arc, a New York City-based AI data utility company. Carbon Arc specializes in transforming raw data from various industries into structured, standardized intelligence suitable for AI models and business applications. The funds will be used to accelerate the growth of Carbon Arc's Insights Exchange platform, enhancing its data utility services for businesses and the AI community. - learn more
                                                        • Trousdale Ventures participated in a $24M funding round for Coreshell, a San Leandro, California-based battery technology company. Coreshell specializes in developing low-cost, high-performance silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries, aiming to enhance energy density and reduce costs. The funds will be used to scale production at their 4 MWh manufacturing facility and to plan a new 100 MWh facility, with the goal of delivering next-generation electric vehicle batteries to global automakers this year. - learn more
                                                        • Talino Venture Studios has participated in a $2.8M seed funding round for Higala, a Philippine-based instant payment system startup. Higala aims to enhance financial inclusion by connecting rural banks, thrift banks, commercial banks, and electronic money issuers through an open payments infrastructure, thereby lowering the cost of real-time payments and reducing entry barriers. The funds will be used to expand Higala's services, including the launch of platform banking in the second quarter, enabling smaller financial institutions to offer digital payment services. - learn more
                                                        • Alexandria Venture Investments participated in a $150M Series B funding round for Latigo Biotherapeutics, a Thousand Oaks, California-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing non-opioid pain treatments. The funds will support the advancement of Latigo's selective Nav1.8 inhibitors, currently in clinical development, and the expansion of its broader therapeutic pipeline. - learn more
                                                        • Thiel Capital led a $3.25M funding round for Pilgrim, a biotech startup focused on enhancing human performance and defending against biological threats. The funds will be used to advance its Voyager platform, which is developing cutting-edge biotechnology with potential applications ranging from creating ‘supersoldiers’ to mitigating emerging biothreats. - learn more
                                                        • Alt-Capital and WndrCo participated in an $18M seed funding round for Town, a startup specializing in small business tax solutions. Town offers an AI-powered platform that automates tasks such as document processing and data collection, providing each client with a dedicated tax advisor. The funds will be used to scale Town's services across the U.S. and expand their team. - learn more

                                                          LA Exits

                                                            • Dieta Health, a Los Angeles-based company known for its AI-powered stool imaging technology, has been acquired by Cylinder. Dieta’s clinically validated app, shown to outperform traditional patient-reported outcomes, will be integrated into Cylinder’s platform to improve digestive health diagnostics and enable earlier, more personalized treatment. As part of the deal, Dieta’s founder and key team members will join Cylinder to support ongoing development and clinical research. - learn more

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