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XMeet the 10 Startups in Techstars' 2021 Space Accelerator Class
Samson Amore
Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.
Techstars' Space Accelerator took off this week with its third class of space-related companies that make everything from AI-powered smart cameras to technology that can anticipate celestial collisions.
The 10 startups selected for the competitive four-month program are based across the U.S. and Australia and will work with Techstars on a mostly remote basis.
All are developing technology with multiple uses in space and will receive a $120,000 investment in addition to access to Techstars' expanding network of mentors.
That network includes aerospace experts at the Pasadena-based NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Participating companies include Lockheed Martin, Arrow Electronics, SAIC and Israel Aerospace Industries.
"Alumni from our previous cohorts are launching space systems and infrastructure, raising tens of millions of dollars in venture capital as well as receiving lucrative contracts from both government and commercial customers," said Jonathan Fentzke, the program's managing director.
The program will culminate in a demo day on Sept. 2 where the startups will show off their work in hopes of winning potential investors or clients.
Fentzke noted that while no companies in this year's cohort are based in LA, Techstars still has partners mentors and investors based here.
"As it turns out the four companies in California out of 10 are not based in L.A. today, but will likely have a presence over time," Fentzke told dot.LA.
Here's a look at the 10 companies selected for this year's Techstars Space Accelerator.
Hyperkelp
LOCATION: San Clemente, Ca.
CEO: Graeme Rae
Founded by maritime engineer Dr. Graeme Rae, Hyperkelp is building buoys that aren't your average fishing bobber. Its tech can collect and transmit data about the surrounding ocean and incoming payloads from space. The company says its goal is to create a network of the buoys around the ocean to help aerospace launch companies stream data from anywhere around the world.
Hyperspec.ai
LOCATION: San Francisco, CA. and Tel Aviv, Israel
CEO: Ohad Levi
Hyperspec.ai makes smart cameras that run on artificial intelligence. The company's CEO Sravan Puttagunta previously worked in HP's engineering department. In a nutshell, Hyperspec's cameras are made to create accurate mapping and object tracking in real time, with the goal of being used on self-driving cars and other autonomous vehicles.
Nicslab
LOCATION: Sydney, Australia
CEO: Dr. Andri Mahendra
Nicslab develops technology called the "source measurement system" that uses quantum computing to help organizations optimize their internet speeds and make them faster. Its current clients include the University of Oxford, HP Labs and Mitsubishi Electric.
Pierce Aerospace
LOCATION: Indianapolis, In.
CEO: Aaron Pierce
Pierce Aerospace makes software that helps autonomous drones identify objects and payloads. It argues that this software is critical to the development of the drone industry -- after all, it can be pretty scary if a drone goes rogue because it can't see where it's going. In 2019 the company received a roughly $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to continue work on its flagship product, the Flight Portal ID system, which the DoD wants to use on its Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Pixspan
LOCATION: Rockville, MD.
CEO: Michael Rowny
Pixspan develops a system that lets large files be transferred from different storage locations (like hardware or the cloud) at rapid speeds -- sometimes up to 5 times faster than average, it reports. It's compatible with several app programming interfaces, the main one being Amazon Web Services.
QuSecure
LOCATION: San Mateo, Ca.
CEO: Dave Krauthamer
QuSecure is a security company that focuses on protecting government and corporate systems from hacks. Specifically, its software works to keep encrypted data from being stolen and decrypted by quantum computers, which can steal and read valuable information at rapid speed. Its customers include Google and Amazon.
SCOUT
LOCATION: Alexandria, Va.
CEO: Eric Ingram
Scout -- also known as Scout Space -- develops software that helps spacefaring companies visualize what's going on in the great beyond and avoid casualties, like crashes with other spacecraft, satellites or debris. The company was founded in 2019 and says its name is an acronym for helping Spacecraft Observe and Understand Things around them.
SeaSatellites
LOCATION: San Diego, CA.
CEO: Mike Flanigan
As the name suggests, SeaSatellites is building unmanned vessels that work as satellites for the ocean and have a wide array of potential uses, from environmental data collection to communications. Similar to their skyward counterparts, SeaSatellites' tech can be controlled from anywhere and are designed to carry payloads on long missions.
Xairos
LOCATION: Denver, CO.
CEO: David Mitlyng
This company's name is Greek to us -- literally. A nod to the Greek god of opportune time, Kairos, is an appropriate name for this startup using quantum mechanics to bring GPS-type technology to areas of the globe without internet access.
Thermexit
LOCATION: Boston, MA.
CEO: Katie Willgoos
Thermexit is the only company in this year's Space Accelerator cohort that's led by a woman. CEO Katie Willgoos joined the company in March and helps the company create and sell its main product, Theremexit Pads, which are tiny thermal sensing sticky pads that can be placed on circuit boards and inside computers.
Correction: An earlier version of this post stated this is Techstars' second space accelerator cohort. It's the accelerator's third such class. It also, misnamed the CEO of Hyperspec.ai.
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Samson Amore
Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.
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Billion-Dollar Beauty. Billion-Dollar Radios. Only in LA.
10:39 AM | May 30, 2025
🔦 Spotlight
Hello Los Angeles,
This week, LA proved it can scale in silence and shine in the spotlight, sometimes in the same breath.
Let’s start with the quiet powerhouse.
Culver City-based Silvus Technologies is being acquired by Motorola Solutions for $4.4 billion in up-front consideration, with the potential for an additional $600 million in earnout payments, bringing the total deal value to $5 billion. Silvus builds tactical mesh radios, rugged high-bandwidth systems used by militaries, emergency responders, and defense contractors in more than 40 countries. These aren’t just walkie-talkies. They are engineered to deliver secure, uninterrupted communications in places where cell service and Wi-Fi don't stand a chance. Think natural disasters, war zones, and remote terrains. The tech spun out of DARPA-funded research at UCLA, and this deal is a reminder that LA isn’t just cranking out consumer apps and AI models. We’re exporting national security infrastructure too.
But while Silvus was locking down defense contracts, another LA startup was breaking the internet.
e.l.f. Beauty Chairman and CEO Tarang Amin and Rhode Founder Hailey BieberImage Source: e.l.f. Beauty
Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand, is being acquired by e.l.f. Beauty in a deal valued at up to $1 billion. The structure includes $600 million in cash, $200 million in stock at closing, and up to $200 million in earnout payments tied to Rhode’s performance over the next three years. Not bad for a brand that launched in June 2022 and built a cult following off just a handful of products and a crystal-clear brand identity.
Yes, it’s celebrity-founded. But Rhode didn’t just ride a name. It built a movement. The brand cut through a saturated beauty market by doing less: launching with a few standout hero products, keeping the aesthetic clean and consistent, and using community-first marketing that turned product drops into cultural events. The results speak for themselves. $100 million in net sales over the past year and a loyal fanbase that treats peptide lip treatments like limited-edition merch.
Bieber wasn’t just the face of the brand. She helped shape the strategy, led product development, and drove creative decisions from day one. Following the acquisition, she’ll continue as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation, while also stepping into a new role as strategic advisor to e.l.f. Beauty. Rhode will continue to operate independently, with its headquarters remaining right here in LA.
This isn’t just a win for Rhode. It’s another clear signal that LA is where culture, commerce, and execution come together and scale fast.
Keep reading for the latest LA venture rounds, acquisitions, and fund moves making headlines this week.
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Companies
- Bezel, a luxury watch marketplace, recently secured a $670K investment from Hyperspace Ventures as part of a broader $6.8M funding initiative. This investment aims to support Bezel's growth and enhance its platform for authenticated luxury watch trading. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
- Sound Ventures participated in the Series A funding round for General Counsel AI, a startup using artificial intelligence to streamline in-house legal work. The platform helps legal teams draft documents faster, stay compliant, and eliminate repetitive tasks by embedding company knowledge directly into its AI workflows. With Sound Ventures' backing, GC AI plans to scale its team and expand the platform’s capabilities to serve more enterprise legal departments. - learn more
- Kairos Ventures participated in Vivodyne’s $40M Series A funding round, reaffirming its commitment to advancing human-relevant drug development technologies. Vivodyne, a biotech company based in Philadelphia and San Francisco, is pioneering the use of AI and robotics to grow and test thousands of lab-grown human tissues, aiming to replace traditional animal testing in drug development. This approach addresses the high failure rate of clinical trials by providing more predictive human data, potentially accelerating the development of effective therapies. The new funding will support the expansion of Vivodyne's operations, including the opening of a 23,000-square-foot fully robotic laboratory in South San Francisco, to meet the growing demand from pharmaceutical clients. - learn more
- Fifth Wall co-led Wander’s $50M Series B funding round, joining QED Investors and others to support the company’s mission of redefining luxury vacation rentals through technology and consistency. Wander operates a vertically integrated platform that combines premium vacation homes with hotel-grade service, powered by its proprietary AI system, WanderOS. With over 1,000 properties already live and a Net Promoter Score of 85, Wander aims to scale toward 300,000 homes globally, offering a trusted and seamless experience for travelers and property owners alike. - learn more
- Clocktower Technology Ventures and Overture VC participated in GridCARE’s $13.5M seed funding round, supporting the company's mission to address the growing power demands of AI infrastructure. GridCARE utilizes advanced AI to identify and unlock underutilized grid capacity, significantly reducing the time required to power data centers from several years to just 6–12 months. By bridging the gap between AI developers and utility providers, GridCARE aims to accelerate the deployment of AI technologies while enhancing energy resilience. - learn more
- Clocktower Technology Ventures participated in Monarch Money’s $75M Series B funding round, reaffirming its support for the personal finance platform's mission to enhance financial wellness for households. Monarch offers tools for aggregating financial accounts, visualizing net worth, tracking budgets, and collaborating with partners or advisors. The new funding will enable Monarch to expand its team and further develop its platform to better serve its growing user base. - learn more
LA Exits
- TinyWins, the LA-based digital creative studio known for blending emotional storytelling with performance-driven content, has been acquired by marketing consultancy The Shipyard.Best known for its work with brands like Disney, Netflix, and Google, TinyWins will continue to operate under its own name and leadership in Los Angeles. The acquisition gives TinyWins access to deeper strategic and media resources, while The Shipyard expands its creative firepower and strengthens its presence on the West Coast. - learn more
- Churchill Management Group has been acquired by Focus Partners Wealth, marking the firm’s first external acquisition since its January rebrand. The Los Angeles-based investment advisor manages $9.4 billion in assets and will expand Focus’s national footprint in wealth management. - learn more
- Dolby Theatre, renowned for hosting the Academy Awards, has been acquired by Master Investment Group in partnership with Jebs Hollywood. The new ownership plans to introduce a series of events celebrating Middle Eastern culture, aiming to showcase the region's rich heritage, music, and traditions. This initiative seeks to foster community engagement and promote cultural exchange by bringing diverse artistic expressions from the Middle East to a global audience. - learn more
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🔦 Spotlight
Hello Los Angeles,
AI just became Mattel’s newest playmate.
This week, Mattel announced a new partnership with OpenAI, setting the stage for a toy box transformation powered by artificial intelligence. The El Segundo-based toy giant will use ChatGPT to breathe new life into its iconic brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Masters of the Universe. The collaboration will start with interactive AI experiences and creative tools to support product development internally.
It's a bold move for Mattel, which has been steadily shifting its identity from a traditional toy maker to a modern entertainment company. Between box office hits like Barbie and now this AI integration, Mattel is showing that legacy brands can still lead the charge into the future. The partnership supports CEO Ynon Kreiz’s long-term vision to expand Mattel's intellectual property into a broader, multi-platform universe. OpenAI is now playing a key role in that strategy.
This also points to a larger trend unfolding in Los Angeles. The lines between tech, entertainment, and consumer products are blurring quickly. AI isn’t coming to the mainstream; it’s already here. And if Barbie is getting an upgrade, other LA-born icons may not be far behind.
We’re keeping an eye on how this unfolds and whether it becomes more than just a flashy concept. One thing’s certain: Mattel isn’t just playing around.
Catch the latest LA venture deals, acquisitions, and fund updates below.
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Companies
- Coco Robotics, a Santa Monica-based startup specializing in last-mile autonomous delivery robots, has raised $80M in a strategic funding round led by angel investors Sam Altman and Max Altman, with participation from Pelion Venture Partners, Offline Ventures, Ryan Graves, and others. The company will use the funding to scale its AI-powered platform, grow its zero-emission robot fleet to 10,000 vehicles by 2026, expand partnerships with delivery platforms like Uber and DoorDash, and broaden its presence in more cities across the U.S. and internationally. - learn more
- PopID, a fintech startup specializing in biometric payment and loyalty authentication using face and palm recognition, has closed a new equity financing round backed by major strategic investors including Verifone, PayPal, Commerce Ventures, Chipotle’s Cultivate Next, and Visa Ventures. The fresh capital will support the expansion of its global biometric network by leveraging Verifone’s terminal infrastructure to integrate secure and seamless biometric payments and loyalty programs across merchants worldwide. - learn more
- Rosebud, an AI-powered journaling app designed to serve as a personal growth mentor, has raised $6M in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners. The funds will be used to expand the team, advance its proprietary memory-driven AI engine, and pursue partnerships with therapists, educational institutions, businesses, and clinics to enhance access and deepen the app’s reflective capabilities. - learn more
- Impulse Space, the in-space mobility startup founded by ex-SpaceX engineer Tom Mueller, has raised $300M in a Series C funding round led by Linse Capital with participation from Trousdale Ventures and others, bringing its total financing to $525M. The company designs and builds orbital transfer vehicles—like Mira and upcoming Helios—to transport satellites between orbits, and the new funds will scale production, hire new staff, accelerate R&D (including electric propulsion), and fulfill a backlog of over 30 commercial and government contracts worth nearly $200 million. - learn more
- dataplor, a Manhattan Beach, CA-based provider of global location intelligence, has secured a $20.5M Series B round led by F‑Prime Capital. The funds will help dataplor scale its privacy-focused point-of-interest and foot traffic mobility products, expand global coverage, enhance data capabilities, and accelerate product growth for enterprise clients seeking real-time consumer insights. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
- WndrCo participated in Meter’s $170M Series C financing. Meter provides a full-stack, enterprise-grade internet infrastructure solution that covers routing, switching, WiFi, and cellular for businesses ranging from single offices to large data centers. The new funds will accelerate global expansion, grow its channel partnerships with companies like CDW, Microsoft, and WWT, and support further deployment and R&D. - learn more
- Sound Ventures participated in Landbase’s $30M Series A round, co-leading the investment alongside Picus Capital. Landbase uses AI, leveraging a GPT‑4o-based model trained on 40 million marketing campaigns, to automate and enhance outbound sales outreach, helping small and mid‑size businesses build trust and scale customer acquisition. The funding will support expansion of its team, product development, and go‑to‑market efforts as it rapidly grows its customer base. - learn more
- Rebel Fund participated in Outset’s $17M Series A round, which was led by 8VC. Outset uses AI-powered agents to conduct and analyze in-depth video interviews at enterprise scale, serving clients like Nestlé, Microsoft, and WeightWatchers. The new funding will accelerate growth by expanding its go‑to‑market and engineering teams, enhancing its AI agent capabilities, and scaling its platform globally. - learn more
- Anthos Capital returned as a participant in Laurel’s $100M Series C round, led by IVP. Laurel, the world’s first AI-powered “Time Platform” for professional services firms, automates time tracking and links how employees spend their time directly to business outcomes. The new funding will be used to scale the platform globally, enhance AI-driven time categorization and analytics, and help firms optimize resource allocation and profitability. - learn more
- Vamos Ventures participated in Trustible’s $4.6M Series Seed round led by Lookout Ventures. Trustible provides an AI governance platform that helps enterprises inventory AI use cases, manage risk, comply with regulations like the EU AI Act, and accelerate responsible adoption. The funding will power product development, hire engineering and go‑to‑market talent (particularly in the D.C. area), and scale operations to help enterprise and public-sector customers deploy AI safely. - learn more
- Village Global participated in Qanooni’s $2M pre‑seed round, joined by Oryx Fund, TA Ventures, and a group of strategic angels. Qanooni, founded in 2024 and based in the UAE, builds an AI-powered legal platform that integrates directly into Microsoft Outlook and Word to help lawyers draft, review, and manage documents using their own style and standards. The new funding will fuel expansion into the UAE and UK and advance its proprietary AI engine tailored for legal workflows. - learn more
- Muse Capital and Rocana Venture Partners participated in Eli Health’s $12M USD Series A round, led by BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, boosting the company’s total funding to around $20M USD. Eli Health has developed the Hormometer™, a real-time, saliva-based hormone monitoring system currently in beta for cortisol with plans to expand to progesterone and other biomarkers. The new capital will scale production, add biomarkers, support commercialization, and accelerate global rollout of its instant hormone health platform. - learn more
- Crossover VC participated in ai.work’s $10M seed round led by A* and lool ventures. ai.work has emerged from stealth to launch an “AI Workers” platform—autonomous agents designed to streamline enterprise workflows across IT, HR, Legal, Finance, and more. The funding will be used to scale operations, accelerate product development, and deploy AI Workers into pilot programs with large enterprises. - learn more
- MANTIS Venture Capital participated in AIM’s $50M funding round. The company has built the first embodied AI platform that retrofits heavy machinery, like bulldozers and excavators, for autonomous operation, aiming to boost safety, efficiency, and productivity in construction and mining. The new capital will help AIM scale deployments, advance its AI technology, and expand its plug-and-play autonomy solutions across heavy equipment fleets worldwide. - learn more
- Watertower Ventures led Finofo's $3.3M seed round, with continued backing from Motivate Venture Capital, SaaS Ventures, and several angel investors. Finofo offers a modern business banking platform that automates accounts payable, treasury, and global receivables, enabling seamless, low-fee payments across more than 90 countries with ERP integration. The funds will support expanded AP and AR automation features, the launch of a small-business plan, and hiring across product, engineering, and go-to-market teams. - learn more
- Finality Capital Partners participated in RISE Chain’s latest $4M raise, bringing its total funding to $8M. RISE Chain is building an ultra-fast Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain using "Shreds" architecture to deliver sub-5 millisecond transaction confirmations and scale toward 100,000 transactions per second. The new capital will support the mainnet launch, accelerate product and app development, and expand its real-time performance capabilities for advanced DeFi and high-frequency applications. - learn more
- Emerging Ventures participated in Taiv’s $14.4M CAD (≈ $10.5 M USD) Series A round, led by Denmark’s IDC Ventures. Taiv equips bars, restaurants, and retail venues with free hardware that transforms existing TVs into targeted advertising and content delivery tools, then shares ad revenue with the venues. The funding will power expansion across North America (starting in Canada this summer), grow the team, and enhance its AI-driven content delivery platform. - learn more
- Matter Venture Partners led an $18.4M investment in Kargo. The company offers an AI-driven inventory management system, including hardware like "Towers" and Lifts, that automatically captures and processes freight data at warehouse loading docks to improve accuracy, real-time visibility, and operational efficiency. The new funding will be used to develop new products, expand deployment across their customer base, and scale their computer vision platform in global supply chains. - learn more
- Bam Ventures and Trust Fund participated in the $10.6M funding round for Nectar Social, a Seattle-based startup that helps brands convert social media engagement into revenue using AI-powered “social copilot” agents. The platform consolidates comments, DMs, mentions, influencer outreach, and analytics into one interface to streamline brand interactions and boost performance. The funding will support product development, team expansion, and scaling operations with enterprise customers. - learn more
- MTech Capital participated in Voxel’s $44M Series B funding round. The company has developed an AI-powered workplace safety platform that integrates with existing cameras to detect hazards and unsafe behavior in real time, reducing accidents and operational risks. The new funding will accelerate R&D in computer vision, deepen its AI capabilities, and grow its team of industry experts to scale deployments across high-risk industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and ports. - learn more
LA Exits
- Hennessey Digital, a leading legal marketing agency known for its SEO, digital PR, PPC, and web design services, has been acquired by Herringbone Digital. The acquisition expands Herringbone’s platform into the legal marketing space while retaining Hennessey’s leadership and team. With added resources and support, Hennessey Digital plans to scale its services and integrate new AI-driven marketing tools to better serve law firms nationwide. - learn more
- Prosthetic Records has been acquired by MNRK Music Group and will now operate under its MNRK Heavy division. The deal brings Prosthetic’s extensive heavy metal catalog - featuring pioneering acts like Lamb of God, Animals as Leaders, and The Acacia Strain - under MNRK’s umbrella. MNRK plans to amplify the label’s legacy through anniversary reissues, remastered editions, curated collections, and new releases from standout acts such as Pupil Slicer and God Alone. - learn more
- RKO Pictures, the legendary film studio behind classics like King Kong and Citizen Kane, has been acquired by Concord Originals, the film and TV division of Concord. The deal gives Concord derivative and adaptation rights to over 5,000 RKO titles, including sequels, remakes, stage adaptations, and unproduced screenplays. RKO will continue as an imprint under Concord Originals, co-led by Sophia Dilley and Mary Beth O’Connor, with plans to revive its storied catalog through reissues, new productions, and adaptations. - learn more
- StartADAM has been acquired by LeapXpert, bringing its AI-powered chat agent technology and founding team into LeapXpert’s fold. The acquisition enhances LeapXpert’s communication intelligence platform with advanced AI features, new messaging channel support, and deeper CRM integrations. StartADAM’s founders, including co-founder Adam Stone, who became LeapXpert’s VP of AI Product will lead development to scale these capabilities globally. - learn more
- CASHét has been acquired by Entertainment Partners, integrating its suite of digital payment services including p-cards, automated accounts payable, and vendor verification into EP’s production finance ecosystem. The acquisition ensures that CASHét will continue supporting productions worldwide, regardless of their payroll or accounting systems, while expanding its services into new global markets. With this move, EP enhances its end-to-end financial workflow offerings, bringing faster, more secure, and fraud-resistant payment tools to film and TV productions. - learn more
- Element Brand Group has been acquired by The Lede Company, with founder Heather Leeds Greenfield joining as a partner and head of brand partnerships. Greenfield’s senior team, including two SVPs, will move over to expand The Lede Company’s integrated marketing and communications offerings. The acquisition strengthens Lede’s cultural campaign capabilities and equips both firms with enhanced resources and scale for brand-driven initiatives. - learn more
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