Founders' Workshop, Fundings: Swarmer, Oxford Performance Materials, Oxylus
18 September 2024 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
We’re excited to highlight an exclusive opportunity for founders gearing up to expand or fundraise in the U.S. within the next 12 months. Apolinaras Sinkevicius, alongside our own Jeremy Hitchcock and Jessica Nelson, is organizing a four-hour bootcamp tailored specifically for startup founders and C-level finance or operations leaders.
Hosted by BMI Executive Institute and Coinvest Capital, this workshop on October 1st will provide invaluable insights on legal, finance, compliance, operations, HR, and cyber hygiene. Participants will gain an insider’s perspective on navigating U.S. market challenges, understanding venture capital dynamics, and preparing for crucial security audits.
Space is limited, so priority will be given to those actively planning their U.S. expansion. Don't miss this chance to arm yourself with the knowledge and strategies necessary for success! Click here for more information.
Reality Defender: We’re thrilled to congratulate Reality Defender on the integration of their advanced deepfake detection tools with Wolftech’s media management platform. This collaboration empowers Wolftech’s users — including major media organizations — to verify the authenticity of their media in real time, helping to maintain the integrity of journalistic content.
With the rise of AI-generated misinformation, particularly deepfakes, this partnership is vital in ensuring that newsrooms can continue to deliver trusted, accurate information. Reality Defender’s technology plays a critical role in preserving truth in an increasingly AI-driven media landscape, and we are proud to support their continued success in combating disinformation.
U.S. Defense Program Seeks Next-Generation Space Monitoring Tools
The Pentagon, through the Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP), has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking advanced space domain awareness (SDA) technologies to better monitor activities in outer space. SDA is essential for tracking the vast number of artificial objects in orbit, including satellites and space debris.
The SSDP, a joint initiative between the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, is focused on identifying technologies that can detect potential threats to U.S. space assets and enhance the defense of critical systems. With space becoming increasingly contested and congested, military leaders emphasize the need for more sophisticated tools beyond basic object cataloging to track elusive targets that could threaten U.S. satellites.
The RFI is aimed at gathering "proven and innovative" SDA concepts that will be crucial between 2030 and 2040, specifically prioritizing technologies that support military operations, intelligence gathering, and environmental monitoring. Advanced SDA tools, such as ground-based radar, optical, and infrared sensors, combined with space-based sensors, collect vast amounts of data processed using AI and machine learning algorithms.
These technologies enable the prediction of future space object movements, helping detect potential collisions or hazards. Sensor fusion, the integration of data from multiple sources, further enhances the accuracy of space object tracking, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and proliferated space environment.
More Links to Explore:
Founded: 2023
Key People: CEO Sergey Kuprienko
Elevator Pitch: Artificial intelligence-powered drone technology designed for organizations to handle challenging or dispersed areas.
Funding: The company raised $2.7 million of seed funding in a deal led by RG.AI on September 16, 2024.
Founded: 2000
Key People: CEO Scott DeFelice
Elevator Pitch: Additive-manufacturing processes intended to deliver fully functional end-use products to the biomedical, aerospace, and industrial markets.
Funding: The company raised an undisclosed amount of venture funding from Scalpel Ventures on September 13, 2024.
Key People: CEO Perry Bakas
Founded: 2023
Elevator Pitch: A carbon conversion company intended to make a sustainable fuel source from a waste product.
Funding: The company joined Carbon to Value (C2V) Initiative as a part of Year 4 Startup Cohort for Carbontech Accelerator Program on September 13, 2024.
Look for a new episode of the Securing the Future Podcast wherever you listen. In our most recent episode, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Hector Xu, founder and CEO of Rotor AI, to discuss the groundbreaking technology behind converting traditional helicopters into autonomous drones for both civilian and defense applications.
