For our September digest we’ve collected startups that are united in being guided by the principles of sustainability and a desire to improve various human spheres and society as a whole. The most pressing issues are healthcare development, reasonable consumption and efficient use of available resources. Prewave, Prophesee, TULU, Kate Farms, Gotham Greens, Docquity, TeraWatt Infrastructure and CytoReason recently received massive investments and made significant deals.
Artificial Intelligence
Prewave
Country: Austria
Founded date: 2017
Prewave offers an AI platform to find, predict, categorize and analyze risks in supply chains. The platform analyzes high volumes of online sources in more than fifty languages and covers human rights issues, sustainability risks, supply chain legislation compliance and other risks. When a risk is identified, an alert goes directly to the platform user, allowing the business to resolve issues in a timely way and fix a supply failure.
Company partners are ABinBev, AUDI, BMW, Porsche, PWC, Toyota, and Zurich Insurance. Using artificial intelligence and automated language processing, Prewave helps clients to identify risks in real-time and take quick and effective actions.
Prewave has raised €11M in series A funding. The company is planning to extend its supply chain analysis capabilities, cover new European markets, and expand the team. The goal is to make supply chains more sustainable and transparent and create a multi-tier supply chain risk solution covering the full risk life cycle.
Prophesee
Country: France
Founded date: 2014
Prophesee is a creator of advanced neuromorphic vision systems based on patented sensor design and AI algorithms. Its technology mimics the eye and brain of a human and can be used in autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, science and health research, IoT, security and surveillance, and AR/VR headsets. Sensor and AI technology benefit with ultra-low latency, robust response to challenging lighting conditions, energy efficiency, and low data rate.
The company has 51 patents. The main one is a unique event-based Metavision sensing technology that can be used for real-time video data analysis in the conditions of demanding power consumption, specific size and lighting. Technology makes it possible to reveal what is invisible to traditional frame-based sensors.
Prophesee has gained recognition and awards. This year the company was included in the exclusive list of “The 100 Best French inventors” by Le Point.
Prophesee has closed a €50m series C round of funding, aimed at furthering product development and scale across key ecosystems. The company partners and creates new products with brands such as Sony, Imago, Century Arks, Datalogic, MVTec and more.
Sharing economy, sustainability
TULU
Country: Israel / USA
Founded date: 2019
TULU provides an in-building smart platform for on-demand rentals of high-quality home products, household items and perishables to reduce the cost of living and waste in the city. The philosophy behind TULU is to encourage responsible consumption habits and minimalism. The platform is available across 19 cities in the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Israel. Tulu is partnering with brands such as Bosch, Dremel, Karcher, and Hoover, and is expanding the network.
The company combines physical and digital solutions, a modular unit and mobile app, and provides 24/7 access to products. Units can be installed in a lobby, lounge, laundry room, amenity space or hallway. With the app, users can rent and purchase items on the spot with a one-click transaction. For brands, smart algorithms allow for storing and analyzing product usage data, creating reports on usage frequency and times, demographics, shelf life and more.
TULU has added $5 million to its April series A round with investment from Regeneration.VC, a consumer-powered climate innovation fund backed by Leonardo DiCaprio. The company plans to cover hundreds of buildings in existing locations and expand to new locations.
Organic food, healthcare, agricultural technology
Kate Farms
Country: USA
Founded date: 2012
Kate Farms is a sustainable nutrition company offering plant-based medical formulas for children and adults, to be used as a sole source or supplemental nutrition for oral or tube feeding. Formulas are based on easily digestible organic pea protein, fiber and phytonutrients, and don’t contain common allergens, artificial sweeteners or flavors. Kate Farms products are USDA organic, non-GMO certified, kosher and gluten-free.
At the moment, patients have access to organic nutrition in more than 95% of hospitals in the US and cover it with federal and private insurance plans. Formulas help to nourish patients suffering chronic illnesses and acute conditions, for example cancer, ALS, gastroparesis, and Crohn’s disease. Among recent innovations are a special formula for diabetes and renal support, and the only organic and plant-based, closed-system hanging bag for use in hospitals.
Kate Farms has closed a $75 million series C funding round. The company plans to enhance formulas, develop products and enter new channels. In September, Kate Farms opened the first Innovation and Quality Center in Goleta, California, and launched a new high-calorie medical formula Adult Standard 1.4, in chocolate flavor.
Gotham Greens
Country: USA
Founded date: 2009
Gotham Greens is an indoor farming startup that brings innovative farming solutions. The company grows various leafy greens such as basil, butterhead lettuce and romaine in hydroponics-equipped greenhouses. Hydroponic methods allow plants to grow anytime and anywhere in a mix of nutrient-rich water and soil. Such an approach saves farmlands that degrade over time and become less suitable for crops, as well as high volumes of water. At the moment the company has nine greenhouses across the country, located in urban areas to bring fresh greens closer to the population.
In 2021, Gotham Greens became a certified B Corporation, meaning the company meets the highest possible standards of social and environmental performance and has set sustainable goals: reducing plastic packaging, greenhouse electricity use and gas emission intensity.
Gotham Greens has closed $310 million in a series E funding round. The company plans to have 13 locations across nine states by next year. In addition, thanks to expansion of the network, it hopes to decrease carbon emissions from shipping their products across the country.
Recently Gotham Greens announced the launch of a plant-based dips line in four plant-packed flavors: Green Goddess, Spinach Artichoke, Tzatziki and Green Harissa. Dips are 100% plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO and never heated, and don’t contain any artificial fillers, flavors, gums or preservatives.
Healthcare, education
Docquity
Country: Singapore
Founded date: 2015
Docquity offers a platform for healthcare professionals in Southeast Asia. Platform users have access to educational content ranging from articles and webinars to the latest research reports and medical insights. Users have an opportunity to learn about real clinical cases, share experiences and discuss matters with the community. Docquity is filling a gap in continuing education and communication among doctors from different medical venues and countries.
The platform already has more than 350,000 healthcare professionals on board, from Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. Docquity ensures security with a mandatory verification; each member has to provide a medical registration number.
Recently the company closed a $44 million Series C funding round aimed at extending new markets and creating new product capabilities. Docquity plans to expand to Japan, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Among its initiatives are Docquity Academy, a partnership with universities and senior medical practitioners; Docquity Clinic, a virtual clinic for follow-up patient consultations, and Docquity Insights, for gaining a deeper understanding of doctors’ needs through data.
Electric vehicles, sustainability
TeraWatt Infrastructure
Country: USA
Founding date: 2018
TeraWatt Infrastructure builds electric vehicle charging infrastructure for the operation of light- to heavy-duty fleets. The company takes over the full cycle, from site selection to operations and maintenance. Charging stations can be located in core metro areas, logistics hubs, fully-electrified highway corridors or other places, depending on the fleet’s needs.
TeraWatt Infrastructure has closed a $1 billion Series A funding round aimed at furthering development and expansion. The company plans to build out its portfolio of commercial charging centers. The main goal is to provide high-speed charging at large scale and decrease the automotive carbon footprint across the country.
Earlier this year, TerraWatt formed a strategic partnership with Kaptyn, which operates one of the largest EV fleets in the US. Together they are planning to develop EV charging hubs in Las Vegas, Southern California, and South Florida.
Bonus
CytoReason and Pfizer
CytoReason has developed an AI-powered platform that is a cell-centered computational model of the human body. The platform has the ability to simulate various diseases on the level of cells and tissues and reveal the impact of various medicinal substances on infected areas. This algorithm can be used by pharmaceutical and biotech companies to find biomarkers, speed up drug discovery and testing, and predict treatment results. Use of AI reduces the time and cost of drug research and development.
CytoReason and Pfizer have signed a $110 million collaboration deal to use CytoReason AI technology in Pfizer’s drug development programs. The deal expands their collaboration program. Since 2019, Pfizer has used CytoReason biological model and research insights across research into more than 20 diseases, including immune-mediated and immuno-oncology. The new agreement covers research and development of new disease models and the creation of high-resolution models across a number of therapeutic areas.
