Los Angeles
Waymo to test driverless rides with employees in Los Angeles
Waymo will begin testing its autonomous Jaguar I-Paces without a human safety operator in Los Angeles in the next couple of weeks. This is the company’s next step on its path to commercializing
Hackers claim ransomware attack on Los Angeles housing authority
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, or HACLA, has confirmed it is investigating a cybersecurity incident shortly after the LockBit ransomware gang claimed responsibility for a cyberatta
Micromobility in limbo: Takeaways from Paris and LA
Shared electric scooters came onto the scene five years ago with a promising vision of getting people out of cars and on to greener modes of transportation. Yet despite billions in VC money and plenty
Movio wants to make your marketing videos with generative AI
Generative AI is suddenly everywhere. Over the past year, you’ve probably seen people showcasing impressive AI-generated artworks, thanks to progress in text-to-image algorithms introduced by gr
Kim Kardashian becomes a private equity dealmaker in collab with ex-Carlyle partner
America’s favorite reality star is leveling up her repertoire and levering up businesses. Kim Kardashian, who passed the “baby bar” exam in preparation to become a lawyer last year,
MEDU takes in $4M to develop reusable personal protective equipment
MEDU aims to reduce hospital garment waste and replace single-wear items with its line of sustainable, virus-resistant reusable pieces.
Star-studded digital avatar startup Genies launches NFT fashion marketplace
Digital avatar startup Genies, known its for high-profile partnerships with celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Migos and Cardi B, has just released its long-anticipated NFT storefront, “The Ware
Aero raises $65M for its semi-private airline
Aero Technologies, which describes itself as a “next-generation air travel company” which currently operates on a limited number of routes in the U.S. and Europe, today announced that it h
Nothing negative about Positive Food’s meal expansion plan after $7M investment
Positive Food is going after the $34 billion fresh prepared foods market with its take on salads, heat-and-eat prepared meals and vegan overnight oats.
Boulevard books $70M to help beauty and wellness salons with their bookings
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but when it comes to getting ahold of an appointment for your hair or another treatment…that’s a different story: The bespoke nature of a lot of t
Why an Atlanta-based Black influencer collective swapped their collab house for a studio
From Los Angeles to Silicon Valley, a trend emerged among social media influencers and startup founders alike: move into a mansion with 10 or so collaborators, work day and night together to build fam
a16z-backed Shein challenger Cider is growing rapidly
Shein has shown the world how combining social media marketing, data analytics and China’s well-oiled supply chain has created a $100 billion fast-fashion behemoth. Its success naturally spawns
Holey Grail Donuts bites into $9M for Los Angeles retail expansion
The Hawaii company's taro donut is fried in organic, fair trade coconut oil and comes with over 60 different flavors.
Ghost appears with new funding, marketplace to match buyers with unsold products
Ghost created a marketplace, similar to eBay, that provides a way for brands to get rid of excess inventory and will handle all of the posting, sales and shipment of goods sold.
Down bad
Welcome back to Chain Reaction. Last week, we talked about layoffs and the Winklevoss rock gods. This week, we’re looking at a new layer of crypto doom and gloom. Get this newsletter in your inb
How the myth of the ‘girlboss’ harms emerging women in tech
On Lafayette Street in SoHo, young, fashionable women lined up around the block to enter a minimalist, millennial oasis, the most perfect Instagram feed brought to life. Staff members glided around th
Bonfire Ventures secures $230M for two new funds targeting B2B software startups
Bonfire Ventures aims to help B2B software startups make it to Series A.
Niantic transcends Discord to build Campfire, an AR social network, and unveils Lightship VPS
Since the launch of Pokémon Go in 2016, players have been coordinating meetups, in-game raids and battles on platforms like Reddit and Discord. This summer, parent company Niantic is unveiling Campfi
Uber Eats pilots autonomous delivery with Serve Robotics, Motional
Uber Eats is launching two autonomous delivery pilots in Los Angeles on Monday with Serve Robotics, a robotic sidewalk delivery startup, and Motional, an autonomous vehicle technology company. The new
China’s gaming giant NetEase opens first US studio in Austin
NetEase, the second-largest gaming company in China and the sixth-largest in the world, has opened its first U.S.-based studio in Austin as China’s gaming industry slows. The company’s arc