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Boulevard books $70M to help beauty and wellness salons with their bookings

TechCrunch LA

The rebound that Boulevard saw in the pandemic is another sign of the demand in the market, and perhaps a signal that its customers and the industry in general are more recession-proof than some might have assumed. But at the same time, Los Angeles–based Boulevard got this funding infusion at a boosted valuation because it has been on a roll.

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Hyundai taps EV startup Canoo to develop electric vehicles

TechCrunch LA

” The PBV, which Hyundai showcased last month at CES 2020, is a pod-like vehicle that the company says can be used for various functions in transit, such as a restaurant or clinic. The first Canoo vehicles are expected to appear on the road by 2021 and will be offered only as a subscription. ”

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A16z-backed Shein challenger Cider is growing rapidly

TechCrunch LA

That number is dwarfed by Shein, which gained over 170 million downloads worldwide in 2021 and surpassed Amazon as the top shopping app in the U.S. But keep in mind Cider was only founded in 2020 while Shein started out over a decade ago. Cider has racked up roughly 7.4 And Cider has broken into the crowded U.S.

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Nowadays puts its spin on plant-based nuggets

TechCrunch LA

Investment into alternative proteins, for example, plant-based meats and dairy substitutes was $5 billion in 2021, according to both the Good Food Institute and Crunchbase data. This includes a $2 million pre-seed round from 2021. The round was led by Stray Dog Capital, with additional strategic support from Standard Meat Co.,

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The New Style of Startup Vision: Smaller But Sharper?

Tech.Co

The company started as an idea in 2019, but by early 2020 it had “launched a new technical solution that ultimately controls and accelerates sales opportunity management,” says Dawes. After most lockdowns were lifted, demand for services like beauty treatments has skyrocketed.

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Nothing negative about Positive Food’s meal expansion plan after $7M investment

TechCrunch LA

In January 2020, the company was in discussions with Whole Foods about launching a pilot of its meals in a few stores. He said the company has been growing in double-digits month over month, had zero churn and produced five times as much food this year versus the same time period in 2021. “We

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Micromobility in limbo: Takeaways from Paris and LA

TechCrunch LA

People walk or ride their electric scooter past the statue of the Marechal Joffre, in Paris, on May 19, 2020. In 2021, over 1.2 One study from 2021 found that e-scooter users in Paris are mainly men aged 18 to 29, have a high educational level, and usually jump on a scooter for travel time savings. Paris: To ban or not to ban?