Upwards Raises $21M Series B, Manufactured Raises Series A, Heliux and Mogul Raise a Pre-Seed, and More!

Upwards (formerly WeeCare), the leading national childcare network and care benefits company, announced their $21M Series B led by Alpha Edison, with participation from existing investors M13 and Fika Ventures. “Upwards has quickly become a leader in childcare benefits by leveraging technology to connect families, caregivers, employers, and governments — a powerful alliance to solve care for good,” said Jessica Chang, CEO and Co-Founder of Upwards. “While billions in public and private funds flow towards childcare annually, hundreds of millions of families still struggle to find quality, affordable care and participate in the workforce, highlighting clear gaps in the system. The growing demand from employers and governments shows that Upwards’ ecosystem-based model and tailored care solutions are making a true difference.” With this latest round, Upwards total funding reaches $43.3M, making it one of the most notable investments in childcare companies.

Manufactured, a software solution that automates and scales the manufacturing supply chain for private label brands, announced $20M in Series A funding. With a focus on empowering private label brands, Manufactured’s platform streamlines processes, reduces costs, and accelerates time to market, providing a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced market. “Manufactured helps companies turn inventory into cash flow, predictably”- founder and CEO, Pranay Srinivasan.

Heliux, a startup building an AI-powered enterprise operating system for manufacturers, emerged from stealth after announcing its $2M pre-seed, with participation from Amplify.LA, New Stack Ventures, Crosscut Ventures, Lux Capital, Countdown Capital, and strategic angel investors. Heliux aims to revolutionize manufacturing operations by offering an AI-powered, all-in-one platform for businesses tired of fragmentation, seeking efficiency and innovation. Alex Craig, CEO and Co-Founder, described their platform as an “AI-powered, all-in-one operating system” that can keep track of everything from supply chain to quality control to finance.

Mogul, helping musicians track their unclaimed royalties, announced $1.9M in pre-seed funding from Amplify, Wonder Ventures, United Talent Agency, and ex-SoundCloud CEO Kerry Trainor’s Creator Partners. With its innovative platform, Mogul aims to tackle the complex issue of unclaimed royalties, providing musicians with the tools they need to navigate the intricacies of the music industry. As the company grows, it promises to become an indispensable ally for musicians seeking to maximize their earnings and protect their intellectual property rights. We are excited to continue supporting Mogul’s mission to bring transparency and fairness to royalty payments, addressing a longstanding challenge musicians face worldwide.

Our Semi-Annual Seed Report is here! Los Angeles experienced a 17% drop in seed dollars deployed, reaching $424 million, accompanied by a 20% decrease in deal volume. Notably, Q3 ’23 exhibited a substantial decline in deals, while Q4 ’23 maintained consistency. Delve into the report to explore how sectors like manufacturing and cleantech weathered the storm, contrasted with the diminishing interest in e-commerce and the nearly non-existent interest in blockchain. Some takeaways below!

• Shift in Sectors: Media and Entertainment eclipsed Health and Wellness as the dominant sector in 2H ‘23.
• Deal Dynamics: Mega deals dwindled, with most transactions falling within the $2M — $3.99M range.
• E-commerce Evolution: From 16 deals and $73M in 2H ’22, e-commerce saw a stark decline to 2 deals and $16.43M in 2H ‘23.

Jessica Chang, CEO and Co-Founder of Upwards, was named to the inaugural CNBC Changemakers list. The women named to this list set the standard for what it takes to defy the odds, innovate, and thrive in a volatile business landscape. #CNBCChangemakers

Reactive, the company building infrastructure for live commerce, was recently featured on Hackernoon. Reactive is at the forefront of the emerging trend of livestream commerce, providing innovative solutions for businesses to engage with customers in real time. With its robust infrastructure, Reactive enables seamless integration of live video streaming and e-commerce functionalities, empowering brands to capitalize on the growing popularity of live commerce. The article sheds light on Reactive’s pivotal role in helping American businesses adapt to this evolving consumer behavior, unlocking new opportunities for revenue generation and customer engagement.

Check out our latest Job Board on the Amplify Website! Find the latest job openings and positions throughout our entire portfolio. you can apply directly, or if you know anyone who could be a fit, feel free to pass it along!

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