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|  | Collective cofounders Bugra Akcay (left) and Ugur Kaner (center) with founder and CEO Hooman Radfar (far right)
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Collective Raises $50M to Become First AI-Powered Finance Platform Designed for Solopreneurs
Collective, a platform and advisory team that provides bookkeeping, payroll and tax advice to freelancers, has announced it has raised $50M in a funding round led by Gradient Ventures, Innovius Capital, The General Partnership, General Catalyst, QED, Expa and Better Tomorrow Ventures. Collective is co-founded by Carnegie Mellon Electrical and Computer Engineering alumnus and CEO Hooman Radfar.
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|  | Michelle Ruiz, CEO (bottom right) with the Hyfé team
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Hyfé Raises $9M to Transform Wastewater Into Next Gen Feedstocks for Biomanufacturing
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Hyfé, a Chicago-based startup transforming food processing wastewater into feedstocks for biomanufacturing and clean water, has raised a $9M seed round led by Synthesis Capital. Founded by Carnegie Mellon University alumna, CEO and co-founder Michelle Ruiz, Hyfé’s cumulative funding is now at $11M. The capital will be used to advance commercial partnerships, increase headcount and progress towards pilot scale technology demonstration. Read the press release.
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Wisy Becomes Part of the Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund
Founded by CEO Min Chen, Wisy Platforms, Inc. recently announced it has become part of the Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund. As an AI provider for the CPG industry, this opportunity will enable Wisy to further its research and provide more value to its customers with cutting-edge technology.
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|  | Rubber Ducky Labs CEO Alexandra Johnson (left), with Georgia Hong, CTO
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Rubber Ducky Labs Is Working to Improve AI Recommendation Systems
Some of the best-known recommendation engines are for content. YouTube’s eerie sense of what you might like to watch next is one example. However in some cases, there is more to a recommendation. That's where Rubber Ducky Labs, a San Francisco–based startup co-founded by Carnegie Mellon University alumna Alexandra Johnson, comes in. The company is looking to make it easier for teams to debug, analyze and improve their recommendation systems.
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| Swartz Center Entrepreneurial Artist Neeta Khanuja
Opens Art Exhibition
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TODAY 6pm-9pm – Neeta Khanuja, an entrepreneurial artist at the CMU Swartz Center, opens her art exhibition at Shadyside’s Wick Monet Gallery. The opening is free with light refreshments. Khanuja is a doctoral student at CMU’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute researching inclusive design. She spent the spring semester at the Swartz Center working on her line of jewelry and canvas prints, which she proudly launches tonight. It will also be open during the Walnut Street Invitational Show, which features 135 classic cars on Monday. Neeta's gallery show will run through the end of July.
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| Announcing the 2023-24 Innovation
Commercialization Fellows
The CMU Swartz Center recently awarded five Innovation Commercialization Fellowships for its 2023-24 program. The year-long program accelerates the process of commercializing university research. It aims
to foster entrepreneurship among graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research personnel who work directly with faculty investigators to conduct scientific experiments, solve problems and innovate.
Fellows are awarded $50K in funding and participate in dedicated workshops and intensive mentoring to pursue their startup idea. Since 2015 the program has awarded forty five fellowships.
Find out more about the 2023-24 Innovation Commercialization Fellows.
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| CONNECTS/START SMART LAW SEMINARS
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| See the full Spring 2023 schedule here.
Can't make a CONNECTS? Watch on our YouTube channel.
The CONNECTS seminars will resume at the start of the Fall semester in September, 2023.
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The mission of 99 Tartans is to partner with the highest potential, early-stage CMU alumni companies and accelerate their success through access to capital and networks. Find out more.
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CMU ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUBS
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The CMU Tech & Entrepreneurship group connects the CMU community, alumni and students, to build an entrepreneurial culture and provide resources to help the community succeed. There are multiple region-based chapters within the group. Find out more and join the CMU T&E blog,
the CMU Tech Entrepreneur!
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The following companies help directly support our programming and entrepreneurs.
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| Pillsbury and Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC are holding office hours for the CMU Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. The office hours are for any interested CMU graduate, undergraduate or alumni interested in entrepreneurship or connecting with members of the Swartz Center network.
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Swartz Center Patron Office Hours
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
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Legal Services Weekly Virtual Office Hours with Matt Kirmayer
Mondays 1:00-3:00 PM ET (10-12 PT)
To sign up for a 30 minute session with Matt, please contact Sean Mawhinney by the Thursday prior to your desired appointment. If you need to schedule an office hour outside of these regular hours, please
contact Daria Stokes.
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Legal Services Weekly Office Hours
Sign up for weekly office hours.
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| PATRON SPOTLIGHT
TD Securities
TD Securities offers a wide range of capital market products and services to corporate, government and institutional clients who choose the company for its innovation, execution and experience.
With more than 6,500 professionals operating out of 40 cities across the globe, TD Securities helps its clients meet their needs today and to prepare for tomorrow. TD Securities services include underwriting and distributing new issues, providing trusted advice and industry-leading insight, extending access to global markets and delivering integrated transaction banking solutions.
In 2023, TD Securities acquired Cowen Inc., offering its clients access to a premier U.S. equities business and highly-diverse equity research franchise, while growing its strong, diversified investment bank. TD Securities is growth-oriented, people-focused and community-minded. As a team, the company works to deliver value to its clients everyday.
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HOW TO WORK OUT OF THE SWARTZ CENTER
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Swartz Center Education and Resources
No matter what phase of the entrepreneurship cycle you're in, there are programs and resources at the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship that will take your idea to the next level. Find out more.
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Project Olympus Incubator Program
Want more help with finding product/market fit, developing your business model, making connections and attracting funding? Project Olympus will team you up with a business coach to develop a personalized ‘roadmap. Find out more.
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COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES/RESOURCES
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The undergraduate Innovation Scholars program fosters innovation and entrepreneurship and seeks to increase the number of successful startup companies initiated by or involving Carnegie Mellon University’s undergraduate students. Find out more.
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FIND OUT WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING
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Have startup news or opportunities to share? Have questions about the Swartz Center Weekly Bulletin? Send news, opportunities or questions to Sonya Ford, Program Manager.
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Carnegie Mellon University Swartz Center For Entrepreneurship
5000 Forbes Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 |
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