Portfolio News
Portfolio News
Portfolio News
Start-ups that could become the Middle East???s next big ventures
CAIRO: Following initial news of the $3.1 billion deal in March 2019, US ride-hailing firm Uber completed its acquisition of Dubai-based vehicle-for-hire company Careem at the beginning of January 2020. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startups have been getting much-needed funds to scale up their businesses, and 2019 seems to have set the bar high. During the first half of last year, startups in the region received $471 million in investments, up 66 percent from the $283 million invested over the same period in 2018. Given the steadily growing number of MENA startups, it remains extremely difficult to spot…
Allurion Expands Digital Offering For Patients and Providers in Response to COVID-19
NATICK, Mass.???(BUSINESS WIRE)???Allurion Technologies, an established leader in the development of innovative, proven, and trusted weight loss experiences, is supporting customers around the world during COVID-19 with an expanded digital offering. The company???s weight loss program includes the world???s first and only procedureless gastric balloon, an individualized nutritional program, and a Bluetooth?? smart scale and smartphone app that facilitate remote tracking. In response to recent data that indicates that individuals with obesity are at higher risk of poorer outcomes from COVID-19 and that quarantine measures may lead to weight gain, the company has expanded access to telenutrition for both existing…
Polares Medical Closes a $40M Financing to Complete Pilot Clinical Studies
Longitude Capital and other top-class VCs from around the world invest in Polares Medical. The Series B financing allows the company to advance its clinical studies. Polares Medical was spun off in 2017 from Symetis SA prior to the acquisition of Symetis by Boston Scientific. Polares Medical SA, a clinical stage medical technology company based in Lausanne announced today the closing of a $40 million financing led by Longitude Capital (Menlo Park) with the participation of Decheng Capital(Menlo Park / Shanghai), Endeavour Vision (Geneva), IDO Investments(Muscat), Earlybird Venture Capital (Berlin), and Wellington Partners(Munich). The company is focused on the development of a unique mitral valve hemi-replacement system to treat…