It’s been an incredible year for CIC’s global community. Across our campuses worldwide, member companies are achieving remarkable milestones, from advancing cutting-edge cancer treatments to pioneering solutions in renewable energy and AI. 2024 has brought exciting new ventures, groundbreaking research, and well-deserved recognition to our members. Read on to discover how these innovators are making an impact in their industries and beyond.
1. American Offshore Services
Offshore wind farms are a vital renewable energy source, and CIC Providence member American Offshore Services (A-O-S) is playing a key role in supporting companies working to revolutionize clean energy. A-O-S, a U.S.-based Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) operator, specializes in transporting service personnel and equipment to offshore wind farms using customized vessels built in the USA. This June, A-O-S launched its second crew transfer vessel, Generater, and in November the third G-Class vessel Guarder was added to the fleet. The G-Class vessels are 99-foot, Jones Act-qualified catamarans designed to support the rapidly expanding U.S. offshore wind industry. Built to operate efficiently in higher sea states, these vessels offer superior station-keeping abilities for transferring technicians to turbine towers, ensuring reliable maintenance and contributing to the growth of sustainable energy on the East Coast.
2. C2CA
Each year, 4.1 billion tons of cement are produced globally, accounting for 8% of CO₂ emissions. CIC Rotterdam member C2CA is addressing this issue by upcycling concrete waste into high-quality, circular materials. In a significant milestone, C2CA secured €10M in Series A funding to advance its mission of setting a global standard for waste concrete upcycling and promoting sustainability. Backed by a consortium of impact-driven financial investors, an institutional investor, and strategic partners—including fellow CIC Rotterdam member InnovationQuarter—this investment will fund the construction of a groundbreaking concrete waste upcycling facility in s’Gravendeel. Scheduled to be operational by Q2 2025, the facility will process 150,000 tons of waste concrete annually, replacing primary raw materials with sustainable alternatives and reducing CO₂ emissions.
3. Coils to Locs
Coils to Locs was founded by cancer survivor Dianne Austin and her sister Pamela Shaddock to address a critical gap in the medical hair loss industry. Despite nearly 12 million Black women living with hair loss, most wig distributors prioritize straight hair, offering few options that match natural coily or curly textures. Coils to Locs is changing this by providing high-quality, textured wigs designed for anyone with tightly coiled hair. Since joining CIC Massachusetts’s 2023 Social Impact Cohort, the company has achieved significant milestones. In 2024, they were named a semifinalist for Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition Prize. Building on their success, they also announced their first international expansion to Canada with the launch of a Canadian version of their e-commerce store and they are working closely with Look Good Feel Better Canada to raise their brand profile across the Provinces.
4. Convergent Therapeutics
Convergent Therapeutics, a CIC Boston member, is pushing the boundaries of innovation in cancer treatment. This year, Convergent Therapeutics treated its first patient in a Phase II clinical trial aimed at addressing metastatic, treatment-resistant prostate cancer. The company also welcomed Dr. Richard Messmann, a seasoned drug development expert, as Chief Medical Officer to guide the trial’s progress. In another major milestone, Novo Holdings invested $40 million in a Series A extension to further support Convergent’s pioneering work in radiopharmaceuticals.
5. Deep Breath
Deep Breath, a CIC Rotterdam member, achieved a major milestone with pre-seed investment from fellow CIC member Graduate Entrepreneur Fund. They also were approved for a grant from Health Holland to work on a project with Erasmus Medical Center. Launched through CIC Rotterdam’s softlanding program, Deep Breath was co-founded by Daria Kozlova and Anton Balakirev to support ICU clinicians with an AI-powered decision support system for lung ventilation. Known for real-time data processing and a user-friendly interface, their platform is designed to ease the demands of ICU care. This includes the SIREN project, a collaboration with Erasmus MC to enhance ICU outcomes by optimizing patient-ventilator interaction through AI-driven monitoring. With plans for algorithm validation this year, Deep Breath aims to bring its transformative, data-driven solution to ICUs worldwide, improving clinician support and patient outcomes.
6. MoreApp
CIC Rotterdam member MoreApp, a leading digital solution for data management, achieved a major milestone this year with its expansion to CIC Berlin, positioning itself to serve the DACH region from its new office. Founded by Thom Bokelaar, MoreApp has grown from a tool for agriculture into a versatile solution used across industries such as construction, hospitality, and healthcare. It now empowers over 2,000 customers and 30,000 users to streamline operations and reduce paperwork. Last year, the company launched a new app to simplify form filling and plans to introduce an enhanced Form Builder next year. Following its expansion to CIC Berlin, MoreApp has set its sights on global expansion in the coming years, reinforcing its mission to drive digital transformation worldwide. Learn more in their 2023 Impact Report.
7. New Majority Capital
With a mission to help close persistent wealth gaps in the United States, CIC Providence member New Majority Capital (NMC) is reshaping pathways to economic equity. After the first close of NMC Fund I in June 2024, led by the Skoll Foundation, NMC is poised to support the next generation of business owners through strategic acquisitions. By partnering with underrepresented entrepreneurs, NMC provides the education, resources, connections and funding needed to acquire existing, cash flowing small businesses in the United States. This work underscores NMC’s dedication to empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs and strengthening local economies nationwide.
8. RISPE
Less than 5% of Rhode Island’s teachers are people of color, even though students of color comprise 40% of the overall population and 80% in urban schools. CIC Providence member RISPE (Rhode Island School for Progressive Education) is addressing this critical need for greater diversity in education. This year, RISPE marked a major milestone by celebrating its fifth anniversary with an event honoring key stakeholders for their impactful contributions. The event also announced RISPE’s strategic endowment campaign, in partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation, to advance lasting change through diversity, equity, and inclusion in education.
9. Sakana AI
Sakana AI, a Tokyo-based R&D company on a mission to develop a new foundational AI model inspired by nature’s intelligence, has become Japan’s fastest-growing unicorn just one year after its launch. Backed by Nvidia and a diverse range of Japanese enterprises, the company achieved this milestone while also debuting its first public event series, the AI Research Tech Talk Series, in partnership with CIC Tokyo. Designed to tap into the current excitement surrounding AI, the series highlights innovation beyond surface-level discussions. The inaugural event drew over 500 attendees, both in person and online, and showcased groundbreaking topics such as adaptive neural networks that evolve in real time, brain-controlled robotic interfaces, and Sakana AI’s pioneering Evolutionary Model Merge techniques.
10. Unlocked Labs
Earning national recognition as one of only nine recipients—and the only one from the Midwest—CIC St. Louis member Unlocked Labs was awarded a $100,000 grant this year from the New York-based Robin Hood Foundation’s AI Poverty Challenge. Unlocked Labs, which joined CIC as part of the 2023 St. Louis Social Impact Cohort, is on a mission to transform the justice system from the inside out. This grant will fuel its UnlockEd program, an AI-powered platform that provides justice-involved individuals with educational and workforce readiness skills, fostering economic mobility and reducing recidivism through ethical AI and community collaboration.
11. Vittoria Biotherapeutics
Philadelphia’s life sciences industry is flourishing, and CIC Labs member Vittoria Biotherapeutics stands out as a key contributor to this growth. A clinical-stage cell therapy company, Vittoria Bio recently announced the publication of pivotal research by University of Pennsylvania investigators in Science Immunology, marking a major step in advancing CAR T-cell therapies. Following a recent $25M financing round, Vittoria’s innovative work on their Senza5™ platform continues to gain recognition. By developing treatments with the potential to enhance the efficacy and durability of CAR T-cell therapies, the Vittoria team is driving forward life-changing innovations.
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Innovative companies like these are part of what makes CIC’s community so vibrant. Interested in joining them? Schedule a tour to see how CIC’s spaces and resources can help you achieve your next big milestone.
