The Helm

Here's the first look at the new SIMPLIFYBER x GANNI "Moon Shoe" collaboration, launched yesterday at Paris Fashion Week Spring 2025! These shoe uppers started as a liquid of cellulose fibers, poured into a 3D mold using SIMPLIFYBER's patented additive manufacturing process, which reduces environmental impact by up to 33x compared with conventional shoe uppers. #ganni #fabricsofthefuture #sustainablefashion

"The members of Julia Marsh's lab group were like a team from the Marvel Universe: There was Amanda Guan, who’d recently gotten her master’s degree, in a white lab coat, gray turtleneck, and plastic safety goggles that somehow managed to look hip; Joakim Engström, a boisterous Swedish polymer scientist with a bushy mustache and a wool hat; and Matthew Catarino, the Big Plastics escapee, reserved beneath his baseball cap." This one's a special feature for us. The WIRED team has seen Sway through the development of our technology portfolio, from Firstwave™ to TPSea™ to TPSea Flex™. It's been a true delight having Clive Thompson as an interviewer-turned-friend through calls, lab visits, and many emails over the last couple years — thank you for bringing our seaweed solutions to the surface through WIRED's lens. Read now: https://lnkd.in/gRtmG3gE 🧪🌊🌞

Today, I'm proud to unveil the #vcsforkamala pledge. As of this morning, 110 VCs representing ~$150 Billion in assets under management have signed. Over the past few weeks, like so many of you, I’ve watched countless venture capital power players announce their support of Donald Trump. Many of them are VCs I respect and admire. And I’m not so much surprised about seeing VCs express conservative viewpoints - some of which I share. But this particular election - there are much more existential issues at stake. And so last Tuesday I went online, bought a URL, reserved a social handle, and wrote a 3 paragraph pledge in support of Vice President Harris. On Thursday night, I sent it to a dozen or so friends who volunteered to help. By Friday morning, Mark Cuban and Reid Hoffman had signed. A dozen more joined in the hours that followed, big enough names that there was no turning back. As of right now, 110 VCs representing about $150 Billion in assets under management have signed the pledge. I believe there are at least a hundred more, just from our outreach, that would sign the pledge but are prevented from doing so by their firms’ internal policies. The names on this list are not just well known democrats - they are moderates and independents, too. Each person’s reasons for signing are their own, and they vary. What we share is a commitment to safeguarding American democracy, and a desire to engage with each other and with elected leaders on the best path forward on the issues that we care about. In the last five days I have asked myself, over and over, why I am doing this. There are so many VCs out there with far more power, money, and fame than me. So many that have far more to gain and far less to lose by taking a stand. Here’s my why. I’m doing this because I have kids. I’m doing this because they are girls. I’m doing this because to have economic prosperity, we need institutional stability. I’m doing this for the thousands of founders who are watching our industry aghast. And I’m doing this because Silicon Valley power players that have lost touch with the rest of us, don’t speak for all of us. I am in awe of what a small group of volunteers accomplished in the last 5 days. Thank you so much to all of you, those who need to remain anonymous, and to everyone who was brave enough (and able to) sign the pledge. Check out the full list of signatories, and sign the pledge, on www.vcsforkamala.org And join us. #vcsforkamala #vcsfordemocracy

Exciting news! Oova has earned a spot on Fast Company's World Changing Ideas list! We are honored to be recognized alongside other trailblazing organizations that are actively making a positive impact on our world. #FCWorldChangingIdeasIncredible ⁠ View the full list: https://lnkd.in/eZQEnfTQ