FitReserve, a multi-studio fitness subscription platform, has been acquired by Trustmark, a national employee benefits provider that’s increasingly moving into providing fitness as a benefit.
Nucleus Adventure Capital
TomTex Raises $1.7M to Make Leather Alternatives Using Shellfish and Mushroom Waste
While leather is considered to be ethical since the source of hides is from animals already in the food chain, the leather production process is both chemical and water-intensive, and the byproducts of tanneries have significant environmental ramifications. While vegan leather is being touted as a more sustainable alternative, vegan alternatives use plastic compounds that are petrochemical-based and dependent on fossil fuels. TomTex, a Brooklyn-based biomaterials startup, has developed a leather alternative that’s both ethical and truly sustainable. The company uses a proprietary process that extracts a biopolymer, chitin, from the shells of discarded seafood and mushrooms and then combines this with coffee grind waste to develop a near-leatherlike textile that can be customized to customer requirements. The resulting materials are all durable, 100% biodegradable, plastic-free, and do not require tanning or chemical-intensive dying. TomTex, founded in 2020, is refining its formulations and process, scaling its production capacity, with plans to launch an MVP mid-year with its first commercial products available in September. AlleyWatch caught up with TomTex CEO and Founder Uyen Tran to learn more about the business, the company’s strategic plans, recent round of funding, and much, much more…
Women in NYC Tech: Megan Smyth of FitReserve
Today we speak with Megan Smyth CEO and cofounder of FitReserve, the company allowing you to mix-and-match workouts across studios and classes. After spending 7 years in Wall Street, entrepreneurship called Megan’s name. Through cofounding GoRecess and working with the Nike+ Accelerator, the company turned into FitReserve and Megan had the ability to improve how we workout. Megan, an avid runner and dedicated gym rat, is just as dedicated to NYC’s growing tech ecosystem and goes the distance to give back to our community.