Covington tech startup lands $9M | Rare earth magnets to be made in Oklahoma

Northern Kentucky-based future-of-work startup lands $9M in funding

COVINGTON, Ky.–Cloverleaf, an automated coaching platform for workers, said it closed a $9 million Series A, led by Origin Ventures of Chicago. Since early 2021, Cloverleaf has increased its revenue by 400 percent and is expecting that growth to continue. The company uses psychology data from behavioral assessments such as DISC and Enneagram to coach staff through collaboration tools, including Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack and Microsoft Teams.

Governor announces rare earth manufacturing facility coming to Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.–Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced that a new company is coming to Stillwater, Okla., and will be the first fully integrated rare earth magnet manufacturing facility in the U.S. The $100 million investment from USA Rare Earth LLC will help the state lead in manufacturing components for smartphones, electric vehicles, medical devices and military equipment. Production is scheduled to begin in 2023 and will create more than 100 new jobs and almost $7 million in wages.

WSU’s Innovation Campus expands with NetApp campus facility

WICHITA, Kan. — A new facility by NetApp on Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus is designed to help gain and retain talent. The 168,000-square-foot building opened on June 15, and it includes a quiet room, a game room and a chance for students to learn about fields they might consider after college. The new $50 million NetApp facility can open doors for students who will learn about data management, artificial intelligence and machine learning,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly told KSN.com. More than 500 NetApp employees, as well as WSU students, will use the space.

Fast-growing wireless tech firm Relay moves into bigger Raleigh HQ, is adding jobs

RALEIGH, NC–A Raleigh-based tech firm has seen “explosive” growth and is now moving into larger offices, allowing it to double its staff to 250, WRAL Tech Wire reported. Relay is a cloud software startup that has seen its revenue jump 645 percent over the last year, thanks to demand for its walkie-talkie-style device for frontline workers. CEO Chris Chuang told Tech Wire that this year’s revenue will be in the “double-digit” millions.