Latest news with #Lyra
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
See the 8-slide pitch deck AI video calling platform Lyra used to raise a $6 million seed round from Y Combinator and 468 Capital
Lyra has raised $6 million to expand its AI-native video meeting platform. The San Francisco and New York-based startup lets customers turn sales calls into real-time whiteboards and keep all their conversations about a project in one place. The product was born when its 23-year-old founder, a marketing consultant, said he realized that go-to-market strategies are repetitive and manual. He thought they could be optimized with AI. "We basically just took a huge bet that everyone is wrong, all the AI note takers are wrong," said Courtne Marland, Lyra's cofounder and CEO. "Instead, you actually need to rebuild the conferencing platform itself because then you can control the entire screen." Once a meeting is scheduled in a virtual calendar, a link for a Lyra meeting is created, just like it is for existing meeting platforms. A team then has a call in which participants can collaborate on a screen share. Lyra's AI generates notes that can be shared after the meeting. The startup, which is now valued at $40 million, was part of Y Combinator's spring 2025 batch. From its November launch, the company's revenue climbed from $20,000 to $700,000 in six weeks. Marland said Lyra is now powering over 200 hours of calls per week and competes with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. The $6 million seed round was led by 468 Capital, with participation from Rebel Fund, Y Combinator, and executives from companies like Ramp, Gusto, and Zapier. The round is Lyra's second, following a small pre-seed round in November with contributions from three angel investors. Lyra's product is priced on a pay-per-minute basis. Packages start at $6,000, which gets users about 200,000 minutes. Pricing is customized after this amount, but gets cheaper with more minutes. With the cash injection, Maland wants to invest in the startup's infrastructure, which is under stress because of quick growth. "It's a mission-critical software, which means people don't ever rip it out of their business," he said. "So it needs to work 100%, all the time." Marland said that the company also wants to expand its go-to-market team by hiring engineers, product designers, and a head of growth. The company has a total of 5 employees, including the two cofounders. Check out the pitch deck Lyra used to secure the fresh funding.
Cision Canada
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Toronto's First-Ever Cinematic Drone Show Lands at Fort York This Summer
The Origin of Light redefines live performance with a luminous fusion of drone storytelling, orchestral sound, and immersive visual art — in a once-in-a-lifetime open-air spectacle. TORONTO, July 17, 2025 /CNW/ - On August 19, the skies above Fort York will come alive like never before. The Origin of Light — a groundbreaking collaboration between Illumin Drone Shows and Portal Nine Experiences — will transform Toronto's skyline into a living narrative told through hundreds of precision drones, a 15-piece live orchestra, and soul-stirring vocals. This one-night-only event is more than a show — it's a cinematic revelation in the sky. Illumin Drone Shows, fresh off their Canada's Got Talent finale, leads the charge with breathtaking aerial formations that depict the journey of Lyra, a celestial being rising from silence through darkness and into light. The story unfolds high above the audience in choreographed light and motion, set against a sweeping score performed by the Ontario Pops Orchestra under Maestro Carlos Bastidas. Vocalists — including Filipina-Canadian artist Arlene Paculan — bring emotional resonance to the performance, grounding the spectacle in raw human feeling. "This isn't just a drone show — it's a sensory pilgrimage," says Christian Ilumin, founder of Illumin Drone Shows. "We designed every moment to hit like cinema — to surround you, move you, and leave you changed." "This is a return to wonder," adds co-creator Lianne Baron of Portal Nine. "It's a modern myth told through the elements — sky, sound, and story — inside one of Toronto's most sacred spaces." With limited capacity and rare approval to stage inside Fort York's inner walls, The Origin of Light is expected to be one of the summer's most unforgettable cultural events.
Business Wire
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Lyra Health Acquires Bend Health, Expanding Whole Family Mental Health Care
BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lyra Health, the leading provider of mental health benefits for employers, has acquired Bend Health Inc., a leader in pediatric mental health care, to better tackle the growing, global youth mental health crisis. Nearly one in five children are experiencing a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, but 80% do not receive mental health support from a specialized provider. Lyra's scale, with more than 20 million members globally, and proven best-in-class care combined with Bend's specialized expertise and collaborative care model will enable Lyra to serve its members and their families better than ever before. This acquisition will enhance Lyra's pediatric and neurodiversity capabilities with more specialized providers, neuropsychological evaluations, and virtual intensive outpatient care to serve health plans, health systems, and employers. 'Lyra and Bend already share a common mission and culture,' said Jennifer Schulz, CEO of Lyra Health. 'Welcoming the Bend team into Lyra expands the impact we can have and will help us achieve our joint vision of fully comprehensive whole person, whole family care, through every life moment and stage.' 'We're thrilled to join the Lyra team,' said Kurt and Dr. Monika Roots, co-founders of Bend Health. 'We already share a joint dedication to outcome-driven, evidence-based holistic care that supports both individuals and whole families.' The pediatric mental health crisis is only growing, and together, Lyra and Bend can make an even bigger difference in helping more families live better and more fulfilling lives. About Lyra Health Lyra Health is the leading provider of mental health solutions for employers, available to more than 20 million people globally. Lyra is transforming access to life-changing mental health care through Lyra Empower, the only fully integrated, AI-powered platform combining the highest-quality care and technology solutions for members, providers and HR leaders. Empower works in the background to quickly connect members to the largest global network of evidence-based mental health providers, deliver actionable insights to benefit leaders, and free up providers to focus on client care—driving outstanding positive outcomes that are equitable across diverse racial and ethnic groups. Extensive peer-reviewed research confirms Lyra's transformative care model helps people recover twice as fast and results in a 26% annual reduction in overall healthcare claims costs. For more information, visit About Bend Health, Inc. Bend Health, Inc. is a national provider of pediatric mental health care services for children and families. Bend is revolutionizing treatment through its unique collaborative care model that includes coaches, therapists, and psychiatric providers who work with families to provide comprehensive, personalized care plans that help youth feel better today, and thrive tomorrow. Through measurement-based care, Bend achieves better outcomes, supporting happier and healthier kids and families, with 12 peer-reviewed published studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the model. Bend's services cover over 20 million kids through partnerships with leading insurers, employers, and health systems, and self-pay. Bend Health has received numerous honors, including being named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2025 and recognized on Fierce Healthcare's 2025 Fierce 15 list. For more information, visit
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Nasa uncovers ‘Super Earth' planet flashing with mysterious repeating signal just 154 lightyears away
NASA has uncovered a new 'Super Earth' planet just 154-lightyears away that has been flashing a mysterious signal. The planet appears to be almost twice as wide as our planet, and roughly four times heavier. 1 Earlier this year, Nasa's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) captured a repetitive flicker of starlight. The dimming pattern, captured by TESS, occurred in March of each year. Tracing it back, scientists stumbled across a 'Super Earth', dubbed TOI‑1846 b, hiding in the northern constellation Lyra. The planet has a size and weight combination that suggests it falls into the so-called 'radius gap'. This a rare category between small, rocky planets like Earth and larger, gas-rich planets like Neptune. Based on this, scientists believe the newly discovered world may have a layer of dense ice underneath, topped by a thin atmosphere - or maybe even a shallow ocean. Despite an estimated surface temperature of 300C (600F), researchers say the planet may still hold water. This is because TOI‑1846 b is likely tidally locked - meaning one side always faces its star while the other remains in darkness. Water, therefore, may be trapped in the cooler, darker regions, according to scientists. Although it depends on how heat moves through its atmosphere. Best-ever sign of ALIEN life found on distant planet as scientists '99.7% sure of astounding biological activity signal' Given the scorching temperatures, alien life is unlikely to be found on the planet. Working with observers on four continents, researcher Abderahmane Soubkiou and colleagues at the Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco confirmed the existence of the exoplanet. 'We have validated TOI‑1846 b using TESS and multicolor ground‑based photometric data, high‑resolution imaging, and spectroscopic observations,' Soubkiou wrote at the end of the team's announcement. Their measurements show the planet orbits its star in just under four days. TESS scans the sky every 30 minutes with four high-sensitivity cameras, making it the ideal tool for spotting shallow light dips like those from TOI-1846 b. Each dip in the light from its neighboring star, a Red Dwarf, is caused when the planet passes in front of it from the perspective of Earth. Because the star is faint, each transit of TOI‑1846 b subtracts only a few hundredths of a percent of its light - but TESS is built for picking up such slight flickers. But different tools are needed to learn more about the possibly rocky, water-featuring world. The team noted that the MAROON‑X instrument on Gemini North in Hawai'i can verify the planet's mass and uncover any hidden sibling planets lurking in the shadows. Nasa scientists hope they can secure time with the James Webb Space Telescope and target TOI-1846 b to study its atmosphere using infrared light. The $10 billion telescope discovered its first-ever exoplanet just last month, but has been used to analyse others on its journey through space.
Times
14-07-2025
- Times
Swap Île de Ré for this quieter French island that's just as charming
Ten miles off the Vendée coast of western France, Île d'Yeu demands a little extra effort. For starters it's in the Bay of Biscay and when we board the boat for the 45-minute journey from the port of Fromentine, the heavily suntanned deckhand with bandaged fingers takes one look at us and hands me a stack of sick bags. It's true that after a 4am start and a delayed flight, we are not looking our best. But despite my husband Rob turning a shade that would colour match Farrow & Ball French gray, we manage not to disgrace ourselves on the bouncy crossing. 'It's wibbly wobbly like jelly on a plate, Mummy,' shrieks our three-year-old daughter Lyra, somewhat understating things. Our fellow passengers are sturdy, twinkly French people of a certain age, sensibly dressed in form-fitting waterproofs. There is nonetheless a sense of relief when we dock at Port Joinville. With its blue-shuttered and white-painted buildings lining the front, I'm not sure a harbour town has ever looked more appealing. This was the island's commercial centre — coastal shipping then fishing were big business, and there is still a canning factory (the last) in town. We're on the calmer northeast coast of the 23 sq km island, which is 10km from west (Pointe du But) to east (Pointe des Corbeaux). The south coast is uninhabitable, with coves carved by frothing seas and an imposing medieval fortress, Le Vieux Château, that seems to rise out of the rock. Prehistoric sites, including dolmen dating to 4,000BC, show people settled on the island in the very distant past. Like on the Île de Ré, about 124 miles south, the population of Yeu swells in summer from 5,000 to 25,000 but the island feels less developed, less glitzy than its southerly neighbour, with more of a sense of ordinary life going on in the background. We are staying in the middle, in a new hotel, La Mission, in the village of Saint Sauveur, which was once the island's capital. Opened last summer, it's the first outpost outside of Paris for the boutique group Les Hôteliers Impertinents, and it's seriously chic. Michel Delloye and Jacques-Olivier Larant, the owners and childhood friends, spent summers on the Île d'Yeu and they have managed the transformation of what was a 19th-century garrison canton then primary school with style and care. They've made a point of employing locals and keeping the hotel open almost year-round so islanders can enjoy the bars and restaurant off season too. What was the girls' primary school is now a series of 22 rooms in one-storey white buildings — in keeping with the architecture of the island — arrayed around a giant plane tree. The former boys' school is now a rum bar (plus breezy rooftop spot), restaurant and heated pool with 'Ye' tiled into the bottom and a small adjoining spa. The white parasols are fringed with red and the rooms are all smart rattan and jaunty textiles. Our family room has a cheery, thick-piled zigzag yellow rug, Matisse-inspired embroidered cushions by A&N and a mustard checked throw. Were the furnishings for sale, I'd gladly buy the lot. There are cute white bunk beds built into the wall for Lyra and a cot on the mezzanine level next to our giant bed for our baby, Jasper. It's still blowy outside but, as we make our way to the restaurant for supper (and strong gin and tonics), there are bursts of lovely clear island light. We begin to feel away from it all. I'd like to say that our meal is a detangling experience but you know what dinners with young children are like. Messy (and we are seated over a distressingly smart rug). Noisy (even if it's not tears). Shortlived (despite the kindly provided colour-in menu). Some of our fellow diners turn around to look. • 10 of the best things to do in France for families But we are all (especially the baby) captivated by the interior with its giant jellyfish-like pendant lights and ikat-covered ceiling. And Jasper so endears himself to the maitre d', she even allows him to grab her silk shirt. Horreur! The walls are deep red, there's a blue and white tiled fireplace and shelves of ceramics. The chips are salty, the fish perfectly cooked but there is no lingering for dessert — that giant bed is calling. Breakfast is more of a success because we are first through the door and have the buffet of breads, brioche, two types of butter and homemade salted caramel spread to ourselves. Yes, there's fruit and yoghurt and eggs, but is there anything better than French bread and butter? It's expensive to bring a car onto Yeu so holidaymakers usually cycle and La Mission has electric bikes with all manner of options for ferrying children. First, though, a foray into Saint Sauveur. It's properly charming with white houses with orange, burgundy and blue shutters, a Romanesque church with frescoes, Renaults parked next to walls and roses rambling all over the place. Trumpet lilies are in bloom and there's a bakery, which provides us with sandwiches, quiches and prune tart, a local speciality. At the bar-cum-tabac they are doing a busy trade in espressos and tiny glasses of white wine. While buying postcards Lyra and I meet a family from Paris who are relocating to the island for two years. What an adventure. Babies and baskets loaded, we set off. Even though it's relatively flat, we are grateful for the electric oomph (especially when the children fall asleep on the back). It's a brilliant way to get around and see the island, which is lovely in early June with fragrant banks of honeysuckle and flowering gorse in the hedgerows and verges scattered with orange poppies. Jasper, though, is more interested in a thorough investigation of the screw securing his bike seat. • 10 of the most beautiful places in France (and how to see them) Our first stop is La Ferme d'Émilie, owned by the couple Émilie and Pierre Sage. They run an organic 60-hectare farm (farming is having something of a renaissance on the island) a 20-minute cycle from La Mission. A restaurant using its produce and a shop selling it (including homemade ice cream, verbena jelly and slippers lined with wool from their flock of Sologne sheep) is new for this summer. It's a lovely, airy space and Lyra confirms the strawberries are very good indeed. Pierre, who used to work in the oil industry, tells us he is happier with the life-changing career move into farming that he made 18 years ago, but more tired. We can only sympathise. It is an attractive ride on sandy bike paths from here to the ruined Le Vieux Château, which even in the sunshine strikes me as a chilly, foreboding outpost — though I guess that was the idea. It's open for guided tours only but we are still able to cross the drawbridge and peek through the door to see the large cannon. On the horizon to the north, we can see one of the island's five lighthouses, Le Grand Phare, rebuilt in 1951 having been bombed in 1944. It can be climbed but not, we decide, with a preschooler. From here we pedal further south to La Meule, with its tiny harbour lined with fishing huts (Bar de la Meule overlooks the harbour and comes recommended) and overlooked by a tiny chapel built in the 11th century. • 19 of the best holiday villas in France Then it's on to the attractive cove Plage des Soux. The sea is rough but it's sheltered enough for Rob to brave the water. A group of young Frenchmen arrive with their guitars to provide a gap year vibe. It reminds me of Scottish island beaches — bracing but beautiful. On the northeast coast the sandy stretches, some backed by piney forests, are bigger and ideal for shell collecting. We score a very good haul on Plage du la Petite Corniche at low tide when people are out and about shore fishing. But sometimes it's tempting to just keep cycling while the children are captive and (mostly) quiet. After too short a stay, we have a boat to catch. Our return journey is by a bigger vessel (less heave-ho, more gentle roll) on calmer seas and the mood on deck is almost festive with people drinking beer and not a sick bag in sight. Yes, you work a little harder for a holiday on Île d'Yeu, but you won't regret Coad was a guest of La Mission, which has B&B doubles from £181 ( Yeu Continent ferries ( Vendée Tourism ( and Atlantic Loire Valley Tourism ( Do you have a favourite summer destination in France? Let us know in the comments
