Latest news with #Nauta
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stokes-backed travel platform Unravel takes off with £5m funding
An online travel content platform backed by a fund which counts the England Test cricket captain Ben Stokes among its investors will this week unveil a $7m (£5.4m) funding injection. Sky News understands that Unravel, which combines TikTok-style video content with an artificial intelligence-powered booking assistant to enhance users' experience, will announce the Series A round on Thursday. Led by Nauta, a European business-to-business software investor, it includes participation from Slingshot Ventures, which is partly financed by Kees Koolen, the former chairman and CEO of Unravel partners with travel influencers to identify distinctive overseas experiences, and says it facilitates transactions within banking apps, airline loyalty programmes and digital marketplaces. "The way people discover travel has changed," Vijay Anand, CEO and co-founder of Unravel, said. "They don't sift through endless search results--they get inspired by creators who are exploring the world and sharing their experiences. "Unravel bridges that gap, turning creator-shot videos into seamless, AI-powered booking experiences." Other investors in the round include Antler, Brook Bay Capital and The Players Fund, whose other backers include the Indian cricketer KL Rahul and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, the British Olympic heptathlon champion. OIivier Bisserier, another senior former executive, is also investing in Unravel, according to the company. "The rise of TikTok has had a massive influence on the way people experience content on mobile," said Carles Ferrer, a general partner at Nauta. "That change has happened in parallel with banks, insurers and telcos adding travel to their list of perks or products offered to customers. "Unravel has combined both of these market changes, with the addition of an AI booking assistant, to produce an incredibly popular white-label solution for customers looking to add new revenue streams." The company said the new capital would be used to enhance its AI capabilities to optimize video-commerce conversions and expand its London-based workforce. Nauta's investment portfolio has included companies such as Brandwatch, Techspert and AppFollow.
Sky News
02-04-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Stokes-backed travel platform Unravel takes off with £5m funding
An online travel content platform backed by a fund which counts the England Test cricket captain Ben Stokes among its investors will this week unveil a $7m (£5.4m) funding injection. Sky News understands that Unravel, which combines TikTok-style video content with an artificial intelligence-powered booking assistant to enhance users' experience, will announce the Series A round on Thursday. Led by Nauta, a European business-to-business software investor, it includes participation from Slingshot Ventures, which is partly financed by Kees Koolen, the former chairman and CEO of Unravel partners with travel influencers to identify distinctive overseas experiences, and says it facilitates transactions within banking apps, airline loyalty programmes and digital marketplaces. "The way people discover travel has changed," Vijay Anand, CEO and co-founder of Unravel, said. "They don't sift through endless search results--they get inspired by creators who are exploring the world and sharing their experiences. "Unravel bridges that gap, turning creator-shot videos into seamless, AI-powered booking experiences." Other investors in the round include Antler, Brook Bay Capital and The Players Fund, whose other backers include the Indian cricketer KL Rahul and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, the British Olympic heptathlon champion. OIivier Bisserier, another senior former executive, is also investing in Unravel, according to the company. "The rise of TikTok has had a massive influence on the way people experience content on mobile," said Carles Ferrer, a general partner at Nauta. "That change has happened in parallel with banks, insurers and telcos adding travel to their list of perks or products offered to customers. "Unravel has combined both of these market changes, with the addition of an AI booking assistant, to produce an incredibly popular white-label solution for customers looking to add new revenue streams." The company said the new capital would be used to enhance its AI capabilities to optimize video-commerce conversions and expand its London-based workforce. Nauta's investment portfolio has included companies such as Brandwatch, Techspert and AppFollow.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump taps classified docs co-defendant Walt Nauta for Naval Academy Board
President Trump tapped Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran and his co-defendant in Special Counsel Jack Smith's classified documents case, for a seat on the Naval Academy's Board of Visitors on Friday. 'Our GREAT United States Naval Academy needs a new Board of Visitors. I am pleased to announce that an incredible group of Patriots will serve on the Board— Walt Nauta, Sean Spicer, 'Doc Ronnie' Jackson, and Derek Van Orden,' the president wrote in a Friday post on Truth Social. 'Together they will ensure continued Greatness for the Academy,' he added. Nauta previously served as Trump's body man and accompanied the leader during numerous visits to his Mar-a-Lago estate where Trump was accused of storing classified documents. Nauta was indicted for allegedly violating the Espionage Act and related offenses. Smith's case against the president was thrown out in July 2024 while charges against Nauta and property manager Carlos De Oliveira were dismissed by the 11th Circuit appeals court last month. Trump promised to ultimately pardon the co-defendants upon re-election if they were convicted of crimes related to documents at the Florida resort according to court filings. Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump's former aides in the classified documents case, was appointed to the White House legal team in January. Nauta's newest appointment from the president comes almost a month after Trump fired the Board of Visitors for four military service academies, citing 'woke ideology.' The entity's main objective is to oversee student life on the campus of military institutions. Spicer was re-appointed to his post at the Naval Academy after the Biden administration encouraged him to resign in 2021. He will now serve alongside Nauta, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), former United States Navy officer, and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) who is a former Navy SEAL. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
08-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump taps classified docs co-defendant Walt Nauta for Naval Academy Board
President Trump tapped Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran and his co-defendant in Special Counsel Jack Smith's classified documents case, for a seat on the Naval Academy's Board of Visitors on Friday. 'Our GREAT United States Naval Academy needs a new Board of Visitors. I am pleased to announce that an incredible group of Patriots will serve on the Board— Walt Nauta, Sean Spicer, 'Doc Ronnie' Jackson, and Derek Van Orden,' the president wrote in a Friday post on Truth Social. 'Together they will ensure continued Greatness for the Academy,' he added. Nauta previously served as Trump's body man and accompanied the leader during numerous visits to his Mar-a-Lago estate where Trump was accused of storing classified documents. Nauta was indicted for allegedly violating the Espionage Act and related offenses. Smith's case against the president was thrown out in July 2024 while charges against Nauta and property manager Carlos De Oliveira were dismissed by the 11th Circuit appeals court last month. Trump promised to ultimately pardon the co-defendants upon re-election if they were convicted of crimes related to documents at the Florida resort according to court filings. Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump's former aides in the classified documents case, was appointed to the White House legal team in January. Nauta's newest appointment from the president comes almost a month after Trump fired the Board of Visitors for four military service academies, citing 'woke ideology.' The entity's main objective is to oversee student life on the campus of military institutions. Spicer was re-appointed to his post at the Naval Academy after the Biden administration encouraged him to resign in 2021. He will now serve alongside Nauta, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), former United States Navy officer, and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) who is a former Navy SEAL.
Politico
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Trump names Walt Nauta, co-defendant in classified documents case, other allies to Naval Academy board
President Donald Trump is nominating his close allies to serve on the board of visitors for the U.S. Naval Academy, a month after firing the previous board. On the list is Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran who has served as Trump's body man and was federally indicted alongside the now-president in the classified documents case. Trump also nominated his former press secretary Sean Spicer, former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) known as 'Doc Ronny,' and former Navy SEAL Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.). In February, Trump fired the board of visitors for the Naval Academy, as well as the boards for the Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. These boards serve as advisory panels to oversee programs and student life at the military academies. The Biden administration had also removed former Trump appointees in 2021. The move came as part of Trump's sweeping changes to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the government — including the military. He argued the academies had been 'infiltrated by Woke Leftist Ideologues.' Charges against Nauta were dismissed after Trump took office. Nauta still works for the president, and was seen traveling with him on Friday. The service academy boards aren't the only ones that he has overhauled. On Friday Trump also completed his nominations for the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center — Washington's major theater and arts center — tapping two Fox News hosts for the job. In his announcement on Friday, Trump called the nominees an 'incredible group of patriots,' adding, 'Together they will ensure continued Greatness for the Academy!'
