Investor in Rumble Boxing & Van Leeuwen Announces New Deals
*By Madison Alworth*
The venture capital firm that's already funded cult favorite start-ups like Rumble Boxing and Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream has found its newest investments, and its co-founder came to Cheddar to announce them.
Tracy Dubb, partner at M3 Ventures, said Gen Z-centric media company [Brat](https://www.brat.com/) and dance-fitness company Forward Space are extensions of her company's values.
"It's become this second nature sort of desire people have to be healthy and to think of themselves that's affecting all elements of the consumer space," Dubb told Cheddar in an interview Wednesday. Her company focuses on start-ups that promote healthier living for young people.
"Rumble Boxing and Forward, for example, are in the fitness space, and they do well because people, rather than going out for an indulgent meal or a nightclub, they want to do something that makes them feel good about their bodies and give them a sense of community. Those things have come together to create a lot of successful businesses in the space," Dubb said.
M3's investment in Rumble is an example of the firm's commitment to finding trends before they catch on.
The boxing studio [continues to grow](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rumble-opens-third-nyc-studio-with-five-story-location-on-manhattans-upper-east-side-300690200.html) and includes celeb clients like Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and practically every other millennial in your Instagram feed. Dubb hopes Forward Space, which is set to launch in New York next month, can draw similar interest.
For the slightly younger consumer, M3 sees Brat as an ideal partner.
"It's our first toe in the water in the Generation Z market, which is going to be important. There's a lot of attention paid right now to millennials, but this is also a very important, very different demographic," Dubb said.
Brat creates original content for Gen Z viewers, and most stars on the network have their own viral social-media followings. The network taps influencers with the hope of converting followers into fans.
Among M3's other investments are medical scrubs brand Jaanuu, jewelry company Still House, and athleisure maker Spiritual Gangster.
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/vc-fund-with-pulse-on-youth-culture-announces-two-new-investments).
How much real money would you pay for a virtual plot of land? Developing technology is introducing everyone in the real world to new, virtual worlds, like Decentraland. In this metaverse economy, users are buying virtual real estate at high value – and it’s not just the average Joe that’s looking to invest. Company's like Facebook are betting big.
Touring the remains of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has long been a Halloween tradition, but this year there is an educational spin to the haunting experience. Sean Kelly, Eastern State Penitentiary historic site SVP, talked to Cheddar about the goal of this year's 'Halloween Nights' and why it is relevant to mass incarceration.
On this episode of 'Your Future Home', Ania Smith, TaskRabbit CEO, discusses TaskRabbit's recent revenue growth, how the company is increasing their taskers' earning potential, and its potential for greater global expansion.; Aaron Wagner, a former football player turned self-made real estate investor & Founder and Managing Partner of Wags Capital, breaks down the best first steps the average investor can take into the realm of real estate, and how wholesaling can be a smart investment.; Cheddar breaks down all the tips, tricks, and things to look out for when buying your first home.
Pearson CEO Andy Bird joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to talk about a new partnership with famed recording artist manager Simon Fuller to launch a new performing arts school, the Academy of Pop, focused on cultivating the next round of rising stars. While the school will focus predominantly on the arts, Fuller said Bird wanted to partner with the learning company Pearson to add structure to the curriculum. "I think in many areas, the performing arts have suffered within education, and so part of our goal is to sort of put the 'A' into STEM and turn it into STEAM," he said. The first studio is slated to open in Hollywood.
Assistant Professor of Journalism at San Francisco State University, Lourdes Cárdenas, joined Cheddar News to discuss San Francisco State University launching a new bilingual journalism major.
On this epsiode of ChedHER: COO of Exile discusses the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America; Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase breaks down the firm's commitment to racial equity; President of Myriad Genetics explains how to expand access to genetic testing for all women.
Nicole Lambert, President at Myriad Genetics joins ChedHER to discuss how to expand access to genetic testing for all women, and how her experience as a 'pre-vivor' motivates her role in the industry.
Noreen Hernandez, Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, joins ChedHER to discuss the firm's commitment to racial equity and what needs to be done to close the racial wealth gap.
Tere Perez, COO of Exile, joins ChedHER to discuss the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America, and how the team is empowering Hispanic creators.
