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).
According to the latest report from the UN, several countries around the world are "nowhere near" towards their goal of limiting gas emissions. This report comes ahead of the COP26 which is slated to take place in the month of November in Scotland. Senior Advisor at CDP Paula Diperna, joined Cheddar to discuss what the report highlights and what this tells us about the future plans of the Paris Climate Agreement.
New details surrounding the deadly shooting that took place on the production set of "Rust" have now emerged. According to sources close to the matter, hours before the set several crew members walked off set over safety concerns. Senior Editor at Variety and host of the "Just for Variety" podcast Marc Malkin along with Certified Firearms Instructor and Founder of The Reload Stephen Gutowski, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Jill and Carlo cover the news out of Facebook's latest earnings, Tesla's monumental day, Dave Chappelle addresses controversy and the tragedy of the climate emergency.
Edtech startup ENTITY Academy raised $100 million in its latest round of funding. The company's platform offers tech training to women via online courses, in areas like data science and software development. The courses include mentoring and career coaching from people working in the tech industry. ENTITY Academy's founder and CEO Jennifer Schwab joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to talk more about the company and the funding.
LendingTree's latest survey found that parents and Gen Zers are the most likely to overspend on Halloween this year. Brianna Wright, a senior consumer research specialist at LendingTree, joined Cheddar to discuss what exactly consumers are splurging on this spooky season and how to carve out room in your budget to celebrate.
Connor Franta, YouTube star and author of 'House Fires,' joins Cheddar News to discuss his latest book which is a collection of essays, photos, and poems about dating, sex, relationships, mental health, and so much more.
Zaire Wade and Jalen Newsome, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of 'YNG DNA' join us to talk about their new NFT collection available Oct. 25 on WAX NFT blockchain.
According to new research by Twitter, the social media platform algorithm amplifies content from the "political right" rather than those on the left. The company says this data comes as the platform has been taking the time to research the implications of its algorithm and whether or not it has caused any "unknown harm". President and CEO of Media Matters for America Angelo Carusone, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The tragedy on the set of the movie "Rust" is sparking calls for safer Hollywood film sets. Actor Alec Baldwin accidentally killed the film's director of photography and injured the director when he fired a prop gun while rehearsing a scene last week, unaware the weapon was loaded with live rounds. Tom Murray, entertainment editor of Insider, joined Cheddar to discuss how prop guns can still be very dangerous and why Hollywood has prioritized realism over safety, despite several on-set accidents over the decades.
