🍀 Lucky F*ck, 🛠️ Builder.io, 💅Pink Friday Nails

Welcome to our monthly recap—exploring the trends, behaviors, and technology shaping the future of commerce.

Please join us in welcoming Lucky Beverage Company to the Sugar Capital portfolio.

Lucky F*ck is a clean energy drink containing just five ingredients and five calories. The company was founded by Richard Laver, who survived a plane crash at age 12, later founded Kate Farms, and has now founded Lucky. Sugar Capital participated in Lucky’s $8M round led by Brand Foundry Ventures with participation from Imaginary Ventures.

Congratulations to our portfolio company, Builder.io on its $20M raise led by M12 (Microsoft’s VC arm).

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Introducing SugarRush - your new AI Editor-in-Chief

SugarRush simplifies your inbox by filtering, editing, and summarizing the newsletters you love into a personalized feed of essential insights. Here are the top stories from the last few weeks:

🎬 Sex Sells Again in Hollywood nytimes - A deep dive into Hollywood's renewed focus on adult themes in movies such as 'Challengers' and 'Saltburn', exploring the role of intimacy coordinators and shifting audience demographics.

🌟 Met Gala's Best Dressed 2024 hollywoodreporter - The Met Gala's fashion did not disappoint, with celebrities bringing their A-game, reflecting the 'The Garden of Time' theme in breathtaking ensembles.

📚 Rise of Intellectual Influencers businessinsider - Explores the shift towards 'edutainment' on social platforms and the emerging trend of intellectual influencers.

🛍️ Doubling Down on TikTok Despite Ban Rumors bof - Fashion and beauty brands remain steadfast in leveraging TikTok Shop, undeterred by whispers of potential bans, aiming to tap into the platform's vast shopping audience.

🛏️ Quiet juggernaut Ashley Furniture makes $1B acquisition axios - Ashley Home Furnishings acquired mattress maker Resident Home for nearly $1 billion, positioning Resident for a potential future IPO after expanding its product line. Avid Capital Advisors was the exclusive financial advisor.

▶︎ Check it out here: https://sugarrush.ai

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Portfolio Companies in the News

💅 Nicki Minaj launches press-on nail brand Pink Friday Nails and shows them off at the Met Gala - BoF, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, HypeBae, WWD

💰 Builder.io nets $20M from Microsoft's venture fund. What it means for the future of headless CMS - CMS Critic

🚀 Motion ships Launch Analysis enabling entire marketing teams to see what creative has been posted, what’s working, and what they should do next.

🍀 Lucky F*ck, the energy drink, cleans up its act with name change and comic campaign - AdAge

🤩 Starface launches neutral pimple patches and debuts them at Kiko Kostadinov’s runway show - Glossy, hypebae

👃 Beautifying the Home: 9 New Household and Cleaning Launches From Diptyque, Snif and More - WWD

✨ Exponent Beauty’s Power System launch is covered by multiple outlets - NY Mag, Robb Report, New Beauty, WWD

🫒 The founder of olive oil brand Brightland’s first career in communications taught her an essential lesson for every CEO - Fortune