WndrCo invests $30 million in restaurant platform; Soon-Shiong distributes Zinc batteries to Africa and Asia; Kovacs named new LAVA president.

WndrCo Invests $30 Million in The Infatuation Inc.

Consumer technology venture capital firm WndrCo Holdings, headquartered in Beverly Hills and established by Jeffery Katzenberg, announced Sept. 27 it invested $30 million in New York-headquartered restaurant discovery platform The Infatuation Inc. Techcrunch reports The Infatuation first brought attention to itself after purchasing Zagat from Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google.

NantEnergy Introduces Rechargeable Zinc Battery

The Los Angeles Times reports that Patrick Soon-Shiong’s El Segundo firm NantEnergy has unveiled a rechargeable zinc battery storage system that can deliver energy for $100 per kilowatt-hour. The technology, according to Soon-Shiong, has been deployed already in more than 110 African and Asian villages serving 200,000 people who would otherwise have no access to electricity.

Los Angeles Venture Association Names New President

Sawtelle-based startup investor group the Los Angeles Venture Association named Kimberly Kovacs as its new president Sept. 27, Socaltech reports. Kovacs is currently managing director of Laguna Nigel-based Arroyo Ventures and co-founded Mission Viejo-based employee stock management firm OptionEase Inc. In addition to Kovacs, LAVA also brought on Chris Wadden as group treasurer and Shuki Lehavi as secretary.