Innovation

Thumbtack: $75 Million Raised From Silicon Valley Bank And Hercules Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Thumbtack, a technology company helping millions of people confidently care for and improve their homes, announced $75 million in financing from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, and Hercules Capital. This debt facility provides access to efficient capital and liquidity for Thumbtack as it continues to bring the $600 billion home services industry online.

Growlink: Environment Agriculture Solutions Provider Closes $2 Million In Seed Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Growlink, a leading controlled environment agriculture (CEA) provider of advanced IoT controllers, sensors, and cultivation software, announced the closing of its $2 million seed funding round led by Casa Verde. And Growlink's co-founders, Ted Tanner and David Holmes, built technology companies together for 26+ years with two previous exits and are dedicated to creating data-driven tools that empower growers to maximize their yield with minimal resources.

Seeq: Industrial Analytics, AI, And Monitoring Leader Secures $50 Million In Series D

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Seeq, a leader in industrial analytics, AI, and monitoring, announced today it has closed a $50 million Series D funding round led by leading global investment firm Sixth Street Growth, with participation from existing investors including Insight Partners, Altira Group, Second Avenue Partners, and Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures.

Climatize: Impact Investing Company Raises $1.75 Million In Pre-Seed Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Climatize, an SEC-registered impact investing platform that enables investors to fund renewable energy projects while earning up to 10% annually, announced the close of a $1.75 million pre-seed round led by Myriad Venture Partners. The funding round also includes investments from Climate Capital, Techstars, Responsibly Ventures, and Temerity Capital. And notable angel investors include the co-founder of GoFundMe, the former operating partner of Bessemer Ventures, and the head of Americas for a utility-scale renewable energy developer Low Carbon.

Inscora: Cyber Insurance Broker Solutions Company Raises $2 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Inscora, a Montreal-based company providing automated cyber risk assessment and sales enablement solutions for cyber insurance brokers, announced it has raised $2 million in funding. The funding round was led by Luge Capital, and participants included Desjardins Capital, Accelia Capital, Inovia Capital, and angel investors from the cybersecurity industry.

H3X: High Power Density Electric Motor Manufacturer Raises $20 Million In Series A

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

H3X, a leading manufacturer of high power density electric motors, announced today a $20 million oversubscribed Series A raise. This funding round was led by Infinite Capital, with participation from Hanwha Asset Management, Cubit Capital, Origin Ventures, Industrious Ventures, Venn10 Capital, and follow-on investors that include Lockheed Martin Ventures, Metaplanet, Liquid 2 Ventures, and TechNexus.

Muon Space: End-To-End Space Systems Provider Closes Over $56 Million In Series B

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Muon Space, an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates mission-tailored low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, announced the successful completion of a $56.7 million Series B funding round led by Activate Capital. Acme Capital and existing investors Costanoa Ventures, Radical Ventures, and Congruent Ventures all joined the round. This funding accelerates the buildout of Muon's Halo Platform and positions the company to scale the spectrum of capabilities it delivers to a growing customer base.

Groq: Fast AI Inference Company Raises $640 Million Series D At $2.8 Billion Valuation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Groq, a leader in fast AI inference, announced it has secured a $640 million Series D round at a valuation of $2.8 billion. The funding round was led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock Private Equity Partners with participation from existing and new investors, including Neuberger Berman, Type One Ventures, and strategic investors, including Cisco Investments, Global Brain's KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, and Samsung Catalyst Fund.

Degreed: An Interview With CEO David Blake About This Fast-Growing Enterprise Learning Experience Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Degreed is a technology suite that combines lifelong learning and data-driven development to accelerate workforce capabilities. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Degreed CEO David Blake to learn more about the company.

Octane: $50 Million Series E Raised To Transform Buying Processes For Major Recreational Purchases

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Octane, a fintech company transforming the buying experience for major recreational purchases, announced that it has closed its Series E funding round with $50 million in new equity capital. And Octane has raised $242 million in total equity funding so far.

Integrate: The Story Behind This Enterprise B2B Focused Demand Management SaaS Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

Integrate is a company that offers a cross-channel demand management SaaS platform for enterprise B2B demand and marketing operations teams. To learn more about the company, Pulse 2.0 interviewed Integrate CEO Jeremy Bloom.

FleetPulse Raises Additional Funding From NFI Ventures and Ironspring Ventures

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 6, 2024

FleetPulse, a leading innovator in trailer telematics, announced additional funding from NFI Ventures, a venture capital group run by NFI (a prominent 3PL) and Ironspring Ventures (a VC firm with deep transportation and logistics experience). This new funding aims to enhance FleetPulse's development of customer-focused innovations and expedite product commercialization.

Cato Networks Passes $200 Million In ARR

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

Cato Networks, the creator of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), announced it surpassed $200 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in the second quarter of this year—doubling its total ARR in under two years.

SafeGuard Privacy: SaaS-Based Compliance Company Raises $3.6 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

SafeGuard Privacy, a SaaS-based compliance platform that enables publishers, agencies, brands, data providers, and tech platforms to assess, audit, and comply with global privacy laws, announced it has closed a $3.6 million funding round. And the company's new funding round was led by TechOperators, Dynamism Capital, Sidekick Partners, and two other existing investors.

Ema: Gen AI Company Increases Series A To $50 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

Ema, a generative AI (GenAI) company creating the universal employee of the future, announced its Series A total of $50 million after adding $36 million in funding led by Accel and Section 32. This funding round also includes participation from Prosus Ventures, Sozo Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, Wipro Ventures, SCB 10X, Colle Capital, and Frontier Ventures. The company has raised $61 million so far, and since it emerged from stealth in March, Ema has more than tripled its customer base.

Xero: An Interview With CFO Kirsty Godfrey-Billy About This Rapidly Growing Business Management Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

Xero is a global small business platform with 3.5 million subscribers that offers a core accounting solution, payroll, workforce management, expenses, and projects. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Xero CFO Kirsty Godfrey-Billy to learn more about the company.

Applied Carbon: $21.5 Million Closed To Deploy Biochar Technology, Increasing Soil Health And Sequestering Carbon

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

Applied Carbon (previously known as Climate Robotics), a company designing automated biochar production machines that convert in-field agricultural crop waste into biochar, announced it has raised a $21.5 million Series A. This funding round was led by TO VC, with participation from Congruent Ventures, Grantham Foundation, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, S2G Ventures, Overture.vc, Wireframe Ventures, Autodesk Foundation, Anglo American, Susquehanna Foundation, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, and Elemental Excelerator.

Faye: Travel Platform Company Secures $31 Million In Series B

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

Travel company Faye announced it has raised $31 million in Series B funding, bringing the company's total funding to $49 million. Portage led the round, which included participation from Lumir Ventures and existing investors F2 Venture Capital, Viola Ventures, and Munich Re Ventures.

DecoverAI: Legal Tech Company Raises $2 Million In Seed Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 5, 2024

DecoverAI, a pioneering legal technology company, announced that it has raised $2 million in seed funding, led by Leo Capital with participation from other notable investors. This funding round marks a significant milestone in DecoverAI's goal in transforming the legal industry through cutting-edge AI solutions.

Checkly: Monitoring As Code Company Secures $20 Million In Series B

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 1, 2024

Checkly – a leading provider of synthetic monitoring powered by Monitoring as Code (MaC) and Playwright – announced it has raised a $20 million Series B funding round led by Balderton Capital. Existing investors Accel, CRV, and Paul H. Müller also participated.

aiXplain: Accelerated AI Development Company Raises $6.5 Million In Pre-Series A

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 1, 2024

aiXplain, a leading provider of essential infrastructure for accelerated AI development, announced a $6.5 million pre-Series A round to simplify the process of building AI agents and globalize the impact of AI innovation. Wa’ed Ventures (a $500 million Saudi Arabian venture capital fund backed by Aramco) led the round (its first direct investment in a US-based company). And prominent angel investors such as Osama Elkady (CEO and Co-founder of Incorta) and Kane Minkus (global business expert) also participated in the round.

Agrovision: Superfruit Platform Company Raises $100 Million At Over $1 Billion Valuation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 1, 2024

Agrovision, the healthy superfruit platform and fully vertically integrated superfruit business announced it had closed $100 million in equity financing from Aliment Capital, along with marquee new and existing investors, including Steve Kaplan (co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management). And Agrovision is known for its premium superfruits: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries (sold under Fruitist and Big Skye brands).

Axiad: Zero-Trust Enterprise Enabler Raises $25 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 31, 2024

Axiad, an identity-first enabler of the zero-trust enterprise, announced it has raised $25 million in funding from Invictus Growth Partners.

TeachMe.To: $5 Million Closed To Make It Easier To Learn Sports, Music, And Art, And Music

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 31, 2024

TeachMe.To, a hub for finding and booking local in-person lessons, announced that it has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Bling Capital and with participation from Marketplace Capital, 20Growth, and Gokul Rajaram, and existing fund and angel investors, including 1984, Alumni Ventures; Ancestry CEO, Deb Liu; and Rover President, Brent Turner. And the company will utilize the investment to continue to enhance its platform with a particular focus on tools that improve the learning experience.

RxDiet: Food As Medicine Company Raises $3 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 31, 2024

RxDiet, a New York-based company that is focused on Food as Medicine, announced it raised a $3 million seed funding round led by Giant Ventures, with significant participation from Better Ventures, Form Life, and several angel investors including Immad Akhund (Mercury Bank).

Trio Mobil: AI-Based Workplace Safety Company Raises $26.5 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2024

Trio Mobil (a leading provider of AI and IoT solutions for workplace safety and efficiency) announced it has secured $26.5 million in growth financing led by NewSpring through its dedicated growth equity strategy NewSpring Growth. Existing investors 212 and TIBAS Ventures also joined in the round.

New Frontier Raises Funding To Help SMBs Find Credit And Debt Options

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2024

New Frontier Funding, a pioneer in utilizing generative AI to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) find credit and debt funding, announced it has closed a significant round of growth capital from the Homsher Family Office.

Pindrop: Voice Authentication And Security Company Raises $100 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2024

Pindrop (a leader in voice authentication and security) announced it has secured $100 million in debt financing from Hercules Capital. This funding will enable Pindrop to develop its audio, voice further, and AI technologies, enhancing its offerings for customers in the banking, finance, contact center, insurance, utilities, healthcare, retail, and other industries.

Truvian Health: Lab-Accurate Results Company Raises $74 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2024

Truvian Health announced it is redefining the current global infrastructure through its novel platform, creating a world where central laboratory equivalent blood tests are available anywhere you go. Truvian raised $74 million in funding to be used in part to secure US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its blood testing platform. The latest funding round was co-led by Wittington Ventures and Great Point Ventures, with strong support from existing investors, including DNS Capital, Medical Excellence Capital, Tao Capital, TYH Capital, and 7wireVentures.

Cloverleaf Infrastructure Secures Over $300 Million In Commitments

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 30, 2024

Cloverleaf Infrastructure announced that it secured capital commitments totaling over $300 million from private equity investors NGP and Sandbrook Capital, along with contributions from its management team.