Startups

Butterflies AI: Social Media Company Raises $4.8 Million To Help People Connect With AI Characters

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Butterflies AI, a social media platform enabling humans and AIs to co-exist, announced the public launch of its platform after five months in beta. To support rapid consumer interest, the company has raised a $4.8 million seed round led by Coatue with participation from SV Angel and several strategic angels, many of whom are former Snap product and engineering leaders.

Heyday Health: Virtual-Forward Care Provider Company Secures $12.5 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Heyday Health, which is the nation's first virtual-forward value-based care provider focused on Medicare and dual-eligible patients, announced that it has raised $12.5 million from Gradient Ventures (Google's early stage fund), Lionbird (a large national payor), Great Oaks Capital, and Kate Ryder (CEO of Maven Clinic).

Cadana: Payroll Technology Company Raises $7.4 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Cadana, a global payroll technology company specializing in emerging markets, announced it raised $7.4 million in funding to date led by Costanoa Ventures with participation by Better Tomorrow Ventures and 500 Startups.

Backstroke: AI-Based Messaging Company Raises $2 Million In Seed Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Backstroke announced the launch of its generative AI messaging platform that is set to transform email, SMS, mobile push, and customer marketing for B2C brands. With a $2 million seed round co-led by venture firms High Alpha and Ground Game Ventures, and with participation from Allos Ventures. Backstroke features new technology with seasoned experience, presenting a major opportunity in the marketing tech landscape.

Etched Raises $120 Million To Develop Fast AI Chip

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Etched, a two-year old company that is aiming to develop the fastest AI chip, announced it raised $120 million in Series A funding. This funding was from from Primary Venture Partners and Positive Sum, with participation from Two Sigma Ventures, Skybox Datacenters, Hummingbird Ventures, Oceans, Fundomo, Velvet Sea Ventures, Fontinalis Partners, Galaxy, Earthshot Ventures, Max Ventures and Lightscape Partners.

Semperis: Identity-Driven Cyber Resilience Company Raises $125 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 27, 2024

Semperis, an identity-driven cyber resilience pioneer, announced it secured $125 million in growth financing from J. P. Morgan and Hercules Capital. The company - which had raised a $200 million Series C funding round in 2022 led by KKR - will use the new financing to further invest in product innovation and support a rapidly expanding global customer base.

VoltR: Sustainable Lithium Battery Company Secures €4 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 26, 2024

VoltR, a French manufacturer of sustainable lithium batteries, announced it had raised €4 million to industrialize its processes. This seed funding round included investments from C4 Ventures, Exergon, Pays de la Loire Participations, Anjou Amorçage, and others.

Rocketlane: Workflow Automation Platform Company Raises $24 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 26, 2024

Workflow automation platform Rocketlane is announced it raised a $24 million Series B funding round as it expands the opportunity for professional services teams with AI capabilities. This funding round was co-led by 8VC, Matrix Partners India, and Nexus Venture Partners. And this brings the total funding raised to $45 million.

Bright Machines: Software-Defined Manufacturing Company Closes $126 Million In Series C Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 26, 2024

Bright Machines, a software-defined manufacturing, announced it has raised $126 millionin Series C funding, with $106 million in equity led by investment from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and participation from NVIDIA, Microsoft, Eclipse, Jabil and Shinhan Securities, and with $20 million in venture debt from J.P. Morgan. This brings the company's total amount raised to more than $400 million.

Hona: Law Firm Client Engagement Platform Company Raises $9.5 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 26, 2024

Hona - a leading client engagement software platform for law firms - announced that it raised $9.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Costanoa Ventures with participation from Ludlow Ventures, Soma Capital, and Y Combinator.