Startups

Guardz: Cybersecurity Company Banks $18 Million In Series A Funding

By Noah Long ● Dec 19, 2023

Guardz - a cybersecurity company securing and insuring small businesses - recently announced that it has raised an $18 million Series A round led by Glilot+ (the early growth fund of Glilot Capital Partners). And Guardz's existing investors Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, and GKFF Ventures participated in the oversubscribed round and were joined by new investors ClearSky. This investment comes less than a year after Guardz launched with $10M in seed funding, bringing its total funding to date to $28 million.

Inductive Bio: $4.3 Million Raised To Develop ML Platform For Accelerating Compound Optimization

By Annie Baker ● Dec 19, 2023

Inductive Bio - a technology company developing a machine learning (ML) platform designed to accelerate the compound optimization process dramatically - recently emerged from stealth with $4.3 million in funding. The seed round was co-led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Bio + Health and Lux Capital, with participation from Character, Bessemer Venture Partners, Alleycorp, and others.

Myrias Optics Closes $3 Million To Develop Next-Gen Meta-Optics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

Myrias Optics - a company built on research developed by the Watkins Group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst - recently announced that it has secured a $3 million seed investment led by Asia Optical Inc. Myrias, an emerging developer of all-inorganic printed meta-optics, will use the funding to meet growing customer demand and interest in the company's structure, materials and process technology platform. This funding round also includes UMass Amherst, Tenon Ventures, and HOSS Investment participation.

DUST Identity: Product Authentication Company Raises $40 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

DUST Identity - a company whose technology enables product authentication by linking physical items to their digital records - recently announced the launch of its mobile solution, which is fueling its growth into new industries.

ContactMonkey: Email Communications Platform Company Closes $55 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

ContactMonkey - an internal email communications platform - recently announced the completion of a Series A investment of $55 million from Updata Partners, a leading growth equity firm. This funding round comes as employee engagement is more critical to enterprises than ever.

Parse Biosciences: Scalable Single Cell Sequencing Solutions Company Raises $50 Million

By Annie Baker ● Dec 19, 2023

Parse Biosciences - a leading provider of accessible and scalable single-cell sequencing solutions - recently announced it had closed a total of $50 million in financing from a Series C equity raise and the closing of a debt facility. And Soleus Capital led the Series C equity financing - which included participation by new and current investors, including Bioeconomy Capital, Janus Henderson Investors, Marshall Wace, Sahsen Ventures, and Saras Capital. Horizon Technology Finance Corporation provided the debt facility.

Canapi Ventures: $750 Million Fund II Closed To Invest In Fintech Companies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

Canapi Ventures - a fintech venture capital fund backed by nearly 70 financial institutions and strategic investors across the United States - recently announced a $750 million Fund II raise. This latest funding round brings Canapi's total assets under management to over $1.4 billion.

BioStar Capital: $130.3 Million Fund V Raised To Invest In Transformative Medical Technologies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

BioStar Capital - a strategic venture capital firm focused on transformative medical technologies primarily in the fields of cardiovascular disease, orthopedics, and robotics - recently announced it has closed its fifth fund at $130.3 million, more than its three previous funds combined.

MAKA: Africa-Based Social Commerce Company Raises $2.65 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 19, 2023

MAKA - Africa's leading fashion and beauty e-commerce platform - recently announced that it has raised a $2.65 million pre-seed round. The funding round was co-led by prominent investors 4DX Ventures and Janngo, with additional backing from Palm Drive Capital. This round also includes angel investor Jonathan Shipman (Former EVP and Twitch founding member) and executives from delivery platform Wolt.

Machinery Partner: Novel Procurement And Financing Company Raises $11 Million

By Annie Baker ● Dec 18, 2023

Machinery Partner - a company offering novel procurement, financing, and support for builders and contractors needing heavy machinery - recently announced it raised $8 million in Series A financing led by Armory Square Ventures and joined by Pritzker Group, two venture funds with expertise in the industrial tech world. And RiverPark Ventures and Contour Venture Partners also participated in the round alongside numerous B2B marketplace founders. Pacific Western Bank also provided an additional $3 million in venture debt, and the company raised follow-on from previous investors Euclid Ventures, One Way Ventures, and Techstars Ventures.

Odyssey Therapeutics: $101 Million Secured To Pioneer Next-Gen Precision Immunomodulators And Oncology Medicines

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

Odyssey Therapeutics - a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision immunomodulators and oncology medicines - recently announced the closing of a $101 million Series C financing round led by Ascenta Capital with participation from new and existing investors, including OrbiMed, SR One, General Catalyst, Foresite Capital, Woodline Partners LP, HBM Healthcare Investments, Colt Ventures, BlackMars Capital GmbH, Creacion Ventures, funds and accounts advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Catalio Capital Management, Walleye Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments, Racing Beach Ventures LLC, The Healthcare Innovation Investment Fund LLC (an investment fund associated with Leerink Partners), Ab Magnitude Ventures, KB Investment, The Global BioAccess Fund, and multiple leading global investors.

Pachama: Climate Tech Company Increases Series B Round To $64 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

Pachama - a technology company on a mission to solve climate change by restoring nature - recently announced it extended its Series B round to include an additional $9 million in new equity capital.

Rohirrim: Domain-Aware Generative AI Company Secures $15 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

Rohirrim - a cutting-edge technology company specializing in domain-aware generative AI for the enterprise - recently announced the successful completion of its $15 million Series A round of funding less than a year since emerging from stealth and deploying its Rohan platform.

Tome Biosciences: Programmable Genomic Integration Company Raises Over $200 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

Tome Biosciences - a programmable genomic integration company - recently announced it has launched to usher in a new era of genomic medicines based on programmable genomic integration (PGI). PGI enables the insertion of any DNA sequence of any size into any programmed genomic location. And the company has raised $213 million in Series A and B funding from investors: Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Bio + Health, ARCH Venture Partners, GV, Longwood Fund, Polaris Partners, Bruker Corporation, FUJIFILM Corporation, Alexandria Venture Investments, and others.

Ability Biologics: Cell Targeting Company Raises $12 Million

By Noah Long ● Dec 18, 2023

Ability Biologics recently announced the closing of its $12 million (US) funding round led by founding investor Amplitude Ventures. Amplitude was joined by Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Charles River Laboratories, Alexandria Venture Investments and Page One Ventures.

Playground Global: $410 Million Raised, Bringing AUM To Over $1.2 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

Playground Global recently announced that it has raised $410 million in new capital, bringing the firm’s assets under management to more than $1.2 billion. And Playground Global is an early-stage and deep-tech venture firm investing in transformative technologies and founders building category-defining businesses.

AutogenAI: Enterprise-Level AI Company Raises $39.5 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

AutogenAI - an enterprise-level artificial intelligence company - recently announced it has closed a $39.5 million Series B. The funding round was co-led by Salesforce Ventures and Spark Capital, with participation from Blossom Capital, the funding will enable AutogenAI to further develop its bid-writing product suite, helping businesses more efficiently win more work. This marks the company’s second fundraising in four months, bringing total investments in AutogenAI to $65.3 million.

January: $12 Million Raised To Help Americans Fight Debt

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 18, 2023

January Technologies recently announced that it has raised $12 million in Series B financing, preempted and led by existing investor IA Ventures. Existing investors Brewer Lane Ventures, Third Prime, and Reciprocal Ventures, along with new investors like Upper90, Shrug Capital, and numerous strategic angel investors, joined IA Ventures in the current round. This current funding round follows January’s $10 million Series A fundraise in 2022.

Ionomr Innovations: Polymer And Membrane Technologies Company Secures $20 Million

By Annie Baker ● Dec 18, 2023

Ionomr Innovations - a developer and manufacturer of breakthrough foundational polymer and membrane technologies for next-generation hydrogen applications - recently announced it had closed $20 million in a Series A-4 funding round with returning lead investors NGIF Cleantech Ventures and Pallasite Ventures supported by Shell Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Finindus, and joined by N.V. Bekaert, Asahi Kasei, Samsung Ventures and SAIC Capital.

ION Storage Systems Receives Investment From Saint-Gobain

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 17, 2023

NOVA by Saint-Gobain has recently invested in ION Storage Systems to expand the relationship between Saint-Gobain Ceramics and ION as they work together on bringing an innovative approach for battery technologies. ION offers battery solutions for applications used in defense, aerospace, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and grid storage.

AllSpice: Hardware Development Platform Company Secures $10 Million

By Annie Baker ● Dec 17, 2023

AllSpice.io - a hardware development platform that empowers engineers to modernize their collaboration and workflows - recently announced it has raised an additional $6 million in venture capital.

Twin Health: $50 Million Raised To Reverse And Prevent Chronic Metabolic Diseases

By Dan Anderson ● Dec 17, 2023

Twin Health - the creators of the Whole Body Digital Twin service for reversing, improving, and preventing chronic metabolic diseases - recently announced it secured $50 million in funding to continue expanding its groundbreaking technology and clinical service solutions for more members across the United States.

Intuitive Ventures: $150 Million Fund II Closed To Invest In Future Of Minimally Invasive Care

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 17, 2023

Intuitive Ventures - an early-stage fund investing in companies reimagining the future of minimally invasive care - recently announced the closing of $150 million for its second fund.

Zero Networks: Cybersecurity Company Secures $20 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 16, 2023

Zero Networks - an Israel-based cybersecurity company that is a leading provider of zero trust identity and network security solutions - recently announced it raised $20 million in Series B funding following a five-fold increase in its revenue, bringing its total raised capital to $45 million.

Foretellix: Safety-Driven Verification And Validation Company Closes $85 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 16, 2023

Foretellix - a leading provider of safety-driven verification and validation (V&V) solutions for Automated Driving Systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) - recently announced that it closed a Series C funding round of $85 million, bringing its total raised capital to $135 million.

EndoQuest Robotics: Endoluminal Robotic Technologies Company Raises $42 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 16, 2023

EndoQuest Robotics - a privately-held medical device company and pioneering leader in developing innovative endoluminal robotic technologies - recently announced the successful closure of a $42 million C-1 preferred financing round. This strategic funding round will fuel the advancement of its groundbreaking flexible endoluminal robot aimed at transforming minimally invasive procedures.

Zuper: $32 Million Secured To Help Companies Scale Field Operations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 15, 2023

Zuper - a leading solutions provider to scale and modernize fast-growing businesses with field operations - recently announced it closed a $32 million Series B funding round led by FUSE and participation from Prime Ventures and other existing partners. This investment follows an 8X growth in the past couple of years, fueled by outsized demand for Zuper's platform that empowers businesses with field operations to automate workflows, enable workforce collaboration, and deliver their customers with the best possible experience.

Rypplzz: Geo-Location Platform Company Raises $3 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 15, 2023

Rypplzz - the creators of Interlife, a multi-patented geo-location platform - recently announced that it has raised $3 million in seed funding, led by sports technology investment firm KB Partners, with participation from Triptyq Capital. This funding round brings the company’s total capital raised to $6.8 million.

EnCharge AI: $22.6 Million Raised To Develop Advanced AI Chips And Full Stack Solutions

By Annie Baker ● Dec 14, 2023

EnCharge AI - a company developing advanced AI chips and full stack solutions - recently announced it has closed a second institutional round of funding from strategic partners, including VentureTech Alliance, RTX Ventures, and ACVC Partners, with participation from existing investors such as Anzu Partners, AlleyCorp, Scout VC, Silicon Catalyst Angels, and S5V. This funding round

Verve Motion: Harvard University Spinout / Industrial Safety Company Spinout Raises $20 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Dec 14, 2023

Verve Motion (a Harvard University spinout) recently announced it has reached a significant milestone by securing $20 million in Series B funding. This funding round brought the company's total to over $40 million. This marks a major step in the company's rapid expansion and the widespread adoption of its innovative industrial-use connected wearable technology SafeLift exosuit.