Startups

Peek: Series A Raised For Virtual Leasing Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 5, 2025

Peek, a virtual leasing platform that helps property managers and owners accelerate the leasing process and reduce vacancy loss, announced that it has raised $5 million in Series A funding. The funding round was led by Moneta Ventures, with participation from Timber Grove Ventures and other existing investors.

Blacksmith: $3.5 Million Raised For High-Performance CI Cloud Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 5, 2025

Blacksmith, a high-performance CI cloud designed to compete with industry giants in an AI world, announced $3.5 million in seed funding led by GV (Google Ventures) and Y Combinator, with participation from angel investors including Spencer Kimball, CEO of Cockroach Labs; Peter Mattis, CTO of Cockroach Labs; and Rich Aberman, Co-Founder of WePay by J.P. Morgan.

Smith Point Capital: Over $360 Million Raised For Inaugural Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 5, 2025

Smith Point Capital Management—an operator-led venture capital firm shaping the intelligent enterprise—announced the final closing of its inaugural fund, Smith Point Capital Fund I. With over $360 million in aggregate commitments, Smith Point Capital Fund I exceeded its target of $300 million.

Sevii: Pre-Seed Funding Raised For Autonomous Agentic AI Defense Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

Sevii, a cybersecurity innovator working on a next-generation autonomous agentic AI defense platform, announced the closing of its pre-seed funding round. Overline led the round, which also included 10VC and SaaS Ventures.

Scamnetic: $13 Million Closed For AI Scam Detection Technology

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

Scamnetic, a company focused on protecting individuals and businesses from digital threats using advanced AI technology, announced it received $13 million in series A funding. Roo Capital led the round, which 1st and Main Growth Partners, SaaS Ventures, and Riptide Ventures also joined. This series A funding round brings the total investment in Scamnetic to $16 million.

SquareX: $20 Million Raised For Transforming Browser Detection and Response

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

SquareX, a pioneer in Browser Detection and Response (BDR), announced it closed a $20 million in Series A funding led by SYN Ventures, a leading venture capital firm focused on cybersecurity investments, with participation from existing investor Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital SEA).

CND Life Sciences: $13.5 Million Series A Closed For Neurodiagnostics Innovations

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

CND Life Sciences announced that it has raised $13.5 million in its Series A equity financing round, with $8.6 million in its most recent Series A3 offering. CND's latest Series A3 round included funding from existing investor groups like Cambrian Capital Partners, Tanis Ventures, Lupo Labs, Top Corner Capital, HonorHealth, Triana, Gold Bench Capital, and BlueStone Ventures, and from new investors Labcorp, MBX Capital, and Vilas Ventures.

SETWorks: Strategic Investment Raised From Polaris Growth Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

SETWorks, a software provider for disability service agencies and human services providers, announced it has secured a strategic growth investment from Polaris Growth Fund (PGF). Launched in the early 2000s, SETWorks offers industry-leading software and services built specifically for the disability services sector, empowering organizations to spend more time impacting the lives of the individuals they serve.

Axibo: $12 Million Raised For Developing Humanoid Robots

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

Axibo - a Waterloo-based robotics innovator known for its 4D volumetric capture technologies and serving customers like Netflix and Apple - announced a $12 million funding round. This funding includes $11 million from prominent external investors and $1 million from Axibo's founders, Anoop Gadhrri, Sohaib Al-Emara, and Reiner Schmidt, whose passion for robotics started in 2019 with their university's first autonomous vehicle.

Persona: $200 Million Raised At $2 Billion Valuation For Agentic AI Verified Identity Layer

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

Persona, a leading verified identity platform, announced a $200 million Series D funding round, bringing the company's valuation to $2 billion. The funding round was co-led by Founders Fund and Ribbit Capital, with participation from existing investors including BOND, Coatue, First Round Capital, Index Ventures, and Chemistry.

CIV Launched With $210 Million Fund To Invest In Companies Reshaping Industries

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 4, 2025

CIV, an investment firm focused on backing and building transformative companies that transform critical industries, announced the closing of its inaugural CIV Fund One. This fund has been oversubscribed, with over $210 million in commitments.