Startups

Sahara AI: Decentralized Blockchain Platform Company Raises $43 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 16, 2024

Sahara AI is a company focused on making AI open, equitable, and beneficial for everyone across all stages of the development cycle. The company recently raised $43 million to scale its operations. This funding was co-led by Binance Labs, Pantera Capital, and Polychain Capital, with participation from Samsung, Sequoia Capital, Matrix Partners, dao5, Geekcartel, Nomad Capital, SCB 10X, Canonical Capital, Mirana Ventures, Foresight Ventures, Dispersion Capital, Aegis Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and Tangent Ventures, and others.

Anjuna: Universal Confidential Computing Platform Company Raises $25 Million (Series B2)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Anjuna - which is the creator of Anjuna Seaglass (a Universal Confidential Computing Platform) announced that it has closed a $25 million Series B2 financing round to propel and expand its AI-enabling enterprise offerings. The round was led by M Ventures, the corporate VC of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, SineWave Ventures, and AI Capital Partners (Alpha Intelligence Capital’s U.S.-based fund), with participation from existing investors Founder Collective, Insight Partners, Playground Global, and Uncorrelated.

Riverlane: Quantum Error Correction Company Secures $75 Million (Series C)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Riverlane, the global leader in quantum error correction technology, announced that it has raised $75 million in Series C funding to deliver its groundbreaking quantum error correction (QEC) roadmap. The funding will enable Riverlane to expand operations to meet surging global market demand for QEC technology, with the goal of achieving one million error-free quantum computer operations by 2026.

Red Queen Therapeutics: $55 Million (Series A) Closed To Develop Novel Antiviral Treatments

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Apple Tree Partners (ATP) - a leader in life sciences venture capital - has unveiled Red Queen Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel antiviral treatments for the general population and especially for immunocompromised patients who are at increased risk of severe illness or death from common and emerging viral pathogens. Red Queen operates with a $55 million Series A commitment from ATP. The company also has additional funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically for the preclinical development of a pan-influenza therapeutic.

Cala Systems: Intelligent Heat Pump Water Heater Company Closes $5.6 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Cala Systems, a creator of highly intelligent heat pump water heaters that ensure comfort, save energy, reduce emissions, and integrate with the home, today announced $5.6 million in seed funding and the commercial launch of its product. The funding round was led by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and Clean Energy Venture Group. It included Burnt Island Ventures, Leap Forward Ventures, CapeVista Capital, Collaborative Fund, and Climate Capital.

Neon: Serverless Postgres Database Company Raises $25.6 Million Strategic Investment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Neon, a serverless Postgres database built for developers, announced a $25.6 million strategic investment led by M12, Microsoft’s Venture Fund. Existing investors Abstract Ventures, General Catalyst, Menlo Ventures, and Notable Capital participated in the follow-up investment. This investment brings Neon's total funding to $130.6 million since its founding in 2021.

Streamkap: Real-Time Data Streaming Provider Raises $3.3 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Streamkap, a real-time data streaming provider, announced it raised $3.3 million in seed and pre-seed funding for its low-cost and low-maintenance streaming ETL platform. The investors include InReach Ventures, TEN13, Haatch, and Begin Capital. The company has also attracted angel investors with positions at companies like Datadog, Anthropic, and ClickHouse.

WorkJam: $20 Million Investment Raised From EDC

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

WorkJam , a leading digital frontline workplace, announced it has received a $20 million investment from Export Development Canada (EDC) to expand its international operations. WorkJam will use the new funding to fuel its global marketing efforts in Europe and Asia.

IONETIX: Cyclotron Company Raises Funding Led By Tees River And Lilly

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

IONETIX, a leading cyclotron technology innovator and isotope manufacturer for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, announced a round of funding. The investors included Eli Lilly and Company and existing shareholders led by Tees River Limited.

SYSO: Renewable Energy And Battery Storage Company Secures $14.5 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

SYSO, a leading market operator of renewable energy and battery storage assets, announced the completion of its Series B funding round at $14.5 million.

Companion Protect: B2B2C Pet Insurance Company Raises $20.25 Million (Series A)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 15, 2024

Companion Protect, a Kansas City-based pet health administration company, announced it has closed a $20.25 million extension round from Series A investors. This follows last year's $27 million Series A funding round from Avanta Ventures, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Old Republic International, and Stray Dog Enterprises.

MYAVANA: AI-Based Hair Care Company Secures $5.9 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 14, 2024

MYAVANA, the trailblazer in AI-driven personalized hair care, announced it has closed a $5.9 million seed round. This funding round validates MYAVANA's pivotal role in transforming the global hair care market.

ZOE: Science And Nutrition Company Raises $15 Million (Series B Extension)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 14, 2024

Science and nutrition company ZOE announced new investment from US-based Coefficient Capital. The New York based investment firm is investing $15 million and is adding ZOE to its lineup of technology-enabled consumer brands that it believes have the power to drive transformational consumer shifts.

Endari: Cybersecurity Company Raises $4 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 14, 2024

Cybersecurity company Endari announced its official launch from stealth mode by Nils Puhlmann, who is a seasoned cybersecurity veteran with over 30 years of experience. And the company has also raised $4 million in seed funding.

Outpace Bio: Cell Therapy Company Raises $144 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 14, 2024

Outpace Bio, a cell therapy company using unrivaled AI-powered protein design to program immune cells for improved function inside patients battling solid tumors, announced that it had raised $144 million in oversubscribed Series B financing. The Series B funding round brought the total capital raised by Outpace to approximately $200 million. It was led by RA Capital Management, with participation from new investors Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), Sheatree Capital, Black Opal Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments, and other undisclosed investors. Outpace’s existing investors ARTIS Ventures, Playground Global, Bristol Myers Squibb, Abstract Ventures, Civilization Ventures, Mubadala Capital, Breton Capital Ventures, WRF Capital, and Sahsen Ventures, also joined in the round.

Kano Therapeutics: $7.1 Million Raised To Create ssDNA As Flexible Biomolecule For Gene Insertions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Kano Therapeutics, a biotechnology company creating single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as a safe, efficient, and flexible biomolecule for gene insertions, announced it has secured an oversubscribed $5 million seed round. The Engine Ventures and VSquared Ventures co-led the round, and Taihill Venture and Metaplanet also participated.

Setpoint: Finance Infrastructure Provider Company Secures $31 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Setpoint, a leading infrastructure provider for the credit industry, announced today the successful completion of its $31 million Series B funding round. 645 Ventures led the round, with significant strategic investments from Citi and Wells Fargo, alongside Andreessen Horowitz, NextView Ventures, Floating Point, Henry Kravis, Zillow founder’s 75 & Sunny, Vesta Ventures, Fifth Wall, Eltura Ventures, and Outrunner Capital.

Guidewheel: AI-Based FactoryOps Company Closes $31 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Guidewheel, a leader in AI-powered FactoryOps, raised an oversubscribed $31 million Series B funding round led by Decarbonization Partners, a partnership between BlackRock and Temasek. And Ecolab, Rethink Impact, and GSBackers also participated in this round, along with existing investors Greycroft and Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV).

Mechanical Orchard: $50 Million (Series B)‍ Raised To Help Companies Transition Away From Legacy Software

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Mechanical Orchard, a technology business reinventing the software that runs the world, announced it has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round led by GV.

Prana Thoracic: MedTech Company Closes $3 Million (Series A Extension)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Prana Thoracic, a Houston-based medical tech company created with a vision to transform lung cancer intervention, announced the successful final closing of its Series A extension round. The company initially raised $3 million, received a non-dilutive grant of $3 million, and has now closed on an additional $3 million in oversubscribed funding.

Myrobalan Therapeutics: Additional $9 Million Raised And Grant Bogle Joins Board

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Myrobalan Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel oral small-molecule therapies to repair damage and restore brain function in high-unmet need central nervous system (CNS) conditions, announced the appointment of Grant C. Bogle to its Board of Directors. Mr. Bogle is a seasoned biotech executive with over three decades of operational experience in the biopharma industry and a strong focus on financial strategy, business development, corporate governance, and general management.

IDRx Raises $120 Million To Transform Cancer Treatment With Precision Therapies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

IDRx (a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming cancer treatment with purpose-built precision therapies) announced the completion of an oversubscribed $120 million Series B Preferred Stock financing. This financing was led by RA Capital Management, Commodore Capital, and Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing, with additional new investors, including Rock Springs Capital and a U.S.-based healthcare-focused fund. Existing investors, including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Bio + Health, Casdin Capital, Nextech Invest (on behalf of one or more managed funds), Forge Life Science Partners, co-founder Nick Lydon, Ph.D., and strategic partner Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany also participated in the funding.

Datch: Frontline Intelligence Company Raises $15 Million (Series A)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 13, 2024

Datch, an AI-based frontline manufacturing, energy, and utility sector pioneer, announced the closing of a $15 million Series A via an extension led by Third Prime. This funding round also coincides with Datch’s latest product offering, Asset Insights.

Farmblox: Farm Automation Company Raises $2.5 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

Farmblox (a farm automation system connecting equipment and in-field sensors to the internet so farmers can see everything from their phone or computer and take action) announced that it has raised $2.5 million in seed funding to propel expansion and scale into new markets such as vineyards and orchards. This oversubscribed funding round was led by Hyperplane, with participation from Slow Ventures, MHS Capital, and Service Provider Capital.

Spear Bio: $45 Million (Series A) Raised To Advance Protein Research And Disease Diagnostics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

Spear Bio (a biotechnology company enabling the measurement of protein molecules down to dozens of copies with ubiquitous qPCR equipment) announced the closing of its $45 million Series A financing. This oversubscribed round was co-led by Foresite Capital and Bio-Techne Corporation, with additional participation from existing investors including Maverick Ventures, Yonjin Capital and CDH Investments. Vikram Bajaj, Managing Director of Foresite Capital, has joined the company’s Board of Directors.

Halda Therapeutics Raises $126 Million (Series B) To Advance Cancer Therapies

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

Halda Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a novel class of cancer therapies called RIPTAC (Regulated Induced Proximity TArgeting Chimeras) therapeutics, announced today that it has raised new financing of $126 million in a Series B extension, including funding from new investors Deep Track Capital, Frazier Life Sciences, RA Capital Management, Vida Ventures, Boxer Capital and Taiho Ventures, as well as existing investors Canaan Partners, Access Biotechnology, Elm Street Ventures, and Connecticut Innovations. With this funding round, Halda has raised $202 million to date from investors.

Boostly: Restaurant Marketing Platform Company Secures $5.6 Million (Seed)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

Boostly, a marketing platform for restaurants, announced it has raised $5.6 million in seed funding, led by Trestle Partners and with participation from Relish Works, Singularity Capital, and Y Combinator. This funding will accelerate Boostly's goal of providing rocket fuel for restaurants by utilizing customer data to drive orders and revenue with minimal effort.

DevRev: AI-Based Customer Support Company Raises $100 Million (Series A) At $1.1 Billion Valuation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

DevRev, an AI-based platform that integrates customer support and product development, announced the completion of a $100.8 million Series A funding round, bringing its valuation to $1.15 billion. And DevRev is backed by prominent investors such as Khosla Ventures, Mayfield Fund, and Dheeraj Pandey’s family office, Param Hansa Values, and several accelerators and family offices of tech CEOs and VCs.

Artax Biopharma: $8 Million Raised To Transform Treatment Of Autoimmune Diseases

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

Artax Biopharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment of autoimmune diseases, announced the closing of an $8 million convertible debt financing, supported by Eli Lilly and Company, Advent Life Sciences, Columbus Ventures, Sound Bioventures and Belinda Termeer.

NeuroTherapia: $12.3 Million Secured To Address Neuro-Inflammatory Conditions Of The CNS

By Amit Chowdhry ● Aug 12, 2024

NeuroTherapia, a clinical-stage company and Cleveland Clinic Innovations portfolio company focused on developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, announced the first closing of its Series B financing with $12.3 million in funding. The Series B funding round, led by Cleveland Clinic, includes all previous investors, Brain Trust Accelerator Fund II, Dolby Family Ventures, and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), and new investors, Foundation for a Better World, and CRUINT.