Happy Monday! Here are the latest weekly startup stories for you. Explore what's trending in startup world. Start afresh with our updates.
7th December, Monday
1. Berlin’s Wonder raises $11M for a new approach to video chat
Berlin startup -Wonder, has raised $11 million (€9 million) in a substantial seed round. It has create a platform for people to come together in video-based groups to meet up, network and collaborate. Read more.
2. Tech growth fund Highland Europe raises €700M to double down and backing
Highland Europe — the tech growth fund best known for backing high profile late-stage startups raising €700M in a comparatively short space. Over the past couple of months the company has backed seven founding teams, investing nearly €200M, read more.
3. Getting acquired for $180 million, Avira is changing hands again,with all cash deal
NortonLifeLock acquires Avira in $360M all-cash deal after 8 months after Avira was acquired for $180M. NortonLifeLock announced that it would acquire the German security firm for around $360 million in an all-cash deal.NortonLifeLock is likely to use the asset to help it grow specifically in Europe, where Avira has a strong customer base. Read more.
8th December, Tuesday
1. Quell raises $3M to turn home fitness into a game
London-based startup Quell raised a $3 million fund to expand and make the platform more user friendly and likeability for people to join for gaming and gyming duos. Platform build with games that get the player exercising while still being deeply immersive. Read more.
2. Agri-biotech startup Boost Biomes adds a strategic investor in Japan’s Universal Materials Incubator
Boost Biomes, the Y Combinator-backed developer of microbiome-based bio-fungicides and bio-pesticides for agricultural applications, has added $2 million in funding. It handle issues in agriculture like spoilage, bacterial contamination and pathogen infestations and diseases that effect plant health directly. Read more.
3. Cyber insurance startup At-Bay raises $34M
At-Bay -Cybersecurity insurance startup has raised $34 million in its Series C round. The company plans to grow its team and launch new products, while enhancing its automated underwriting platform that allows companies to get instant cyber insurance plans. Read more.
9th December, Wednesday
1. Stuf raises $1.8M to rethink self-storage
Stuf, a newbie startup transforming basements and other spare spaces into self-storage locations, is announcing that it has raised $1.8 million in seed funding. The forgotten spaces that weren’t generating cash flow will be transfomed to use in productive ways, is the core idea of business. Read more.
2. Finch raises $3.5M to build out its HR and payroll-focused API business
Finch, a recent Y Combinator graduate that is looking to liberate HR and payroll data and connects customers to payroll and HR data via an API. the startup had targeted a smaller, $1.5 million sum but wound up adding surplus. Read more.
10th December, Thursday
1. The climate-friendly food startup Planet FWD, launches climate-friendly snack brand
Planet FWD, the climate-friendly food startup founded by Zume co-founder Julia Collins, is launching its first product, Moonshot Snacks. It is helping establish a new standard for the food industry and its role in being part of climate solutions. Read more.
2. Koan raises $1M more as it adds a free tier to its OKR software
Koan, a startup that provides objectives-and-key-results (OKR) and status-tracking software, has raised an additional $1 million, The new funds earmarked to help it staff up on the engineering side of its business and to help “accelerate production led growth. Read more.
3. Airbnb Doubles In US Market Debut, Gaining Elite Status
Airbnb shares more than doubled in a burning US market debut .The Airbnb debut comes just a day after food delivery group DoorDash's splendid Wall Street entry with a jump of 75 percent in its first day of trading. Read more.
11th December, Friday
1. Customer support startup Gorgias raises $25M
Gorgias platform powers a new breed of customer support for high-growth e-commerce brands, it announced today that it has raised $25 million to enhance customer service requests. Read more.
2. In&motion raises $12 million for its wearable airbag systems
French startup In&motion has raised a $12 million, The company has been working on wearable airbag systems for motorbikes. The airbag is absolute autonomous and can detect crashes in 60 milliseconds. Read more.
3. Twitter Buys Screen-Sharing App Squad, Which Will Shut Down
Twitter Inc. has acquired Squad, an app that provides screen-sharing for video chats. The Screen Sharing app will shut down this week.
4. Travel Startup Selina Raises $50 Million for Its Latin American Hotels
Selina, a hospitality startup, has been provided a $35 million financing facility from IDB Invest. The investment aim is to backup the continuity of the Panama-established company’s expansion plans in Latin America and the Caribbean. Read more.
12th December, Saturday
1. Revolut adds four new cryptos for European users
Revolut-The U.K.-based digital bank startup announced the addition of four additional crypto tokens and currencies to its platform for Europe-based users. Read more.
2. Singapore tech firm Sea raises $3.4b in upsized stock offering
Sea, the technology start-up that has become South-east Asia's most valuable company. It's a games company that has widen into e-commerce and digital payments. Sea priced the sale of 13.2 million American depositary shares at US$195 each new capital could be used for expansion of digital bank aaand accelarte gaming investment.
3. Israeli lab-made dairy start-up Remilk secures $11.3 million in funding
Remilk, Israeli start-up which produces animal-free dairy products via microbial fermentation, raised $11.3 million in funding. Fund will be used in to set up the company,focus on production and distrubution to meet global demand.Remilk creates their dairy substitute in a lab through a process which replicates the properties of the dairy proteins. Read more.
4. PayPal-backed fintech start-up Tink valued at more than $800 million
Swedish fintech start-up Tink has seen its valuation rise to 680 million euros ($824 million) in a fresh funding round.
It has raised 85 million euros in latest funding co-led by French private equity firm Eurazeo and U.K.-based venture capital firm Dawn Capital. Read more.
13th December, Sunday
1. Reddit acquires Dubsmash
Reddit has acquired short video platform Dubsmash. Dubsmash is the biggest opponent of TikTok. the app has raised $20.2 million from investors including Lowercase Capital, Index Ventures, Eniac Ventures, Heartcore Capital and Sunstone Life. Read more.
2. Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [December 7-12]
Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week had About $78.1 Mn was invested across 17 Indian startups, and three companies were acquired. Past week, $984 Mn was invested across 33 deals. Read more.
If you missed out the previous week or entire month updates of startup world news, follow the link to read it now and stay updated with every passing update with us.
Startup News: 30th November 2020 - 6th December 2020
Startup News: 23rd November 2020 - 29th November 2020
Startup News: 16th November 2020 - 22nd November 2020
Startup News: 9th November 2020 - 15th November 2020
We, at OpenGrowth, are constantly looking for latest news in the startup ecosystem. If you want to share any important news from last week, then do let us know in the comment section below.
