We’ve got lots of Boston-area tech news to catch up on this week. Here are some of the latest developments:
New funds
—Scansorial has raised $2.2 million from investors, according to an SEC filing. The Lexington, MA-based company makes Root, a robot intended to help teach software coding in an interactive way. The startup’s technology was developed at Harvard’s Wyss Institute.
—Pragya Systems, an education software company based in Cambridge, MA, has raised $1.7 million from investors, per an SEC filing. The round includes equity, debt, and other securities.
—ConnectRN secured $2.5 million in debt funding, an SEC filing shows. The Auburndale, MA-based company makes software used to connect hospitals with part-time nurses looking for open shifts.
Leadership changes
—Acquia is shaking up its leadership and implementing an unusual management structure. The company has created the “Office of the CEO,” through which CEO Tom Erickson and co-founder Dries Buytaert will jointly run Acquia. Buytaert will focus on product, staffing, and acquisitions, while Erickson will focus on sales and marketing, customers, and administrative functions. Erickson has also been named chairman.
Meanwhile, Acquia is searching for a new CEO, and Erickson will step down from that role when a new “operating partner” is found to run the company with Buytaert.
—TrueMotion appointed Ted Gramer, a former executive with Liberty Mutual and Solera, its CEO. TrueMotion was led by co-founder and interim CEO Scott Griffith, the former CEO of Zipcar. TrueMotion, formerly known as Censio, developed mobile software to track distracted driving and enable insurers like Progressive to measure risk and reward good drivers.
—Startup Institute announced several leadership appointments, including the recent promotion of Rich DiTieri to the CEO role. He was previously the head of the organization’s Boston program. DiTieri takes over for Diane Hessan, who left in June 2016 to work on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. BostInno has more details on what’s next for Startup Institute.
Making moves
—Shoes.com, previously known as ShoeBuy, is moving to a new office in the Boston area and hiring 90 people, the Boston Business Journal reported. The news comes five months after the company was acquired by Jet.com, the e-commerce subsidiary of Walmart.
—RaceMenu, a Boston-based company that makes software for endurance events, acquired local mobile app development firm TapWalk for an undisclosed price. The deal follows the recent sale of RaceMenu’s race timing division.
—Lola, the travel technology startup led by Kayak co-founder Paul English, is shifting its focus from consumers toward business travelers.
—MassChallenge named the 128 startups selected for this year’s accelerator program in Boston, the first under new managing director Kiki Mills Johnston. Click here for more details.
