San Antonio — Pretty soon, the milkman may be making a comeback—at least, a robotic version. San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B is beginning a pilot program later this year to test out using an autonomous vehicle for grocery delivery. H-E-B plans to test one self-driving vehicle in a single San Antonio neighborhood, Olmos Park. The company … Continue reading “Grocer H-E-B Explores Autonomous Delivery With SF-Area Startup Udelv”
Tag: Silverton Partners
Animal Rescue Groups, PGA, Stryve Biltong, Novo Labs & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Dallas Animal Services won $200,000 in the Innovation Showdown, a pet tech competition, for a customer service system that uses a mobile app and two-way video in order to streamline the adoption process. Day of the Dogs in Houston won $175,000 for its donation platform … Continue reading “Animal Rescue Groups, PGA, Stryve Biltong, Novo Labs & More TX Tech”
Startup Diversity Pledge Takes National Aim After Start in Austin
Austin—There’s a diversity initiative in Austin that’s gaining interest: The Startup Diversity and Inclusion Pledge has now been signed by some 50 entrepreneurs and investors in the city. The pledge asks any company or individual who signs it to commit to standards such as hiring (and interviewing) a diverse workforce, pay equality, and training about … Continue reading “Startup Diversity Pledge Takes National Aim After Start in Austin”
Angel Networks Most Active Texas Investors Since 2010, Report Says
Austin — Two angel networks in Texas have been the most active investors in the state since 2010. The Houston Angel Network leads the list with 145 investments during the past nine years, followed by the Central Texas Angel Network in Austin with 144 deals, according to data compiled by Seattle-based PitchBook. Capital Factory, which runs … Continue reading “Angel Networks Most Active Texas Investors Since 2010, Report Says”
Microsoft’s M12 Leads $21M Round for Spycloud’s Security Software
Austin—Spycloud, an Austin cybersecurity startup, has raised $21 million. The funding round was led by M12, the venture fund of tech company Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]). New investor Altos Ventures and existing investors Silverton Partners and March Capital Partners also participated. Spycloud, which was founded three years ago, makes software that prevents hackers from taking over … Continue reading “Microsoft’s M12 Leads $21M Round for Spycloud’s Security Software”
New Funds for GoCo, CherryCircle, Phynd, Hive9 & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Houston-based human resources software maker GoCo has raised a $7 million Series A round led by ATX Seed Ventures and the investment arm of UpCurve, a maker of technology for small- to medium-sized businesses, the startup reported in a press release. This latest funding brings … Continue reading “New Funds for GoCo, CherryCircle, Phynd, Hive9 & More TX Tech”
Billie, Subscription Shaving Products Service for Women, Raises $25M
Billie, a monthly subscription service for shaving and body care products for women, has raised $25 million. The New York-based startup said Tuesday that the new funding round, which is being led by Goldman Sachs Private Capital Investing group, brings its total investment to $35 million. Previous investors Silverton Partners, Female Founders Fund, and Lakehouse … Continue reading “Billie, Subscription Shaving Products Service for Women, Raises $25M”
TX Tech News: Techstars Austin, Essentium, Ontic, & More Startup Funds
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Essentium, maker of a 3-D printing system for manufacturers, has raised $22.2 million in a Series A funding round led by BASF Venture Capital. Materialise, Genesis Park, and previous seed round investors also participated in the deal, according to a press release. The funding will be … Continue reading “TX Tech News: Techstars Austin, Essentium, Ontic, & More Startup Funds”
PR Software Maker TrendKite Sold to Cision for $225M Cash and Stock
Austin—TrendKite has sold to Cision, a Chicago-based public relations and marketing software company, in a $225 million in a cash-and-stock deal. Cision (NYSE: [[ticker:CISN]]) is paying $94 million in cash and offering Austin-based TrendKite shareholders 10.2 million Cision shares. The company’s stock dipped 2.6 percent to $12.16 each as of midday in New York after … Continue reading “PR Software Maker TrendKite Sold to Cision for $225M Cash and Stock”
Aceable’s $47M Funding Round is Latest in Year of Big Austin Deals
Austin—Online training service Aceable landed the perhaps the biggest Austin startup headline of the week: The company announced a $47 million Series B funding round, one of the largest financings this year. Aceable was founded as a driver’s education platform for teens and other soon-to-be drivers, and has expanded the service to numerous states since … Continue reading “Aceable’s $47M Funding Round is Latest in Year of Big Austin Deals”
Enzyme Health Adds $1.7M for Clinician Telemedicine Job Marketplace
Austin—A new telehealth-focused startup, Enzyme Health, has raised a $1.7 million seed funding round to build out its marketplace for doctors and nurse practitioners looking for new online gigs. Enzyme Health connects clinicians with the companies that provide telemedicine services to patients, with the aim of helping doctors and nurse practitioners find more freelance work … Continue reading “Enzyme Health Adds $1.7M for Clinician Telemedicine Job Marketplace”
TMCx, Microsoft Buys XOXCO, Self Lender Raises $10M & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —The Texas Medical Center’s accelerator TMCx graduated its seventh class of startups, 23 health IT companies which included nine international startups. Erik Halvorsen, director of the TMC Innovation Institute, said that in the four-month program, the startups had signed four agreements each, including strategic partnerships, … Continue reading “TMCx, Microsoft Buys XOXCO, Self Lender Raises $10M & More TX Tech”
TX Tech Wrap: New Fundings, OJO Picks Up WolfNet, New Oracle Startups
There have been a flurry of announcements of new fundings for Texas startups. Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news. —Hail Merry, a Dallas maker of raw, plant-based snacks, has raised a little over $1 million as part of a planned $1.26 million financing. The decade-old startup makes snacks and desserts that are … Continue reading “TX Tech Wrap: New Fundings, OJO Picks Up WolfNet, New Oracle Startups”
New Funds for Multicoin, Infinite.io, Prism FM, Caringo & More
There has been a flurry of funding announcements from Austin startups. Here are some notable ones: —Caringo, a startup that makes software that can provide customers the ability to manage, organize, and search extremely large amounts of data, has raised nearly $3.4 million in new funding, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and … Continue reading “New Funds for Multicoin, Infinite.io, Prism FM, Caringo & More”
Exits in Austin, Pitch NASA, Diversity in Energy, & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Texas. —Accruent, an Austin-based maker of resource management software, is being acquired by Fortive (NYSE: [[ticker:FTV]]) for about $2 billion in cash, according to a press release. Fortive, which is based in Everett, WA, is buying Accruent from Genstar Capital, a San Francisco private equity firm, which … Continue reading “Exits in Austin, Pitch NASA, Diversity in Energy, & More TX Tech”
Are You a SaaS Startup? Private Equity May Soon Be Coming For You
[Updated 3:16 p.m. See below.] More money than ever is flowing into software companies that offer anything from niche applications to more general cloud storage services, customer relationship tools, and more. So far this year, the amount of venture capital funding invested in these software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses tops $12 billion, according to data compiled by … Continue reading “Are You a SaaS Startup? Private Equity May Soon Be Coming For You”
Air Force Innovation, Funds for Newchip & Convey, & More TX Tech
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Chevron Technology Ventures has launched a Future Energy Fund with an initial commitment of $100 million. The venture arm is a subsidiary of California-based Chevron (NYSE: [[ticker:CVX]]) and the new fund is designed to invest in “breakthrough technologies that enable the ongoing energy … Continue reading “Air Force Innovation, Funds for Newchip & Convey, & More TX Tech”
Rackspace Veterans Reunite Years Later for Pingboard Seed Round
San Antonio and Austin—Almost two decades after Bill Boebel and Pat Matthews began a startup career that led to founding e-mail service Webmail.us, which was sold to cloud computing giant Rackspace in 2007, the college friends are working together again. Matthews’s new venture capital firm, San Antonio-based Active Capital, is leading a $2.5 million investment … Continue reading “Rackspace Veterans Reunite Years Later for Pingboard Seed Round”
New Silverton Fund, Brunner to Phunware, HEB Adds CDO & More TX Tech
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Austin, TX-based venture firm Silverton Partners announced it has closed on a $108 million fund, which it will use to invest in startups in the enterprise and consumer technology sectors. Silverton says that since its founding in 2006, the firm has made more … Continue reading “New Silverton Fund, Brunner to Phunware, HEB Adds CDO & More TX Tech”
Ojo Labs, AI-Enabled Chatbot Maker for Real Estate, Raises $20.5M
Austin—Ojo Labs, which is developing artificial intelligence-enabled chatbots designed for the real estate industry, has raised $20.5 million. The new Series B funding round comes from investors such as Realogy Holdings, Royal Bank of Canada, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and ServiceMaster, along with Texas venture capital firms LiveOak Venture Partners and Silverton Partners. Ojo Labs … Continue reading “Ojo Labs, AI-Enabled Chatbot Maker for Real Estate, Raises $20.5M”
Austin’s NarrativeDx Adds $1.1M for Hospital-Improvement A.I. Tool
Austin—NarrativeDx, a startup whose software helps hospitals analyze patient feedback to improve or prevent problems related to their experiences, has added about $1.1 million in an equity financing, according to a federal securities filing. The Austin, TX-based company says it uses natural language processing and machine learning software to collect and analyze patient feedback about … Continue reading “Austin’s NarrativeDx Adds $1.1M for Hospital-Improvement A.I. Tool”
No “Pink Tax”: Billie, a Shave Club for Women, Raises $6M
[Corrected, 4/11/18, 4:48 p.m. ET. See below.] Billie, a direct-to-consumer seller of monthly shaving and body care products subscriptions, has raised $6 million in new funding. The New York-based startup, which launched in November, previously raised $2.5 million. This latest round of funding was led by Silverton Partners in Austin and included existing investors Female … Continue reading “No “Pink Tax”: Billie, a Shave Club for Women, Raises $6M”
Pulmotect & SpyCloud Fundraise, Rice’s Big Contest, & More TX Tech
Happy Friday. Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Pulmotect, a Houston biotech, said Wednesday that it has raised $4 million of a planned $12 million round of Series B funding. The investment was co-led led by Aquinas Companies, the parent company of Fannin Innovation Studio in Houston. (Pulmotect is one … Continue reading “Pulmotect & SpyCloud Fundraise, Rice’s Big Contest, & More TX Tech”
Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth
San Antonio—H-E-B, the retail and grocery store giant that operates 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, is acquiring delivery app Favor. Favor, which connects people with on-demand “runners” who deliver groceries, food, and more to customers, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of H-E-B, which is headquartered in San Antonio and is the largest private … Continue reading “Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth”
AlertMedia Takes in $8M for Smartphone-Focused Notification Software
Austin—Emergency messaging provider AlertMedia announced this morning it is taking in $8 million in a Series B round of funding that was led by early stage investor Next Coast Ventures. The Austin-based startup was founded in 2013 and plans to put the new money toward sales growth and further developing its product, which is software … Continue reading “AlertMedia Takes in $8M for Smartphone-Focused Notification Software”
Fintech Startup Zebra Raises $40M, Seremedi, Alice & More Texas News
Austin—The Zebra founder Adam Lyons has described the insurance startup as the “Kayak of insurance.” Now, The Zebra’s got a new CEO: the former head of Kayak. Keith Melnick, who was Kayak’s president, takes the reins at five-year-old The Zebra, a website that allows consumers to enter basic information about their car’s make, model, and … Continue reading “Fintech Startup Zebra Raises $40M, Seremedi, Alice & More Texas News”
Self Lender Raises More Cash to Help Consumers Build Credit
Austin—Self Lender, a credit-building loan app, reports that it has raised $5 million in funding. Investors include Deep Space Ventures in Dallas, Silverton Partners in Austin, Acumen Venture Partners, and Accion Venture Lab, says James Garvey, Self Lender’s founder and CEO. The company previously raised $2 million in 2015, SEC filings show. The two-year-old startup, … Continue reading “Self Lender Raises More Cash to Help Consumers Build Credit”
Roundup: Nomad Health & Blinker Arrive in Texas, SourceDay, & More
Let’s get caught up on the latest news from Xconomy Texas. In the last week, two startups announced they’re now offering their services in the Lone Star State. —Nomad Health, an online market for healthcare jobs, has started offering placements for short-term nurse vacancies in Texas, and plans to roll that service out nationwide, according … Continue reading “Roundup: Nomad Health & Blinker Arrive in Texas, SourceDay, & More”
Roundup: Aceable, Richards-Kortum Wins MacArthur, DivInc & More
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: –Austin edtech startup Aceable has raised $4 million in a Series A round of funding to help it further expand its line of online testing products beyond driver’s education. The round was co-led by earlier investors Silverton Partners in Austin and Floodgate in Palo … Continue reading “Roundup: Aceable, Richards-Kortum Wins MacArthur, DivInc & More”
Aceable Obtains $4,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6fd762a3-70b6-46c7-ad42-f5c5b094b331 Date 9/26/2016 Company Name Aceable Mailing Address 610 West 5th Street Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Learn to drive, get your license, or dismiss a ticket with Aceable’s certified Drivers Ed & Defensive Driving apps Website http://www.aceable.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Aceable Obtains $4,000,000 Series A Financing”
In the Driver’s Seat: Austin Edtech Startup Aceable Brings in $4M
Austin—Aceable has raised $4 million in a Series A round of funding to help it further expand its line of online testing products beyond driver’s education. The round was co-led by earlier investors Silverton Partners in Austin and Floodgate in Palo Alto, CA. In total, the startup has raised $8.7 million, including a $3 million … Continue reading “In the Driver’s Seat: Austin Edtech Startup Aceable Brings in $4M”
TX Roundup: Uber Election, OutboundEngine, Joah Spearman, “Windfall”
Let’s end the week with a recap of the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Voters in Austin will go to the polls on Saturday to decide whether they want to keep fingerprinting regulations in place that govern drivers for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. The companies say—and some leaders in the tech community agree—that … Continue reading “TX Roundup: Uber Election, OutboundEngine, Joah Spearman, “Windfall””
OutboundEngine Gets $16M for Marketing Software for Small Businesses
Austin—OutboundEngine, an Austin, TX-based company that makes business development software, has raised $16 million in Series C funding. The round was led by S3 Ventures, with participation from Silverton Partners, Noro-Moseley, Harmony Partners, Altos Ventures, and Capital Factory. The company says it will use the money to hire additional software developers, as well as marketing … Continue reading “OutboundEngine Gets $16M for Marketing Software for Small Businesses”
OutboundEngine Garners $16,000,000 Series C Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a5426be5-127b-40ac-9777-93f7fcd49567 Date 5/4/2016 Company Name OutboundEngine Mailing Address 504 Lavaca Street Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description OutboundEngine provides a hands-free marketing platform that puts your marketing on autopilot. Our SaaS-based platform delivers industry-focused content via email and social media on your behalf. Website http://www.outboundengine.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $16,000,000 … Continue reading “OutboundEngine Garners $16,000,000 Series C Funding”
Tour of Texas: Cars, Insurance, E-commerce & Cloud Demo Day
Greetings, readers. We’re mixing up the usual rotation of roundup news to bring you an innovation “Tour of Texas”—stories on venture capital activity, startup re-branding, e-commerce, and a study of entrepreneurship—from around the state’s major metro areas. Austin: —The Zebra has set its sights on the murky confines of the insurance industry. Founder Adam Lyons … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Cars, Insurance, E-commerce & Cloud Demo Day”
The Zebra Aims to Help Consumers Navigate the Insurance Jungle
Austin — One of the biggest promises of the Internet is its ability to make clear obscure corners of the marketplace. The Zebra, an Austin, TX startup, has set its sights on the murky confines of the insurance industry. “From early on, the goal was the simplify insurance,” says Adam Lyons, Zebra’s founder and CEO. “I … Continue reading “The Zebra Aims to Help Consumers Navigate the Insurance Jungle”
The Zebra Lands $17,000,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dd32a51d-521a-4d26-8b06-54b91f7a02de Date 1/26/2016 Company Name The Zebra Mailing Address 301 Chicon St. Austin, TX 78702 USA Company Description The Zebra simplifies car insurance by allowing drivers to anonymously compare dozens of insurance companies in real-time. Drivers begin seeing estimated quotes with as little as two pieces of information. Real-time updates provide a … Continue reading “The Zebra Lands $17,000,000 Series A Funding Round”
Big Deals in Texas (ZS Pharma, HomeAway, Gravitant) & Other News
Let’s get caught up on the latest innovation news in Texas. —AstraZeneca scoops up Texas-born biotech ZS Pharma in a $2.7 billion deal. The British drug maker announced the purchase Friday, saying that ZS Pharma’s key therapy, ZS-9, which is being developed to fight chronic kidney disease, will boost its pipeline of drugs that fight cardiovascular … Continue reading “Big Deals in Texas (ZS Pharma, HomeAway, Gravitant) & Other News”
Austin’s TrendKite Raises $10.7M to Support PR Software Development
For Erik Huddleston, organic media mentions are like the dark matter of the marketing universe. “Every corner of marketing has a robust (software) stack but PR doesn’t,” says Huddleston, CEO of Austin, TX-based TrendKite, which makes public-relations software. “Because there is no robust execution and analytics software, it’s been hard to quantify the impact that … Continue reading “Austin’s TrendKite Raises $10.7M to Support PR Software Development”
TrendKite Secures $10,700,000 Series C Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b57b39a2-71e7-402b-8c1f-27d76e872444 Date 10/30/2015 Company Name TrendKite Mailing Address 800 Brazos St. Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description TrendKite is an Austin, Texas based company that was founded in 2012 with the mission to help organizations better understand what the world thinks of them and react accordingly. Website http://www.trendkite.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “TrendKite Secures $10,700,000 Series C Financing Round”
Texas Roundup: RunTitle, BioHouston, Civitas, OncoReponse, DNAtrix
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from around Texas: —Austin, TX-based RunTitle has raised $8 million in venture capital. San Francisco-based Founders Fund led the round with investments from Deep Fork Capital and Austin Ventures, among others. RunTitle has digitized mineral-rights records and was in Houston’s Surge cleantech accelerator two years ago. … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: RunTitle, BioHouston, Civitas, OncoReponse, DNAtrix”
Aceable Nets $3M to Fuel Expansion of Mobile Driver’s Education App
Aceable, an Austin, TX, startup with a driver’s education app for teens and other soon-to-be drivers, has raised an additional $3 million in seed funding. The investment, which was led by Austin venture capital firm Silverton Partners, brings the startup’s total funding to $4.7 million and will be used to expand its offerings to other … Continue reading “Aceable Nets $3M to Fuel Expansion of Mobile Driver’s Education App”
Aceable Receives $4,700,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c62a9d24-b026-49de-8ec5-b0bfeb6f699a Date 10/1/2015 Company Name Aceable Mailing Address 701 Brazos Street Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Aceable is a team of techies, teachers, and driving educators from Texas. Our mission is to create safer drivers using the latest technology. The way teens learn is evolving, and driving safety is too important … Continue reading “Aceable Receives $4,700,000 New Round”
Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter
[Updated 7/17/15, 7:40 a.m. See below.] There’s plenty of talk about a potential bubble in the market, whether in tech, biotech, or elsewhere. True or not, one fact that’s real is that there is plenty of money flowing into startups. The second quarter of 2015 produced the highest level of venture funding since at least 2010, and possibly … Continue reading “Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter”
Delivery App Favor Grabs $13M Series A for National Expansion
Favor, the app that offers to deliver anything, is starting off South By Southwest with some big news: a $13 million Series A financing. The Austin, TX-based company, which is focused on delivery from grocery stores and restaurants, is going to use the money to improve customer service and expand into more new cities, with … Continue reading “Delivery App Favor Grabs $13M Series A for National Expansion”
MicroVentures Brings Venture Investing to the (Accredited) Masses
There’s an element of crowd sourcing behind most investing. Venture capital and private equity firms find limited partners—the few obscenely rich individuals or institutions worldwide that have millions or billions to spread among countless investments—to contribute a few hundred thousand dollars each to finance early stage startups or mature companies. Chunks of investor money is … Continue reading “MicroVentures Brings Venture Investing to the (Accredited) Masses”
Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene
Austin Ventures funded many of the first generation of technology companies that put the Texas capitol on the innovation map. But after three decades and 10 funds, the venture capital firm has decided not to raise an 11th for early stage investing. The announcement set off speculation in a recent article in Fortune that the … Continue reading “Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene”
Automated Marketing Software Nets Austin’s OutboundEngine $11M
OutboundEngine, which makes marketing and business development software, has raised $11 million in a Series B round. The Austin, TX-based startup’s software automates marketing duties for independent small businesses such as real estate agents, mortgage brokers, plumbers, and electricians. The startup creates content for the business while managing e-mail and social media channels on both … Continue reading “Automated Marketing Software Nets Austin’s OutboundEngine $11M”
Texas Roundup: “Moon Shots,” TeVido, TMCx, Clarify & Spanning
This last week was an especially busy one for the biotech community in Houston, from using big data to fight cancer to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs at the Texas Medical Center. In Austin, meanwhile, Clarify raised a seed round, Spanning’s founders found an exit with EMC, and TeVido BioDevices worked on creating a … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: “Moon Shots,” TeVido, TMCx, Clarify & Spanning”
Roundup: Pristine, Xeris, Silvercar Raise Funds, SafeNight Debuts
Here is the latest innovation news from Texas. —AdBm Technologies, an underwater noise abatement technology company in Austin, TX, raised $1.3 million in a Series A round, the company reported Thursday. AdBm says its system uses encapsulated air bubbles tuned to specific frequencies and in special configurations to capture and mitigate noise generated in, for … Continue reading “Roundup: Pristine, Xeris, Silvercar Raise Funds, SafeNight Debuts”