Thu.Sep 09, 2021

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With an Apple Store designer as a co-founder, Juno raises $20M to build apartments more sustainably

TechCrunch

Juno , a proptech startup which aims to build more sustainable and affordable apartment buildings, has raised $20 million in a Series A funding round. Comcast Ventures, Khosla Ventures and Real Estate Technology (RET) Ventures co-led the financing, which brings the company’s total raised to $32 million since its 2019 inception. JLL Spark, Vertex Ventures, Anim, K50, Foundamental and Green D Alumni Ventures also participated in the Series A investment.

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Professional Employer Organizations: 4 Reasons You Need One

StartupNation

With endless tasks popping up on any average day, entrepreneurial company leaders simply don’t have time to do everything. That’s why a professional employer organization, or PEO, may help you grow and stay complaint as you grow. A PEO is an outsourcing firm that provides comprehensive human resource and compliance services to small- and medium-sized employers.

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Nuula raises $120M to build out a financial services ‘super app’ aimed at SMBs

TechCrunch

A Canadian startup called Nuula that is aiming to build a super app to provide a range of financial services to small and medium businesses has closed $120 million of funding, money that it will use to fuel the launch of its app and first product, a line of credit for its users. The money is coming in the form of $20 million in equity from Edison Partners, and a $100 million credit facility from funds managed by the Credit Group of Ares Management Corporation.

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optimizing plant health: a q&a with Francis Pellegrino of Advanced Growing Resources

Venture Well

Francis Pellegrino of Advanced Growing Resources developed a handheld scanner that helps farmers optimize plant health and prevent crop loss. The post optimizing plant health: a q&a with Francis Pellegrino of Advanced Growing Resources appeared first on VentureWell.

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From Curiosity to Competitive Edge: How Mid-Market CEOs Are Using AI to Scale Smarter

Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage

This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.

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Investors are doubling down on Southeast Asia’s digital economy

TechCrunch

Amit Anand. Contributor. Share on Twitter. Amit Anand is a founding partner of Jungle Ventures and an early pioneer and leader in the development of Southeast Asia’s venture capital industry. Southeast Asian tech companies are drawing the attention of investors around the world. In 2020, startups in the region raised over $8.2 billion, about four times more than they did in 2015.

VC

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Scalapay raises $155M at a $700M valuation as buy now, pay later services continue to boom

TechCrunch

Scalapay , a buy now, pay later (BNPL) technology provider that has made significant headway with retailers and consumers in Europe and in categories like fashion, has closed a round of funding that it will be using to fuel its expansion ambitions. The startup has raised $155 million at a $700 million valuation. Tiger Global is leading this round, with new backers Baleen Capital and Woodson Capital also participating, alongside Fasanara Capital and Ithaca Investments, which had backed Scalapay i

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Generalist vs Specialist

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

At USV, we have a fairly narrow thesis that sets out what we want to invest in, but all of us work across all of our thesis areas. We see ourselves as generalists not specialists. In an environment when everything is moving so fast, that can be challenging, as I wrote about on Tuesday. But there are also great benefits to working this way. As a team, we benefit from working together on everything versus having silos within our partnership and firm.

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Fin names former Twilio exec Evan Cummack as CEO, raises $20M

TechCrunch

Work insights platform Fin raised $20 million in Series A funding and brought in Evan Cummack, a former Twilio executive, as its new chief executive officer. The San Francisco-based company captures employee workflow data from across applications and turns it into productivity insights to improve the way enterprise teams work and remain engaged. Fin was founded in 2015 by Andrew Kortina, co-founder of Venmo, and Facebook’s former VP of product and Slow Ventures partner Sam Lessin.

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In recruiting Gen Z, look beyond a college degree

StartupNation

Gen-Z Americans—those born after 1996 with a superior grasp on all things digital—are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, according to Pew Research Center. Recruiting practices need to be modernized to dip into this talent pool. McKinsey found that Gen Z represents approximately 40% of global consumers, which is fueling an ongoing strategic focus on this generation’s shopping habits.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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DotCom Therapy raises $13M to provide therapy for kids, in and out of school

TechCrunch

DotCom Therapy, a pediatric teletherapy company, just closed a $13 million Series A round. It’s far from the only teletherapy company looking to capitalize on a boom in venture capital investment in mental health startups , but it’s operating in a hyper-specific sphere: therapy for kids. . DotCom Therapy was originally co-founded in 2015 by Rachel Mack Robinson, who, at the time, was a practicing pediatric therapist at a neurology clinic in Missouri, and Emily Purdom, a speech language pathologi

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Ramon’s Top 10 Tips You Need This Week – Embrace the Performers Mindset

Smart Hustle Magazine

Ramon’s Top 10 Tips You Need To Know THIS WEEK – Exclusively on Breakfast with Champions, 7:30am Thursdays. Join Ramon LIVE on Clubhouse as he shares the TOP 10 Things You need to know this week to help start or grow your business OR enhance your personal development. Follow Ramon on Clubhouse. Join the Breakfast with Champions Club. Your Perfect Marketing Plan (SmartHustle.com) – BONUS.

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CookUnity whips up nationwide expansion following $47M round

TechCrunch

Chef-prepared, small-batch meal delivery startup CookUnity is undergoing a major expansion after closing a $47 million Series B round. Insight Partners led the round and was joined by Endeavor Capital and current investors IDCV, Fuel Ventures and Gaingels. The latest funding comes eight months after New York-based CookUnity closed a $15.5 million Series A round led by Fuel Venture Capital.

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3 Things Entrepreneurs Must Pay Careful Attention to During a Sales Pitch

Entrepreneur's Handbook

Your sales revenue and potential client accounts are at stake Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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15 Modern Use Cases for Enterprise Business Intelligence

Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

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Squad Mobility eyes shared platforms as target for its compact solar electric quadricycle

TechCrunch

Squad Mobility’s vision of the perfect urban vehicle is a low-cost EV equipped with solar panels, swappable batteries and enough zip and range in its diminutive 6.5-foot package to meet the needs of city drivers. The early-stage Dutch startup, which recently revealed the final design of its quadricycle, is now assembling working prototypes in Breda, the Netherlands.

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[Quantum Machines in Fast Company] Q-CTRL and Quantum Machines team up to accelerate quantum computing

OurCrowd

Q-CTRL and Quantum Machines, two of the better-known startups in the quantum control ecosystem, today announced a new partnership that will see Quantum Machines integrate Q-CTRL‘s quantum firmware into Quantum Machines’ Quantum Orchestration hardware and software solution. Read more here. The post [Quantum Machines in Fast Company] Q-CTRL and Quantum Machines team up to accelerate quantum computing appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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Teatis, low-sugar superfood powders developer for diabetics, closes seed round

TechCrunch

Serial entrepreneur Hiroshi Takatoh recognized the need for convenient and nutritious food for critically ill consumers after losing his wife to cancer. Takatoh founded Teatis , a plant-based sugar-blocking superfood powder for diabetic consumers, in 2017 in stealth mode and went fully operational in April 2021 by teaming up with a group of doctors and registered nutritionists.

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YC’s Fall Tour 2021

Y Combinator

We are excited to kick off our virtual Fall Tour, and below is a list of the cities and schools we are visiting. We’ll host talks with YC partners and alumni who’ve built successful companies in different regions and verticals. They’ll talk about how they got started, the misconceptions that exist around starting startups, and they’ll answer questions from founders and future founders in the audience.

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!

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Epic Games to shut down Houseparty in October, including the video chat ‘Fortnite Mode’ feature

TechCrunch

Houseparty, the social video chat app acquired by Fortnite maker Epic Games for a reported $35 million back in 2019, is shutting down. The company says Houseparty will be discontinued in October when the app will stop functioning for its existing users; it will be pulled from the app stores today, however. Related to this move, Epic Games’ “ Fortnite Mode” feature , which leveraged Houseparty to bring video chat to Fortnite gamers, will also be discontinued.

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Creating the Perfect Pizza Experience

Entrepreneur - Entrepreneurs Category

Perfect Pizza's Tashia Robinson shares the elements-consistency, customer service, and community- that make her franchise a success.

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Snyk snags another $530M as valuation rises to $8.5B

TechCrunch

Snyk , the Boston-based late-stage startup that is trying to help developers deliver more secure code, announced another mega-round today. This one was for $530 million on an $8.5 billion valuation, with $300 million in new money and $230 million in secondary funding, the latter of which is to help employees and early investors cash in some of their stock options.

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[OurCrowd in The Jerusalem Post] The view from Abu Dhabi: When Abraham’s children work together as partners

OurCrowd

ABU DHABI – For business executives in the Gulf like myself who have enjoyed friendships and business relationships with Israelis for many years, the Abraham Accords signed a year ago opened a new market. Read more here. The post [OurCrowd in The Jerusalem Post] The view from Abu Dhabi: When Abraham’s children work together as partners appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

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How Top Tech CFOs Solve Annual Planning’s Biggest Challenges

Gearing up for 2025 annual planning? Our latest eBook from the Operators Guild is your ultimate guide. Discover real-world solutions and best practices shared by top CFOs, drawn directly from discussions within OG’s vibrant online community. Learn from senior executives at high-growth tech startups as they outline financial planning strategies, align CEO and board goals, and coordinate budgets across departments.

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Edtech leans into the creator economy with cohort-based classes

TechCrunch

Revitalized by the pandemic, entrepreneurs are on the hunt to refresh some of education’s most traditional tenets, from flashcards to tutors to after-school programs. And those aren’t just bets: They’re unicorn-valued businesses looking to capitalize on consumers’ newfound digital adoption. The edtech sector’s boom is rivaled by that of the creator economy, which promises to help creators monetize and democratize their passions, all while maintaining their identity.

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Why would you ever “fire yourself?”

Berkonomics

To start: “new source of energy” and “new ideas.”. When a new CEO or manager is hired into a company, for a while lots of energy flows from the top and new ideas seem to be generated daily. It is one reason not to fear the unknown when upper-level management long in place turns over, often leaving most everyone worried about the future of the company and for their own prospects.

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Digital therapeutics startup Neuroglee raises $10M to help people with neurodegenerative conditions

TechCrunch

Neuroglee Therapeutics , a startup developing digital therapeutics for people with neurodegenerative diseases, has raised a $10 million Series A led by Openspace Ventures and EDBI. The funding will be used to launch virtual neurology clinics and to support Neuroglee’s move to Boston. Other participants included Ramen Singh, the former chief executive officer of Mundipharma; Biofourmis co-founders Kuldeep Singh Rajput and Wendou Liu; and Eisai Co., the Japanese pharmaceutical that led Neuroglee’s

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[Innoviz in KPVI] Innoviz Technologies Sets September 2021 Conference Schedule and Corporate Open House for October 6th

OurCrowd

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Innoviz Technologies, a technology leader of high-performance, solid-state LiDAR sensors and perception software, today announced its financial conference schedule for September 2021 and open house on October 6th, 2021 at its corporate headquarters in Rosh Ha’Ayin, Israel. Read more here. The post [Innoviz in KPVI] Innoviz Technologies Sets September 2021 Conference Schedule and Corporate Open House for October 6th appeared first on OurC

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5 Ways You Can Win Faster with Gen AI in Sales

Incorporating generative AI (gen AI) into your sales process can speed up your wins through improved efficiency, personalized customer interactions, and better informed decision- making. Gen AI is a game changer for busy salespeople and can reduce time-consuming tasks, such as customer research, note-taking, and writing emails, and provide insightful data analysis and recommendations.