Crunchbase Daily: Desktop Metal, Huawei, Viacom and Pluto TV, BridgeBio, Wag, Wheels and Electric
Here’s Where Early Funding Is Growing
Which U.S. startup hubs are seeing a rise in early stage funding? And where is activity contracting? A Crunchbase News analysis of seed an early stage funding among U.S. states finds that Pennsylvania and Utah are posting strong growth, while the top tech hubs hold relatively steady.
BridgeBio secures $299M
BridgeBio Pharma, a Palo Alto-based drug company focused on genetic diseases, raised $299 million in a new funding round co-led by existing investors KKR and Viking Global Investors.
Rounds over $250M pile up
Bridge isn’t the only one raising a giant venture round this year. Crunchbase has tallied up a list of eight other companies that have secured rounds of $250 million or more in 2019.
Wag founders raise $37M for Wheels
Two founders are trading dogs for bikes. Jonathan and Joshua Viner, founders of the dog care startup Wag, have raised $37 million for a new startup, Wheels, for sharing dockless electric bikes.
Blockchain in 2019: Trends Driving Invest and Products
In the first 3 quarters of 2018, VC investment in blockchain was up over 280 percent compared to 2017. We review the must-know blockchain trends for 2019.
Electric charges up with $25M Series B
New York-based Electric, a provider of IT support services facilitated through chat, raised $25 million in a Series B financing led by GGV Capital.
Desktop Metal scores $160M
Burlington, Mass.-based Desktop Metal, a developer of metal 3D printing tools geared for engineers, has secured $160 million in a new funding round led by KDT (Koch Disruptive Industries). The financing brings total funding for the four-year-old startup to $438 million, reportedly the largest sum raised to date by a private, 3D printing company.
Huawei tensions could hurt China-US VC activity
China-US tensions surrounding trade, which intensified following the arrest of Huawei’s CFO last month, could begin to impact startups in a new, foreboding fashion. In particular, a potential decline in cross-border investment would have a heavy impact on venture funding levels for both countries.
Latina VCs see opportunities growing
There aren’t many Latina venture capitalists out there. One study estimated the number at just 32 in the U.S. Crunchbase News talks to three women – Vanessa Larco of NEA, [Jomaya Herrera]( of Emerson Collective, and Maria Salamanca of Unshackled Ventures – about the paths they took to get into startup investing.
Viacom buys Pluto TV for $340M
Media giant Viacom announced that it will acquire Pluto TV, a provider of online video streaming, for $340 million. Founded in 2013, Los Angeles-based Pluto previously raised just over $50 million in venture funding.
Should Your Startup Use Freelancers?
Are freelancers essential to the success of a company? This CEO thinks so. In this article, Brian Greenberg, CEO of True Blue Life, reviews three considerations when hiring freelancers for your company.
