Motif, ThirdLove, Scaleworks and Rockets of Awesome, Roadie, Zoom, Orai, Tillable and Neighborhood Goods
Motif Ingredients launches with $90M to make protein
The custom microbe-making unicorn Ginkgo Bioworks is launching a new spinoff called Motif Ingredients that will work on developing proteins that can serve as meat and dairy replacements. Boston-based Motif is starting out the gate with $90 million in funding.
ThirdLove snaps up $55M to sell bras
San Francisco-based ThirdLove, the direct-to-consumer women’s bra and underwear company, announced the completion of a $55 million fundraising round. The financing reportedly sets a valuation of $750 million for the six-year-old company.
Scaleworks scales up with $80M second fund
Scaleworks, a startup that extends financing to software-as-a-service businesses, announced its second fund this week. The new capital pool totals $80 million, a step up from its first $60 million fund.
Rockets of Awesome raises $19.5M
New York-based Rockets of Awesome, which operates a clothing subscription service and e-commerce site for kids, is the latest recipient of funding from Foot Locker Inc. The retailer led a $19.5 million Series C financing for the three-year-old company, bringing total funding raised since inception to $49 million.
Crunchbase: 6 SEO essentials for startups
Knowing where to begin with SEO for startups can be a real head-scratcher. If getting traffic to your website is a key part of your business model, then setting up an SEO strategy from day one is essential. Here are six startup SEO essentials for starting out.
Roadie raises $37M for courier platform
Atlanta-based Roadie, an online platform for matching drivers with stuff to haul, has raised $37 million in an oversubscribed Series C round with Home Depot and Tomorrow Ventures among the backers. The company’s on-the-way model attempts to tap into unused capacity in vehicles already on the road.
Detroit startup scene accelerates
Motor City is getting more startup momentum. The number of venture-backed companies based in Detroit has risen dramatically in the past four years, part of what local investors see as a broader uptrend for the Michigan startup ecosystem.
These are the unicorns planning IPOs
A number of high-valuation private companies, from Lyft to Pinterest, are planning public offerings in coming months. We attempt to round up the full list, including the latest to reportedly plan a public filing, videoconferencing provider Zoom.
VCs back speech coaching, farmland rentals and next-gen department stores
In the latest installment of Last Week In Venture, Crunchbase News looks at funding rounds that may have flown under your radar. Deals include Orai, a speech coach app, Tillable, a marketplace for matching farmland owners with growers, and Neighborhood Goods, which is building a next-generation version of the department store.
