SurveyMonkey files for IPO as Apple acquires Akonia for lens tech
SurveyMonkey files for IPO
Nearly twenty years after its founding, online survey provider SurveyMonkey is finally going public. The Silicon Valley-based unicorn, which is still unprofitable, filed for an IPO with initial plans to raise $100 million.
Funding spikes for software-enabled tastemakers
Software is playing an ever-growing role in telling us what we like, and VCs are on board. Investors are pouring billions into the online personalization space, creating a string of high valuation startups relying on algorithms to customize music streams, news feeds, and much more.
Apple acquires Akonia for lens tech
Apple is buying Akonia Holographics, a startup focused on making lenses for augmented reality glasses. Previously, six-year-old, Colorado-based Akonia had raised about $12 million in venture funding.
Mitte drinks up $11M for water filters
Berlin-based Mitte, developer of a home filtering system that distills tap water and adds back trace minerals, has raised $10.6 million in a seed round led by Danone Manifesto Ventures.
MyCrypto scores Series A
On the digital wallet front, MyCrypto, an open-source interface for storing, sending, and receiving digital assets, has closed on $4 million in a Series A round led by Polychain Capital.
Lyft said to start IPO process
Lyft, the second-largest U.S. ride-hailing company, has started the process for an IPO in an effort to beat rival Uber Technologies to the public markets, according to a Bloomberg article citing unnamed sources. The tentative plan is to go public in March or April.
Some startups succeed avoiding VC route
Founders in certain industries are either trying to get off the VC treadmill or are eschewing the venture-backed growth model altogether. Bootstrapping has worked well for a number of direct-to-consumer companies. However, software startups often struggle to scale that way.
Cities pick winners in scooter wars
The city of San Francisco granted permits to two smaller scooter-sharing startups, Scoot and Skip, squeezing out larger rivals in the space, including Uber, Bird, Lime and Lyft. Meanwhile, Santa Monica picked Bird and Lime for its scooter pilot program.
Flock Safety Secures $9.6M
Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based startup that aims to build a neighborhood watch based on cameras rather than watchful humans, has raised $9.6 million in fresh funding, according to a securities filing.
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