Author: LauraLorek@gmail.com (Page 3 of 349)

Austin-based Skimmer, a trailblazer in pool service management software, has announced a $74 million investment from Mainsail Partners, a significant boost to its mission of transforming the pool service industry.

This capital injection will allow Skimmer to expand its technology, enhance its team, and solidify its position as the leading platform for pool service businesses.

Since its founding in 2017, Skimmer has aimed to simplify the management of pool service operations, providing tools that streamline scheduling, route optimization, billing, and customer communication. More than 29,000 pool professionals use Skimmer to organize, scale, and grow their businesses while serving approximately 700,000 pools across North America.

“Our purpose at Skimmer has always been to help our customers build great businesses,” Jack Nelson, CEO of Skimmer, said in a news release. “With this investment from Mainsail, we can accelerate our vision for a more efficient and powerful platform for pool service professionals. This is a win for our customers, employees, and the industry.”

Skimmer’s partner in this next growth phase, Mainsail Partners, is a growth equity firm specializing in vertical SaaS (Software as a Service) companies. Gavin Turner, co-founder and Managing Partner of Mainsail noted, “Skimmer has established itself as a leader by building a robust product and a passionate team. We’re excited to support Skimmer as they innovate further and help customers scale, from start-up pool pros to dominant players in their markets.”

Peter Freeland and Shane Skiffington from Unbundled Capital, who have been instrumental in Skimmer’s growth since their initial investment in 2020, will continue their roles on Skimmer’s Board. They will be joined by Gavin Turner and Anthony Hayes from Mainsail Partners, bringing additional industry expertise. Freeland noted, “We’re incredibly proud of Skimmer’s journey and the talented team behind it. Partnering with Mainsail is a strategic move to continue creating value for customers and maintaining Skimmer’s leadership in the pool services market.”

This latest round of growth capital underscores Skimmer’s steady trajectory in the SaaS space and the rising demand for modern, streamlined solutions in traditionally manual industries like pool service and repair. The funds will support product innovation, new hires, and enhanced customer experience, benefiting the thousands of pool service professionals who rely on Skimmer to optimize their operations.

Austin Tech Week, one of the biggest Austin tech events of the year, is about to kick off.

Austin Startup Week is no more. Austin Tech Week is the new branding for an event that has occurred for the past 14 years in downtown Austin. With the growth and development of Austin as a tech hub, organizers decided a name change was in order.

Silicon Hills News has covered every Austin Startup/Tech Week. The event has grown from several hundred attendees to several thousand, as can be seen in Austin’s skyline. The city has changed dramatically in the past decade with the addition of Tesla, Oracle, and Zoho and the expansion of Google, Facebook, Apple, and Samsung campuses.

In addition, the U.S. Army Futures Command Center chose Austin in 2018 to establish its headquarters. This has spurred research and development and startups creating products for the military.

Austin entrepreneurs have created thousands of startups with numerous high-profile exits, such as HomeAway’s sale to Expedia, Indeed.com’s sale to Recruit, Opcity’s sale to Realtor.com, and Honest Dollar’s sale to Goldman Sachs.

Meanwhile, Austin has attracted more startups to its ecosystem, and homegrown startups like Icon, SparkCognition, Everly Health, Workrise, Wheel, The Zebra, and Zen Business have all raised money at a greater than $1 billion valuation.

Austin Tech Week occurs from October 28^th to November 1^st at Capital Factory and other venues downtown.

Other highlights include a headshot studio powered by StudioPod during the Women in Tech track on Monday, networking opportunities over coffee or cocktails, and downtown happy hours at Inn Cahoots, Rivian, Fareground Food Hall, and Speakeasy.

The event also features offsite health and wellness events, such as FREE Barry’s and RIDE Indoor Cycling classes, the recovery lounge at Swift Fit Events, pickleball meetups, and more.

Austin Tech Week features nine educational tracks on women in tech, innovation, fundraising, AI, and more.

The week wraps up on Friday with AustinStartupCrawl, which features dozens of Austin’s hottest tech companies, live music, and free food and drinks.

ALM Ortho, a medical technology company focused on orthopedic care solutions, has announced the successful close of a $1 million funding round led by the Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN) and Keiretsu Forum.

The investment aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of ALM Ortho’s advanced implant solutions, which address critical needs in complex limb restoration. The company, founded in 2020, is based in Scarborough, ME.

The new funding will support ALM Ortho’s mission to transform outcomes for patients undergoing challenging limb restoration surgeries. Specializing in areas where conventional options often fall short—such as osseointegration, limb lengthening, joint arthroplasty revisions, and trauma recovery—the company collaborates closely with surgeons to create implants and tools that fill significant gaps in orthopedic treatment. By focusing on these complex cases, ALM Ortho seeks to bring renewed hope and enhanced functionality to patients facing limited restoration options.

“ALM Ortho’s technology promises to be life-changing for a large segment of amputees,” Lance Adams, a CTAN’s Deal Team member, said in a news release. “We strive to make positive returns on our investments, and it’s particularly rewarding to support innovations that can improve people’s lives in our communities.”

Paul DeJuliis, ALM Ortho’s Chairman and Co-Founder, shared his vision for the future: “This investment enables us to bring our innovative products to market faster, empowering surgeons to provide solutions that offer patients a greater chance at full recovery. We’re excited to take this next step in revolutionizing how complex limb restoration is approached.”

The $1 million Series A equity round will fuel ALM Ortho’s expansion of its product development pipeline and help scale its operations. Positioned as a pioneer in orthopedic technology, ALM Ortho is set to play a transformative role in limb restoration solutions, advancing new standards in patient care.

Austin-based SchooLinks, a leading software platform providing College and Career Readiness (CCR) resources to K-12 students across the U.S., today announced an $80 million minority growth investment led by Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE).

Additional Series B funding round investors include Stephens Group, Strada Education Network, and American Student Assistance (ASA).

This new capital infusion will enable SchooLinks to expand its suite of products and enhance its growing ecosystem, connecting K-12 students with higher education institutions and employers.

The need for comprehensive college career readiness solutions has never been more pressing. Recent data shows that only 1 in 5 high school graduates in the class of 2023 are prepared to succeed in core introductory college classes, according to an analysis of ACT scores. SchooLinks addresses this challenge through its innovative CCR platform, which engages students through assessments, gamified lessons, scholarship applications, and interactive videos. The platform is designed to help students and families navigate the post-graduation landscape with individualized roadmaps tailored to their unique skills, interests, and goals.

Founded by Katie Fang, a Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, SchooLinks aims to democratize access to CCR resources for all students. Silicon Hills News profiled Schoolinks shortly after its launch in 2015.

Now operational in 40 states, the platform has become a vital tool for public school districts. It offers a modern solution that meets the specific needs of administrators, counselors, Career and Technical Education (CTE) departments, students, families, and workforce development professionals. SchooLinks is also setting a new standard for student engagement, outpacing its peers in the CCR space and addressing the country’s workforce development challenges at a deeper level.

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with mission-aligned investors in this latest funding round,” Katie Fang, CEO of SchooLinks, said in a news release. “SGE brings invaluable experience in SaaS and the education industry, which will help us evolve our platform and expand our workforce solutions. This investment will enable us to extend our impact from school districts to employers, accelerating our growth and expanding our reach.”

Josh Elser, Managing Director of SGE, praised SchooLinks for redefining the CCR space. “They’ve achieved product-market fit and transformed the CCR industry in ways not seen in the past 25 years. We’re excited to support Katie and her team as they enter this next phase of growth.”

SchooLinks has seen exponential growth over the past three years, serving 15 times the number of districts and ten times the number of students since its Series A round. The platform is now recognized as one of the most reliable and innovative CCR solutions in the market, positioning itself as a crucial player in workforce development by bridging the gap between education and employment.

Ryan Morrow, Managing Director at The Stephens Group, added, “We believe SchooLinks is poised for even greater success with its commitment to product innovation and best-in-class customer service. This investment will help further solidify its status as the premier CCR platform for K-12 students.”

With this new round of funding, SchooLinks is set to expand its offerings and continue its mission of equipping students with the tools they need to succeed after graduation—whether that path leads to higher education, technical training, or direct entry into the workforce.

Keywords Studios, a global leader in creative and technology-driven solutions for the video game and entertainment industries, has announced an agreement to acquire Certain Affinity, a prominent Austin-based game development studio.

This acquisition strengthens Keywords Studios’ presence in North America.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2006 by Max Hoberman, Certain Affinity has played a pivotal role in shaping some of the most successful gaming franchises, including Halo and Call of Duty. The studio has collaborated on nearly 20 projects within these two legendary series, contributing to other major titles such as Hogwarts Legacy and DOOM.

In 2017, Certain Affinity sold a 20 percent stake in the company to Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited of Hong Kong for a $10 million investment. It also received a $5 million investment from Capstar Partners, an Austin-based private investment firm.

With over 180 professionals working out of Austin and Toronto, Ontario, Certain Affinity’s reach is far-reaching. The company’s ongoing efforts include EXODUS, an eagerly awaited game developed by Archetype Entertainment, a Wizards of the Coast subsidiary, and Hasbro.

Hoberman, Certain Affinity’s founder and CEO, and President & COO Paul Sams will continue leading the studio after the acquisition.

“We are thrilled to welcome Certain Affinity to the Keywords Group,” said Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords Studios. “Their reputation in the industry is exemplary, and their expertise will greatly enhance our Create division, particularly in the U.S. and Canada. We look forward to working closely with Max, Paul, and their talented team as we drive growth together.”

Hoberman also expressed excitement about the partnership, especially amid a challenging market environment. “At this most difficult time in the market, we’re thrilled to be able to provide stability and a supportive home for our team. Keywords have shown immense respect for our culture and talent, and we are excited about their commitment to invest in our future,” he said. “Paul and I look forward to expanding our co-development capabilities, refining our lead development, and contributing to the growth of Keywords’ Create division.”

As part of Keywords Studios, Certain Affinity is poised to continue its legacy of working on blockbuster games while expanding its footprint in the highly competitive gaming industry.

Uber Technologies and autonomous vehicle startup Avride have announced a multiyear strategic partnership to bring Avride’s autonomous delivery robots and vehicles to Uber and Uber Eats.

The partnership aims to improve delivery and mobility services by integrating Avride’s autonomous technology into Uber’s platform.

The collaboration will launch with Avride’s sidewalk delivery robots on Uber Eats in Austin in the coming weeks, expanding to Dallas and Jersey City, New Jersey, later this year. Next year, the partnership will extend to riders, with Avride’s autonomous vehicles set to offer ride-hailing services in Dallas.

Once the integration is live, Uber Eats customers and riders in select locations may have the option to choose an Avride delivery robot or autonomous vehicle to fulfill their trip. This move will further enhance the user experience by offering efficient and innovative alternatives to traditional deliveries and rides.

Avride, known for its dual expertise in autonomous cars and delivery robots, is already making commercial deliveries in the U.S. and South Korea. Autonomous cars are also being tested on public roads. This shared technology allows Avride to provide seamless, scalable solutions for both mobility and delivery.

“We are excited to partner with Uber as we scale our operations and work together to further improve the delivery experience for both consumers and merchants,” Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of Avride, said in a news release. “We plan to expand the total fleet of Avride robots operating within Uber Eats to hundreds in 2025, followed by the launch of our robotaxi service.”

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi added, “Autonomous mobility and delivery hold a ton of promise for consumers and communities. We’re excited to partner with Avride to bring their technology to more people in more places as they continue to scale.”

This partnership, with the potential to drastically change the delivery and mobility industries, underscores Uber’s continued push into autonomous technology and Avride’s growing influence in the market.

About Uber

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. Since launching in 2010, Uber has completed over 52 billion trips and continues to expand its platform to serve the needs of both people and businesses by transforming how goods, food, and people move through cities.

About Avride

Austin-based Avride is a leader in autonomous technology, developing and operating autonomous cars and delivery robots. Founded in 2017, Avride is committed to addressing current and future mobility and delivery needs with a focus on scalability and technological innovation.

Austin-based DefectDojo, a pioneer in scalable application security, has raised $7 million in Series A funding to meet growing market demand for its platform and to enhance its product offerings.

The funding round, led by Iolar Ventures and Aspenwood Ventures, will enable DefectDojo to accelerate innovation, expand its market presence, and introduce new Pro features designed to deepen Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) intelligence and automation.

With over 38 million downloads and integrations with over 180 security tools, DefectDojo has established itself as a trusted platform for application security and vulnerability management. It is relied upon by many users, including Fortune 10 companies, global banks, government agencies, startups, and individual consultants. As the only open-source solution in the ASPM space, DefectDojo offers a unified platform that automates workflows, aggregates data from security tools, and delivers actionable insights to help organizations effectively manage and mitigate vulnerabilities.

“This investment validates our commitment to transforming how organizations approach AppSec and security as a whole,” said Greg Anderson, Founder & CEO of DefectDojo. “We started our open-source community over a decade ago to streamline repetitive tasks and empower security professionals to focus on strategic initiatives. As we continue developing our DevSecOps platform, we aim to enable security to scale and evolve to meet future challenges.”

DefectDojo’s Pro Edition, now available, builds on the Community Edition by offering enterprise scalability, enhanced visualization, and premium support. The Pro Edition introduces:

• Enhanced Automation: Streamlining workflows to reduce manual tasks in AppSec management
• Advanced Analytics: Providing more profound insights into vulnerabilities and enabling data-driven security decisions
• Data Enrichment: Leveraging Exploit Prediction Scoring to offer more comprehensive intelligence on threats

The company remains committed to its open-source roots. It plans to continue investing in its community-driven platform, which has become one of the most popular open-source security projects.

“DefectDojo has fundamentally changed how security is managed within organizations,” said Lars Leckie, Managing Director of Aspenwood Ventures. “Their unique combination of open-source innovation and enterprise-grade capabilities has earned the trust of organizations of all sizes.”

Mesa, an Austin-based homeowner membership platform, has officially launched, raising $9.2 million in seed funding to address what its founders call a “home cost crisis.”

The $7.2 million seed round was led by Streamlined Ventures with participation from Starting Line, Assurant Ventures, Vera Equity, Redwood Trust Horizons, and Clocktower Ventures, among others. Mesa also secured an additional $2 million in venture debt from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank. The funding will help the company scale its team, expand membership offerings, and add new partners to its Mesa Homeowners Network.

With Americans spending more than $6 trillion annually on homeownership, the costs associated with owning a home are at an all-time high, eating up over a third of household incomes. Co-founders Kelley Halpin and Peyton Hayslette saw an opportunity to provide value back to homeowners, similar to the loyalty rewards available for everyday purchases like coffee, airline tickets, and hotel stays.

“Our vision for homeowner membership is to give you value back for every dollar you spend on your home,” said Halpin, CEO of Mesa. “Consumers get rewards for almost everything they purchase, but when it comes to the biggest expense—your home—there’s no incentive. Mesa changes that.”

Innovative Products for Homeowners

Mesa’s first offerings, the Mesa Mortgage Marketplace and Mesa Homeowners Card are designed to provide rewards and benefits specifically for homeowners:

• The Mesa Mortgage Marketplace: Homeowners can earn 1% of their loan value in rewards points when they originate or refinance a mortgage through Mesa’s marketplace. This equates to $5,000 in rewards on a $500,000 loan. Mesa’s marketplace introduces a new mortgage membership experience similar to a credit card rewards system.
• The Mesa Homeowners Card: This premium credit card rewards homeowners for everyday expenses like monthly mortgage payments, utilities, groceries, repairs, and home goods. Mesa Points can be redeemed at partner brands for travel bookings or reinvested in the home through mortgage payments or refinancing fees.

Looking ahead, Mesa plans to expand its rewards program to include home warranty plans, HELOC originations, insurance products, and more, creating a comprehensive rewards ecosystem for homeowners.

Strategic Partnerships and Industry Leadership

Mesa has teamed up with Visa as a strategic partner, leveraging Visa’s digital payment capabilities to enhance the value of homeownership through rewards. Erin Pursell, Vice President of New Business Development at Visa, expressed excitement about the collaboration: “Our partnership with Mesa brings new solutions to homeowners, aligning with Visa’s mission to empower everyone, everywhere, and helping relieve the financial pressures of homeownership.”

Mesa’s executive team includes fintech veterans from Uber, Robinhood, Bilt Rewards, Block, and American Express. Notable team members include Shannon Cusick, Head of Partnerships, who led business development at Peloton and Amex, and CFO Nadia Asoyan, Robinhood’s first finance hire.

By redefining homeownership through rewards, Mesa is positioned to become a key player in making the most significant financial commitment in many people’s lives more manageable and rewarding.

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Austin-based Lucky Energy, the better-for-you energy drink brand, has closed an oversubscribed $11.75 million Series A funding round led by Brand Foundry Ventures.

Other investors include Imaginary Ventures, Sapphire Sport, and Sugar Capital. This latest round brings the company’s total funding to $26.5 million.

Launched in late 2023, Lucky Energy is already making waves in the energy drink market, defying expectations with rapid growth. The newly secured funds will accelerate its expansion into major retailers by 2025.

Founded by beverage entrepreneur Richard Laver, Lucky Energy has positioned itself as a category disruptor. The company takes a “less is more” approach, using simple ingredients and aiming to inspire consumers to persevere and take risks. “I saw a white space in the market to create a product that entertains today’s consumers and motivates our community to relentlessly chase their dreams,” Laver said.

Lucky Energy’s leadership team includes industry veterans like Hamid Saify, the new Chief Marketing Officer formerly with Liquid Death, and Aaron Sorelle, the Chief Growth Officer, who joins from C4 Energy. The team also includes Tyler Larkin as SVP of Sales and Distribution, who brings key expertise from Liquid Death. The brand plans to use the Series A funding to grow awareness, support strategic partnerships, and scale its retail presence to reach over 8,000 retail locations by the end of the year.

With five flavors featuring super ingredients like maca, taurine, ginseng, and caffeine, Lucky Energy offers a cleaner alternative to traditional energy drinks. As demand grows for healthier options, investors see tremendous potential. Rico Mallozzi, Principal at Sapphire Sport, noted, “With the top three energy brands over 20 years old, the market is ripe for an anti-brand like Lucky Energy. Its rebellious approach and unique brand identity have broad consumer appeal.”

In addition to expanding its retail footprint, Lucky Energy is focused on creating out-of-the-box content, consumer rewards, and innovative product launches that empower its loyal customer base to live boldly and fully embrace life’s challenges. Laver’s vision for Lucky Energy isn’t just about selling a drink—it’s about building a lifestyle brand that connects with consumers on a deeper level.

Andrew Mitchell, Founder of Brand Foundry Ventures, expressed excitement about Lucky Energy’s future, stating, “We believe Lucky Energy is poised to become a major player in the $100 Billion plus energy drink category. Its clean energy focus and talented team set it apart as a brand to watch.”

With its disruptive mindset, experienced team, and growing consumer base, Lucky Energy is well on its way to becoming a leader in the energy drink market, inspiring its customers to “keep going” with each sip.

Colossal Biosciences, the world’s first de-extinction company, has funded The Colossal Foundation with $50 million to apply advanced technologies to wildlife conservation and ecosystem restoration.

“This is new capital that we are bringing to conservation efforts,” said Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences.

The foundation will focus on rapidly delivering Colossal’s innovative solutions to conservation efforts around the globe, working closely with local communities and partners to protect species facing extinction.

“We started The Colossal Foundation to ensure that we are delivering our technology solutions into the hands of those who can benefit the most,” Lamm said. “The foundation expands our capacity to quickly bring new technologies into the world, driving innovation in conservation while providing much-needed funding to modernize conservation efforts.”

The Colossal Foundation’s flagship conservation projects align with a ten-year strategic plan. They will focus on species where Colossal’s technologies—such as genetic rescue, biobanking, and the creation of reference genomes—can have the most significant impact. By leveraging advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and computational biology, the foundation aims to enhance understanding of species behavior and ecosystems, proactively allowing conservationists to prevent extinction.

The Foundation is launching with three core programs:

1. Saving Today’s At-Risk Species: Partnering with conservation groups, the foundation will apply Colossal’s genetic rescue technologies to save species on the brink of extinction, including the Vaquita, Northern White Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, and Red Wolf. The long-term goal is to develop a toolkit that simplifies genetic rescue processes for conservationists.
2. R&D for Conservation: Colossal will fund and deploy AI, machine learning, and data-driven technologies to understand animal behavior and ecosystems. Current projects include using drones to detect anomalies in elephant habitats and an AI-powered orphaned elephant monitoring system.
3. Ensuring Tomorrow’s Biodiversity: The Colossal BioVault initiative will establish a global biobank to preserve tissue samples from endangered species. The biobank will act as an “insurance policy” for biodiversity, safeguarding genetic diversity in the event of extinction.

The foundation’s work will begin with crucial species-focused projects. These include efforts to stabilize the critically endangered Vaquita, with only 10 to 13 left in the Gulf of California, and support for Indonesia’s Sumatran rhino conservation program through advanced reproductive technologies.

Matt James, Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation, emphasized the urgent need for innovative conservation tools. “There is no more time to wait to protect the species we have on Earth today if we want to make sure they are still here in 10, 50, and 500 years,” he said.

The Colossal Foundation is set to empower conservation efforts globally, bringing cutting-edge science into the hands of those working to preserve our planet’s most vulnerable species.

Colossal Biosciences, founded in 2021, has raised $235.5 million to de-extinct species. Lamm founded the company with George Church, a Harvard geneticist and pioneer in personal genomics and synthetic biology. Colossal also spun out Form Bio, a software platform, which raised $30 million. The company is based in Dallas but has offices in Austin, Boston, Santa Cruz, California, and Melbourne, Australia.

Colossal Biosciences is pioneering species de-extinction using CRISPR technology to restore endangered ecosystems. The company aims to use these technologies to protect critically endangered species. It is working to bring the Woolly Mammoth, Thylacine, and Dodo birds back to their natural habitats.