From solar software to fintech, last week was chock full of fresh funding for startups across industries. Read more of the latest news from the Bay Area tech scene. This is the Built In SF weekly refresh.
Aurora raised $250M. Aurora’s software provides solar companies with a way to automate their workflows so that they can accurately design solar installations. The latest raise closely follows the company’s $50 million Series B, which it announced last November. Aurora plans to use the additional capital to develop new products as it continues to scale. The company also plans to place a special focus on hiring for its sales, customer support and leadership teams. [Built In SF]
Zeta raised $250M. The latest round for the fintech startup was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The fresh investment places the company’s valuation at $1.45 billion. Zeta’s platform helps banks and fintech firms launch products. Banks that use Zeta have access to the company’s cloud-native API and SDKs to launch credit cards, debit cards, loans and more. The company plans to use the fresh capital to reach more clients and increase its headcount. [TechCrunch]
Snapdocs grabbed $150M. The latest round, led by Tiger Global, secures the company’s unicorn status with a valuation of over $1.5 billion. The raise comes just seven months following its $60 million Series C. The Snapdocs platform connects lenders, settlement services and borrowers on one platform in order to digitize the closing process. Following the latest raise, the company plans to hire at both its San Francisco and Denver-based offices with a wide range of positions available to work remotely. [Built In SF]
SpotOn bagged $125M. The latest raise places the unicorn’s valuation at a whopping $1.875 billion and comes just eight months following its $60 million Series C round in September. SpotOn arms small and medium-sized businesses with software to help facilitate point-of-sale transactions. The 1,200-person company plans to continue growing its team following the latest raise. SpotOn is now hiring for dozens of open positions across departments with a primary focus on expanding its product and engineering teams. [Built In SF]
Salt Security Raises $70M. The Series C will be used to expand the company’s global operations. This includes hiring for its sales, marketing and customer success teams. Salt Security’s API Protection Platform provides applications with a line of defense against API attacks. The company utilizes machine learning and AI to automatically protect APIs. The company has raised $131 million to date. [FinSMEs]
PayPal invests $50M in Black and Latinx-led VC funds. The fintech giant announced it would invest an additional $50 million in eight Black and Latinx-led early stage venture capital funds. The latest news is part of the company’s previously announced $535 million commitment to strengthen underrepresented communities and fight for racial and economic equality. [Fortune]
In additional funding news, Qualio nabbed $50 million in new financing to support its management software for the life sciences sector. The investment will be used to expand accessibility of its platform to users worldwide. The Series B was led by Tiger Global.
Yalo builds messaging tools for businesses to use as part of their customer outreach and sales strategies. Last Wednesday, the company announced that it secured $50 million in fresh financing by way of B Capital. The company’s last round was a $15 million Series B in August.
Open source data integration platform Airbyte raised $26 million in Series A financing. The latest round, led by Benchmark, brings the company’s total amount raised to $31.2 million.
Diversity recruitment platform Jumpstart grabbed $20 million in a round led by Lachy Groom and Sequoia Capital. Following the latest raise, the company will rebrand as Canvas. The company has experienced 3x year-over-year growth and expects to grow its team of 70 to 100 by the end of 2021.
Clinical research software company Curebase raised $15 million in Series A funding. The latest raise, led by GGV Capital, brings its total to $19 million. The company will use the additional funds to expand its market presence and consolidate its technology.
