The announcements just keep on coming from the Bay Area tech scene. Keep reading to find out what happened last week, including news about crypto, fintech and pet tech startups. This is the Built In SF weekly refresh.
Uniphore raised $400M. Uniphore’s valuation rose to $2.5 billion after a Series E funding round of $400 million led by NEA. Uniphore combines AI, machine learning and automation technology for its Conversational Automation Platform that delivers a more sophisticated, yet personal and automated, customer experience. The Series E round will be used to invest in the company’s technology and expand its business operations globally. [FinSMEs]
Flutterwave nabbed $250M. Flutterwave raised $250 million in a Series D funding round that brought its valuation to over $3 billion. Flutterwave allows companies to expand their operations in Africa with cross-border transactions enabled by its platform. The fresh funding will be used for future developments and innovations. [PR Newswire]
Homebound got $75M. Homebound aims to make home-building simple, transparent and budget-friendly by providing potential homeowners with a construction solution and financing options. The company raised $75 million in a Series C round that will give Homebound the push to expand into Colorado and Florida. Homebound is currently only available to those living in Texas and California. Homebound is also hiring for 30 roles across various departments. [Built In SF]
SAN FRANCISCO TECH QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Dutch gained $20M. Dutch raised $20 million in a Series A round co-led led by Forerunner Ventures and Eclipse Ventures just seven months after its market launch. Dutch’s mission is to make pet healthcare more accessible and provides a digital health platform to connect pet owners with licensed veterinarians. The capital raised will go toward scaling its electronic medical records database, growing its pharmacy network and growing the team. Currently, 20 positions are available across Dutch’s marketing, engineering and operations teams. [Built In SF]
Equip raised $58M. The Chernin Group led the Series B funding round that brought Equip’s total funding to $75M. The investment included participation from other firms and even Katie Couric Media, with Couric joining as an advisor. Equip provides eating disorder treatment and therapy based on the Family-Based Treatment model, and is currently available in more than 40 states. The funding will allow Equip to expand its services to all 50 states and work with more insurance plans and Medicaid recipients. [Global Newswire]
Instrumental raised $50M. The Palo Alto-based manufacturing optimization software platform announced new funding in a Series C round led by BAM Elevate. The new funding will help the company develop new products and grow its engineering and go-to-market teams. Canaan, Root Ventures and Eclipse Ventures also participated. [TechCrunch]
Sequoia Capital will invest in crypto startups. Sequoia Capital announced it is launching a $500 million to $600 million fund that will focus on cryptocurrency and digital assets. Sequoia has already taken an interest in the industry and has invested in blockchain and crypto startups with a good portion of these investments made last year. Sequoia will focus on early- to late-stage crypto startups and projects. [Bay Area Inno]
