The Briefing: Sierra Space Raises $1.4B, Flytrex Lands $40M, And More

Here’s what you need to know today in startup and venture news, updated by the Crunchbase News staff throughout the day to keep you in the know.

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Sierra Space Raises $1.4B

Louisville, Colorado-based Sierra Space closed a $1.4 billion Series A investment—the company’s first capital raise. The round was led by General Atlantic, Coatue and Moore Strategic Ventures. The money will be used to develop the company’s Dream Chaser Spaceplane, an orbital commercial spaceplane.

The commercial space company said in a release it “aims to build the future of space transportation, commercial space destinations and infrastructure.”

— Chris Metinko

Flytrex lands $40M for drone deliveries

Tel Aviv-based Flytrex, a startup developing a drone delivery service focused on the U.S. suburbs, raised $40 million in a Series C funding round led by BRM Group.

The financing brings total funding to date for the 8-year-old company to just over $60 million, per Crunchbase data.

Flytrex says it is aiming to enable five-minute deliveries of everyday goods–from Chinese takeout to morning coffee–via drone deliveries to backyards.

— Joanna Glasner

Funding round

Helaina raises $20M to recreate breast milk: New York-based Helaina, a startup using precision fermentation to recreate immune-equivalent proteins previously only available in breast milk, announced it raised $20 million in a Series A round led by Spark Capital and Siam Capital.

— Joanna Glasner

M&A

Workday acquires VNDLY: Human resources software provider Workday announced it is acquiring VNDLY, a SaaS platform that helps manage contingent workforce needs, for around $510 million.  Founded in 2017, Mason, Ohio-based VNDLY previously raised at least $58 million in known funding, per Crunchbase data.

— Joanna Glasner

Illustration: Dom Guzman