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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Outbrain files for IPO
Web advertising platform Outbrain said Wednesday that it confidentially filed for an IPO. The company, which is backed by investors including Index Ventures and Viola Ventures, provides recommendation technology for media brands.
The New York-based company, founded in 2006, has raised at least $194 million in funding, according to Crunchbase data. Outbrain is the latest company to file to go public during a busy IPO year, following businesses including oatmilk maker Oatly and website design platform Squarespace.
–Sophia Kunthara
ATAI Life Sciences files for IPO
ATAI Life Sciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Berlin, announced its plans to raise $100 million in an initial public offering.
The company, founded in 2018, is developing a pipeline of mental health disorder treatments, including psychedelic and digital therapeutics, according to its S-1 filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week.
ATAI has raised $304.1 million in known venture-backed funding, according to Crunchbase data. Last month, the company secured $157 million in Series D financing led by existing investors Apeiron Investment Group and Thiel Capital.
The company intends to list its shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol ATAI. A date for the IPO was not listed.
— Christine Hall
ActiveCampaign raises $240M
Chicago-based ActiveCampaign, a provider of customer experience automation tools, announced that it raised $240 million in a Series C round.
Tiger Global Management led the new financing, along with backing from Dragoneer, with participation from additional existing investors as well. The investment brings total funding to date for the company to $360 million and reportedly values the company at more than $3 billion.
The fundraise follows a growth spurt for ActiveCampaign, which says it now has over 145,000 customers in 170 countries. The company says it added 55,000 customers since the beginning of 2020.
— Joanna Glasner
Funding rounds
Hive gets $85M for AI tools: Hive, a developer of AI models for automation with applications in content moderation and other areas, raised $85 million in a Series D funding round led by Glynn Capital at a reported valuation of $2 billion.
Deliverect picks up $65M: Belgian startup Deliverect announced that it has raised $65 million in a Series C funding round from DST Global Partners and Redpoint, as well as several existing investors. The company connects Uber Eats, Deliveroo, DoorDash, Just Eat Takeaway.com and more delivery companies directly to restaurants’ POS systems.
— Joanna Glasner
Class Technologies raises $12.25M: Class Technologies raised additional funding to integrate its teaching and learning tools with Zoom. The financing comes as many students have spent over a year distance learning over Zoom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will be used to speed up the rollout of Class’ software, according to a press release from the company. Investors in the round include Salesforce Ventures1, Sound Ventures and Tom Brady.
–Sophia Kunthara
Enterprise software
RapidAPI closes Series C: San Francisco-based RapidAPI raised a $60 million Series C led by Green Bay Ventures. The round also includes new investor Stripes and existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, DNS Capital, M12, Viola Growth and Grove Ventures. The company, which provides a platform that enables developers to connect to and manage thousands of APIs, has raised $122.5 million to date.
— Chris Metinko
Health care
Seed Health raises $40M: Seed Health, a Los Angeles-based microbial sciences company, closed a $40 million Series A round of financing to continue developing next-generation probiotic applications and live biotherapeutics. The round was led by The Craftory, alongside TechBio investor ARTIS Ventures and GISEV, with participation from others.
Proximie inks $38M: Proximie, a London-based technology platform digitizing operating theaters, announced a $38 million Series B round of funding led by F-Prime Capital, Questa Capital, Maverick Ventures and Eight Roads. The company’s technology enables surgeons to virtually attend operating theaters around the world to visually guide complex surgeries.
Willow brings in $26.8M: Wearable breast-pump maker Willow announced a $26.8 million extension of its Series C round to give it a total of $81.8 million for the round, according to the company. The new tranche was led by Endeavour Vision. With this latest capital infusion, Willow, based in Mountain View, intends to invest in new products and expand its customer base.
Stix secures $3.5M: Women’s health company Stix closed $3.5 million in seed funding co-led by Resolute Ventures and SWAT Equity Partners. The Philadelphia-based company started in 2019 with a direct-to-consumer pregnancy test and now intends to put the capital to work expanding its product offering into ovulation tests and prenatal supplements, as well as urinary tract infection products. It will also further develop its digital education platform, The Stix Library.
— Christine Hall
Agriculture
OneSoil lands $5M: OneSoil, a Swiss-Belarusian company that helps agricultural professionals monitor fields and increase yields, announced $5 million in Series A funding led by Almaz Capital with participation from PortfoLion. This brings its total raise to date to $6.7 million since being founded in 2017, according to the company. OneSoil builds mobile and web apps that use satellite imagery to gather analytics and then provides field insights for farmers and agricultural consultants at no cost.
— Christine Hall
Fintech and e-commerce
Deel banks $156M: Deel, a compliance and payroll company for international employees and contractors, raised $156 million in Series C funding led by the Y Combinator Continuity Fund. The new funding gives the San Francisco-based company a valuation of $1.25 billion and total funding of $204 million, according to Crunchbase data. Deel enables businesses to hire and onboard international employees or contractors in under five minutes and pay them in more than 120 currencies with one click.
Madre Mezcal inks $3M: Madre Mezcal, a Venice, California-based mezcal brand, raised $3 million in Series A funding to expand its product line and go into new markets in the U.S. The round was led by Room 9.
— Christine Hall
Illustration: Dom Guzman
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