Comcast Ventures
Generative AI startup AI21 Labs raises cash in the midst of OpenAI chaos
One AI startup’s undoing is another’s opportunity. Case in point: Today, AI21 Labs, a company developing generative AI products along the lines of OpenAI’s GPT-4 and ChatGPT, closed a $53…
Amplemarket nabs $12M to ramp up sales enablement using AI
What is sales enablement, exactly? To most companies, it’s providing sales organizations with the content, tools and information they need to sell more effectively. Sales enablement is a broad-based goal,…
With an Apple Store designer as a co-founder, Juno raises $20M to build apartments more sustainably
Juno, a proptech startup that aims to build more sustainable and affordable apartment buildings, has raised $20 million in a Series A funding round. Comcast Ventures, Khosla Ventures and Real…
Cooper raises $2M to build a professional network centered on introductions
In a period of social distancing, making new professional connections feels harder than ever. So Amsterdam-based Cooper is building a network that’s all about making and receiving introductions. “Everything that…
Juganu begins selling its tunable lighting system for pathogen disinfection and deactivation in the US
Juganu, the venture-backed Israeli company that makes lighting systems capable of emitting light at specified wavelengths, is now selling a product that it claims can disinfect surfaces and deactivate pathogens…
Papa raises $18 million to expand its business connecting older adults with virtual and in-person companions
The Miami-based startup Papa has raised an additional $18 million as it looks to expand its business connecting elderly Americans and families with physical and virtual companions, which the company…
How to craft the right pitch deck for your company at Disrupt 2020
Your startup is special and different, and you need to explain that to distracted investors in just a few short slides. The pandemic has added to your challenge, because more…
Nurx has $22.5 million in new money, a path to profitability and new treatments for migraines on the way
As the COVID-19 epidemic spread across the U.S. earlier this year, Nurx, like most other digital providers of healthcare and prescription services, saw a huge spike in demand. Now, with…
Blavity has a big opportunity with Black millennials, despite struggling to fit the VC ‘formula’
Black Lives Matter may be the largest movement in U.S. history, according to four different polls cited recently by The New York Times that suggest anywhere from 15 million to…
Uptycs lands $30M Series B to keep building security analytics platform
Every company today is struggling to deal with security and understanding what is happening on their systems. This is even more pronounced as companies have had to move their employees…
Fast-growing Madison Reed is eyeing men’s hair next; “We’re going to blow the doors off that market”
Amy Errett’s company, Madison Reed, sells women’s in-home hair coloring products. It may not sound like a glamorous business but, as it turns out, it’s a very durable one, done…
How to get the most from your corporate VC after you get the check
As with many business partnerships, the key to creating an initial relationship that’s built to last is setting expectations at the outset.
What should startup founders know before negotiating with corporate VCs?
Choosing a sophisticated CVC who is in the game for the right reasons and has every incentive to see your company win is the most effective way to ensure that…
Modsy confirms layoffs, 10 months after announcing its $37M Series C
Modsy, an e-commerce company that creates 3D renderings of customized rooms, has confirmed to TechCrunch that it laid off a number of staff. In addition, several of its executives, including…
Looking for liquidity and cash, a16z-backed Accolade files for IPO
Let’s explore Accolade’s IPO filing and start with what the firm does and its capital history. After that, we’ll look at its (somewhat surprising) numbers.
Where top VCs are investing in manufacturing and warehouse robotics
Robotics and automation tools are now foundational parts of warehouses and manufacturing facilities around the world. Unlike many other robotics and AI use cases, the technology has moved well beyond…
New Early Stage speakers to talk fundraising strategies, growth marketing and PR
TC Early Stage SF goes down on April 28, and we are getting pretty damn excited about it! The show will bring together 50+ experts across startup core competencies, such…
Comcast launches SportsTech startup accelerator with NASCAR and others
Comcast NBCUniversal believes its can access startup innovation while supporting future Olympic gold-medalists. The American mass media company launched its new SportsTech accelerator today, based in part, on that impetus.…
Airbnb invests as Zeus corporate housing raises $55M at $205M
As Airbnb absorbs more and more of the demand for housing, it’s exploring how to monetize opportunities beyond vacation rentals. A marketplace for longer-term corporate housing could be a huge…
Neural Magic gets $15M seed to run machine learning models on commodity CPUs
Neural Magic, a startup founded by a couple of MIT professors, who figured out a way to run machine learning models on commodity CPUs, announced a $15 million seed investment…
Good Capital launches to close the funding gap for early-stage Indian startups
Rohan Malhotra and Arjun Malhotra left their jobs in London and Silicon Valley to explore opportunities in India in late 2013. A year later, the brothers launched Investopad to connect…
Holloway launches in-depth startup guides, aims to rewrite publishing with $4.6M from NYT, tech VCs
Founders need to get smart quickly about the many nuanced aspects of building a company, from understanding weird language in a big term sheet to hiring a key software developer.…
Blueland launches with a suite of eco-friendly cleaning supplies designed to reduce plastic waste
Sarah Paiji had the idea to launch the eco-friendly refillable cleaning supply retailer Blueland after hearing about the abundance of microplastics in the water she was using to dilute her…
Orai raises $2.3M to make you a better speaker
Orai, a startup building communication coaching tools, is announcing that it has raised $2.3 million in seed funding. CEO Danish Dhamani said that he co-founded the company with Paritosh Gupta…
Dandelion Energy, the Alphabet X spin out, raises another $16M led by GV and Comcast
As tech companies continue their race to control the smart home, a promising energy startup has raised a round of funding from traditionally tech and strategic investors for a geothermal…
To better measure aptitude of applicants, online career marketplace Hired has acquired Py, which helps companies like Opendoor and Niantic identify talent with app-based interactive courses on Python, iOS development…
K Health, the startup providing consumers with an AI-powered primary care platform, has raised $25 million in Series B funding. The round was led by 14W, Comcast Ventures and Mangrove…
Home insurance provider Hippo brings in $70M amid a record year in funding for insurtech startups
Insurtech startups have raised a total of $1.8 billion in venture capital this year.
Comcast Ventures is betting on blockchain technologies in 2018
Comcast Ventures has been looking at blockchain technology for months, driven by Comcast and NBCUniversal’s long-standing interest in applications across several of the company’s business units.
Mobile and enterprise are the keys to VR/AR scale
Though PC and console VR are the sexier formats we’re all excited about, is mobile where VR will really scale in the near term? This is a question I’ve been…
