Startups Raise Over $395M and $140B in M&A
October 20, 2023's biggest news in the private markets.
Employment Hero, a nine-year-old Sydney startup that has built an employment platform covering HR, recruitment, onboarding, and payment, raised a $166.5 million Series F round led by TCV, with additional participation from previous investors Insight Partners, AirTree, Seek, and OneVentures.
Hivebrite, an eight-year-old New York startup that has built a community engagement platform for clients such as Boeing and the Obama Foundation, raised a $37 million Series B round led by Quadrille Capital, with previous investor Insight Partners also joining in.
iink, a seven-year-old, Tampa-based digital payments network aiming to make it easier to secure funds associated with multiparty property insurance claims, just raised $12 million in Series A funding led by Headline. Motley Fool Ventures, Chartline Capital Partners, Silver Circle Ventures and a group of existing investors also participated.
Petfolk, a three-year-old startup based in Charlotte, NC, that provides services for pets, pet owners, and veterinarians, raised a $40 million Series B round led by Movendo Capital, with White Star Capital and Idea Farm Ventures also taking part.
Society Brands, a three-year-old startup based in Canton, Oh., that acquires and operates e-commerce businesses, raised a $25 million round. Investors included Gullane Capital, Callais Capital, and North Coast Ventures. The company has raised a total of $230 million.
SynFutures, a three-year-old Singapore startup that has built a decentralized crypto derivatives exchange, raised a $22 million Series B round led by Pantera Capital, with additional capital provided by Susquehanna International Group and HashKey Capital.
Waymark, a San Francisco startup that connects Medicaid patients with a local care team, including community health workers, therapists, pharmacists, and care coordinators, raised $42 million in debt and equity led by Lux Capital, with CVS Health Ventures as well as previous investors Andreessen Horowitz and NEA also participating. The company has raised a total of $87 million.
Anyplace, an eight-year-old San Francisco startup that provides furnished apartments for remote workers and corporate travelers, raised an $8.3 million Series B round led by Jason Calcanis's Launch Fund, with CapitalX, Gaingels, Riverside Ventures, Potluck Ventures, MSIVC, FreakOut Shinsei Fund, and Delight Ventures also opting in.
Elyos Energy, a London startup founded this year that helps businesses and households manage their energy consumption by providing access to energy flexibility and demand response programs, raised a $3 million seed round. Investors included Rebel Fund, Zeno Partners, and Endgame Capital.
Finzly, an 11-year-old company based in Charlotte, NC, that aims to simplify operations for financial institutions by unifying all payment rails into one cohesive platform, raised a $10 million Series A round. TZP Growth Equity was the deal lead.
Grandstand, a startup that plans to launch an app that would allow fans to follow and financially support their favorite players, raised a $2.75 million seed round. Will Ventures was the deal lead.
Mediatool, an eight-year-old Stockholm startup whose platform helps advertisers manage their media investments, raised a $7.4 million round. Fairpoint Capital and eEquity were the deal leads.
Pair Team, a four-year-old San Francisco startup that provides virtual and in-person primary care for Medicaid's highest-risk patients, raised a $9 million Series A round led by Next Ventures and including Y Combinator, PTX Capital, Kapor Capital, and Kleiner Perkins.
Skoon Energy, a six-year-old Rotterdam startup that helps companies using fossil fuel-powered generators transition to clean energy systems, raised a $5.6 million Series A round led by Blue Bear Capital and including the Graduate Entrepreneur Fund.
Vopero, a three-year-old Mexico City startup that operates a marketplace for secondhand clothes, raised a $4 million round led by Cencosud Ventures, with previous investor Grupo Axo also chipping in. The company has raised a total of $10 million.
China is weighing delaying US chipmaker Broadcom’s $69B acquisition of cloud software company VMware after the US’s tougher chip controls for China on Tuesday.
EU antitrust regulators gave Pfizer unconditional approval for its proposed $43B acquisition of cancer drug maker Seagen.
Japan's JFE Steel is in talks to buy a stake in the metallurgical coal business of Canada's Teck Resources; Glencore offered $8.5B for the business.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and and Antin Infrastructure Partners are among several bidders for PE fund Partners Group’s majority stake in German metering firm Techem; Partners Group wants as much as $9.5B, but offers may be closer to $7.4B.
German lender NordLB is considering options for its $3.2B aviation financing portfolio.
Singapore-based pulp producer RGE is considering a $3B takeover offer of Chinese tissue maker Vinda International Holdings.
EQT picked Evercore to help the investment firm gauge interest for a potential sale of data management company Rimes Technologies for as much as $2.1B.
Hitachi is set to win EU approval for its $1.8B acquisition of Thales’ GTS railway signalling business on the condition it sells assets in France and Germany.
Infrastructure fund I Squared Capital will acquire UK-based Arriva, Deutsche Bahn’s international transport business in an estimated $1.7B deal, including debt.
Qantas Airways will drop its $387M plan to buy out charter flight operator Alliance Aviation Services due to regulatory hurdles.
Door manufacturer Masonite International acquired Fleetwood Aluminum Products for $285M cash.
Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor Group will buy Stellantis’ Chinese automotive assets for $234M.
SoftBank's VC arm SVF Growth, Singapore, will sell a 1.1% stake in Indian food delivery firm Zomato for $123M.