Epic! raises $8 million to keep kids reading in a digital age

 The makers of Epic!, one of many apps jockeying to become a “Netflix for books,” have raised $8 million in a round led by Reach Capital, the education-specialized venture firm. Additional investors in the Series C included: TransLink Capital, Rakuten Ventures, Menlo Ventures, WI Harper, Brighteye Ventures and Innovation Endeavors. Epic! at its core is an on-demand, digital… Read More

Naspers gobbles up another food delivery startup with $80M round for Swiggy

 Naspers has taken a bite out of yet another food delivery startup, with its commitment to lead and $80 million investment in the Indian online ordering and food delivery startup, Swiggy. The global internet and entertainment conglomerate has invested in several online food ordering and delivery companies worldwide including the Brazilian company iFood, and in Mexico, SinDelantal. Earlier… Read More

Where are the rest of the tech IPOs?

 When Snap went public in early March, it opened up the floodgates after what had been a stagnant period for tech IPOs. The warm investor reception for the Snapchat parent helped pave the way for MuleSoft, Alteryx, Elevate, Okta, Netshoes, Yext, Cloudera and Carvana, which all debuted in March or April.
But then in May we only had Appian. And June isn’t expected to be a strong month… Read More

Spotify settles lawsuits, adds board members as it gets ready to go public

 Spotify made a few moves this week that could put them in a better position to join the stock market. On Thursday, it was revealed that the company added four people to its board of directors. The music streaming startup has brought on former Disney COO Tom Staggs; Padmasree Warrior, a Cisco vet who runs an electric car business; Shishir Mehrotra, YouTube’s former head of product… Read More

Reid Hoffman, Bill Gates, Sam Altman invest $30 million in Change.org

 LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman announced today that he’s making a big bet on Change.org, the site for social justice petitions. Hoffman is leading a $30 million round, with other investors including big names like Bill Gates and Y Combinator president Sam Altman.
“Change.org, the global hub for collective action, is a crucial democratizing force in this era of growing civic… Read More

KidPass raises $5.1 million for its children’s activity subscription service

 KidPass, a monthly membership program that gives parents access to a variety of kid-friendly activities across their city, has raised $5.1 million in Series A funding, the startup reported this week. Currently live in New York, the new funds will allow the service to expand to new markets including L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Chicago. The round was… Read More