 Cart.com Austin-based eCommerce service Cart.com received $240M funding led by Knight Capital Partners. The funding saw participation from Citi Ventures, Visa, J.P. Morgan, and TriplePoint Capital. More: - The incoming funds will be used to fuel expansion into new regions and double the workforce to 300 in Austin in the next year.
- Cart.com’s value proposition is offering lower fee cuts as compared to larger eCommerce establishments such as Amazon – which reportedly charges a 20% cut – and providing end-to-end online store solutions to small businesses.
- The company provides assistance related to setting up online stores, digital marketing, logistics, sales analytics, and other services.
- Along with the current funding, the company has received $380M in funding to date.
- Cart.com recently acquired FB Flurry and SellerActive to add on to its existing capabilities.
- It has acquired nine companies in the past year.
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SoftBank Vision Fund 2 led a $115M Series C funding into connected vehicle startup Platform Science. Chimera, 8VC, Daimler, Prologis, NextPlay, and Four More Capital also participated in the funding. More: - The funds will be utilized for market expansion and solidify the underlying mobile application technology for commercial vehicles.
- Platform Science collaborated with Daimler Truck North America to develop a Virtual Vehicle platform that provides access to real-time vehicle data and third-party software directly from the vehicles.
- The application is integrated with Schneider National, Werner Enterprises, U.S. Xpress, Inc., Drivewyze, Samsung, and Great Dane.
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 A message from M1 FINANCE Get serious about investing with M1 M1 Finance isn’t for the day trader or the uninvested investor. It’s for the self-directed money manager who knows exactly how they want to invest, but doesn’t want to deal with bloated, confusing finance apps. M1 doesn’t believe that speculating and day trading is a viable path to building long-term wealth, so they built a hassle-free, distraction-free, and management fee-free app to easily invest, borrow, and spend. All you have to do is settle on a strategy, automate it, and then go on livin’ your life while M1 takes care of the day-to- day. For a limited time new users can earn up to $500 when you fund an account within 14 days of account opening. Terms and conditions apply. Sign up here *Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. M1 Finance LLC, member FINRA/SIPC
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Satellite imaging startup ICEYE raised $136M Series D funding led by Seraphim Space. Existing investors BAE Systems and Kajima Ventures participated in the recent funding, which raised the startup's total funding to date to $304M. More: - The Finland-based space startup has pioneered a technology to peer through cloud cover while capturing Earth's images from space.
- The remote sensing space company has already launched 16 satellites and operates the world's largest number of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites.
- ICEYE plans to use the incoming funds to develop Nature Catastrophe (NatCat) Insights and Solutions and AI / ML-based analytics to predict and prevent natural disasters like floods, etc.
- The company established its U.S. subsidiary with a manufacturing facility in California.
- Its first U.S.-built satellite was launched in the latter half of 2021.
- It signed a contract to assess the remote sensing capabilities of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on Jan. 20.
- The funding also saw participation from Molten Ventures, OTB Ventures, True Ventures, C16 Ventures, Chione Ltd, Services Group of America, the U.K.'s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), Space Capital, and Promus Ventures.
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Nokia invested $400M in NGP Capital's latest venture fund, Fund V. The fund will target startups that align with Nokia's strategic objectives. More: - The fund will invest in growth-stage startups developing cloud technology such as edge cloud, cybersecurity, digital industry, and digital transformation.
- Investments will also be prioritized for companies leveraging AI, ML, no-code, and blockchain technology.
- Nokia is NGP Capital's sole investor and has committed over $1.6B capital since 2005.
- NGP's currently uninvested capital is $550M.
- This is the fifth fund it has managed for the Finland-based mobile phone company.
- The company's current investments are split across Europe (27%), Asia (35%), and the U.S. (38%).
- NGP has invested in 107 startups, of which 51 are active investments.
- Its portfolio includes 17 companies with over $1B valuations.
- Portfolio companies generated ~$2.5B in revenue in 2021.
- The venture fund's investments are key to Nokia's strategic transition into cloud technology.
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 A message from MALWAREBYTES Secure success for 2022 with AI-powered cyberprotection. Did you know that ransomware attacks are surging? Remote workforces have amplified security concerns for businesses. Remote workforces make easy targets for cybercriminals. - 1 out of 5 businesses experienced a remote-worker related security breach
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 Graham & Walker Graham & Walker announced six startups under its accelerator program. The female-focused VC firm, formerly known as Female Founders Alliance, provides a six-week virtual program that teaches founders the various aspects involved in scaling up organizations and deploying funds effectively. The current group's program is scheduled to start on March 2. More: - Startups under "the Graham & Walker Accelerator" receive personal mentoring, access to investors, and marketing support.
- In exchange, G&W takes a 5% equity stake in respective startups.
- The six organizations included are:
- Bilin Academy: Multilingual online classes platform.
- Blink Date: Voice-first dating app.
- Local,Away: Influencer-led fashion platform.
- Obánj: Luxury jewelry monthly subscription program.
- OpenField: Door-to-door information dissemination platform.
- SaySo: Real-time accent modification app.
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 Bold's payment portal Colombia-based payment service provider Bold raised $55M Series B funding led by Tiger Global Management. The funding saw participation from General Atlantic, Endeavor Catalyst, Piton Capital, Global Founders Capital, InQLab, Kingsway Capital, Solid Ventures, Grupo Auteco, Amador, and Condor Inverlink. More: - Bold’s total funding to date is $65M, including the recent investment.
- The company was founded in 2019 and is expanding the digital payment ecosystem in the nation.
- It launched a credit card reader in 2020 and introduced a pay-by-link service in the following year.
- Bold’s unique selling point is its quick 15-minute payment merchant setup and low transaction fees compared to traditional banks.
- Over 100,000 merchants use Bold’s payment mechanism in Colombia.
- The incoming funds will be used to establish bank accounts, debit cards, and cash advances services for customers.
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Quick Hits - For Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute, the Gartner Magic Quadrant named Adobe a Leader among 17 vendors — See why here.*
- Yuga Labs, the organization behind Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, is in discussions with Andreessen Horowitz for a potential investment. The BAYC creator is expecting the company to be valued between $4B-$5B for its funding, which would be a first investment into the company.
- Artisanal Ventures inaugural fund targeting B2B cloud startups closed at $62M. Over 50 senior executives from Square, Atlassian, CrowdStrike, AppDynamics, Snowflake, Splunk, UiPath, MuleSoft, and others pitched in for the fund. The company will invest between $500,000 to $3.5M in potential high-growth startups.
- SaaS 3D visualization platform nfinite closed a $15M Series A funding led by US Venture Partners. The incoming funds will be used for expanding operations in the North American region.
- GetLabs received $20M Series A led by Emerson Collective and the Minderoo Foundation. The doorstep blood test provider will use the funds to hire more healthcare workers.
- Soelect, a battery component manufacturer based in Greensboro, closed an $11M Series A financing led by Lotte Ventures and supported by General Motors Ventures and KTB Network.
- Amsterdam-based Connected Capital announced the close of its second fund totaling $175.8M (€154M) to invest into growth-stage B2B SaaS companies. The company now has $228M (€200M) in committed capital.
- Your money matters. Let's make more of it. Stocks are great, but there are many more options now. That's why we've been reading the Alts newsletter.*
*This is sponsored content
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 |  | Karan Chafekar is a Management Consultant, Business enthusiast, and Licensed Pilot. | | | | Editor | Aaron Crutchfield is based in the high desert of California. Over the last two decades, he has spent time writing and editing at various local newspapers and defense contractors in California. When he's not working, he can often be found looking at the latest memes with his kids or working on his 1962 Ford. | |
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