13 fundings; $250M+ invested in NYC startups in the past week. NYC Tech News for the week ending 5/15 featuring news for Heartbeat Health, Lili, and much, much more.
The Weekly Notable Startup Funding Report: 5/17/21
The Weekly Notable Startup Funding Report takes us on a trip across various ecosystems in the US, highlighting some of the notable funding activity in the various markets that we track. The notable startup funding rounds for the week ending 5/15/21 featuring funding details for Ethos, Handshake, SightCall, and twenty-eight other rounds that you must know about.
Twosense Raises $3M for its Biometric Continuous Authentication Platform
When you think about enterprise security, the image of the RSA dongle or hardware token that generates random numbers and looks like a flash drive with a small led screen may come to mind (something you have). That’s one of the three popular elements of multi-factor authentication when it’s combined with a username or password (something you know). The third form of verification that’s growing in popularity is biometric verification like palm scanning, fingerprints, keystroke tracking, retinal scans, facial recognition (something that you are). While the first two types provide entrance through the front door, security erodes as a session grows longer in length. Twosense is a continuous authentication platform that uses invisible biometrics to provide unparalleled security through full sessions – beginning to end, providing heightened endpoint security. The company’s underlying technology creates a risk engine for fraud prevention based on behavioral traits and is versatile enough to be used across a range of industries and the company has deployed its passive biometric authentication platform for the defense industry, healthcare, and the enterprise. AlleyWatch caught up with CEO & Cofounder Dawud Gordon, Ph.D. to learn more about the promise of continuous authentication, the company’s strategic plans, latest round of funding from investors that include Atypical Ventures, Preface Ventures, Jonathan Cogley, Glasswing Ventures, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, Brand New Matter Ventures, Josh Lospinoso, Marc Weiss, and others.
The AlleyWatch Startup Daily Funding Report: 5/14/2021
The latest venture capital, seed, pre-seed, and angel deals for NYC startups for 5/14/2021 featuring funding details for Waybridge, Bonsai, and much more.
Heuro Health Brings Wellness into the Conversation About Overall Health
Many of us tend to look at health in terms of the absence of disease or sickness. But overall health, both mental and physical, is determined by a combination of wellness factors that include sleep, nutrition, exercise, social connections, and mindfulness. Heuro Health is a wellness management platform that integrates personal health information, habits and routines, wellness data, providers, and insurance information to provide the guidance and tools to improve overall health. The platform takes a holistic approach, providing unlimited access to telehealth options with physicians, a personalized health assessment and scoring system, health coaching, analytics-powered personal guidance, and more. The app is free for members of employer-sponsored healthcare plans, helping employees improve their wellbeing while lowering overall costs for employers. AlleyWatch caught up with CEO and Founder Jesse Kessler to learn more about building a true healthcare ecosystem that brings continuity in patient care across the spectrum, the company’s strategic expansion plans, and much, much more…
Robot Stomachs: Powering Machines With Garbage and Urine
The World Bank estimates that 3.5 million tons of solid waste is produced by humans every day, with America accounting for more than 250 million tons a year or over 4 pounds of trash per citizen. This figure does not include the 34 billion gallons of human organic materials that are processed in water treatment centers across the country each year.
Lucid Green Raises $3.1M to Become the UPC of Cannabis
We probably take for granted the many benefits of the widespread usage of UPCs both for manufacturers and consumers and the impact it has on retail – inventory control, standardization, cost efficiencies, clear and accurate pricing, reduced errors with the elimination of manual entry, improved data and tracking, and improved decision making to name a few. For nascent products, UPCs also adds a degree of credibility and builds trust in the product and manufacturer. Lucid Green is bringing the benefits of UPC to the cannabis industry with its software platform that facilitates fungible product codes, LucidIDs, for the cannabis industry. The platform caters to the entire cannabis supply chain from brands down to the consumer with the codes used on bulk packaging, cases, pallets, and individual items. As the market for cannabis continues to grow, with more and more jurisdictions moving towards legalization, the company’s solution allows the industry to scale efficiently with transparency. AlleyWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Larry Levy to learn more about the inspiration for the business, the company’s traction, future plans, latest round of funding from investors that include Bravos Capital, Silverleaf Ventures, FGCP, and HALLEY Venture Partners.
The AlleyWatch Startup Daily Funding Report: 5/13/2021
The latest venture capital, seed, pre-seed, and angel deals for NYC startups for 5/13/2021 featuring funding details for Optimal Dynamics, Elsker, and much more.
Manage Downside First, Big Opportunity Second
I’ve got a great plan for how to scale my startup, but I’m sort of wondering what happens if things don’t go to plan? How should I be thinking about my downside when most of my startup planning seems focused on growth and scale?
Sanctuary Raises $3M for Virtual Astrological, Psychic, and Tarot Readings via Text
The uncertainty of the pandemic has been difficult for many from a mental and emotional standpoint. Spiritual guidance has prospered in the face of this uncertainty as we flock towards ways to quell anxiety, loneliness, and fear about the future to the point where NYC psychic Betsy LeFae is able to charge $997 for an hour-long virtual reading for those seeking clarity. Sanctuary is a mobile-first platform that makes spiritual guidance more accessible. The app offers a free daily horoscope and premium options for real-time one-on-one text-based readings with astrologers, tarot card readers, and psychics. As the world scrambled to virtual, Sanctuary experienced a 500% increase in users that booked a live reading during the pandemic. AlleyWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Ross Clark to learn more about the company’s mission to modernize spiritual guidance, traction, strategic plans, and latest round of funding from investors that include BITKRAFT Ventures, KEC Ventures, Greycroft, Azure Capital Partners, Advancit Capital, Gaingels, and Uncommon Denominator.
The AlleyWatch Startup Daily Funding Report: 5/12/2021
The latest venture capital, seed, pre-seed, and angel deals for NYC startups for 5/12/2021 featuring funding details for Twosense.ai, , and much more.