HealthTech funding rounds. Checks into student-run companies. And new hires at ecosystem hubs.
In this edition of Friday ‘Fund’ Day, we’re spotlighting the startups that successfully raised funds, made key hires, or announced exciting new partnerships. We’ve got the latest developments that are shaping the region’s vibrant entrepreneurial landscape:
Funding News
* Yellow Card, the pan-African crypto startup with roots in Atlanta, raised a $33 million Series C round. The round was led by Blockchain Capital, with participation from Polychain Capital, Third Prime Ventures, Castle Island Ventures, Block, Inc., Galaxy Ventures, Blockchain Coinvestors, Hutt Capital, and Winklevoss Capital. Yellow Card facilitates buying and selling Stablecoins through local currency transactions. You can read more about the company in previous Hypepotamus coverage here.
* OncoLens, an Atlanta, GA-based oncology health tech startup, raised its $16m Series B this week from BIP Capital, Cross Border Impact Ventures, Martin Ventures, and SeedToB. Read about OncoLens’ previous funding rounds and goals for the HealthTech startup here.
* Wilmington, North Carolina-based Synply, Inc., a cloud-based loan syndications platform, has announced the completion of a Series Seed Financing round. The round raised $4.8 million of capital to fuel the company’s next phase of product development and growth. The round was co-led by Canapi Ventures and Live Oak Ventures, with capital commitments from Woodforest Financial Group, OFG Bancorp, TReK Capital Partners, and several industry veterans as individual investors. Full press release here.
* Neighborly Software, a leading provider of an end-to-end SaaS platform that manages the enrollment, administration, and reporting of government funded programs, announced a significant growth investment from Falfurrias Management Partners, a Charlotte-based investment firm focused on growth-oriented, middle-market businesses. You can read more about the startup, which runs out of Atlanta Tech Village in Buckhead, here.
* NC IDEA, a private foundation supporting entrepreneurs in North Carolina, announced it has awards $160,000 to 16 different NC-based startups. This is NC IDEA’s 13th micro grant cycle, which it stared in 2018. More here.
* BrainTap, a North Carolina-based audio tech company that offers an app and wearable headset for enhanced guided meditation, raised nearly $3.9 million in funding, according to Crunchbase.
* The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville hosted he 2024 SEC Student Pitch Competition last week where college students competed for $25,000 for their businesses. The team of judges awarded Brace Cap (Vanderbilt University) the first-place prize of $10,000, Trinity Tube (University of Texas at Austin) the second-place prize of $8,000 and The Earlybird Co. (Auburn University) the third-place prize of $7,000.
In Other News
* American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) announced plans to consolidate and expand its Atlanta-area footprint with the opening of a new innovation hub at 2002 Summit Boulevard Northeast in Brookhaven. Fox 5 Atlanta has the latest.
* Atlanta-based Pickleheads announced it has become the Global Pickleball Federation’s official court and game finder platform. Details on the partnership can be found here.
* Epicenter, Memphis’ leading destination for entrepreneurs, startups and corporate innovators, announced today that Anthony Young, who has served in an interim capacity, has been appointed as President and CEO of Epicenter. Young succeeds Jessica Taveau who left the role in June 2024.
* Voxie, a leading SMS marketing platform trusted by brands like Sonic Drive-In, Oxi Fresh, Edible Arrangements, and the Learning Experience, has launched Franchise Hub, a solution tailored for franchise networks. It enables franchisors to uphold brand integrity while giving franchisees the flexibility to create localized campaigns that resonate with their customers. Press release here.
