Portalys is open for investment, find where startups are moving to and Formic is transforming the manufacturing industry

Message from the author

New quarter, new energy!

We’re changing a few things in your weekly letters:

1. The weekly graph is changing. Each week, you’ll receive a new graph, different from the previous. More insights!

2. Weekly Fundraising spotlight: As best as we can, we’ll showcase a new startup that is actively raising funds with ways to get an introduction to them.

deelscoop is growing and we appreciate your readership 🙂 

-Jules

News in VC this week

• Amazon and Microsoft have partnered to bring the Xbox gaming app to Fire TV devices, enhancing the gaming experience for users with Xbox Game Pass subscriptions​ (GeekWire)​.

• Rackhouse VC launched its $45 million Fund II, focusing on early-stage AI investments. The firm is avoiding large language model creators in favor of supporting foundational AI technology and tools​ (PitchBook)​.

• Peachtree Minority Venture Fund at Emory University's Goizueta Business School continues to support underrepresented founders. The student-run fund recently invested in startups like Chezie and ConConnect, providing crucial early-stage funding​ (EmoryBusiness.com)​.

Weekly Graph: Startups are moving out of NYC, Silicon Valley and into Florida

👉️ Portalys.io (USA) is seeking $300k at a $1.75m pre-money valuation with already $20k committed on a rolling-close!

⚡️ 1 liner about the startup:

“We are the ticketing Shopify for nightlife. We are the nightlife portal for event ticketing”

🏆️ Early wins:

Portalys sold the first iteration of their MVP to 2 large venues in Boston before its official release. Following that success, another 40 venues were booked during the first 2 months of launch.

In the space of less than a year, Portalys has hosted and sold tickets for events in 25 different cities spanning 4 countries.

The company has launched two apps: a customer facing portal to buy tickets and a merchant dashboard to manage events, perks and extras.

💰️ What will funding be used for?

Thomas Thiry, CEO, said funding will enable rapid deployment into the wider east-cost area with event hosting in 5 new states by EOY. All while maintaining a steady of flow of already available events in Europe (Spain, Netherlands, France)

📲 Interested in learning more? Reply to this email and we’ll connect you to the founders!

Seed

AnchorZero (USA) - $8m - Democratized advanced tax strategies
AI

Fintech company intended to democratize advanced tax strategies, making them accessible to everyone. The company simplifies the process of placing startup equity into Roth IRAs, offering significant tax savings and financial growth opportunities. The company raised $8 million in seed funding led by Bain Capital and Spark Capital, with participation from Ethereal Ventures and 4 other investors. The funds will be used to establish a chartered trust company and to accelerate the development of additional tax-focused products for founders and employees.

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Created by Humans (USA) - $5m: Fair, humane, use of AI rights
AI & SaaS

Artificial intelligence-based rights licensing platform designed to build a bridge between human creators and AI companies. The company's platform utilizes technology to automate creative tasks such as generating images and videos based on text descriptions, enabling businesses and individuals to reduce production costs and streamline developing high-quality visual content. The company raised $5 million in seed funding led by Craft Ventures and Floodgate, with participation from Builders VC and 15 other investors.

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HutanBio (UK) - $3.58m: Algea as a source of energy
BioTech

Biotech company intended to provide sustainable algae biofuels. The company develops a low-carbon, scalable, and drop-in replacement fuel through its algal farms, enabling clients from the marine, land, and aviation sectors to lower their emissions and meet environmental norms. The company raised £2.84 million in seed funding from UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and Clean Growth Fund, with a pre-money valuation of £3.55 million.

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Dealflow (Denmark) - $1.19m: Payment transfer for investment firms
FinTech & SaaS

Financial invoicing platform designed to transfer money to another bank account. The company's platform helps to make money on brand collaborations and can focus on creating great content, enabling clients to manage their businesses efficiently. The company raised €1.1 million in pre-seed funding led by Ralf Reitchert, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and 8 other investors.

Series A

Formic (USA) - $53.9m: $0 CAPEX manufacturing automation
Robotics

Robotics company intended to develop customized robots for operation automation. The company provides manufacturers with flexible and low-risk automation robots, and companies pay for productivity when they use the system. The company raised $53.9 million through a combination of Series A venture funding led by Blackhorn Ventures, with a pre-money valuation of $100 million. Mitsubishi HC Capital, Alumni Ventures, TransLink Capital and 12 other investors also participated. The funds will be used to expand the company's fleet of standardized equipment and enhance its equipment-agnostic robotic automation software leveraging AI for motion planning, predictive maintenance and more.

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Function Health (USA) - $53m: Making health checkups easy
HealthTech

Comprehensive health data platform intended to examine personal risk for disease. The company's platform helps with routine whole-body lab testing and personalized guidance from top doctors, enabling patients to stay healthy. The company raised $53 million in Series A venture funding led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Wisdom VC and 9 other investors. The funds will be used to empower individuals to take control of their health, scale the company's technology, and expand access to biomarker lab testing services.

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Bling (Germany) - $20.37m: Financial enablement for children
FinTech

Pocket money cards and applications designed for children and young people across Europe. The company develops educational payment cards to help children deal with finances and learn about the use of digital money, allowing them to understand their income and expenses to manage, and grow money responsibly. The company raised €11.2 million in funding led by Owl Ventures, with participation from Peak, Angel Invest, and Neosfer. The funds will be used to expand the company's product offerings with families in mind, further invest in strategic distribution partnerships, and accelerate growth.

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Deskpro (UK) - $25m: Automating customer support
SaaS

Helpdesk software designed to deliver a more efficient and memorable support experience. The company's software offers a helpdesk interface, internal agent notes, live chat, reporting, feedback forms, and other related features. The company raised $25 million in funding led by Elsewhere Partners, with other undisclosed investors also participating. The funds will be used to strengthen the company's customer experience team, expand its AI-powered help desk solutions, and further penetrate key markets, with a focus on expansion in the United States.

Series B

ZeroEyes (USA) - $53.35m: Helping put an end to active shooter threats
AI & SaaS

Weapon detection platform designed to prevent and stop active shooting. The company's platform uses artificial intelligence to send real-time weapon detection and alerts, improving situational awareness and decreasing response times for first responders, enabling companies to reduce the risk of active shooter threats and keep schools and other public spaces safe. The company raised $53.35 million in funding led by Sorenson Capital, with a pre-money valuation of $250 million. Intel Capital and 7 other investors also participated in the round. The funds will be used for growth strategy, including investments in channel partnership programs, research and development, business expansion, and the company's Gun Violence Research Center.

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LiveEO (Germany) - $26.97m: Real-time earth observation
SpaceTech

Real-time earth observation technology leveraging satellite imagery to provide infrastructure monitoring in the verticals of railway, electricity, and pipelines, enabling industries to save on operational expenses and avoid dangers from vegetation, height changes, and third-party interactions. The company raised €25 million in funding led by NordicNinja VC and DeepTech & Climate Fonds, with participation from Helen Ventures and 6 other investors. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of the company's solutions and expand its team and capabilities.

Series C 

Route (USA) - $40m: Another competitor arrives on the mental health tech space
Logistics & SaaS

Shipping platform designed to protect and track freight. The company's platform eliminates shipping pains and hurdles that increase brand loyalty by tracking all online purchases through a digital platform, enabling customers to safely deliver their packages by protecting them against loss, theft, or damage. The company raised $40 million through a combination of Series C, Series C-2, and Series C-3 venture funding led by Hanaco Ventures, with a pre-money valuation of $1.36 billion. Madrona Venture Group, Trich Ventures, Level Ventures, Granger Management, and JAWS Estates Capital also participated in the round.

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UroMems (France) - $47m: Commercializing surgical implants
Logistics & SaaS

Implantable medical device designed to focus on designing, developing, and commercializing active implantable medical devices. The company's device improves current surgical treatments for as many patients as possible, particularly by reducing associated side effects, enabling patients to find the right treatment as soon as possible. The company raised $47 million in Series C venture funding led by Crédit Mutuel Innovation, with participation from HIL-INVENT and 6 other investors. The funds will be used to support large-scale U.S. and European pivotal clinical trials of the UroActive™ implant, paving the way for regulatory submission in multiple countries.