Startup Around

We asked 12 Boston startups about their diversity efforts It didn’t go wellBoston’s tech boom has led to a huge need for tech-related talent.

In this month’s Boston column, we decided to check in on the region’s diversity efforts.

Boston is a city that has been defined both by a historically racist reputation and its university-driven liberal bonafides.

Boston has a stunted record of releasing diversity data, so the silence was somewhat expected, if a little disappointing.

At the end, we’ll look at some recent Boston venture data. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1591903806.422084/We-asked-12-Boston-startups-about-their-diversity-efforts-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience

The new equity investment included participation from Northzone, an existing backer of the startup, and CEO Eiler Hanoa.

While it’s not a traditional privately-held startup in the traditional sense, at the market close today, the company’s valuation was $1.39 billion (or 13.389 billion Norwegian krone).

Existing investors in the company include Disney and Microsoft, and the company has raised $110 million to date.

The company also runs an accelerator, Kahoot Ignite, to spur more development on its platform.

However, Hanoa said TechCrunch tht Kahoot is shifting its focus to now also work with more mature edtech businesses. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1591902906.4258118/Kahoot-raises-$28M-for-its-user-generated-educational-gaming-platform,-now-valued-at-$1.4B-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience

On May 18, 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order and comprehensive Four-Phase Plan (“Plan”) to reopen the Massachusetts economy, get people back to work, and ease social restrictions while minimizing the health impacts of COVID-19.

This Client Alert focuses on addressing when and how the Plan will permit employers to reopen their businesses.

Mandatory Workplace Safety StandardsAs part of reopening the economy, the DPH and the COVID-19 Command Center have developed Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards.

COVID-19 Essential Services have until May 25, 2020 to comply with the Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards, self-certification process and any Sector-Specific Protocols, as applicable.

Despite the delayed compliance deadline, such businesses are required to undertake immediately their best efforts to comply with the Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1591902007.2096102/Massachusetts-Governor-Issues-Four-Phase-Plan-to-Reopen-Economy?ref=audio_experience

While the United States grapples with controversy over electronic voting machines and mail-in ballots, Estonia has created a remote voting system that could address many of the concerns about elections in a post-coronavirus world.

Problems included faulty electronic voting machines, but the state also faced a huge shortage of volunteers, as well as logistical issues in delivering ballots.

To build trust, the Estonian government has placed all the code for its voting system on GitHub.

For now, the internet voting system has effectively replaced mail-in voting in Estonia.

“Many Americans instinctively fear that a national ID card would sacrifice basic freedoms and compromise personal privacy,” Ellison wrote. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1591901108.863213/What-Estonia-could-teach-us-about-internet-voting-in-a-post-pandemic-world?ref=audio_experience

CircleCI, an early adherent to the notion of continuous delivery when it launched in 2011, announced a $100 million Series E investment today.

The round was led by IVP and Sapphire Ventures, and under the terms of the deal Cack Wilhelm will be joining the CircleCI board.

Today’s investment brings the total raised to $215 million, according to the company with $156 million coming over the last 8 months.

And so being able to get people to help out and just think about the problems that we’re encountering right now is really helpful,” Rose told TechCrunch.

One of the interesting things about our space is that it’s flooded with new and innovative approaches to point problems. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586271607.4662375/Continuous-delivery-pioneer-CircleCI-scores-$100M-Series-E-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience

0 Shares EmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInGlassbox, a developer of tools for companies to analyze their customers’ online experiences, announced it has raised $40 million in Series C funding round.

Subscribe to the Crunchbase DailySoftware-focused investment firm Brighton Park Capital led the financing, which brings total funding to date for 10-year-old Glassbox to $70 million.

Glassbox plans to use the funding to expand teams globally, as well as invest in product development.

But although more customers will be in cost-conservation mode, Glassbox sees some areas of stepped-up demand for its products.

As more consumers and business customers shift once offline activities online, service providers will need tools to gauge and improve their digital experience. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586269806.6785824/Glassbox-Raises-$40M-For-Online-Customer-Experience-Tools?ref=audio_experience

0 Shares EmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInPodium, a customer messaging platform for local businesses, announced this morning it has raised a $125 million Series C round of funding led by YC Continuity.

It is also more than double than June 2018 Podium’s $60 million Series B, which was led by IVP.

The company had also raised a large $32 million Series A in May of 2017.

Podium launched as a product to help local businesses get “honest and timely” online reviews.

The company’s initially rolling it out via invitation, but plans to make the offer available to every local business in the United States. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586268006.3734162/Utah’s-Podium-Raises-$125M-Series-C,-Rolls-Out-Free-Version-Of-Its-Product?ref=audio_experience

The classes are built on the Lean Startup methodology: customer discovery, agile engineering and the business/mission model canvas.

So how do our students get out of the building to do customer discovery when they can’t leave home?

Entrepreneurs innately believe they understand a customer’s problem and just need to spend their time building a solution.

The key principles of customer development are:There are no facts inside the building, so get the heck outside.

You can test your hypotheses with a series of experiments with potential customers. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586266206.6541016/Managing-customer-discovery-when-you-can’t-leave-the-house-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience

The only countries to have not reported any cases of this virus are tiny pacific nations, who are isolated naturally by geography.

Others have been released digitally instead, such as the Trolls World Tour children’s film, which is available to rent before ever being in a theatre.

BettingThere will be no more trips to the races, in fact, there are no races being run at the minute.

SocializingThere is no going to bars and clubs, restaurants, or even trips to go shopping or visit family attractions such as Theme Parks or even playgrounds.

There has been a big increase in people having ‘virtual parties’ through video conferencing apps such as Zoom. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586264406.5179348/How-Attractions-Have-Gone-Digital-in-a-Locked--Down-World?ref=audio_experience

This morning, Utah-based SaaS startup Podium announced that it has closed a $125 million Series C led by Y Combinator’s Continuity fund, with participation from Sapphire Ventures and Alkeon, and Recruit Co. Ltd.

The new capital values Podium at around $1.5 billion, and brings the company’s known capital raised to just under $218 million.

Instead, according to Podium CEO Eric Rea, discussions began in mid-February, resulting in multiple term sheets.

PlansAlong with its fundraising announcement, Podium told TechCrunch that it is rolling out a free tier of its service, called Podium Starter.

As does its payments service, as folks don’t want to exchange money in person. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1586262607.758927/Utah’s-Podium-raises-$125M-Series-C-led-by-YC-after-reaching-$100M-ARR-–-TechCrunch?ref=audio_experience