deviceTRUST, a Darmstadt, Germany-based IT security startup, completed a seven digit Series A financing round.

Backers included Hessen Kapital I GmbH, TF H III Technologiefonds Hessen GmbH, and High-Tech Gründerfonds.

The company intends to use the funds for European expansion of its sales and marketing activities, and investments in product development.

Employees and external partners are thereby able to work productively with their digital workplaces and at the same time meet all security-compliance and regulatory requirements.

With its patented and patent-pending technologies, deviceTRUST provides more than 200 hardware, software, network, security, performance and location features and integrates with any existing workspace management solution and requires no additional infrastructure. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577561410.478699/deviceTRUST-Completes-Seven-Digit-Series-A-Financing-Round?ref=audio_experience

Pyka, an Oakland, CA-based provider of an autonomous, electric crop-spraying drone, raised $11M in seed funding.

The round was led by Prime Movers Lab, with participation from Y Combinator, Greycroft, Data Collective and Bold Capital Partners.

Co-founded by Michael Norcia, Chuma Ogunwole, Kyle Moore and Nathan White, Pyka is an autonomous electric airplane startup aiming to make agricultural chemical application fast, precise, and easy – even over challenging terrain.

Using art 3D aerial mapping and optimized path planning, the planes know where obstacles are and how to fly around them.

Every aspect of the mission – taxi, takeoff, flight, and landing – is handled autonomously. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577559610.7030573/Pyka-Raises-$11M-in-Seed-Funding?ref=audio_experience

New Delhi-based edtech startup LeverageEdu, on Saturday (December 28), announced that it has raised over $1.5 Mn funding led by its existing investors DSG Consumer Partners and Blume Ventures.

With the recently raised funds, the startup will expand its presence in the country.

Further, LeverageEdu is also looking to expand its presence in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Founded by Akshay Chaturvedi in January 2017, LeverageEdu helps students with university admissions through an artificial intelligence-driven tool, which helps in matching universities and programmes for students.

Moreover, it also helps students in availing post-admit services such as education loans, connecting to student accommodation providers, among others. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577557955.1651392/LeverageEdu-Raises-$1.5Mn-To-Expand-In-Tier-2,-3-Cities?ref=audio_experience

With all that behind you … let me challenge you to 10 SaaS New Year’s Resolutions.

Pick a few that work for you:Get That Key VP Hire Done in Q1 .

It’s really all about deal size in most SaaS companies, not raw per seat or per unit pricing.

It’s really all about deal size in most SaaS companies, not raw per seat or per unit pricing.

Ten+ ideas for your SaaS New Year’s Resolutions. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577556012.7975388/10-SaaS-New-Year-Resolutions-For-You.-Pick-a-Few.?ref=audio_experience

Small business owners can only focus on a finite number of tasks at a time.

If you’re ready to step up your business process, consider these tips from members of the online small business community about some overlooked areas of business.

Ensure Business ContinuityMany small businesses are not prepared for a major disaster, whether it’s a weather event or data breach.

In this Moss Media post, Moss Clement details some calendar tools you ca use to make your business more productive.

If you’d like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: [email protected]. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577554206.7024658/Don’t-Overlook-These-Small-But-Impactful-Business-Tips?ref=audio_experience

American seed-stage accelerator Y Combinator (YC) has awarded equity-free grants of $15K to four Indian startups, namely Circles, Vizitor, Sandoras, and Wealth42, along with others who participated in 10-weeks programme of its Startup School.

Startup School is YC’s free online course for founders with unique ideas.

Startup School programme, which was launched in 2017, is open to all founders, currently working on a startup or about to start one, to go through the course.

However, being part of Startup School doesn’t guarantee entry to YC accelerator.

The Startup School has also announced that its Winter eight-week course will begin on January 20, 2020. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577552550.164405/Four-Indian-Startups-From-Y-Combinator’s-Startup-School-Bag-$15K-Funding?ref=audio_experience

To keep up with the trend, Indian Oil Corporation has now partnered with Delhi-based Pepfuels and Pune-based Repos Energy to enable doorstep delivery of fuel like Diesel through mobile dispensers.

Repos will be relying on a fuel delivery vehicle fitted with a mobile dispenser and a 6,000-litre fuel tank to do the rest of the job.

The fuel delivery facilitators — Pepfuel or Repos — would pick up the order and deliver it to the customers.

In September 2019, Indian diesel consumption was at 5.8 Mn tons.

Looking at this, the Indian oil had to shut units in at least two refineries in September 2019. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577550652.1244395/Indian-Oil-Partners-With-Two-Startups-To-Start-Doorstep-Delivery-For-Fuel?ref=audio_experience

In response to this call, digital giants such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, among others started to invest heavily in India.

GoogleOne of the earliest players to enter the Indian market, Google also faced a few bumps in its 2019 Indian ride.

In January 2019, MeitY had served a notice to Google India to take down all false and malicious contents that vilify the country’s food safety and quality.

The apex court directed Google India to face the trial.

Since October 2019, WhatsApp has been surrounded in controversies related to Pegasus spyware. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577548807.2909863/2019-In-Review:-International-Brands-In-Hot-Waters-In-India?ref=audio_experience

“Virtual kitchens,” sometimes referred to as “dark restaurants,” “virtual brands,” “ghost kitchens,” or any combination thereof, have been popping up all over — due in large part to the rise of on-demand transport infrastructure.

Virtual kitchens are essentially strategically placed kitchens that specialize in delivery only — no walk-in or sit-down customers allowed.

Virtual kitchens can also allow existing restaurants to experiment with bespoke menus and offer new items without impacting their existing brand.

However, the impact of Uber’s foray into the virtual kitchen realm is clear.

Virtual Kitchen Co has already helped a few virtual kitchens open in San Francisco, with plans to open more than a dozen additional locations in the Bay Area alone in early 2020. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577547022.5268679/How-virtual-‘cloud’-kitchens-gained-steam-in-2019?ref=audio_experience

Looking at old computer ads makes you realize see how far technology has come in recent decades.

Vintage Computer AdsFord Instrument Co.Back in the 1950’s, computers didn’t really even resemble what we think of as computers today.

IBM Small Business ComputersToday, small businesses can’t get by without a computer.

Atari 520stThis 1980’s computer advertisement for the Atari 520st includes some incredible graphics and demonstrates the power of an old school gaming computer.

This Apple ad shows how the company marketed their product as helpful for kids and their education. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577545247.7475014/15-Vintage-Computer-Ads-That-Show-How-Far-We’ve-Come?ref=audio_experience