This week we are writing a funding roundup that really covers one and ½ weeks to cover Thanksgiving week plus the week previous. During this time period, Chicago received a disproportionate amount of the funding dollars in the region. However, Omaha and Oklahoma City both had companies close out fund raising campaigns. Also, the region continues to have a disproportionate amount of dollars flowing into bioscience related technologies.
Large Rounds (10+ million)
Levo Therapeutics – $40 million – Chicago, IL – In addition to receiving substantial venture capital, the FDA has announced that Levo Therapeutics shall receive Fast Track designation for LV-101 (intranasal carbetocin) for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/levo-therapeutics-receives-fast-track-designation-from-fda-for-intranasal-carbetocin-for-the-treatment-of-prader-willi-syndrome-300959646.html
The funding round for Levo raises the company’s valuation to over $140 million. The round was led by Samsara BioCapital. Samsara BioCapital is a Silicon Valley based venture fund that specializes in funding drug discovery and biotechnology opportunities.
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Medium Rounds ($2-$10 million)
Open Finance Network – $8.6 million – Chicago – Open Finance Network has created a digital trading platform for Ethereum and other tokenized securities.
Stackify – $6.87 million – Kansas City – Silicon Prairie News recently published a story about Stackify. https://spnewsnjt.wpengine.com/2019/11/kc-based-stackify-is-growing-fast-hiring-too/
Monica & Andy – $6.52 million – Chicago – The company makes organic children’s clothing that can be purchased online.
Vadovations – $5 million – Oklahoma City – The former SBIR recipient provides a miniature heart valve pump that helps push blood through the circulatory system.
Inhabitr – $4 million – Chicago – Inhabitr is an e-commerce company that helps clients rent furniture. https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/20/inhabitr-raises-4-million-to-let-you-rent-furniture/
Loan Ecosystem – $3.8 million – Chicago
FastModel Sports – $2.67 million – Chicago – FastModel sports provides software that provides a variety of tools to big-time athletic teams. For example, the company recently announced a contract with Notre Dame regarding FastAccess, a new fundraising tool launched by the company.
Upfront Healthcare Services – $2.42 million – Chicago
ExceleraRx – $2 million – Minneapolis – ExceleraRx helps improve the distribution of limited distribution drugs – utilizing a variety of software tools, scale created across geography, and best practices.
GroundBreaker – $2 million – Chicago – Groundbreaker is a software tool that helps real estate investment companies manage a range of regulatory and compliance issues – including communication, fund raising, and investor management. https://www.finsmes.com/2019/11/groundbreaker-raises-2m-in-funding.html
Small Rounds (Less than $2 million)
Marblehead Medical – $1.9 million – Rochester – Marblehead provides flow arrest access catheters to help patients suffering from strokes.
Bot Image – $1.4 million – Omaha – https://spnewsnjt.wpengine.com/2019/08/omaha-based-bot-image-raises-money-on-start-engine/
Wellspring World – $1.31 million – Chicago
BallotReady – $1.05 million – Chicago – a nonpartisan online voter guide that helps educate citizens about elections, particularly those in down ballot races.
Aqua Innovations – $.98 million – Sharon, WI – The company provides wastewater solutions.
Minute Molecular Diagnostics – .8 million – Chicago
Eva Medtec – $.48 million – Minneapolis
Cardia – $.36 million – Minneapolis – Cardia has a device that helps treat patients with congenital heart problems.
Temprian Therapeutics – .28 million – Chicago – Temprian Therapeutics represents another technology that has emerged from the Northwestern technology transfer office. The company is building treatments for Vitiligo, including a potential drug preparing for clinical trials. According to their website, Vitiligo is when the body’s T-cells erroneously attack pigment cells in the skin.
Scollar – $.1 million – Kansas City – Scollar is a smart collar tool for dogs. https://fox4kc.com/2019/04/18/smart-collar-tech-firm-leaving-northern-california-bringing-200-jobs-to-kansas-city/
Alive & Well – $.1 million – Milwaukee – gener8tor company – https://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/startups-in-gener8tor-accelerator-studio-to-pitch-next-month/
Altin Labs – $.1 million – Milwaukee – gener8tor company – (see above)
Last Lock – $.1 million – Milwaukee – gener8tor company – (see above)
Cloudux – $.1 million – Milwaukee – gener8tor company – (see above)
