The Austin tech sector is thriving, with a diverse array of developments last week. As companies continue to flock to the Lone Star State, find out how the tech scene is growing. This is the Built In Austin weekly refresh.
Fetch pulled in $60M. On Fetch’s platform, apartment residents can have their packages shipped to the company’s storage facility, then have them delivered directly to their door later on. Currently available in 16 cities, Fetch is planning to expand into 24 additional markets following its latest round of funding led by Ocelot Capital. Fetch is also expanding its team with several Austin-based tech positions available now. [Built In Austin]
Facebook expands its Austin presence. The social media giant signed a lease for space in Pflugerville’s Heatherwilde 45 industrial park. The location features 100,000 square feet of warehouse space. It also added more office space at its location at the 300 W. 6th St. tower in downtown Austin. Facebook currently has about 2,000 employees in Austin and 384 local jobs listed on its site. [Austin Business Journal]
Austin Tech Quote of the Week
Bandit was acquired by Gopuff. Operating a mobile app-only coffee shop, Bandit is officially joining forces with Gopuff, a delivery service for everyday things. Bandit offers items like coffee and breakfast sandwiches that will now be available to order on Gopuff’s platform. Now with the addition of kitchens to its fulfillment centers, Gopuff users have the chance to have fresh food delivered with their everyday essentials. [Built In Austin]
Argo AI to help bring self-driving Lyfts to Austin. By combining Argo’s autonomous driving system, Ford’s vehicles and Lyft’s network, the partnership between the three companies aims to bring a fleet of 1,000 self-driving vehicles to streets in markets across the country. For starters, the companies are implementing their autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin and Miami. [Ground Truth]
Essentium to acquire Collider. Specializing in industrial additive manufacturing solutions, Essentium is planning to acquire programmable tooling company Collider for its digital light processing and 3D printing tech. The company’s goal is to create speed, economic and innovation advantages for manufacturers across a wide range of industries from medical to aerospace. [PR Newswire]
