Last week, Austin tech companies made headlines with plans to join forces and with plans to go public, roll out new features and more. Learn what’s coming to the Austin tech scene. This is the Built In Austin weekly refresh.
Jungle Scout secured $110M. Its data search engine gathers info that helps vendors on Amazon better sell their products. With the new growth capital led by Summit Partners and CEO Greg Mercer, Jungle Scout is looking to acquire Downstream Impact, an adtech company with Amazon. It’s also planning to grow its business and team. [Built In Austin]
SpaceX could be building an Austin facility. With two new job positions listed on its site for an automation and controls engineer and an assembly and packaging equipment engineer, SpaceX could be planning to build a new facility for Starlink. The project aims to bring broadband access to the world via a network of satellites. Months on the heels of CEO Elon Musk’s Tesla opening an Austin factory, this represents Musk’s latest expansion of his companies’ Texas footprint. [Built In Austin]
Austin Tech Quote of the Week
Rollick raised $8.5M. Its online marketplace for outdoor recreation lists products like RVs and powerboats. With its new funding led by Sandbox Insurtech Ventures and TechNexus Venture Collaborative, Rollick is planning to expand on its programs like “Buy From Home,” which lets consumers make their purchases without visiting a dealership. Additionally, the company is looking to create new programs to serve its growing user base. [Built In Austin]
Dosh acquired by Cardlytics. The Texas app developer’s platform gives consumers cash back on their card purchases when they shop, eat and travel. Cardlytics, a marketing tech company from Atlanta, is purchasing Dosh for $275 million. The partnership will allow advertisers to reach consumers through more outlets including financial institutions, online banks and fintech companies. [Austin American-Statesman]
Hippo to go public via SPAC. The insurtech company is joining with Reinvent Technology Partners Z. Hippo combines real-time data, smart home tech and a suite of services designed to prevent losses and make homes safer, and the San Francisco company has a large Austin presence. The deal is expected to close sometime in the middle of 2021, and the combined company is projected to have about $1.2 billion in cash upon closing. [Business Wire]
