A busy week for tech in the Lone Star State yielded new moves across a range of industries. From exploring the cosmos to reviving the past, check out what these Austin companies are working on. This is the Built In Austin weekly refresh.
Colossal got $15M. By using CRISPR DNA sequencing tech, Colossal is aiming to edit the genomes of existing Asian elephants to bring to life a creature resembling a woolly mammoth. The company launched with seed funding led by Thomas Tull, a former CEO at Legendary Entertainment, with additional participation from Breyer Capital, Draper Associates, At One Ventures and others. The startup’s goal is to “re-wild” mammoths and restore the ecosystem. [TechCrunch]
Canva pulled in $200M. The graphic design software company has seen rapid growth and is continuing that momentum with its latest round of funding led by T. Rowe Price. The fresh capital brings Canva’s valuation to a massive $40 billion, and the money will go toward doubling its global workforce to 4,000 people in the next year. The company is also planning to expand its product portfolio. Canva is currently hiring for 20 Austin-based roles. [Built In Austin]
Austin tech quote of the week
CesiumAstro is prepped for launch. The company develops active phased array systems that are made to be faster and more efficient than fixed satellite beams. Planning for the commencement of its Cesium Mission 1, the company will showcase its satellite communication tech by launching into orbit by rocketship sometime this month. CesiumAstro is also growing its team and anticipates reaching a headcount of 200 by the end of 2022. [Built In Austin]
Moveworks expands into Austin. Developer of an AI-powered work support automation platform, Moveworks provides solutions to help companies better support their employees. It announced the opening of a new office location in Austin that currently accommodates 20 employees — a number the company plans to double by year’s end. Moveworks is currently hiring across all departments and plans to build entire teams, like customer success, in Austin. [PR Newswire]
Self Financial raised $50M. Working to help customers in underserved communities build credit and savings, fintech company Self Financial offers solutions like its Self Visa Credit Card. To date, the company has helped more than two million customers and is now planning to scale its business following this latest funding round. Altos Ventures led the Self Financial’s Series E round. [Built In Austin]
Sellers Shield got $15M. The company provides risk-management and software solutions for the real estate industry, and it just closed on its Series A funding round led by Elsewhere Partners. With the fresh capital, Sellers Shield plans to invest in expanding its market coverage into Kentucky, Michigan and Minnesota, as well as fuel team and product development. [PR Newswire]
