TechCrunch Startup News

Kolors, a Mexico City-based startup that connects intercity bus riders with bus drivers, is acquiring B2B van pooling provider Urbvan for $12 million cash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FunNow, the Taiwan-based app that lets users book activities on-demand in five Asian countries, is growing its reach in Southeast Asia through a merger with restaurant booking app Eatigo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like in many industries, there’s an acute shortage of security guards. This means guards still on the job have to pull extra hours and are more likely to make mistakes because of fatigue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a gold rush on in biotech as AI and other tools are used to find new drugs and treatments. With $5.5 million in new funding, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perfios, an Indian fintech that provides real-time credit underwriting solutions to banks and non-banking financial institutions, has raised $229 million in a new funding round as it looks deepen its expansion into North America and Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retool started out as a platform for building line-of-business apps, but over the last few years, the well-funded startup added a number of backend services as well, including, most recently, a workflow automation service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Certa, a compliance, governance and risk management platform for enterprises, today announced that it raised $35 million in a Series B round. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s easy to start a startup. But it’s far more difficult to shut one down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U .K. is set to rejoin the European Union’s (EU) preeminent science R&D funding program, after a three-year hiatus resulting from a Brexit fallout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josys, a startup offering a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform to automate corporate IT software application management, has raised a $93 million Series B round. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Of the many lofty promises of cryptocurrency, one of the most commendable ones is its potential to bring financial inclusion to underserved users. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Butternut Box, a U.K.-based startup that prepares and ships healthy food and supplements for dogs, is raising £280 million ($354 million) in a round of funding from General Atlantic and L Catterton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes the work of having a job takes time away from work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speak, an English language learning platform backed by OpenAI’s startup investment fund, the OpenAI Startup Fund, announced that it raised $16 million in a Series B-2 funding round led by angel investor Lachy Groom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

French startup Teale has secured a funding round of $11 million earlier this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hyperproof, a software-as-a-service risk and compliance management company, today announced that it raised $40 million in a funding round led by Riverwood Capital with participation from Toba Capital, an early-stage VC firm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The majority of Vietnam’s population live in rural areas and often lack access to financial services because banks and other institutions open most of their physical locations in cities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Martian Lawyers Club (MLC) wants to take game personalization to the next level with the help of generative AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allseated, a platform that helps event organizers plan and showcase venues virtually, has raised $20 million in an equity round of funding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During the pandemic, almost all retailers in Asia established an e-commerce presence and adopted digital payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kiki (formerly EasyRent), a subletting startup that matches listers with people looking to rent for up to six months, recently closed a $6 million seed round, its co-founder Toby Thomas-Smith exclusively told TechCrunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Devolut enables merchants a returns option that doesn’t require boxes or labels. It also provides a network of “city points” where consumers can go to return merchandise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Treatments like botox are becoming more ubiquitous, spurring growth in the number of medspas, or centers that offer botox, IV hydration and laser treatments from certified providers like registered nurses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Instant grocery delivery startup Zepto has raised $200 million in a new funding round at a valuation of $1.4 billion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Job references are an important part of hiring the right person, especially for remote positions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices