- DroneBase, a company providing drones as a service to capture high-resolution aerial photos, announced that it raised $20 million in a funding round led by Euclidean Capital with participation from Union Square Ventures, Upfront Ventures, Energy Transition Ventures, Hearst Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, and Valor Equity Partners. - The company says that the funds will be put toward expansion in the renewable energy industry and other segments with “high-value” infrastructure, like commercial real estate and insurance. - Investments in drone startups are growing as the benefits of AI applied to aerial photography become clear. For example, algorithms analyze images from drones to monitor for corrosion, pests, and even livestock health. And insurers like State Farm leverage drones for claims inspections, assessing on-the-ground damage, and emergency resources following a disaster.

– Specright from Tustin develops Specification Management software to manage and share supply chain data across suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers.
– Series B $30m round was led by Sageview Capital with participation from VMG Catalyst, Pritzker Venture Capital Group, Okapi Venture Capital, Fika Ventures, and Mucker Capital.
– The new investment will be used to double the company’s headcount by early 2022 and expand operations globally.