– Ketch, the next generation data control platform for privacy, governance and security, announced it has closed on a Series A1 funding round, raising $20 million.
– This is a follow-up to a series A funding round that closed in March of this year, bringing the total of its series A investment to a significant $43 million.
– The round was led by Acrew Capital with participation from CRV, super{set}, Ridge Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank, and will be used to continue Ketch’s rapid growth by expanding its sales and go-to-market teams to address unprecedented market demand.
– Ketch has revolutionized the market by introducing a data control platform for Programmatic Privacy™, governance and security.

– Aircover is a San Mateo CA-based real-time sales platform provider.
– Company raised $3m in Seed funding.
– The round was led by Defy Partners, with participation from Firebolt Ventures, Flex Capital and Ridge Ventures.
– The new investment will be aimed at accelerating product development.

– Rafay Systems from Sunnyvale develops a platform for Kubernetes Operations.
– Series B funding $25m brings company valuation to more than $100m.
– The round was led by ForgePoint Capital with participation from existing investors Ridge Ventures, Costanoa Ventures and Moment Ventures.
– The new investment will be aimed at hiring engineers and growing sales, marketing and customer success teams.

– Loop Returns, a software company looking to handle the costly and inefficient process of retail/e-commerce returns, has announced the close of a $65 million Series B financing round.
– The round was led by CRV, with participation from Shopify and Renegade Partners, as well as existing investors FirstMark Capital, Ridge Ventures, Peterson Ventures and Lerer Hippeau.
– The deal values the company at $340 million post-money.
– Loop Returns was co-founded by Jonathan Poma after he was working at an agency and consulting with a big Shopify brand to help them with returns and exchanges. He partnered with longtime friend Corbett Morgan to start Loop Returns.

– Lightyear is a NYC-based provider of software to buy and manage business telecom services (internet, voice, WAN, data center) through a single dashboard.
– The company raised $13.1m in Series A funding.
– The round was led by Ridge Ventures with participation from Zigg Capital, Barry Sternlicht (CEO of Starwood), Gokul Rajaram (DoorDash exec, Coinbase Board), Michael Rapino (CEO of Live Nation), Marcus Ridgway (Invitation Homes Founder), and Stephen Klenert (Founder of Atlantic Metro), as well as existing investors Amplo, Ludlow Ventures, Susa Ventures, Operator Partners (founders of Flatiron Health), Contrary Capital, and Darco Capital. Ridge Ventures Partner and serial CIO-turned-investor Yousuf Khan will join the Lightyear board.
– The company intends to use the funds to boost hiring and resources in development and go-to-market functions.