Watalook Raises $1M in Pre-Seed Funding
– Watalook is a Vilnius, Lithuania-based beauty tech startup.
– The company raised $1M in pre-seed funding.
– The round was co-led by Startup Wise Guys, Crosspring, Launchpad Capital, and angel investors.
– The new funds will be used to expand the company’s business reach.
Catch takes hold of $12M to provide benefits that aren’t tied to employers
– Catch, a health insurance and retirement savings company, raised $12m in Series A funding.
– The round was led by Crosslink and joined by earlier investors Khosla Ventures, NYCA Partners, Kindred Ventures and Urban Innovation Fund.
– The company plans to use the funding to increase its headcount to service those partnerships and go after more.
Paro Raises $25M in Series B Funding
– Paro is a Chicago, IL-based startup on-demand financial expertise company.
– The company raised $25m in Series B funding.
– The round was led by Madrona Venture Group, with participation from existing investors Revolution Ventures, Sierra Ventures and KGC Capital.
– The new investment will be used to accelerate the company’s growth domestically and internationally as well as invest in its AI–powered professional services marketplace.
Creator Economy Fintech Startup Willa Raises $18M Series A Led by FinTech Collective to Ensure Creators Are Paid on Time
– Willa, the creator economy fintech dedicated to getting freelancers paid on time without the associated admin and hassle, announces an $18m Series A round led by New York-based FinTech Collective, including additional investments from Entrée Capital and EQT Ventures.
– With the investment, Willa is gearing up to expand its invite-only beta to a waitlist of 150,000+ freelancers in the United States. The latest funding will also allow for the company to grow its active user base and keep up with demand and a rapidly growing waitlist. A debit card and additional services centered around financial wellness for freelancers are planned later in 2021.
Worksome Raises $13M in Series A Funding
– Worksome from Copenhagen develops a management platform to manage and pay a flexible workforce of freelancers and contractors.
– Series A $13m round was led by Tommy Ahlers and Lind & Risør.
– The investment will be used to expand operations and accelerate growth across the US and other global markets.
Countingup closes £9.1M for its business current account with built-in accounting features
– Countingup, a U.K. fintech offering a business current account with built-in accounting features, has closed £9.1m in Series A funding.
– The round was led by Framework Venture Partners, with participation from Gresham House Ventures, Sage and existing investors.
– It brings Countingup to a valuation of $50m.
– The company plans to use the funding to quickly scale up the team from 30 to 80 people.
