Knewton raises $25M to scale product
Knewton, makers of adaptive learning courseware, just announced a funding influx worth $25 million. TriplePoint Capital led the funding round, with returning investors Accel, Atomico, Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, First Round Capital, Founders Fund and Sofina also participating.
In a press release, Knewton noted that the fresh funds will be used to scale Alta, the higher-education product the company launched in January of this year. As the fall semester nears, a reported 250 colleges and universities will be using Alta. [Read More]
Braavo raises $6M to fuel mobile app development
Launched in 2015, Braavo operates as part startup, part VC by offering financial and analytical backing for mobile app developers. This week, the company raised $6 million to fuel the growth of its internal operations and expand on the functionality of its products.
In an interview with TechCrunch, co-founder Mark Loranger explained the company is launching several new products that will dive deeper into mobile app data and help streamline their clients’ internal processes, all while Braavo earns a “fixed percentage of future earnings” from companies. [Read More]
NYC wants your designs for new Harlem River Greenway
Earlier this week, the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced it was seeking engineering and architectural proposals for the latest phase of its greenway project, set to span East Harlem from 125th Street to 132nd Street. Construction is set to begin in 2020 and be completed by 2023.
Several other phases of the greenway project are also underway, including areas in Inwood and Midtown. Not only is the greenway a beautiful feature of the NYC cityscape, but new research reports a striking correlation between an increase in green space and a decrease in crime rates. All the more reason to go green! [Read More]
Want to earn some extra crypto on the side? Download the Lolli browser extension
A new browser plugin is making sure that no Bitcoin is left behind. Lolli, a New York-based company, is an internet browser extension currently available for Chrome and Safari that earns users cash back in the form of cryptocurrency whenever they make a purchase from one of Lolli’s more than 500 retail partners.
Shopping at outlets like Macy’s, Jet.com and Bloomingdale’s can earn Lolli users as much as 30 percent bitcoin-back on their purchases. Whether or not anyone is still interested in earning bitcoin is the real question. Multiple high-profile news outlets, including the New York Times, have recently published pieces detailing the downfall of bitcoin and the questionable future of cryptocurrency as a whole. [Read More]
Real estate firm Compass closing in on major acquisition
Compass, the NYC-based luxury real estate firm, is taking steps towards the acquisition of Pacific Union International Realty. The latter company is one of the West Coast’s foremost real estate brokerages, and reportedly closed $14 billion in sales in 2017.
Once the terms of the deal are finalized, Compass will see an influx of 1,700 employees and 54 offices, adding to its own force of 4,000. [Read More]
