Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter #228

Texas Startup News, Opinion & Events in the Lone StartUP State
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SXSW March 13 - 22 Countdown 61 Days

Houston, We Have A New Unicorn: HighRadius Raises $125M Series B - Link

- Crunchbase News’ Mary Ann Azevedo

• HighRadius Raises $125M In New Funding Round - Link
  - Texas Tech Pulse
• Houston software company hits $1B 'unicorn' valuation - Link
  - Houston Chronicle
• Houston tech unicorn eyes international expansions after $125M investment - Link
  - Houston Business Journal

“HighRadius, which has developed AI-powered fintech software, announced it has raised $125 million in a Series B growth funding round led by ICONIQ Capital.

The round values the company at “more than $1 billion,” founder and CEO Sashi Narahari told me, without providing more specifics.
Existing backers Susquehanna Growth Equity and Citi Ventures also participated in the new round. With this latest round, Houston-based HighRadius’ total known (venture and private equity) funding climbs to $175 million. It previously raised a $60 million Series A over late 2017 and early 2018.” - Mary Ann Azevedo

Travel Tech Startup The Guild Raises $25M to Expand Apartment-Style Hotel Stays - Link

- Austin Inno's Brett Wistrom - Subscribe Here

• The Guild Raises $25M in Funding for Airbnb-Like Hotel Experiences - Link
  - Built In Austin
• Travel-tech startup The Guild raises $25M to create more hotel stays in apartments - Link
  - Austin Business Journal
• The Guild, an Austin-based hospitality startup, lands $25M for expansion - Link
  - Austin American-Statesman

"Since co-founders Brian Carrico and Chris Herndon launched The Guild in 2016, the startup has expanded from seven apartments at the Corazon on East 6th Street in Austin to more than 800 units in Austin, Dallas, Cincinnati, Denver, Miami and Nashville. And the company just raised $25 million in new investment to expand to a total of a dozen markets by 2021." - Brent Wistrom

Riskpulse Merges With Resilience360 and Raises $22.7M - Link

- BuiltInAustin's Ellen Glover

• Austin Startup Merges with Resilience360 and Lands $22M Funding - Link
  - Austin Inno's Brent Wistrom

"Riskpulse was founded in 2015 through the merger of two other startups — Stormpulse, a weather tracking site, and EarthRisk Technologies, a long-term weather forecasting company. CEO Simon Woods says that this merger with Resilience360 will be beneficial to platform users." - Ellen Glover

TeXchange Austin
Funding Your Revenue: Beyond VC and PE
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Kick off your best year in business yet by coming to the Grow Your Business 2020 Conference on Jan 18th, in Austin TX. Experts will be speaking on Managing Business Finances, Growth Ideas, and Streamlining Operations.

Grow Your Business 2020: Micro-Conference For Founders & Creators
Saturday, January 18, 2020 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM CST
Austin Fine Properties
1201 Baylor Street Austin, TX 78703
REGISTER - 25% off Discount Code - tsquared

• FCM Travel Solutions strengthens its innovation programme with investment in Austin-based Shep Travel - Link
• Alumni Ventures: Entrepreneur in the Spotlight - An Interview with FUTURE/PROOF Co-Founder and COO Aimy Steadman - Link
• Former WPP Execs Create Digital Transformation Shop - Campaigns' Lindsay Stein - Link
• What's Starting a CBD business like? BlendedSense Podcast with Shayda Torabi - Link
• Meet Hema Reddy of Crafty Counter in Austin - Link
  - Voyage Dallas
• January Accelerator All Access — Portable Laptop Screens, Skincare for Men, Intelligent HR Portals… - Link
  - Austin Startups
• Kendra Scott Wants to Change the Game for Women in Business—Starting With UT Students - Link
  - The Alcalde
• Tech Madness Is Back! 2020 Nominations Are Now Open - Link
• Tech Trends 2020: From Edge Computing to Quantum Dots - Link
• TeleVet Looks to Expand Team After $2M Seed Round - Link
• Bazaarvoice Brings on Former Vyze Leader as Its New CEO - Link
  - Austin Inno's Brett Wistrom - Subscribe Here
• Music working group seeks cooperation, transparency between artists and venues - Link
• Public Safety Commission dives into building material safety - Link
• Activist-led transportation bond vision adjusted and finalized - Link
• County sets up new committee to put pressure on city leaders over Expo Center - Link
• Parking pilot to free up on-street parking, create parking solutions for construction site personnel - Link
  - Austin Monitor
• Employees gain a new litany of legislative benefits this year - Link
• Art meets business: Entrepreneurship tips for creative people - Link
• Xiaomi accidentally sent security video from one home to another - Link
• AI technology is using facial recognition to hire the “right” people - Link
• Which city has your back when trying to start your business? - Link
• Yahoo retargeting attempt feels like a cry for attention - Link
• Project Neon creates “artificial human” to unveil at this years CES - Link
• Image size is a vital factor into usability of your brand - Link
• 2020: The one year you shouldn’t abbreviate-besides last year - Link
• California gives part time workers, full time benefits with AB5 - Link
• UI/UX design trends in 2020 for maximum user friendliness - Link
• Predictions for exciting, eerie, and emerging tech in 2020 - Link
• Facebook wants to show how “inclusive” it is with new logo - Link
• The US Navy, and Army ban TikTok for fears of national security risks - Link
• Video games have helped one email company succeed - Link
• Hiring Managers keep you on your toes, so you should step up - Link
• Counter Terrorism in the tech space is a growing concern for Facebook - Link
  - American Genius
• Austin’s argodesign Expands Again With a New York Studio - Link
• P&G Buys Billie, a Women’s Shaving Products Startup - Link
• SKU Welcomes 7 new Startups into SKU Track 8 - Link
  - Silicon Hills News' Laura Lorek
• Jan 13-15: Big SXSW Announcements! - Link
• SXSW Sessions That Rock: March 21 - Link
• SXSW Sessions That Rock: March 19 - Link
• Find Your Audience at the SXSW Trade Show: Explore Exhibitor Marketing Opportunities - Link
• SXSW Hackathon is Back for 2020 with New Categories – Apply Now - Link
• SXSW Alumni Releases – January 2020 - Link
• Create Purposeful Branding in Advertising - Link
• Introducing the Official 2020 Trade Show Exhibitors - Link
  - SXSW’s Hugh Forrest
• Start the Decade Strong: Here's the Inside Scoop on 9 Growing Tech Companies - Link
• Real Estate Startup Orchard Raises $36M - Link
• The Guild Raises $25M in Funding for Airbnb-Like Hotel Experiences - Link
• TeleVet Raises $2M to Facilitate Digital Vet Appointments - Link
• CollBox lands $1M in Seed Round Investment to Enable Small Businesses and Accountants Recovering Revenue - Link
• Weekly Refresh: The Austin Tech News You Missed Over the Holidays - Link
  - BuiltinAustin
• Army Futures Command putting billions of dollars to work in Austin - Link
• First look: H-E-B’s massive expansion of San Antonio headquarters - Link
• Longtime H-E-B exec in charge of Central Texas to retire - Link
• H-E-B ranked nation's No. 1 grocery chain - Link
• Inside Austin's coolest office: Tech hub of H-E-B, Favor pays homage to Texas roots - Link
• Reports: A Charlie has left concert promoter C3 Presents - Link
• Turning wellness into a multimillion-dollar business - Link
• Global IT company lands at blue-chip corporate park, sources say - Link
• Austin Convention Center leader leaving for Florida - Link
• Capital Gains: New effort by Alamo Drafthouse, new COO at COTA, new dust-up over development - Link
• Geekdom pre-accelerator now accepting applications - Link
• How startup TeleVet plans to spend fresh $2M - Link
• Bazaarvoice finally has a permanent CEO - Link
• Houston sandwich and salad chain coming to Austin, with help of former Snap Kitchen CEO - Link
• Austin developer making a splash in San Antonio with big plans - Link
• Texas no longer U-Haul's No. 1 'growth state' - Link
• Austin enters 2020 with record-breaking retail lease prices - Link
• Austin area home to 3 of nation's top-selling neighborhoods - Link
• In the money Jan. 6: Drug, burger makers report multimillion-dollar fundings - Link
  - Austin Business Journal
• Austin companies flaunt new products, share plans at gadget show - Link
• Austin's Rivet Networks turns to AI to improve online networks - Link
• RETAIL SQUEEZE: Merchants want to be in Austin, but space is tight - Link
• Austin startup Ender's aim: Modernize property management - Link
• Vuka, one of Austin's original co-working spaces, creates nonprofit foundation - Link
• Study ranks H-E-B as top U.S. grocery retailer - Link
• Austin business briefs - Link
• Startup Spotlight: Austin's HackNotice aims to make it easier to track, protect your data - Link
• Austin startup Televet raises $2 million to bring pet care to your pocket - Link
• Dallas Fed: Austin's economy slowing, but still growing - Link
  - Austin American-Statesman

SAN ANTONIO

• Lime Pulls Out Of San Antonio - Link
  - Texas Tech Pulse
• San Antonio surprisingly outranks Austin among growing tech markets - Link
  - CultureMap Austin
• San Antonio Women in Tech Who Can Speak at Your Next Event - Link
• San Antonio Startup Events for the Week of January 6, 2020 - Link
  - San Antonio Startups
• H-E-B takes top spot in survey, Pier 1 closing stores and more retail news - Link
• H-E-B named nation’s top grocer in shopper survey - Link
  - San Antonio Express News
• San Antonio News Stations, Spurs Fans and H-E-B Featured in New Netflix Series Messiah - Link
• Lime Scooters Leaving San Antonio After Winning Contract to Operate Here - Link
  - San Antonio Current
• 10 Small Businesses Are the First to Receive City and SAWS Fee Waivers - Link
• Explore DreamWeek, Browse Local Art, and Stretch with Puppies This Weekend - Link
• Days Before Start of City Contract, Lime Scooters Says It’s Leaving San Antonio - Link
• San Antonio’s Next Goal: Becoming the Best City for Raising a Family - Link
  - The Rivard Report
• And then there were two: SA finalizing pair of e-scooter contracts - Link
• Pre-event Highlight: 2020 class of 40 Under 40 mingles at Dorćol Distilling & Brewing Company - Link
• Behind the Deal: How StemBioSys' new acquisition can drive more collaboration - Link
• First look: H-E-B’s massive headquarters expansion - Link
• THE BORDER OF BUSINESS: How NAFTA's renegotiation could impact Texas - Link
• What drove H-E-B to its top grocery chain rank? - Link
• Another e-scooter company riding out of San Antonio - Link
• H-E-B ranked nation's No. 1 grocery chain - Link
• Geekdom pre-accelerator now accepting applications - Link
• SA biotech acquires majority stake in Michigan company - Link
• Capital needs may drive BioMed SA president search - Link
• New CEO to lead SA creative agency, pursue possible expansion - Link
• New year, new name for local consulting and recruiting firm - Link
• SA energy VC company invests $400M in midstream startup - Link
• SABJ presents the 2019 Business of the Year finalists - Link
• Borden files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection - Link
• Podcast: Entrepreneur and community leader advises to go after your wildest dreams because “anything is possible” - Link
• SA investment company to sell its stake in Toronto-based equity fund company - Link
  - San Antonio Business Journal
• Makers Gym to offer art production studios, coworking amenities in Frisco this spring - Link
  - Community Impact Newspaper
• Why Fort Worth’s Harvest Returns Believes in AgTech - Link
• Let The Games Begin: 2020 Tech Madness Nominations Are Open - Link
• Dallas AI Startup Lands Seed Round With Focus on Affordable Housing - Link
• Biotech Company with Fort Worth Offices Lands $30M to Fight Eye Disorders - Link
• Coding School for Kids Opens New Location in Frisco - Link
  - NTXInno’s Kevin Cummings
• CES2020 Recap: Dallas-Fort Worth Shows Up and Shows Off - Link
• Discovery: UTD Scientists Focus on How Eyes Heal, UNT Prof Researches ‘Energy Molecules’ - Link
• Ansira Partners Names Chief Delivery and Innovation Officer - Link
• The Winners of Dallas Innovates’ and D CEO’s Inaugural, 2020 Innovation Awards - Link
• IT People: Meet Toyota’s Sailendu Mohapatra - Link
• Meaning, Mission, Immersion: How the Dallas Region Draws Top IT Talent - Link
• Construction Kicks Off on High-Tech West End Square in Downtown Dallas - Link
• Follow the Money: Topgolf Preps for $4B IPO; Pieces Technologies Raises $25.7M Series B; ORIX Makes Acquisition - Link
• Dallas Invents: 130 Patents Granted for Week of Dec. 31 - Link
• Fort Worth Biotech Eyevensys Completes $30M Series B Funding Round - Link
• AIA Dallas and the Architecture and Design Foundation Name Executive Director - Link
• Thought Leaders: 900lbs - Link
• Dragon City Farms Raises Funding Via Harvest Returns’ Platform - Link
• Pieces Technologies Closes $25.7M Series B Funding Round - Link
• Public Housing Tech Startup BoodsKapper Raises Seed Funding - Link
• Plano Drone Company Partners on New Compressed Hydrogen Gas Distribution Service - Link
• Toyota is Building a City of the Future Prototype - Link
• DI People: American Airlines, Michaels, and Aventiv Make Executive Announcements - Link
• Thought Leaders: Sam’s Club - Link
• Q&A: Meet Bill Chinn, the New CEO of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center - Link
• DataBank Receives $185M Investment from Colony Capital - Link
• Dallas Innovates 2020: The Magazine - Link
• Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind Rebrands to Envision Dallas - Link
• ‘Beyond the Aircraft’: Bell Unveils its Plans for the Future of the Smart Cities - Link
  - Dallas Innovates
• Texas Produced More Energy from Renewable Sources Than Coal Last Year - Link
• Alas, Texans’ Dream of Sam’s Club Scotch and Costco Vodka Is, for Now, Over - Link
  - Dallas Observer
• CRE OPINION: How Generation Z Will Impact Office Space - Link
• D Magazine’s New SideDish Editor Has Arrived - Link
• How Dallas Is Approaching Water Conservation as the Climate Changes - Link
• What Will It Take for Dallas’ Vision Zero Plan to Work? - Link
  - D Magazine
• How REC Foundation is inspiring the next generation of STEM students - Link
• Roundup of recent deals and dollars: Trinity Hunt Partners acquires IT provider - Link
• United Way of Metropolitan Dallas receives $10M gift - Link
• City of Dallas’ CIO exiting position after less than 18 months; no interim named as search planned - Link
• Tech firm adds Frisco development hub - Link
• Why diversity can help your company withstand a recession - Link
• Form-D Friday: Energy Spectrum Capital raises $962M - Link
• It’s cheaper to rent than to buy in Dallas, study says - Link
• Plano firm says $428M acquisition will take longer amid regulatory scrutiny - Link
• CEO: 34 employees exiting Door.com in round of layoffs, nationwide expansion on hold - Link
• Meet the Minority Business Leader Awards honorees - Link
• International food competition heading to Fair Park - Link
• DFW software company that moved from California unveils acquisition of NY firm - Link
• New leader of Texans Credit Union discusses where the organization is heading - Link
• Goldman Sachs-backed tech firm has quietly moved its HQ to Frisco – and is looking to expand - Link
• Wingstop appoints new COO - Link
• Meet the 31 North Texas companies bringing their tech to CES 2020 - Link
• Bloomberg: Topgolf selects banks for potential IPO valued at $4 billion - Link
• Blucora to make $160M acquisition as CFO steps down - Link
• CEO of Dallas health-tech firm talks new round that puts ‘foot to the pedal’ - Link
• Coding school for kids opens new location in Frisco - Link
• In an industry of peaks and valleys, here's what this CEO is doing to recession-proof his firm - Link
• Here are the biggest travel technology trends for 2020 - Link
• Pier 1 to close up to 450 stores; cut corporate headcount, distribution centers - Link
• Why a fitness company makes a compelling franchise opportunity in Dallas and Houston - Link
• Video game concept aims to expand in DFW Airport - Link
• Dallas data-center company taking $185M investment as ownership lineup changes - Link
• Report: Almost a third of jobs in DFW are at risk due to automation - Link
  - Dallas Business Journal
• Hitched Picks Up $5.5M For Industrial Rental Marketplace - Link
  - Texas Tech Pulse
• m1neral | Kyle Chapman and Jacob Avery on Oil & Gas Startups Podcast - Digital Wildcatters - Link
• Houston Branding Company Medley Inc. Introduces Babies At Work Program to Accommodate Working Moms - Link
  - Houston Style Magazine’s Jo-Carolyn Goode
• American Diabetes Association® Welcomes 2020 Principal Officers and New Members to National Board of Directors [Houston-based BlueLance CEO, Umesh Verma elected Chairman] - Link
• The Deadly Effects of Stress on Our Bodies - Link
  - Erik Halvorsen
• Why Houston is Fast Becoming the Premier City to Launch an LLC in Texas - Link
• Here are 5 Houston innovators to know in 2020 - Link
• New Houston-area store pops up to optimize artificial intelligence for retail shopping - Link
• Houston-based oil and gas software company raises $1.6 million - Link
• 5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week - Link
• New-to-Houston accelerator names program director, opens applications - Link
• Texas A&M University technology used to prevent outages and wildfires - Link
• Houston startups planning to go global need to prioritize adaptability, researchers find - Link
• Houston medical device startup enters clinical trials - Link
• Houston-based digital marketplace for industrial equipment raises $5.5 million series A - Link
• HX Venture Fund leader talks investment trends in Houston and plans for 2020 - Link
• Houston SaaS company achieves unicorn status following $125 million fundraising round - Link
• Failing to fundraise can be the downfall of Houston startups — here's what you need to know - Link
• The Ion names inaugural academics partner, course programming for Houston hub - Link
• Texas added more residents than any other state in past year - Link
• Luxury sports car manufacturer partners with Houston researcher to study carbon fiber in space - Link
• 3 Houston innovators to know this week - Link
  - InnovationMap's Natalie Harms / Culture Map Houston
• Amy Waer, M.D., named interim dean of Texas A&M College of Medicine - Link
  - TMC News
• Glasscock School will offer classes at Ion innovation hub - Link
• Rice, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur sign memorandum - Link
• Rice engineers find a way to turn water pollution into valuable chemicals - Link
  - Rice University
• Restaurant roundup: Trendy doughnut shop sets Houston opening date, Austin wings chain expands - Link
• Houston innovation hub unveils first academic partnership - Link
• California-influenced wine room arrives in the Heights - Link
• Houston equipment rental firm nabs multimillion-dollar growth investment - Link
• Trendy Houston sandwich and salad chain expands to Austin - Link
• Food ordering, delivery platform with Houston ties sees CEO shakeup - Link
• Solar farm could energize development in Houston's Sunnyside neighborhood - Link
• Houston emerges as a hot spot for corporate bankers - Link
  - Houston Business Journal
• gBETA accelerator accepting applications for its first Houston program - Link
• Electric scooter injuries surge along with their popularity - Link
• HighRadius uses artificial intelligence to help large... - Link
• Office Evolution inks coworking lease in Energy Corridor - Link
• White House proposes guidelines for regulating the use of AI - Link
• The other fake meat: Impossible Foods unveils pork, sausage - Link
• What's the buzz at CES 2020? Weird TVs, weirder vehicles and more. - Link
• CES 2020 preview: Surveillance, sex toys, futuristic gadgets - Link
  - The Houston Chronicle's Andrea Lienfelder / Techburger Blog
• Supplemental Funding for Customs & Border Protection (CBP) - Link
• Government Affairs Council Meeting - Link
  - McCallen Chamber of Commerce
• The United States Of Venture Capital: The Most Active VC In Each State - CB Insights - Link
• David Baldwin - An Enlightened View of Consumers and Brands as Behavior - Video
• L.A.'s booming tech scene gets its own publication to cover it, with all-star investors - LA Times’ Sam Dean - Link
• 5 startup founders on when they knew it was time to make their first hires - Technic.ly Philly’s Paige Gross - Link
• Best States for Female Entrepreneurs 2020—Definitive Ranking of All 50 States - Valerie D’Orazio - Link