Orca Security, SpaceX, and AvantStay were among the L.A.-based companies that raised massive rounds this year, placing the city among those that attracted the most investor dollars in 2021. Check out who else made the list. Read more >>
Here's what else we're reading in the news:
- YOV, Inc., an L.A.-based AI company, has launched the world’s first subscription service to communicate with a deceased loved one via a virtual persona.
- XR Studios, an L.A.-based augmented reality company, has been acquired by Solotech.
- Pace, a Los Angeles-based mental health startup, raised $13 million in a Series A funding round.
- Disney and YouTube TV have reached a deal, allowing Disney’s channels back onto Google's streaming platform.
- Meta, formerly known as Facebook, was named the worst company of 2021, according to Yahoo Finance readers.
The Top Raises in Los Angeles for 2021
The top 10 biggest raises in Los Angeles as of Dec. 15 included a huge $1.9 billion raise for Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Orca Security raised a $150 million round in July, just three months before its whopping $550 million Series C round that valued the company at $1.8 billion.
Metropolis Wants to Re-Imagine Parking in LA
Metropolis Technologies, a Venice-based developer of an automated payment platform for parking facilities, has set its sights on re-imagining parking in Los Angeles. The system is meant to provide more information and convenience for drivers. But its CEO, Alex Israel, said the platform's real-time information gathering will be a tremendous asset to parking lot owners and operators, who can use it to maximize the value of a given parking facility.
Five Ecommerce Trends from 2021 That Are Here to Stay
Next year is expected to be the year that U.S. ecommerce tops $1 trillion. Here are the five ecommerce trends that took off in 2021 and are likely to expand in 2022.