Online comment solution Spot.IM raises $25M to combat trolls and help save media
After closing a Series C funding round led by Insight Venture Partners, Spot.IM is $25 million closer to bettering the world of online comments. The platform, already in use on sites like HuffPost and Refinery29, helps filter out unwanted comments, while also helping websites retain readers who might otherwise use Facebook or Twitter to comment. [Built In NYC]
Health tech company Candid Co. scores $15M in Series A round
Candid Co., an independent retainer company (think Invisalign), wants to put a perfect smile within your reach. Thanks to a $15 million Series A round led by Greycroft, Candid Co. will be able to expand its service and bring smile-alignment to the masses for 65 percent less than traditional orthodontics. Candid Co.’s funding marks the latest in the rise of at-home, subscription medical treatments like Simple Contacts and Smile Direct Club. [Business Wire]
ClassPass enters the live-streaming market with real-time fitness classes
Sometimes the hardest part of working out can be simply mustering the motivation to walk out your door. Now, ClassPass is bringing top-tier fitness classes to your home with the launch of their live-streaming service. Starting in early 2018, existing ClassPass members will have access to the streams for $10 a month, while new members will be charged $15. [Press Release]
Cryptic tweet hints at a Vine reboot
Video creation app Vine is making a comeback — or so it seems. On Wednesday, Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann tweeted an image of the Vine logo with a small but major addition: the number 2. This is leading people to believe that a second version is coming, but official details have yet to be released. [Tech Times]
Acceleprise plans to use $7M funding to expand to NYC
Acceleprise, a San Francisco-based enterprise technology accelerator, has recently announced plans to take the company global: they plan on using their latest $7 million in funding to set up shop in New York City and Melbourne. In NYC, Acceleprise will welcome Namely's CEO Matt Straz to the team and work out of the Work-Bench VC fund office. [Press Release]
Snaps just raised $6M to expand its B2C messaging platform — Starbucks and Nike are already fans
If you have ever spoken via chat to a representative at Delta, McDonald’s, Nike, Pepsi or Starbucks, then you have used Snaps. The company, which just raised $6 million in Series A funding, understands that consumers increasingly prefer to communicate with companies via chat — and aims to make the most seamless, beautifully-designed experience possible. [AlleyWatch]
Intelligent personal assistant x.ai announces new, lower price point
If you haven’t already met Amy and/or Andrew, x.ai’s artificially intelligent personal assistants, your life is about to get much more efficient. And x.ai is making their scheduling solution even more accessible, as it just announced a new $17 per month price point for its individual subscription. Previously, an individual subscription cost as much as $40 per month. [Press Release]
Bluecore announces move to bigger, better Financial District office following company growth
E-commerce marketing giant Bluecore recently expanded its leadership team through a combination of internal promotions and outside additions. The executive growth precedes another big change for Bluecore: a fresh office space in Manhattan’s Financial District. In a statement, co-founder and CEO Fayez Mohamood affirmed, “We’re not in startup mode anymore.” [Press Release]
Freckle and Tapad partner in major marketing partnership
On Wednesday, Freckle and Tapad announced they would be partnering to understand the future of marketing and consumer technology. Presently, Tapad specializes in cross-device marketing, while Freckle works to understand offline consumer behavior. The companies feel the partnership is “natural” and will enable both Freckle and Tapad to provide the next level of insights to their clients. [Press Release]
With $2.1M in funding, Accern wants to create Wall Street’s go-to news source
When you’re working in the fast-paced world of high finance, keeping track of marketplaces and global news can be massively time-consuming. Accern, which just raised $2.1 million in a Series A round, uses specialized algorithms to digest more than a billion news sources. The result? A must-read newsletter for anyone who’s anyone on Wall Street. [AlleyWatch]
