Partake Raised $11.5M, Duolingo’s Acquisition, and More NYC Tech News

Catch up on the latest developments from the New York tech sector.
Written by Ashley Bowden
October 10, 2022Updated: October 10, 2022
Denise Woodard, founder of Partake
Photo: Partake

Just as Times Square is known for being busy at every point in the day, the city’s tech scene had a busy time of its own last week. Read more about which companies are fueling growth in the Built In NYC Weekly Refresh.

Fraîche opened a new office. The Brooklyn-based company opened a new office in Williamsburg over the summer. Fraîche equips offices with smart refrigerators stocked full of healthy and sustainably-made food items. The company’s new office can seat up to 20 people. It’s currently building out its team of eight with positions across sales and other departments. [Built In NYC]

Micron to create 50K New York jobs. Based in Idaho, Micron builds memory and storage solutions. The company plans to build a semiconductor fabrication facility in Clay, New York and will invest up to $100 billion over the next 20-plus years to do so. The facility will create about 50,000 jobs in the state, including 9,000 high-paying jobs at Micron, according to the company. [Micron]

NYC Tech Quote of the Week

“I set my sights this fundraise on building a round that represented Partake’s vision and values of championing inclusivity, opportunity and diversity within the CPG food industry and beyond. Inclusivity is at the heart of Partake’s mission and this fundraise signifies how we are continuing to champion radical inclusivity, while also lifting as we climb.” — Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake

Partake pulled in $11.5M. Focused on inclusivity in both business and food, Partake pulled in a new round of funding from a diverse set of investors to grow its allergy-free food brand. The company develops cookies and baking mixes that are free of the top allergens and gluten. With the fresh capital, Partake will increase its capacity, grow its team and expand distribution in retail and other channels. [Built In NYC]

Equi got $15M. The Series A funding for the investment tech company was led by Smash Capital. Equi enables individuals to access a diversified portfolio of alternatives through its web-based app. The company plans to fuel its long-term mission of making elite investments accessible with the new cash. [Equi]

Qunnect secured $8M. Airbus Ventures led the Series A round for quantum internet tech company Qunnect. The company develops and commercializes the core technologies needed for scalable quantum-safe communication. With the fresh capital, the company plans to advance its product suite, increase manufacturing and launch a multi-node R&D network testbed. [PR Newswire]

Duolingo acquired Gunner. The language learning company added Detroit-based animation studio Gunner to its ranks in its first official acquisition. The company was formerly a partner for Duolingo that designed art for the platform. As part of the deal, Duolingo will expand into Detroit with a new office and welcome Gunner’s 15-person team onto its staff. It’s also hiring NYC-based talent. Financial terms were not disclosed. [TechCrunch]

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