#ICYMI: MaRS venture news for January 2015
As expected, 2015 is off to a phenomenal start! Already this year, many startups supported by MaRS have closed large funding rounds, launched new products and garnered some high-profile media buzz, suggesting that it’s going to be a great year for the Toronto startup scene.
Here is just some of the coverage on startups in the cleantech, information and communications technology (ICT) and health spaces from January.
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Capital news
- ICT venture Rubikloud Technologies raised $7 million in funding to help retailers analyze big data. The MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF) was part of the funding round!
- Unata, which is also backed by the MaRS IAF, raised $1.2 million to fuel grocery retail growth in the United States.
- Interface Biologics completed its Series B financing round.
- JOLT alumnus Singspiel raised a $350,000 seed round.
- Health venture 7D Surgical received $1 million to bring its medical technology to market.
Notable news
- Several education technology entrepreneurs and their respective ventures were listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for 2015, including:
- Danial Jameel, Alice Dinu, James Dang and Peter Cen of Oohlala;
- Danny Yaroslavski of Lightbot;
- Victor Saad of Experience Institute; and
- William Zhou of Chalk.com.
- Google acquired tech startup Granata Decision Systems.
- JOLT venture PostBeyond launched its new enterprise employee advocacy platform to help companies grow their brands.
Media coverage
Yonge Street Media named three companies that MaRS supports to its list of five must-watch startups for 2015: Nymi, Chematria and OTI Lumionics.
HEALTH
- eSight’s touching video went viral: “Kathy Beitz, legally blind mom, sees new baby with special eyewear.”
- SnapEDA was featured on Gigaom: “Parts search engine and SnapEDA buddy to make making easier.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9crPvfcEy4
ICT
- InteraXon’s Muse headband and Nymi were mentioned in the Globe and Mail: “Why Toronto is a hotbed of pioneering wearable technology.”
- Sampler was featured in the Globe and Mail: “How a Toronto startup is changing the product sampling game.”
CLEANTECH
- Hydrostor was featured in the Financial Post: “How one company plans to store energy in giant balloons under Lake Ontario.”
- Ecobee’s smart thermostat was featured on Betakit: “Carrier invests in smart thermostat maker Ecobee.”
JOLT
- JOLT alumnus Cumulonimbus appeared on CBC Radio: “How your smartphone could help predict the weather.”
- JOLT venture SKE Labs was profiled on BlogTO: “Toronto company invents world’s first smart jar.”
