OfferPad raises $260M, plans launch in LA
Arizona-based OfferPad, a marketplace for homebuyers to sell their homes, announced this week the company had raised a rather large $260 million round of funding. With the money, the company plans to accelerate global expansion, and the first market they have their eyes on is LA. The company plans to launch in the LA market later this month. [Press Release]
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles expands Preaccelerator
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles a Santa Monica-based firm that runs a touted preaccelerator program, announced the company would be expanding the number of companies it includes in each class. In November, the company announced its most recent class, which included three startups. Additionally, the company announced a partnership with Peter Csathy, chairman of CREATV Media. Csathy will join the board and oversee investment strategy. [Stubbs Alderton & Markiles]
Mitú to create content for the MLB
Mitú, the LA-based media company that develops content for a Hispanic audience, revealed a partnership with Major League Baseball to create content for the league. The partnership will broadcast the content through a number of different channels, including the MLB and Mitú. [LA Business Journal]
Spaces reveals West Hollywood coworking location
Spaces, a Dutch coworking company owned by Regus, plans to open its first LA location in early-February. Spaces Fairfax will bring its concierge-level hospitality services and coworking options to the Silicon Community starting February 13. The company also plans on opening a Santa Monica location in Spring 2017. [Spaces]
FamiLeague brings its content to multiple channels
FamiLeague, a content creation community that develops family-friendly videos that garner hundreds of millions of monthly views, announced the company has developed a content tool to broadcast the site's videos across multiple channels. With the move, FamiLeague content will now be available on Apple TV, iOS, Android and Roku. [FamiLeague]
Shareability uses YouTube star to raise awareness
Shareability, a digital marketing agency that recently rebranded from Contagious, partnered with YouTube prankster Stuart Edge to help PAL (Pets Add Life) increase pet ownership and adoptions. The personalities took to the beach to see which adoptable pet could help them make more friends, and the results were actually pretty hilarious. [Shareability]
Fundings of the Week
Investors: DFJ Growth, Goldman Sachs Investment Partners and Qualcomm Ventures, Sir Richard Branson, American Family Insurance, Shea Ventures and True Ventures, among others
Ring, which develops a video doorbell system, announced a $109 million round of funding just three weeks into the new year. The team intends to use the funds to grow the company's presence across the globe. [Built In LA]
Diverge 3D, $23 million
Investors: Horizons Ventures, Altran, PSA Group
Diverge 3D, a Torrance-based startup that develops a hardware-software platform that makes it possible for developers to design and 3D print automobiles, raised a $23 million Series A on Wednesday. One of the investors included PSA Group, a French company that owns Peugeot and Citroen. [Press Release]
Images via Facebook and Shutterstock.
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