There’s a lot to catch up on in the world of LA tech, with several funding rounds and new expansions. Keep reading to find out what’s next for these companies. This is the Built In LA weekly refresh.
Apple announced plans to expand its campus. Two new Apple facilities are popping up at the L.A. and Culver City border and will serve as a headquarters for the region. Apple has not announced when construction will be done but said the expansion is part of a national effort to create 20,000 jobs over the next five years. [Built In LA]
Tala Raises $145M. The Santa Monica-based fintech company raised $145 million in fresh financing. Every day, more than 12,000 new users sign up for the platform which offers loans to clients. With the money raised, the company plans to add a crypto offering and expand its international presence. The company is currently hiring in LA. [Built In LA]
LA TECH QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Intro gained $10M. Intro announced $10 million in funding with investors that include people like Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and basketball star Kevin Durant. The app connects people with experts in multiple fields from interior design to astrology. Intro currently has several tech positions open. [Built In LA]
FitOn brings in $18M. With more than 10 million members and 285 percent more downloads than Peloton, FitOn has raised a total of $30 million to date. The recent funding will help the digital fitness and wellness company to continue expanding its products and grow its team. [TechCrunch]
Bird secured $150M. Bird and Apollo Investment Corp. will raise the $40 million vehicle financing credit facility to $150 million. The announcement comes weeks before Bird becomes a publicly listed company through a SPAC deal with Switchback II Corp. [TechCrunch]
Day-J launched a private beta waitlist. LA-based wellness app Day-J announced $2.1 million in pre-seed funding and launched the private beta waitlist. The app offers individualized playlists to promote healthy habits with subscriptions starting under $10 a month. [Built In LA]
Stage11 raised $5.77M. Stage 11 has raised $5.77 million, partnering with musicians like Ne-Yo and Snoop Dogg to reimage the metaverse. The startup will combine music, mixed reality, games and digital collectibles and will help artists monetize their work through NFTs. [Venture Beat]
