Last week was about as busy as it gets in terms of tech news out of the DFW metro — though at the rate this tech scene is growing, that could change very soon. Two startups secured $100 million investments, while AT&T announced it will spin off Warner Media to focus on 5G. Besides that, several smaller startups secured new investments and others announced hiring plans for the year. Read on for the latest local tech news. This is the Built In Dallas weekly refresh.
Web browser emerged from stealth. Island, an enterprise security web browser, recently emerged from stealth with $100 million in funding from Insight Partners, Stripes, Sequoia Capital and Cyberstarts. The browser was built with corporations and remote work in mind and helps secure SaaS software and web applications from data leaks. According to the Dallas and Tel Aviv-based company, the funding will be used to grow its employee base and also develop and implement go-to-market strategies. [Built In Dallas]
ParkHub secured $100M. ParkHub, a Dallas-based software startup that partners with large stadiums and venues to manage parking lots, announced that it secured $100 million from LLR Partners. The company has reportedly seen drastic growth despite the global pandemic. In 2020, the business expanded 35 percent and in 2021 it expanded by another 50 percent as it reeled in new clients. [Dallas Business Journal]
Call center startup raised $8M. Talkmap is attempting to revolutionize call center technology with its Talkdiscovery SaaS platform. The platform uses AI to listen, categorize and create predictive algorithms meant to automate more complex caller requests and interactions. The startup was founded in Dallas in 2017 and has raised a reported total of $17.6 million since its launch. With the recent $8 million, the company says it is investing in its platform capabilities and expanding marketing efforts. [VentureBeat]
AT&T to spin off WarnerMedia. In a deal worth $43 billion, AT&T will spin off WarnerMedia to create the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), an entertainment company owned by AT&T. According to AT&T CEO John Stankey, the deal will allow AT&T to focus on expanding 5G services. The deal is expected to close by Q2. [Built In Dallas]
Krista software seeks to double its headcount following investment. Having launched just in 2021, Krista will be looking to double its employee base following a $15 million investment. Krista’s platform uses AI to create automated processes for the business platforms like Slack, Salesforce and Google Drive, among others. The company is also looking to put its new funding toward R&D to make future improvements to its platform. [Built In Dallas]
