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- Series A Funding: Issue 02
Series A Funding: Issue 02
Your Trusted Source for Series A News & Insights.
Andrew Hazen
April 26, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
🌟 Editor's Note
Welcome to the first edition of Series A Funding — your definitive source for all things Series A. Whether you're a founder gearing up for your next raise, an investor scouting the next breakout startup, or simply fascinated by early-stage innovation, this newsletter is built for you. Each issue brings curated insights, funding announcements, exclusive interviews, and trend analysis from the frontlines of startup growth. The journey from seed to scale starts here — and we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride.
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🚀 Series A Spotlight: April 19–25, 2025
🔬 Granite Bio – $100M (Biotech)
Granite Bio secured a combined $100 million in Series A and B funding from Versant Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, Forbion, and Sanofi Ventures. The company is advancing two antibody candidates developed via Versant’s Ridgeline Discovery Engine, targeting inflammatory bowel disease. Phase 1a trials are underway, with Phase 1b trials planned for later this year.
☀️ Aetherflux – $50M (Space-Based Solar Energy)
Aetherflux, founded by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, raised $50 million in Series A funding to develop space-based solar power technology. The round was co-led by Index Ventures and Interlagos, with participation from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and others. The company plans to build satellites that collect solar energy in space and transmit it to Earth using infrared lasers.
💰 Reducto – $24.5M (AI/Data Infrastructure)
Reducto, a San Francisco-based startup specializing in unstructured data ingestion for AI pipelines, announced a $24.5 million Series A round. The company aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of AI data processing. VC News Daily
📈 ChEmpower – $18.7M (Semiconductor Materials)
Portland-based ChEmpower raised $18.7 million in Series A funding to develop semiconductor materials and chemical solutions for planarization. The company focuses on providing polish pads and chemical solutions for the semiconductor industry.
📈 Scamnetic – $13M (Cybersecurity)
Scamnetic, a Tampa-based cybersecurity firm dedicated to protecting individuals and businesses from digital threats, secured $13 million in Series A funding. The company aims to enhance its platform to better detect and prevent online scams.
🔍 Trends to Watch
AI and Data Infrastructure: Continued investment in AI startups like Reducto highlights the growing demand for advanced data processing solutions.
Clean Energy Innovations: Aetherflux's funding underscores investor interest in sustainable and innovative energy solutions, particularly in space-based solar power.
Healthcare and Biotech: Granite Bio's significant funding round reflects ongoing confidence in biotech ventures targeting complex diseases.
Stay tuned for next week's edition, where we'll continue to track the most impactful Series A funding rounds shaping the future of innovation.
🔥 In Case You Missed It…
Funding Roundup
🏆 Startup of the Week
Reco - Secures $25M to Close the ‘SaaS Security Gap’ with AI-Native Dynamic SaaS Security
This week, Reco, a cybersecurity startup leveraging generative AI to secure SaaS platforms, announced a $25 million Series A extension, bringing its total funding to $55 million. The round was led by Insight Partners, with participation from Zeev Ventures, Boldstart Ventures, Angular Ventures, and Redseed.
Founded in 2020 by Ofer Klein, Gal Nakash, and Tal Shapira—former Israeli government tech leaders—Reco addresses the "SaaS security gap," the growing risk caused by employees using AI tools without sufficient oversight. The company's AI agents monitor and secure cloud applications, especially those used without IT approval, by identifying usage patterns and flagging security threats.
Unlike competitors, Reco trains its agents on proprietary metadata, enhancing speed and security. The increasing enterprise adoption of AI tools, particularly in finance and healthcare, underscores demand for such solutions. Reco's latest funding reflects a broader trend, with similar AI cybersecurity firms like Torq, 7AI, and Astrix Security also securing substantial investments recently.
With this new funding, Reco plans to expand its AI capabilities and grow its team, aiming to empower IT teams with visibility and security, enabling safe AI adoption across industries.
Did You Know? The very first company ever funded with what's now called "Series A" funding was Fairchild Semiconductor — founded in 1957 — and the venture capitalist who funded it, Arthur Rock, basically invented the concept of venture capital during that deal!
Without that original Series A for Fairchild, there would be no Silicon Valley as we know it today — no Intel, no Apple, no Google... all roads trace back to that first $1.38 million check. 💰🚀
Till next time,