From robotics and electric vehicles to an at-home pediatric occupational therapy app, the Colorado tech scene was busy last week. One entrepreneur even pitched his startup to investors on ABC’s Shark Tank. Catch up on the local tech news you might have missed. This is the Built In Colorado Weekly Refresh.
Strata Identity pulled in $26M. Strata Identity offers businesses in the retail, telecommunications and financial industries a way to use cloud-based identity authentication solutions without having to rewrite code. With fresh capital from Telstra Ventures, Forgepoint Capital, Menlo Ventures and others, Strata is ready to grow its team to meet the increasing demand for its product. The company said it grew its recurring revenue by 380 percent last year. [Built In Colorado]
Frescos Naturales appeared on Shark Tank. The Boulder-based e-commerce brand sells canned, carbonated aguas frescas with flavors ranging from Rosa de Jamaica to Piña and Tamarindo. After founder Juan Stewart pitched Frescos Naturales to the “sharks” — including investors Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John and guest investor Daniel Lubetzky — Stewart inked a $130,000 deal with Lubetzky for a 25 percent stake in Frescos Naturales. [5280]
Colorado Tech Quote of the Week
“We’re giving landscapers a tool that allows the people they already have on staff to do more and get more done with their existing teams.” — Jack Morrison, co-founder and CEO of Scythe Robotics
Scythe Robotics got $42M. Founded in 2018, Scythe Robotics develops autonomous mowers used by professional landscapers. The company raised an oversubscribed Series B round led by Energy Impact Partners to increase the production of its M.52 mower and hire engineers, customer support staff, sales associates and other tech positions. Scythe said several of its open roles will be based at its headquarters in Longmont with some open positions in Austin or based remotely. [Built In Colorado]
Hertz launched an electric vehicle program in Denver. Car rental company Hertz is going green in Denver. The company recently launched Hertz Electrifies, a program that will bring up to 5,200 EVs to the city for customers and rideshare drivers to rent. Hertz Electrifies is expected to launch in cities across the U.S. with the first program taking place in the Mile High City. [Built In Colorado]
Kinspire raised $3.6M. Having launched in 2020, Kinspire raised a $3.6 million seed round for its at-home pediatric occupational therapy platform. Kinspire offers a monthly membership for families of children with developmental delays and disabilities. The app matches each family with a therapist and offers 24/7 support, educational tools and video content. It also measures a child’s progress. [Yahoo!]
