SpareFoot wins the Startup Games, donates $20k
On Saturday, 16 teams competed for charity during the sixth annual Austin Startup Games. SpareFoot won first place, donating $20,000 to Kure It. OutboundEngine earned second, donating $10,000 to SAFE Alliance, and Modernize scored third place donating to $6,500 to GirlStart. All other teams donated $1,500 to their nonprofits of choice. This year's games marked the biggest year yet, with the largest number of teams competing and 1,200 people in attendance. [Press Release]
Buzz Points scores $1.65M in funding
The 2009 Austin startup Buzz Points secured $1.65 million on Wednesday, according to an SEC filing. Buzz Points' platform rewards consumers for purchasing from and banking with local businesses over national retailers and banks, while also providing local business owners with marketing software to reach audiences via mobile app, email and targeted offers. [FormDs]
Planview acquired by Thomas Bravo
Thomas Bravo, the private equity firm that partnered on the acquisition of SolarWinds last year, announced its plans to acquire Austin-based Planview. The transaction is expected to close in early 2017. Following the deal, Planview will keep its operations — which includes 700 employees — in Austin. The company develops work and resource management software, serving more than 3,000 clients. [Press Release]
WP Engine launches digital marketing and open source publication
WP Engine announced on Tuesday the launch of Velocitize, an online publication offering insights for digital marketers and agencies. Instead of highlighting trends in digital marketing, Velocitize will narrow in on digital experiences on open platforms. [Press Release]
KINETiQ DIGITAL merges with Robots and Pencils
On Tuesday, Robots and Pencils announced the merger with KINETiQ DIGITAL, an Ohio-based mobile-first digital agency. Michael Sikorsky, CEO of Robots and Pencils, said the merger will allow them to scale the company and manage large-scale programs. Since Robots and Pencils launched in 2009, the mobile app development firm has built over 250 apps that serve more than 77 million users. The company also helps clients utilize machine learning, bots and conversational user interfaces. [Press Release]
Foodee launches new office meal delivery service in Austin
The Canadian-based startup Foodee announced on Wednesday the release of their office meal plans service. The offer includes an enterprise feature that allows companies to create and order food based on customized menus from preferred local partners. Office planners interested in utilizing the platform will be able to view meal options for the entire week, order from a customized employee portal, manage budget, and allow employees to select and edit their own meals. [Press Release]
Silicon Labs acquires Zentri
On Monday, Silicon Labs announced the acquisition of Zentri, a California-based company that builds Wifi technologies for the IoT. Tyson Tuttle, Silicon Labs CEO, said the acquisition will help the company create "comprehensive multiprotocol silicon and software solutions to securely connect IoT products to the cloud." [Press Release]
HID Global wins Homeland Security award from Government Security News
HID Global won the award for “Best Identity Management Platform” in the 2016 Homeland Security Awards Program. Their platform marks the industry’s first end-to-end identity access management solution that uses a universal credential to access doors, IT systems, networks and data for organizations and government agencies. [Press Release]
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