Into Tech: Digital Banking, Intelligent Calendars, D2C Groceries, and More
This weeks newly funded startups, jobs, industry news, tips
Welcome to the second edition of the Into Tech newsletter! If you are new here, I am really excited that you have joined our community. The last few weeks have been rough as America finally comes to terms with the fact that systemic racism runs rampant here. I believe that we should all do what we can to create equality where we can and my hope is that with this newsletter, and other projects under the Into Tech umbrella, I can support and encourage more African Americans and people of color getting into tech!
With that being said, I would love any feedback you have on how I can improve this newsletter and/or help you in your journey
Newly Funded Startups
Blockchain Based Identification
Magic [formerly known as Fortmatic] makes technology for blockchain based companies looking to integrate decentralized authentication/identity management technology. In simpler terms, rather than having to login with your username/email and password or a service that sells your data like Facebook, Magic enables passwordless login for users. They just announced their seed round of $4 million in funding.
Paperwork Automation
Anvil enables companies to automate their paperwork workflows. They turn PDFs into easily signable forms, allows users to set up workflow rules, and combines that with integrations into all kinds of third party applications which should help companies move more quickly. The company just raised a $5 million series A from Google’s Gradient Ventures.
Digital Only Banking
Varo is competing within the hyper competitive digital banking space, offering a bank account with no monthly fees or minimum balance as well as a high-interest savings account. Another one of their cool features is early direct deposit, allowing users to get access to their paychecks days before it actually arrives in their bank account. They just closed their $241 million series D round of funding.
Job Opportunities
Front End Engineer (San Francisco, CA) | Clockwise
Clockwise is an intelligent calendar system that frees up your time so you can focus and work on what matters. They use AI to create uninterrupted blocks of time, enhance Slack, take the stress out of complex scheduling, resolve double bookings, and so much more.
Applications Engineer (San Mateo, CA) | Snowflake
Snowflake provides a data warehouse as a service designed for the cloud. They combine the power of data warehousing, the flexibility of big data platforms and the elasticity of the cloud at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions.
Developer Support Engineer (San Francisco, CA) | Stripe
Stripe is a software platform for running an internet business. Their technology handles billions of dollars every year for the most successful companies around the world. They offer many different ways for businesses and developers to integrate their technology. If you have made a purchase online, you have most likely used Stripe.
What’s New in the Industry
Airbnb for RV Rentals
Yup, you read that right. Due to the current pandemic, people aren’t traveling. But as we continue to be cooped up in our homes, we are looking for alternative ways to escape and take some time off. Enter Outdoorsy, a peer-to-peer RV sharing platform that has seen a 2,645% increase in bookingssince late March. Keep your eye out for other companies helping people travel in a more local manner.
Direct to Consumer Grocery
From prescription glasses to shaving tools to toothbrushes, everything has gone D2C. D2C means a business is selling their product directly to its end customers without third-party retailers, wholesalers, or other middlemen. Now there is another D2C vertical: Portobel is cutting out the middleman by helping food producers deliver directly to consumers. And they are improving the delivery process by using low-cost, internet-connected devices to track each order. The D2C trend is popular due to supposed cost savings it brings, we shall see if the consumers really win with this one.
The Boom of Telehealth
While sheltering in place the past couple of months, people needing some kind of medical care have been opting for telehealth options. Simply put, this is just getting some kind of medical service without seeing your doctor in person. The need for telehealth services, and companies that enable telehealth services, will only increase, even after the pandemic. Companies in the space are doing really well: Teladoc’s share price has almost doubled since Jan 1, Livongo’s share price has more than doubled since Jan. 1, and Amwell is filing for IPO after reporting a 1000% increase in visits.
Teladoc: LinkedIn | Crunchbase
Livongo: LinkedIn | Crunchbase
Amwell: LinkedIn | Crunchbase
Tips & Tricks
If you see a company you like above but don’t see any available positions, click on their LinkedIn and click See all (number) of employees. Reach out to one (or more) of the employees who may be able to tell you more about the company and if there are any roles available that would fit your skillset.
Check out this list of companies and this one still hiring during the Coronavirus pandemic.
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading!