Feb 23, 2023

Catch up on the latest developments from the Bay Area tech sector. Photo: CommandK The NorCal tech scene was lively last week with a range of new funding rounds spanning various industries. From greentech and healthcare to software and beyond, learn what platforms these Bay Area companies are investing in. R-Zero secured $105M . The company works to purify indoor air and plans to put its Series C toward helping scale deployments of its disinfection and risk modeling technology. R-Zero serves schools, corporate campuses, hospitals and more to reduce harmful microorganisms in our air supplies. The company’s latest round from investors like DBL Partners brings its total capital raised to $170 million. [PR Newswire] Descope pulled in $53M . Equipped with a hefty round of seed funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners and GGV Capital, Descope launched its platform that helps developers create passwordless authentication tools with no or low code options. The funding round will help expand Descope’s tech infrastructure and team across customer success, marketing and more. [Built In SF] SF Tech Quote of the Week “[Social media] is no longer about the social graph or connecting with a friend or a family. It’s about [keeping] your attention … because that’s how [those companies] make money. The longer that you are addicted to that platform, the more ads they can show you. So it’s just a loop that recurs. We want to be part of the conversation as a healthy replacement.” — Bret Cox, True founder and CEO True was featured in the Built In Future 5 series . Social media platforms typically retain user data to personalize advertising experiences and more. However, True actively does the opposite and keeps user privacy front of mind. The platform enables users to connect with those they know and presents relevant ads without capturing personal information. [Built In SF] Zerocater raised $15M . Offering enterprises a flexible solution for stocking their kitchens, Zerocater secured a Series C round to expand its tech and team into new markets. The company helps organizations tailor in-office food offerings to specific employees based on what those employees like and when they’ll be in the office. Zerocater will hire across operations, engineering, sales and more. [Built In SF] Zoox robotaxis began driving on California roads . Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle manufacturer Zoox now has employees test-riding its driverless robotaxis on public roads in California. These tests are currently limited to employees at Zoox’s Foster City headquarters. The robotaxis are equipped with bidirectional driving capabilities and four-wheel steering. [CNBC] In more VC funding news: Cybersecurity company CommandK pulled in a $3 million  seed funding round led by Lightspeed to expand its operations and business reach. [FinSMEs] ShareWell, a company offering affordable mental health support, raised a $1.3 million pre-seed round from various investors to scale its solution. [TechCrunch] San Francisco startup guides