Summer may be winding down, but Boston companies' funding efforts are ramping up. These five companies raised the most money in August, coming in at more than $290 million altogether.
#5, $8 million, August 14
What they do: Biena Snacks offers a range of chickpea-based snacks for the health-conscious cruncher. Biena continued to ride the wave of plant-based protein's popularity with its newest line of Chickpea Puffs.
The funding: The company raised $8 million in Series B funding. It will use this money to expand its marketing, hire more people, grow its distribution and develop new products, founder Poorvi Patadia told Forbes.
#4, $15 million, August 15
What they do: Gone are the days of trolling sketchy sites for medical information and diagnoses. Buoy offers an online platform where users can search their symptoms and receive helpful feedback from an intelligent algorithm that taps into real medical data.
The funding: The company raised $15 million in Series B funding. It plans to expand to new U.S. markets and launch personalized services for particular demographic groups.
#3, $27.5 million, August 15
What they do: Recently rebranded from Motif Ingredients, Motif FoodWorks develops animal-free ingredients for food producers. These plant-based ingredients reduce the environment impact of animal farming while making life better for various furry creatures.
The funding: Motif raised $27.5 million in Series A funding. This money will help the company expand its product line, academic partnerships, regulatory staff and research and development efforts.
#2, $40 million, August 23
What they do: Form Energy was born when two teams of researchers came together to search for a long-term clean energy battery. This kind of battery would solve pressing problems with wind and solar energy - namely, what happens when it's not sunny or windy?
The funding: The company raised $40 million in Series B funding. It will use the money to develop prototypes and launch a commercial pilot of its sulfur-based energy storage battery. A battery with the capabilities to power a grid during solar or windy energy hiccups is "not nearly as far off as many would believe," according to CEO and co-founder Mateo Jaramillo.
#1, $200 million, August 6
What they do: Cybereason uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to identify cybersecurity threats to individuals and organizations. Created by Israeli military cybersecurity experts, the company's customer base has grown 300 percent in the past two years. It's also credited with uncovering major security breaches like the Soft Cell attack, which targeted telecom providers.
The funding: The company raised $200 million in Series E funding. It plans to grow in its existing markets, add new products and, eventually, automate some of its cybersecurity services.
