TILT Holdings merges with three cannabis companies, raises $119M
It was a big week for TILT Holdings, and a big week for the cannabis industry. TILT, a Cambridge-based tech platform that offers a wide range of products and services across the cannabis industry, pulled off a merger with three other cannabis firms and raised $119 million in fresh equity. The combination of four major cannabis businesses will allow TILT to deliver complementary products and services designed to empower the legal cannabis industry in markets around the world. The company did not disclose its investors. [Boston Business Journal]
Forge.AI raises $11M to decode data
By Forge.AI's estimates, 80 percent of the world's data is unstructured — think social media, news reports, SEC filings, etc. The Cambridge-based company knows this data is valuable, and wants to help businesses make use of it. That's why they're using AI to decode the world's unstructured data, leveraging natural language technologies and a proprietary self-learning knowledge graph. The company announced an $11 million Series A round today, led by Underscore VC with participation from Accomplice, Boston Seed Capital, Imagination Capital and Project 11 Ventures. Co-founder Jennifer Lum said the investment will be used to aggressively grow the team and accelerate product development. [Press Release]
Cogito raises $8M to help companies communicate with emotional intelligence
Cogito, a company that uses artificial intelligence to analyze conversations in real time, raised $8 million in Series C funding today, with participation from new investors Battery Ventures and Hearst Ventures. The round follows a $37 million round announced in July. Cogito said the most recent investment will be used to expand its go-to-market strategy and attract major brands to its platform. Cogito’s technology is popular among call centers because it offers humans conversational guidance to improve communication and boost customer loyalty. [Built In Boston]
Women-focused coworking space to open in Back Bay
Keep your eyes out for a new coworking space, ladies. The Wing, a women-focused, members-only association, is coming to Boston’s Back Bay in spring 2019. The company launched in Manhattan in 2016 and has since raised millions in funding from WeWork and expanded to San Francisco, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. Their new 10,500-square-foot space will be located at 699 Boylston Street, and will include a terrace, phone booths, showers, a lactation room and lockers. [Curbed]
New ‘bleisure’ app launches for business travelers
Jack and Ferdi, a new Boston-based startup focused on AI-powered business travel leisure, or “bleisure,” launched a new app this week. The mobile app is available for download on iOS devices, and provides business travelers with vetted suggestions on what to see, where to eat and what to do at more than 60 different global destinations. All suggestions are tailored to the user and curated by “city ambassadors” who are knowledgeable about the area. That means there’s no sponsored content, no manipulated ratings and no biased reviews. [Built In Boston]
