The pandemic brought many long-standing social issues to the forefront this year. Whether it was fighting for racial justice, advocating for a better healthcare system or addressing income inequality, Americans took to the streets (and to their polling places) in droves this year to advocate for what they believed in.
Amid all of this, we saw leaders of our local tech scene get innovative and push ahead, from pivoting their businesses on a dime to adjusting diversity policies and showing up for their employees of color.
Here at Built In, we’ve published countless stories about how San Francisco startups have risen above the collective fog of 2020. Now, before we call it a wrap, we wanted to let the numbers do the talking as we share the five most-viewed San Francisco tech news stories we wrote this year.
#5. Sensor Tower raised $45M. In May, the San Francisco-based application data analytics platform landed a $45 million investment from Riverwood Capital. The announcement marked the company’s first major raise since it was founded in 2013. The company has been profitable ever since. Sensor Tower kept quite busy this year and in addition to increasing its employee headcount by 50 percent, it also opened a few international offices. At the time, the company said it intended to use the new investment to further cement its foothold in the mobile market intelligence space.
#4. Plenty brought in $140M in new funding. The South San Francisco-based vertical farming startup closed on a $140 million Series D in October. The round, led by SoftBank Vision Fund 1, is being used to fuel research and development efforts as the company continues to scale. Plenty’s agri-foodtech platform leverages data analytics, machine learning and customized lighting in order to optimize plant growth cycles. At the time of its last raise, the company signed off on a joint development agreement with Driscoll’s to grow strawberries at its facilities year-round. As part of the agreement, the company also announced it would begin to offer its greens at retail grocer Albertsons in over 400 locations across California. Plans are still underway for a new farm located in the city of Compton.
#3. Calm raised $75M. The meditation app with an HBO spin-off series wrapped up a $75 million Series C round earlier this month as it is experiencing high demand this year. The round placed the company’s valuation at $2 billion. In addition to guided meditations, the Calm app also includes interactive features like breathing technique exercises and mood check-ins. Calm’s audio content is available in seven different languages and the app recently launched in Japanese. The company plans to aggressively hire as it continues to scale. Calm is currently hiring for dozens of open remote positions spanning several departments.
#2. Responsible tech takes the Bay Area. Redwood City-based impact investment company Omidyar Network launched its “Ethical Explorer Pack” this year. The free toolkit is aimed at helping product managers and engineers make a business case for building responsible tech. The toolkit highlights how to start conversations around surveillance, disinformation, exclusion, algorithmic bias, data control and more. In July, Built In spoke with Sarah Drinkwater, the director of beneficial technology at the Omidyar Network, about the future of responsible tech and the direction she believes the industry needs to move in.
#1. Chief extends its professional network for working women. In July, the company announced that it would be extending its network for women executives to San Francisco and Boston. The news came a month after the announcement of a $15 million funding round for the company. Chief, founded in 2019, originally launched in New York City to provide a sense of community for women working their way up the corporate ladder. Chief has stayed booked and busy this year, reporting a growth in engagement as it pivoted to an all-virtual model due to the pandemic, and in March the company announced it was also planning to open additional hubs in Chicago and Los Angeles.
