Latest news with #AxiosPro
Axios
28-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Loan servicing startup Salient raises $60M Series A
Salient, a San Francisco-based platform for lenders to automate the post-loan origination process, raised $60 million in Series A funding, it tells Axios Pro exclusively. Why it matters: Loan servicing remains highly manual, but banks are increasingly doubling down on tech in the area. Andreessen Horowitz led the round, joined by Matrix Partners, Michael Ovitz and Y Combinator. By the numbers: The deal values Salient at $350 million, Axios has learned. The company's annualized run rate was north of $14 million as of June 2025, some 18 months after its launch. Context: This comes as U.S. household debt hit $18.2 trillion in the first quarter, with 4.3% of that delinquent — the highest level in five years, according to the New York Fed. How it works: Salient uses generative AI to automate collections, customer service, and compliance monitoring — acting as a dashboard for lenders to track all their loans. Currently, "[lenders] have huge outsource firms that run compliance functions or call centers," says CEO Ari Malik. "What we're trying to offer is a more transparent way of seeing what's happening. Because if you outsource this whole process, oftentimes, lenders have no idea what's going on." Salient uses voice recognition to monitor customer service calls and flag violations of complex state or federal lending rules. For example, active service members are entitled to interest rates of 6% or below, and customers who wish to no longer be called must be marked. Failures can lead to steep fines. In addition to customer service, Salient's AI agent, with additional information from the customer, can complete insurance claims and get necessary paperwork from the lender — cutting down on time and complexity. Salient counts Westlake Financial and AutoNation among its customers. Zoom out: Malik is betting this automation can improve lender and customer experiences. "[The AI agent] needs to be predictive as to what the customer wants," he says. "Success is: 'Can you predict what they actually want to interact with you about, as opposed to starting everything from scratch?'"
Axios
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Exclusive: Parking startup AirGarage raises $23M Series B
AirGarage, a parking facilities operating system developer, has raised $23 million in Series B funding led by Headline Growth, co-founder and CEO Jonathon Barkl exclusively tells Axios Pro. Why it matters: There are eight parking spots for every car in the U.S., making it a highly inefficient industry. How it works: AirGarage's platform collects and analyzes parking facilities' data to improve efficiency. The company operates the facilities, including payment, real-time dynamic pricing, and its own patented license plate-reading cameras. Zoom in: Other investors in the round included Founders Fund and Fourthline Capital Management. By the numbers: The San Francisco-based company has grown revenue 10x since its Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz in 2021 and is cash flow positive. The company, founded in 2017, has raised $41 million. AirGarage manages more than 300 parking assets in 38 states. What they're saying:"Most parking remains offline," Barkl says. "We're trying to bring some visibility to the industry. You can't optimize assets unless you have visibility."
Axios
22-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Defense tech startup Onebrief hits $1.1B valuation
Onebrief, a maker of military workflow software, raised $20 million in new funding led by Battery Ventures at a $1.1 billion valuation, CEO Grant Demaree tells Axios Pro exclusively. Why it matters: The valuation almost doubles the company's $650 million valuation in a February deal led by General Catalyst. How it works: Onebrief's collaborative workflow platform helps military staff from different organizations stay up to date in real-time planning, while its AI features help with decision making. There also could be an opportunity to sell the platform to other parts of the federal government, such as FEMA and Homeland Security, says Michael Brown, general partner at Battery Ventures. Catch up quick: Defense tech funding has been on a roll, as best illustrated by Anduril's $2.5 billion raise led by Founders Fund at a $30.5 billion valuation earlier this month. What they're saying:"I think there's an understanding right now that we have to be on our front foot when it comes to defense," Brown says, speaking on current investor interest in defense tech. The bottom line: Demaree said it would be possible for the Honolulu-based company to raise again before the end of the year.
Axios
21-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: R&D startup Uncountable raises $27m Series A
Uncountable, a digital platform for industrial research and development, raised a $27 million Series A led by Sageview Capital, co-founder and CEO Noel Hollingsworth tells Axios Pro. Why it matters: Real-time events are making R&D teams' traditional reliance on Excel spreadsheets obsolete. How it works: The company's cloud-based R&D platform allows enterprises to unify experimental data and deploy AI-driven tools to accelerate development cycles. The software's AI tooling can offer experimental options to R&D teams as supply chain issues arise or environmental regulations change. Zoom in: SE Ventures, Teamworthy, 8VC and MK Capital participated in the round. Founded in 2016, the company — co-headquartered in San Francisco and New York — has raised approximately $32.5 million.
Axios
19-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Supply chain tech startup Pelico raises $40M round led by General Catalyst
Supply chain orchestration platform Pelico raised $40 million in strategic financing led by General Catalyst, co-founder Tarik Benabdallah tells Axios Pro. Why it matters: Fragmented supply chains restrict manufacturers' ability to make proactive decisions and rapidly respond to disruptions. Follow the money: Existing investors 83North and Serena joined General Catalyst in the financing round. Pelico has raised $72 million to date. How it works: Miami-based Pelico provides a platform to synchronize data and processes, helping manufacturers reduce backlog and lower inventory costs. It serves aerospace, defense, luxury and industrial customers, though Benabdallah sees relevance in medical devices and energy. What they're saying:"In a factory, every day, at 7am when you show up, you have a perfect plan," Benabdallah says. "On average, [by] 7:16, it's a different story. "It's a late delivery from a supplier, quality issue, some operations that didn't finish on time, demand change from a customer. Each one of those disruptions basically has snowball effects." Pelico "collects data from the systems and continuously scans for those disruptions [and] propagates their impact so that teams stay aligned," Benabdallah says. "We've been deeply impressed by the team's ability to deliver measurable impact in complex environments — fast, global and enterprise-grade," Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, General Catalyst managing director and La Famiglia founding partner, tells Axios Pro. By the numbers: Customers see an average reduction of 40% in parts shortages and a 15% increase in on-time deliveries, according to the company. Customers such as Airbus, Safran, Eaton and Daikin have successfully deployed Pelico in only 12 weeks, the startup says. Pelico's customers operate more than 1,000 factories globally, and the startup works with half of the world's top 10 aerospace and defense firms. Zoom in: The platform "brings structure, clarity and collaboration into environments where even a single late part can disrupt billion-dollar production lines," Zu Fürstenberg says. Catch up quick: Pelico was founded in Paris in 2019 by Benabdallah, Mamoun Alaoui and Jonathan Hickson. The company also maintains offices in Miami and Frankfurt, Germany. Pelico raised $18 million led by 83 North and Serena in 2022. What's next: The startup will be able to foresee its profitability within two years if it does not take on any new funding to accelerate its growth, Benabdallah says.
