MosaicML, a San Francisco-based generative AI platform, had raised $64 million to date since launching in 2021, per . Its investors included , and

MosaicML allows customers to build generative AI tools using its own proprietary data 鈥� eliminating the need for users to incorporate their own data with 鈥檚 proprietary models that use public data.

鈥淓very organization should be able to benefit from the AI revolution with more control over how their data is used. Databricks and MosaicML have an incredible opportunity to democratize AI,鈥� said , Databricks鈥� co-founder and CEO, in a .

Getting bigger

San Francisco-based Databricks last raised in 2021, locking up a $1.6 billion Series H led by at a $38 billion valuation 鈥� making it one of the most valuable private companies in the world.

The deal for MosaicML could be another step toward the public market for the decacorn, as it looks to expand its portfolio of offerings and cash in on an exploding AI market.

While the Databricks deal is one of the first big M&A transactions in the AI space this year, the sector has seen a flood of funding dollars invested in it.聽

In January, Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI. In March, San Francisco-based raised $350 million in a Series B at a post-money valuation of at least $1 billion. In May, 鈥� a ChatGPT rival with its AI assistant Claude 鈥� raised a $450 million Series C that reportedly valued the company at $5 billion.

And that is only a handful of the funding deals the AI has seen since the beginning of the year.

Databricks just recently about surpassing a milestone of $1 billion in annual revenue and has talked about a potential IPO in the past.聽

Founded in 2013, Databricks has raised more than $3.5 billion, per SA国际传媒. Its investors include , , , and many others.

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In its first acquisition, San Francisco-based has acquired Switzerland-based for $250 million 鈥� half in cash and half in equity,

So what does each of these companies do and why does this acquisition make sense? Let鈥檚 take this nice and slow.

Privately owned Ripple is the world’s sixth-largest cryptocurrency exchange.聽

makes technology allowing financial institutions to store and manage digital assets. This is a big deal, especially after several major firms (FTX) collapsed, leaving investors facing big losses.

Why Metaco matters

The fact that Metaco is based outside the United States where crypto regulation is much clearer is a bonus for Ripple as the

The Swiss company is also a legit player in its own right with clients including , 听补苍诲 ‘s digital asset arm.

has raised a total of million in funding over four rounds. Its latest funding was raised on , from a round. is funded by investors. and are the most recent backers, according to

Investor enthusiasm in crypto waned after a drop in cryptocurrency prices in 2022. A slew of major crypto firm failures didn鈥檛 help. Yes, we are talking (again) about FTX.

In a on its website, Ripple CEO said, 鈥�Through the strength of our balance sheet and financial position, Ripple will continue pressing our advantage in the areas critical to crypto infrastructure. Bringing on Metaco is monumental for our growing product suite and expanding global footprint.鈥�

is no slouch either.

It聽 has raised a total of million in funding over rounds. Its latest funding was raised on , from a聽 round. is funded by investors. and are the most recent investors, according to

While crypto prices are on the rise, the dramatic collapse of FTX still hangs over the entire sector with several other lenders and exchanges.

Related query:

Related reads:

• Ledger Locks In $108M To Lock Up Crypto
• SVB, Signature Shutdowns Not Chilling Crypto

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In a social media context, stories are photos or videos that a user can post for a set amount of time. Unfold helps users create marketable, high quality stories with templates, and has been adopted by brands like TopShop, Under Armour, and Tommy Hilfiger.

According to New York-based Squarespace, Unfold has 9 million monthly users and over 670 million stories have been created using the app. As part of the deal, Alfonso Cobo and Andy McCune, the co-founders of Unfold, will join Squarespace.

In a blog post announcing the deal, the startup said that customers can use Unfold starting today. For premium templates and features, you can become a member for $19.99 a year.

Digital Noise

Squarespace knows it鈥檚 in a noisy space, with , , , , and others all enabling the average person to create a seamless website in minutes. WordPress publisher announced in September that it raised $300 million Series D at a $3 billion valuation, and a month prior to that, the publisher acquired Tumblr, a social media blogging website.

However with competition, Squarespace says the recent acquisition 鈥渋s the first of its kind for the company and for the industry.鈥�

鈥淪ocial media is a place where many creators get started before launching a website,鈥� said , Squarespace founder and CEO, in a press release. 鈥淎s a first in our category, we鈥檙e excited to provide our customers with a way to stand out no matter how they are getting started.鈥�

Also notable, Squarespace was founded in 2003. This deal signals a growing trend for the company with its push on mobile and social. In April, the website builder acquired 聽to bring an online appointment manager to customers.

Squarespace, which has raised $278.5 million in venture-backed funding to date, is projecting $500 million in subscription bookings for 2019.

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In order to help restaurants better retain their hardworking employees, , a Boston-based restaurant management upstart, has made its first-ever acquisition, , for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition, Toast’s first, will allow Toast customers to automate their HR and payroll services. Think services like employee on-boarding and scheduling, and labor law compliance.

鈥淚f you walk down the street in many cities in the US, you鈥檙e going to see help wanted signs in every restaurant,鈥� , Toast’s CFO and chief business officer told SA国际传媒 News. Toast hopes that with this acquisition, some of those hiring woes will be resolved through the improvement of HR management.

Toast works with chains like Jamba Juice to Michelin-star rated restaurants, and all face shortages of talent, Barash added.

‘s says that the acquisition “further validates the notion that vertically-focused SaaS is the new distribution method for services to run and grow small business.” He added that companies want a one-stop-shop to streamline all their operations, and dual-sided commerce is here to stay.

As SA国际传媒 News鈥檚 reported back in June, Toast said that its revenue in 2018. Barash says the company is maintaining that same pace of revenue growth. Since we last chatted, Toast has added 500 more employees.

Toast, which launched its first product in 2013, says it has tens of thousands of restaurants that use its technology. This announcement comes just a few months after the company raised $250 million in a round led by and , bringing its valuation to $2.7 billion.

Back then, the company said it plans to invest over $1 billion in R&D over the next five years 鈥渢o continue building software and hardware designed specifically for the restaurant industry.鈥�

This acquisition, it appears, is one of the first steps to satisfy that appetite.

Below is a chart on the company鈥檚 fundraising past.

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