News & Insights

Esusu and Keyway work together to advance credit-building for residents

HUNGRY raises $10M Series C1 funding

Save on car payments with Esusu & Caribou

MFV portfolio companies Esusu and Caribou are collaborating to make it easier for renters to save money and improve their financial health via lower car payments.

MFV increases investment in Bennie Seed round

Esusu co-founder explains his mission to “do good and do well”

Passthrough raises $10M Series A

Ollen Douglass recognized for VC leadership

Finli founder gives businesses a financial lift

MFV participates in Bennie Seed round extension

New MFV portfolio company Finli raises $6M in Seed funding

Microshare launches app to address labor shortages

Caribou named 2022 top workplace by Washington Post

HUNGRY acquires healthy snack company NatureBox

New MFV portfolio company Bamboo raises $15M Series A

There are many Robinhood-esque platforms globally because of a growing need to invest in U.S. stocks in different parts of the world. Bamboo, launched in January 2020, is one such platform in Nigeria. Following two years of significant growth and raising $2.4 million to facilitate it, the investment firm is announcing that it has raised $15 million in a new financing round.

Esusu raises Series B at $1B valuation

Esusu, the leading financial technology company for rent reporting and data solutions for credit building, today announced a new valuation of $1 billion after closing a $130 million round of funding.

Nickson is one of 22 Texas tech companies to watch in 2022

As the year comes to a close, NTX Inno is looking at the startups poised to shape the headlines of 2022.

Caribou streamlines auto refinancing experience for consumers

In the market for new and used cars, costs are up and discounts are down. On the recent Black Friday, discounts were at record lows. Today, the average price of a new car is $40,000 and a used one is $25,000.

Esusu uses tech to build financial access and inclusion

With 45 million people in the United States lacking credit scores, and millions more marginalized due to their background, race, and zip code, entrepreneurs Wemimo Abbey and Samir Goel realized they had an opportunity to help bridge the wealth gap by using technology and data to create financial access and foster inclusion.

HUNGRY launches new cafe and coffee bar service

Office catering powerhouse HUNGRY announces the arrival of a new café and coffee bar service set to launch in cities across the country.

Republic launches $60M crypto fund

The fund advisor arm of financial services company Republic has launched a $60 million Seed fund, its first and flagship fund.

HUNGRY raises $21M Series C

Soon after the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, Jeff Grass began to wonder about the future of HUNGRY, a startup he co-founded in late 2016.

HomeCare.com CEO talks healthcare disruption

Todd is the founder and CEO of ShiftMed, a digital workforce management platform that recruits, credentials, and schedules licensed CNAs, LPNs, and RNs to work at healthcare providers. Walrath is also the founder and CEO of HomeCare.com, an online marketplace designed to connect caregivers to families and healthcare providers looking for experienced and credentialed post-acute care workers.

New MFV portfolio company Esusu raises $10M Series A

Led by Motley Fool Ventures, the Series A funding round raised $10 million. Esusu, headquartered in New York City, has raised more than $14 million.

MotoRefi continues growth with $45M funding round

MotoRefi has raised another $45 million in a round led by Goldman Sachs just five months after investors poured $10 million into the fintech startup to help turbocharge its auto refinancing business.

KETOS CEO Meena Sankaran's journey to CEO

Meena Sankaran is the founder and CEO of KETOS, a company that's working to save lives with innovative water-quality products. She's a true creator and builder of change and is the embodiment of inspiration, innovation, and impact.

UrbanStems raises $20M Series C

After growing 130% last year and 500% since 2018, Washington, D.C.-based floral delivery startup UrbanStems said on May 5 that it’s on track to book its busiest week in its four-year history thanks to a surge in Mother’s Day orders and that it has just closed a $20 million round of funding.

Roundtrip partners with the American Cancer Society

Hundreds of American Cancer Society regional offices will now be able to use Roundtrip’s transportation scheduling software as part of a new, exclusive relationship.

Territory closes $22M Series B funding

Direct-to-consumer meal delivery service Territory Foods closed on $22 million in Series B funding to expand into new cities.

MotoRefi tech makes it easier for millions to refinance car loans

MotoRefi keeps finding new ways to connect car owners with lower auto loan rates. This Forbes article spotlights MotoRefi’s relationships with Even Financial, Savvy, and SoFi.

Republic receives $36M Series A funding

Motley Fool Ventures participated in the latest fundraise for Republic, a platform to connect entrepreneurs and investors.

New MFV portfolio company Madison Reed raises $50M

Madison Reed, a tech-enabled provider of hair care products, saw expansive growth during the pandemic. Investors rewarded the company’s progress with a $50M funding round. This is Motley Fool Ventures’ initial investment in the company.

MFV invests $5M in funds directly addressing underrepresentation in VC

To more deliberately commit ourselves to our North Star, Motley Fool Ventures has invested $5 million of our $150 million fund into 14 other venture capital funds directly addressing underrepresentation in VC.

MotoRefi raises $10M round

Amid a flurry of fintech deals, MotoRefi’s latest round further validates the company’s goal of providing better auto refinancing loans to car owners.

Blokable's approach a "critical key" to housing affordability

Blokable’s new development in Auburn, Wash., “signals a flashpoint for unlocking affordability barriers in housing,” according to Forbes.

Nickson continues Dallas growth

In this video interview, Nickson Living founder Cam Johnson describes the company’s service and demand spike in 2020.

Dorsata improves physician-patient experience

Dorsata’s approach to electronic medical records better equips women’s health providers to have meaningful, detailed visits with patients.

KETOS CEO aims to make water safer and cleaner

CEO Meena Sankaran reflects on the value of water and how KETOS is committed to real-time intelligence about water use and safety for its customers.

MFV voted Venture Deal Team of the Year in the D.C. area

We’re not ones to pat ourselves on the back, but we wouldn't say no to some recognition every now and then. The chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth that serves Washington, D.C., northern Virginia, and southern Maryland named Motley Fool Ventures as its Venture Deal Team of the Year for 2020.

Devoted Health and the positive patient experience

This commentary from MedCity News gives Devoted Health high marks for its “focused, human mission rooted in empathy.”

HUNGRY gets creative with its business during COVID-19

Here’s a quote we love from HUNGRY co-founder and COO Eman Pahlavani in this article about the company’s ability to thrive during the bleakest circumstances: “The best ideas come out of necessity and innovation,” Pahlavani told the Associated Press. “There’s always a way to get out of a bad situation.”

Motley Fool Ventures’ statement on justice, equitable opportunity, and investing for change

The killing of George Floyd and the sensitive issues surrounding it weigh heavily on us professionally and personally. We want liberty, justice, and equitable opportunity for all Americans. They are critical to the health of our democracy, and for the future of our children and loved ones.

Roundtrip awarded NIH grant

As a further validation of its health and transportation strategy, Roundtrip won a $252,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to look at the impact of transportation on opioid use disorder transportation.

Virtual patient support is here to stay

Citus Health CEO Melissa Kozak shares her perspectives about options to treat specialty patients during COVID-19 in this podcast from the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy.

InHerSight’s new app personalizes job matches to career goals

This TechCrunch article explains how InHerSight expanded its mission during COVID-19 to help women find companies that match their career ambitions.

Modular smart homes and the affordable housing crisis

Blokable Co-CEO Aaron Holm explains his leadership team’s approach to smart homes and manufacturing in this brief video.

How Affectiva’s Rana el Kaliouby found the courage to become CEO

In this Fortune Trailblazers piece, Rana describes the leap from CTO to CEO at Affectiva.

How UrbanStems approaches Valentine’s Day

It’s a day full of love and big expectations. UrbanStems CEO Seth Goldman points to customer service as a key differentiator during this TV interview.

LegalMation: IBM Watson AI for litigation

This Datamation article doesn’t hold back on the challenges of litigation, including the massive amount of paperwork involved in the preparation to argue a case and the cost for a client. The good news, the author believes, is that LegalMation’s artificial intelligence approach could make it less onerous.

Bakersfield looks to Bitwise for $750K contract

Bitwise receives a boost from the Bakersfield, Calif., county council, which approved a $750,000 tech training contract.