HomeHero ready to offer employee status
The Santa Monica-based startup
, an online elderly caretaker marketplace, announced this week they will be offering their 1,200 contractors employee status. While many on-demand startups have flirted with the idea, HomeHero now becomes one of the few to fully convert to W-2 employees. [HomeHero to Offer 1,200 Contractors Employee Status: LA Business Journal]
Wurrly unleashes Android app for mobile karaoke
Wurrly, an app that allows people to record vocal tracks over their favorite songs, rolled out their Android app this week. The app reportedly has over 300,000 users already on iOS and is a great way to realize you can't sing "Hello" by Adele as well as you thought. [Wurrly Rolls Out Android App For Recording, Sharing Cover Songs: SoCal Tech]
Open Listings launches micro-site for architectural homes
LA-based digital real estate marketplace,
, launched yet another subsidiary site: Architectural Listings. For home buyers looking to make a statement with their new digs, the site lists homes designed by "starchitects." [LA tech's real estate roll continues with 4 new sites and services: Built In]
Fundings of the week:
, $15 million
Investors: JJ Capital
The Pasadena-based Chinese-language online shopping guide raised $15 million this week. 55Haitao helps Chinese online shoppers navigate through sites like Amazon.com, GNC.com and Ashford.com. The site reportedly has 20,000 user-generated posts daily. [55Haitao Raises $15 Million for Chinese Shopping Guide: LA Business Journal]
, $12 million
Investors: Highland Capital Partners Europe
OroCRM provides and open source CRM with built in marketing tools for eCommerce businesses. Founded in 2012, the company reportedly has more than 18,000 active enterprise users.
Investors: Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Freestyle Capital, TenOneTen Ventures, Founder Collective, Karlin Ventures, Leon Capital Group.
CREXi, a new Venice-based startup that houses an online commercial real estate platform, announced their seed round this week. The site manages listings, messaging, and sales for brokers through their platform. [Crexi Collects $4.3M For Commercial Real Estate Marketplace: SoCal Tech]
, $3 million
Investors: Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), with participation from Upfront Ventures, Karlin Ventures, Baroda Ventures, Double M Partners, Daher Capital.
Pathmatics is a Santa Monica-based ad tech company that developed software for analyzing the programmatic advertising market. [Pathmatics Gets $3M For Advertising Analytics Software: SoCal Tech]
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