Ford leads $65M funding round for Burlington-based unicorn Desktop Metal
Ford Motor Company believes that the future of manufacturing is metal 3D-printing — and that’s why the industrial giant just led a $65 million funding round for Burlington-based Desktop Metal, a company focused on making metal 3D printing accessible for engineers and manufacturers.
The financing, which was announced this week, will go toward fueling the company’s growth, and bringing its scalable metal 3D printing technologies around the world. The funding follows a major year of milestones for Desktop Metal, which grew to more than 225 employees, established nearly 100 channel partners and resellers, and expanded its distribution to more than 40 countries. [Built In Boston]
Wayfair’s new app lets you shop for furniture with augmented reality
Want to see what a new rug will look like in your apartment before purchasing it? With Wayfair’s new app, you can. The Boston-based online retailer unveiled a new augmented reality feature, “View in Room 3D,” in its mobile app for Android this week that will allow customers to visualize furniture in their home before purchasing. They simply have to hold up their smartphone. The feature was previously available on iOS using Apple’s AR platform ARKit. But now, Android users have the same benefit. [TechCrunch]
BewellConnect raises $30 million to make better use of wearables
Digital, connected health devices are supposed to streamline healthcare. But they’re often cumbersome to use, and many do not provide clear and actionable paths to better health. BewellConnect, a connected care startup that launched its Boston office early last year, hopes to solve challenges related to digital health devices.
Rather than manufacture its own devices, the startup wants to offer a suite of healthcare services of which FDA-approved products are a component. On Thursday, Bewell announced that parent company Visiomed Group raised $30 million led by Hudson Bay Capital to tackle these obstacles and ultimately provide better remote care to patients. [Built In Boston]
Finally Light Bulb reels in $50 million Series D
A new company is here to disrupt the lighting market. Finally Light Bulb, a Boston-based lighting tech startup, closed a $50 million Series D round led by Brian Kelley. Kelley, the former President of Coca-Cola Refreshments, said in a statement that the funding will be used for sales and marketing efforts, as well as research and the development of new products. Finally, which has raised $93 million to date, makes light bulbs that use the company’s patented Tesla technology rather than LED. The company currently employs 40 people. [Boston Business Journal]
Mayor Walsh pumps the brakes on self-driving cars
Mayor Marty Walsh is pressing pause on self-driving car testing on Boston roads — at least for a couple of days. The response came after a pedestrian was hit and killed by a self-driving Uber car in Tempe, Ariz. Walsh said the crash in Arizona showed a need for clear rules and standards for the industry, so city officials are reviewing the safety procedures of the two local companies experimenting with self-driving cars, Optimus Ride and nuTonomy. The companies began testing the cars in the Seaport District last year. [The Boston Globe]
