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Senior Writer, Startups & Funding

Mara Whitfield

Covers who's raising, who's hiring, and who's next in Austin.

29 stories

Saronic launches its first Marauder unmanned vessel, built in under a year
StartupsMara Whitfield · Jun 2

Saronic launches its first Marauder unmanned vessel, built in under a year

The Austin defense-tech company put its first medium unmanned surface vessel in the water and began on-water trials less than a year after the design started.

StartupsMara Whitfield · May 21

Firefly Aerospace spreads across three Cedar Park buildings as it scales production

The space company now occupies roughly 144,000 square feet across a three-building Central Texas campus to support spacecraft assembly and mission operations.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Apr 30

Colossal Biosciences adds the bluebuck to its de-extinction roster

The Austin biotech named the extinct South African antelope as the sixth species in its de-extinction portfolio and its first project on mainland Africa.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Apr 22

AI healthtech firm Biorce plants a U.S. flag on Congress Avenue in Austin

Fresh off one of Iberia's largest-ever Series A rounds, the company is opening a second American office downtown.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Apr 21

AI clinical-trials startup Biorce opens a U.S. office in downtown Austin

The Barcelona-founded health-tech company picked Austin for its second U.S. base, citing the city's mix of deep-tech and healthcare talent.

TerraFirma, founded by ex-SpaceX engineers, moves its headquarters to Buda
StartupsMara Whitfield · Apr 9

TerraFirma, founded by ex-SpaceX engineers, moves its headquarters to Buda

The earthmoving-robotics startup is leaving its Southwest Austin 'Robot Ranch' for a 40,000-square-foot integrated headquarters and test facility in Buda.

Augment's 'Augie' pulls in $85M Series A to automate the freight back office
StartupsMara Whitfield · Apr 8

Augment's 'Augie' pulls in $85M Series A to automate the freight back office

The AI logistics startup from Deliverr's founder says its assistant now touches $35 billion in freight under management.

FundingMara Whitfield · Mar 19

Austin neuromodulation startup raises $25M Series A for non-invasive ultrasound therapy

The company is developing non-invasive ultrasound treatments aimed at immune-mediated diseases.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Mar 16

Capital Factory launches STATION Austin to carry its programming forward

The new nonprofit takes over Capital Factory's community and innovation initiatives and adds a 23,000-square-foot center focused on dual-use and defense startups.

Ontic raises $230M Series C as KKR bets on Austin's connected-security platform
FundingMara Whitfield · Mar 12

Ontic raises $230M Series C as KKR bets on Austin's connected-security platform

The protective-intelligence company plans to fold AI and automation into its software as corporate physical-security budgets grow.

ICON opens its 3D-printing system to outside builders with the launch of Titan
StartupsMara Whitfield · Mar 11

ICON opens its 3D-printing system to outside builders with the launch of Titan

The Austin construction-tech company is, for the first time, selling its full robotic printing stack to other builders, with walls it says can be printed for about $20 a square foot.

FundingMara Whitfield · Mar 6

Nominal hits $1B valuation as Founders Fund leads $80M round for its engineering data platform

The Austin company that powers hardware testing for mission-critical programs says it grew revenue sevenfold and tripled its headcount.

FundingMara Whitfield · Mar 5

Founders Fund leads $80 million bet on Austin's Nominal at a $1 billion valuation

The hardware-testing software company became a unicorn on a Series B extension led by Founders Fund.

Ownwell raises $50 million Series B to take its property-tax appeals national
FundingMara Whitfield · Feb 25

Ownwell raises $50 million Series B to take its property-tax appeals national

The Austin fintech, backed by Alpha Edison and Mercato Partners with Intuit Ventures participating, is expanding a service that helps homeowners challenge overassessed property values.

Apptronik's Series A swells past $935 million as humanoid-robot race heats up
FundingMara Whitfield · Feb 13

Apptronik's Series A swells past $935 million as humanoid-robot race heats up

A February extension co-led by B Capital and Capital Factory, with Google participating, pushed the Austin robotics company's Series A near $1 billion total.

Apptronik moves toward commercial-scale Apollo deployment, expands in Austin
StartupsMara Whitfield · Feb 13

Apptronik moves toward commercial-scale Apollo deployment, expands in Austin

The humanoid-robot maker is scaling Apollo production and growing its Austin footprint as it pushes toward broader factory and warehouse deployments in 2026.

Texas Instruments to buy Austin's Silicon Labs for $7.5 billion
FundingMara Whitfield · Feb 4

Texas Instruments to buy Austin's Silicon Labs for $7.5 billion

The all-cash deal is TI's largest acquisition since 2011 and would fold an Austin wireless-chip pioneer into the Dallas semiconductor giant.

Saronic raises $600 million Series C at $4 billion valuation for autonomous warships
FundingMara Whitfield · Feb 4

Saronic raises $600 million Series C at $4 billion valuation for autonomous warships

The Austin defense-tech company's round, led by Elad Gil, quadrupled its valuation as it builds an autonomous shipyard called Port Alpha.

FundingMara Whitfield · Feb 2

CesiumAstro closes $470 million to scale satellite communications and a new Austin HQ

The space-comms company combined a $270 million equity Series C led by Trousdale Ventures with $200 million in financing from EXIM and J.P. Morgan.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Jan 12

Togetherwork moves its headquarters to South Congress, with 250 jobs to follow

The membership-software and payments firm is leaving Atlanta for a 20,000-square-foot office on South Congress and plans to staff it from the local talent pool.

NinjaOne hits $5 billion valuation with $500 million in Series C extensions
FundingMara Whitfield · Jan 6

NinjaOne hits $5 billion valuation with $500 million in Series C extensions

The founder-controlled Austin IT-management company raised funding led by ICONIQ Growth and CapitalG to fund autonomous endpoint features and an acquisition.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Jan 6

IBM takes over Meta's empty Domain 12 building in North Austin

IBM assumed Meta's lease on the entire 320,000-square-foot Domain 12 building, consolidating its Austin workforce after walking away from a larger planned hub.

FundingMara Whitfield · Dec 22

Truemed raises $34 million Series A to route HSA and FSA dollars to lifestyle health

Andreessen Horowitz led the Austin fintech's round as it expands access to tax-advantaged spending for preventive products.

Mythic raises $125 million to challenge Nvidia with analog AI chips
FundingMara Whitfield · Dec 17

Mythic raises $125 million to challenge Nvidia with analog AI chips

The Austin chip company, led by DCVC with Honda and Lockheed Martin participating, capped a turnaround with an oversubscribed round.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Dec 12

ICON completes its first 3D-printed model home at a luxury Lake Travis resort

The Austin company finished a model home at The Canyon Club, where five of 25 planned residences will be built with its 3D-printing technology.

FundingMara Whitfield · Dec 2

Curative becomes a unicorn with $150 million Series B for its zero-cost health plan

The Austin health insurer reached a $1.275 billion valuation on a round led by the Upside Vision Fund as it plans a national expansion.

Function Health hits $2.5 billion valuation with $298 million Series B
FundingMara Whitfield · Nov 19

Function Health hits $2.5 billion valuation with $298 million Series B

The Austin preventive-health testing company raised an oversubscribed round led by Redpoint Ventures and launched a medical intelligence lab.

StartupsMara Whitfield · Nov 10

Austin trucking startup AI Fleet lays off nearly 60 after losing a key supplier

The AI-driven trucking operator cut 56 jobs at its downtown Austin headquarters after a sudden supplier loss forced the board to downsize operations.

FundingMara Whitfield · Oct 8

Base Power closes $1 billion Series C, plans downtown Austin battery factory

The Austin home-battery company raised one of the largest private rounds in city history and is building its first factory on the old Austin American-Statesman printing site.