TechTaffy

tech:

taffy

Automattic, Creators Of WordPress, Raises $160M

By TechTaffy Desk

automattic

Automattic, the company behind the WordPress blogging platform, has raised $160 million in a Series C funding round, valuing the company at a reported $1.16 billion.  The investment was led by Deven Parekh of Insight Venture Partners, and includes participation from Chris Sacca, Endurance, and True Ventures, as well as existing investors Tiger Global Management and Iconiq.

Matt Mullenweg (CEO, Automattic): This Series C round there was an opportunity cost to how we were managing the company toward break-even, and we realized we could invest more into WordPress and our products to grow faster. Also our cash position wasn’t going to be terribly strong especially after a number of infrastructure and product investments this and last year.

WordPress had raised an earlier $12 million round in 2008.

[Image courtesy: Automattic]

Just in

Seed

Oso Semiconductor raises $5.2M

Oso Semiconductor has raised $5.2 million in seed funding. The round was led by Engine Ventures.
People

Battelle appoints Tim Ryan to board of directors

Battelle has elected Tim Ryan, Citi’s Head of Technology and Business Enablement, to its board of directors.
Around the web

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Gov for U.S. government agencies — CNBC

It’s called ChatGPT Gov and was built specifically for U.S. government use; writes Hayden Field. 
Around the web

DeepSeek’s popular AI app is explicitly sending US data to China — Wired

Users have already reported several examples of DeepSeek censoring content that is critical of China or its policies, writes Matt Burgess and Lily Hay Newman. 
Around the web

DeepSeek hit with large-scale cyberattack, says it’s limiting registrations — CNBC

DeepSeek on Monday said it would temporarily limit user registrations “due to large-scale malicious attacks” on its services; writes Hayden Field.