On Automattic

Happy Tuesday. While we let all those Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy theories just sit there and soak up the global contemplation, there are actual deals getting done in the world.

WordPress’ owner Automattic is said to be taking Tumblr off Verizon’s hands. Axios reports get deal costs less than $20M, perhaps even less than $10M. Which makes one laugh when one thinks about Yahoo having paid $1.1B for Tumblr in 2013, and then getting sucked into the Verizon vortex. Likely acqui-hire.

Meanwhile, back at the VC ranch, there’s lots of new deals getting done and rounds funded:

Pavilion Data Systems: Data center storage company raises $25M Series C, led by Taiwania Capital and RPS Ventures

Singularity 6: Stealth gaming startup said to be developing an AI-powered “virtual society” raises $16.5M Series A led by none other than Andreessen Horowitz.

Kasten: Offers a platform for policy-based backup, recovery, and migration for Kubernetes apps ($14M Series A led by Insight Partners)

Polarity: Uses AI to analyze text on employee screens to augment it with context overlays, raised $8.1M Series AA following 2017 $3.5M Series A

QFPay: Chinese digital payment firm and global partner of WeChat Pay and Alipay raised $20M (including from investors Sequoia Capital China)

Uniphore Software Systems: Uses AI in call centers for faster and more personalized customer support, $51M from March Capital Partners and Chiratae Ventures