Sidecar raises $1M from local investors like Michael Rubin [Startup Roundup]

WHO’S GETTING FUNDED?

Rick Nucci‘s stealth mode startup, Guru Technologies, has raised $2.7 million to date, according to an SEC filing. This is Nucci’s first startup after selling his cloud computing company Boomi to Dell for an undisclosed amount.

Invisible Sentinel, the Science Center-based biotech startup that makes molecular diagnostics for the food industry, has raised $6.8 million, according to an SEC filing.

The Hero Network, a South Jersey-based website that lets strangers help strangers in need, raised $1.5 million, according to an SEC filing.

Sidecar, the ecommerce marketing platform, has raised $1 million from local investors (many of which are repeat investors) like GSI Commerce founder Michael Rubin, Gabriel Investments, NextStage Capital, MidAtlantic Angel Group, Robin Hood Ventures and Wilmington, Del.-based Innovation Ventures, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The Center City startup is looking to nearly double its staff to 50, we reported in November.

Edison Ventures participated in a $8.25 million Series A investment in a New York City-based financial tech company called Compliance Science, Inc., according to a release.

LXTCH Fund I is raising $1.5 million and has raised $250,000 so far, according to an SEC filing. LXTCH is a Navy Yard-based cybersecurity firm run by Dean Picciotti.

First Round Capital participated in a $15 million round for Silicon Valley-based DNANexus, a “hub for scientists to share genetic data,” according to FierceBioTech.

WHO’S MAKING MOVES?

Brand.com, the Center City reputation management company, opened an R&D office in San Francisco, the Washington Times reported.

VisionMine, the venture from investor Ellen Weber and consultant Coley Brown that helps connect startups with corporations, helped keep Chris Cera‘s startup Vuzit afloat back in 2009 and 2010, Business Insider reported in a feature on how corporations can be customers for startups.

OneTwoSee, the sports-TV companion app startup, will start building apps with Bloomberg Sports, according to a release. It also moved out of Center City’s Seed Philly incubator and into its own office in the same building at 1650 Arch Street, cofounder Chris Reynolds told us. The startup recently demoed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and currently has 10 employees.

Skout Media, a Fishtown creative agency, hired its first full-time employee. Check out a recap of all its 2013 projects here.

I’m Sorry To Hear, the “Trip Adviser for funeral planning,” now has funeral planning service listings in 17 states and has more than 9,000 funeral homes listed, said founder Rachel Zeldin. That’s up from 5,000 funeral homes listed back in September. I’m Sorry to Hear is based out of Drexel’s Baiada Institute incubator.

FastFig, the DreamIt Ventures edtech startup, added a whole bunch of new features to its tool that lets students do math on the computer. Check them out in their blog post.

Spark Therapeutics, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia spinout gene therapy company, reached its goal for participants in its clinical study on inherited blindness, according to a release.

WHO’S GETTING HIRED?

Textizen, the civic engagement startup developed by Code for America fellow Michelle Lee, hired Todd Baylson to lead business development. Baylson used to be Councilman Bill Green‘s policy director.

Old City software dev firm DmgCtrl hired Corey Leigh Latislaw. Latislaw previously worked at campaign management startup Grassroots Unwired and has been with Chariot Solutions and CIM in the past.

Marketing firm Here’s My Chance hired Lansie Sylvia as director of engagement. Sylvia founded charity auction date Philly Give & Get that launched during Philly Tech Week.

WHO’S GETTING BUZZ?

Biomeme, the NextFab-based startup developing a mobile app DNA lab, was profiled in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

In this Flying Kite profile, meet Andrew Daga, the CEO of Momentum Dynamics, the Malvern-based startup that built a wireless charger for an electric car.

MentorTech Ventures analyst Marshall Yang blogs at Gym Think Laundry. Head over there to hear why engineers don’t like MBAs looking for tech cofounders and more.

Feels, an app that helps you make decisions codeveloped by West Philadelphia native (Wynnefield, to be specific) Ameer Carter, got profiled in TechCrunch.