Want to stay up to date on the latest startup fundings, launches, and expansions in Austin? Startup Over Coffee’s weekly roundup of Austin startups to watch will keep you in the loop on the latest Austin tech news. Catch up on previous weekly roundups here.

Billd

According to Built in Austin, Austin-based startup Billd has raised $30 million in Series B funding. This funding round was led by LL Funds and had contributions from RJT Credit and Ulysses Management

The fintech startup is on a mission to make the construction industry more efficient. With the help of Billd, contractors can get their materials financed instead of  paying out of pocket. Billd pays the supplier, and then the contractor is required to pay Billd back within 120 days. The recent funding will allow the company to grow in terms of product development, employment, partnerships, and customer acquisition channels. 

Tesla Energy

Tesla continues to make its presence known in Austin’s startup scene, especially as its partnerships increase. Tesla Energy, a branch of Tesla, has partnered with Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra to build a solar neighborhood in southeast Austin, according to Built in Austin.

Tesla and Brookfield will combine Tesla V3 solar roof tiles, Powerwall 2 battery storage, and electric vehicle charging stations to produce the nation’s most sustainable neighborhood. The need for sustainability is growing, and with the creation of sustainable homes, these companies hope that this will translate to the making of future communities.  

TourZazz

As the population in Austin increases, the real estate industry is hotter than ever. It’s becoming crucial to find ways to make buying and selling houses more accessible for both real estate agents and clients, which is where TourZazz comes in. 

According to Austin Inno, real estate veterans Stacy Spickes and Michael Spickes have recently launched an app, called TourZazz, that is designed to solve homebuying issues. This tool’s goal is to create faster ways for agents and clients to build itineraries, book appointments, and get confirmations between sellers and buyers, all online. Although the app is rapidly growing and improvements are still being made, about 600 agents in the Austin area are actively using the app. 

Stonelake Capital

Stonelake Capital has announced raising $555 million on their recent funding. Institutional investors funded $545 million, while the rest of the funding, $10 million, came from Stonelake Capital itself, as reported in Austin Business Journal. 

Having offices located in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Stonelake Capital is a real estate private equity firm that develops industrial, multifamily, and office properties. Since its founding in 2007, the company has built millions upon millions of square footage relating to industrial, multifamily, and office buildings. With the funding received, Stonelake plans on starting new projects throughout Texas, including building a 47-story skyline in downtown Austin.

About Michelle Vernaza: Michelle is a Business Development Associate Intern for Swyft, which is a tech PR firm in Austin and Houston and a top digital marketing and PR agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft recently opened a satellite office where it offers tech PR in San Francisco. Swyft was also listed as one of the top tech PR agencies in Texas by the B2B services review site, Clutch.co.