The Big Apple is tech to the core.
The venture-capital dollars are flowing into this silicon city. There was $1.7 billion invested in New York City tech startups in the 12 months ended June 30, with Silicon Alley companies from media to finance to fashion getting support, according to statistics compiled by CB Insights for The Post.
In the past year we’ve seen Gilt Groupe (see story at right) become the first New York Web 2.0 company to gain a $1 billion valuation. It raised $138 million in the past year, while another nine Big Apple tech darlings raised at least $25 million each. (See table above.)
The keywords of local, mobile, social and gaming are defining companies here, and they are capitalizing on the tech frenzy that is pushing Facebook into the $100 billion realm and allowing Twitter to raise $800 million.
While the biggest paydays in New York City have not reached Silicon Valley levels, investors have been generous.
“E-commerce is a huge opportunity again, and it’s happening in New York,” said Paul Hurley, CEO of Ideeli, which finished No. 4 on the money-raised list with $41 million. With that round of financing in the bag, the apparel e-commerce site is valued at $180 million, according to a source with knowledge of its latest money round.
Ideeli offers flash sales and introduces gaming elements to shopping, offering brand new, fun ways to engage customers.
At eight-year-old Squarespace, Anthony Casalena raised $38 million in the past year. It was about time his parents got some return on their investment of $30,000. Casalena, 29, also said it was time for him to take some money off the table.
NYC’s tech giants
$50M FourSquare Location E-com
$50M AppNexus Web services
$41M Ideeli Apparel E-Com
$38.5M Squarespace Web development
$35M AdkeeperWeb ad development
$32.5M 2tor Web education dev.
$30M Tumblr Web content services
$27.5M TxVia Web payment service
$25M Animoto Web video dev.