We’re already a full quarter into 2019, and as expected, it’s shaping up to be a busy year. The Version One portfolio is filled with great startups doing incredible things, and here’s a selection of what has been happening (that we can talk about publicly):

Company news and product releases:

Outreach launched Galaxy, the app marketplace for the modern sales team. With Galaxy, Outreach is more deeply integrating their partners, so users can handle all of their sales actions in a single workflow within Outreach. You can read more about Galaxy on their blog.

Dropout Labs, focused on secure, privacy-preserving machine learning, introduced themselves to the world.

Coinbase is bringing together its custody services and its OTC desk to allow users to trade directly out of cold storage. This means that clients no longer need to transfer their assets online and onto the exchange to complete an OTC trade.

Placenote SDK 1.6.12 is out with newer, better localization algorithms, iPad 2018 compatibility and a new virtual notes app. You can get it here: placenote.com.

Blockstack has a full lineup of community events across the globe – you can check out future events here and keep up-to-date with the new Dapps being launched on its platform.

Frank and Oak now has a Style Plan, which is a subscription clothing box. Frank and Oak stylists pick out what you need (there’s plenty of room for customization). Try on the clothes, keep what you like and return the rest.

Clio launched Clio Grow, a new CRM to help lawyers track potential client leads while collecting data on those leads and client retention. Clio Grow (which is through the company’s acquisition of Lexicata) makes the client intake process more efficient, automates tasks so lawyers can focus on what matters, and provides the insight to ensure the future success of their business.

Last but not least, Helpful joined Shopify. The whole team is joining the fast-growing Shopify presence in Toronto, and we’re so excited and proud to see where this new path goes!

Fundraising and accolades

Abstract, a versioning platform that helps designers work like developers, raised $30M in Series C funding, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Gencove raised $3M to expand its genome sequencing platform, including developing new applications for agricultural markets, as well as expanding Gencove’s commercial operations in human genetics. You can read the press release here.

Clio was (once again!) named one of Canada’s best managed companies. Congratulations for this well-deserved honor!  

Manny Medina, cofounder and CEO of Outreach, was a winner of a 2019 Executive Excellence award, which recognizes leaders in Seattle-based companies.

Blockstack was included in PowerToFly’s “Best Work-from-Home Companies of 2019” list. The site noted Blockstack’s flexibility, premium healthcare and positive work culture centered on humility, ownership, and collaboration.

That’s it for this quarter. Stay tuned for more news and announcements in the months ahead.

You can follow us on Twitter to stay up to date: https://twitter.com/VersionOneVC