Cloud-based workforce management platform Zira Technologies Inc. has landed $3.1 million in its inaugural round of financing, according to a Wednesday (Oct. 7) announcement.
Lead investors General Catalyst and Abstract Ventures were accompanied by angel investors in the round, such as Lee Fixel, Jana Messerschmidt, Daniel Graf, Aaron Schildkrout and Joe Montana.
Zira is designed to maximize labor efficiency and staffer morale for shift-based teams. The platform automates the handling of everyday tasks, such as scheduling shifts or evaluating performance.
“After talking with hundreds of managers and employees across a variety of industries, we felt it was time to take the burden off of managers and their employees,” Zira Co-founder and CEO Tito Goldstein said in the announcement. “By providing a tool that makes these modern strategies a few clicks away, Zira can unlock the potential hidden in our world’s workforces.”
“With Zira, employees now have a voice in their work schedules, and our AI ensures that each voice is heard,” Zira Co-founder Arjun Vora said in the announcement. “By understanding preferences and past behaviors, Zira is able to create the best schedules and reward good performance.”
Zira’s technologies are available for companies throughout the U.S., Mexico, Canada and India, according to the announcement.
Goldstein was Uber’s head of product design foor Uber for Business in the past, while Vora previously served as Uber’s head of driver design. They are joined by engineering leads from tech firms such as Uber, Facebook, Slack and Thought Spot.
Last November, news surfaced that a group of past Uber employees had begun a cloud kitchen business, Virtual Kitchen Co. The Oakland, California upstart seeks to facilitate food deliveries for nearby eateries that get many orders from delivery firms such as Uber Eats. At the time, Virtual Kitchen Co. had recently unveiled a $15 million investment from notable names such as Base10 Partners, Andreessen Horowitz and others.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 100 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in base metal and utility stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 103.40 points at 24,542.48.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 192.31 points at 42,932.73. The S&P 500 index was up 7.14 points at 5,822.40, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.03 points at 18,306.56.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.44 cents US on Tuesday.
The November crude oil contract was down 71 cents at US$69.87 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down eight cents at US$2.42 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$7.20 at US$2,686.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$4.35 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also headed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 205.86 points at 24,508.12.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 336.62 points at 42,790.74. The S&P 500 index was up 34.19 points at 5,814.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 60.27 points at 18.342.32.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.71 cents US on Thursday.
The November crude oil contract was down 15 cents at US$75.70 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$29.60 at US$2,668.90 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$4.47 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was little changed in late-morning trading as the financial sector fell, but energy and base metal stocks moved higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.05 of a point at 24,224.95.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 94.31 points at 42,417.69. The S&P 500 index was down 10.91 points at 5,781.13, while the Nasdaq composite was down 29.59 points at 18,262.03.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.71 cents US compared with 73.05 cents US on Wednesday.
The November crude oil contract was up US$1.69 at US$74.93 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up a penny at US$2.67 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$14.70 at US$2,640.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$4.42 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.
