Rebecca Grant

Hi! I am Rebecca. You may also find my name spelled as Bekah. It’s a long story. I write about startups and entrepreneurship for VentureBeat and head up the deals channel.

Before VentureBeat, I studied English and Art History at Cornell and wrote for a slew of magazines. I joined the Peace Corps in 2009 and served as an education volunteer in rural Thailand, followed by many adventures in Southeast Asia. I returned to the US to find that everyone had a smartphone and there was a thing called “The Cloud.” I moved to San Francisco and found myself in the middle of a vibrant and exciting startup scene. I love to hear about innovative ideas, interesting stories, and technology that is having an genuine and meaningful impact on the world.

In my spare time, I can generally be found gallivanting around the Mission in San Francisco. My favorite things (in no particular order) are yoga, ice cream, pandas, travel, dancing, picnics, wine, and art.

Disclosure: I fully embrace and abide by VentureBeat’s ethics statement.


stories by Rebecca Grant

Parse releases Parse Hosting to prove it’s still innovating after Facebook acquisition

Less than two weeks after its acquisition by Facebook, Parse is announcing a new product. Parse is adding Parse Hosting to its suite of products that developers can use to be “server-free from beginning to end.”

Parse simplifies the process …

Foodpanda suits up with $20M to conquer online food delivery

Foodpanda has raised $20 million to continue expanding its delivery service in emerging markets around the globe.

CircleUp raises $7.5M to feed hungry consumer-products startups with capital

CircleUp, which provides an equity-based crowdfunding platform for consumer products, has raised $7.5M to continue building out the marketplace.

Ph.Ds apply advanced geometry, 3D simulation to improving e-commerce (exclusive)

PhiSix launched its 3D simulation solution today that allows people to virtually try-on clothing before hitting "buy."

Benevolent’s approach to crowdfunding lifts low-income Americans out of poverty

Benevolent has received a grant from the Knight Foundation and Marjorie S. Fisher Fund to grow its crowdfunding site that lets anyone make small donations to help low income individuals overcome a one-time economic hurdle.

‘Kickstarter for black community’ aims to close African-American startup gap

BlackStartup debuted a crowdfunding platform today that features projects and ideas benefitting the African-American community.

Panna’s digital magazine delivers world famous chefs into your kitchen

Panna has raised $1.35 million to build out its digital cooking magazine for iPhone and iPad that features high-definition video lessons led by highly acclaimed chefs.

Funding Daily: Survival of the fittest

Surviving in the tech world and surviving in the wild are not as different as you may think. Here are 11 companies that added venture capital into their survival packs.

HopeMob founder’s latest project uses celebrity influence for social good

Shaun King founded HopeMob to crowdfund for people in need. Today, he launched Upfront to connect influencers with their audience, and raise money for good on the side.

ComScore: Springtime brings sneezes, sports, and Yahoo in bloom

ComScore released its monthly analysis of web activity for March today which found that Yahoo is edging in on Google in terms of traffic and that Spring fever also extends to the digital world.

DocuTAP taps into $11.9M to save lives using software

DocuTAP has raised $11.9 million from Bessemer Venture Partners for its software that streamlines workflow in urgent care clinics.

Lending Club shuffles around shareholders to make room for Google

Google takes a minority stake in online investment community Lending Club as part of a $125 million secondary transaction.

MapMyFitness reveals fresh new look after 6 months of ‘shaping up’

MapMyFitness made the most significant web update and redesign in three years to become a "more beautiful, cleaner, easier to live in" house for all your workout activity.

Adsolut pioneers ad-tech in Nigeria, a country with ‘advertisers but no platform’

Adsolut launched today as the "admeld for Africa." It is an ad network and management platform that helps web publishers more effectively sell and manage their ads online in sub-Saharan Africa.

Curious opens box on lifelong learning with $7.5M to support teachers online

Curious opened the digital doors on its marketplace for lifelong learning today to connect teachers and students interested in continuing education.

Enigma brings the deep, dark world of public data to light

Enigma.io launched out of beta today to be "Google for public data," with strategic investment from the New York Times.

Share Practice releases mobile app to help good doctors become great doctors

Share Practice launched a collaborative clinical reference tool where doctors can contribute their expertise, collaborate on treatments, and improve their practice.

Former elevator repairman builds iPad app to keep ‘global citizens’ informed

Track180 launched its iPad app today to provide an easier way for people to consume information about global issues and current events.

Dwolla raises $16.5M from Andreessen Horowitz to revolutionize banking

Online payment network Dwolla has pulled in$16.5 million in a third funding round led by elite venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.