Influential secures $12 million in series B funding; Snap Inc. releases API Snap Kit; ZipRecruiter expands in Santa Monica

Influential Secures $12 Million in Series B Funding

Influential, a Los Angeles-based company created to match brands with social media influencers who can promote them, disclosed today that it has raised more than $12 million in Series B funding. Led by Ryan Detert, the company pairs eligible brands with influencers using A.I. technology and machine learning. Funding in the round came from Paradigm Talent and Literary Agency, ECA Ventures LLC, and Capital Zed Pty Ltd., among others, SoCal Tech reports.

Snap Inc. Releases API Snap Kit

Snap Inc., maker of Snapchat, announced recently that the popular app’s API will be available via an exclusive developer platform called Snap Kit, TechCrunch reports. This will allow users to use their Snapchat credentials to log in to other apps, transfer the Snapchat trademark character avatars, also known as Bitmoji, and integrate the Snapchat camera into other apps while allowing the apps to sync data.

ZipRecruiter Expands in Santa Monica

ZipRecruiter, an online hiring agency based in Los Angeles, has expanded to almost 1,000 employees, according to SoCal Tech. In order to house these new employees, ZipRecruiter has moved into Google’s old headquarters on Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica, a space which is 45,000 square feet, which will contain roughly 400 employees. The company, which bills itself as an online employment marketplace, previously leased its office space at 401 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica as well as at 1453 Third Street Promenade, according to the L.A. Business Journal. The eight-year-old company has offices in Santa Monica, Tempe, Ariz., and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Tech reporter Samson Amore can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 556-8335. Follow him on Twitter @samsonamore.