Brea
The breakdown
4 startups on file in Brea, spanning Fintech, Industrials, 2 of 4 have disclosed funding, $185.3M combined.
- MULLEN AUTOMOTIVE INC. — Industrials, $169.2M raised.
- MINISTRY PARTNERS INVESTMENT COMPANY, LLC — Fintech, $16.2M raised.
- Staxiom — Fintech, Seed.
- American First Credit Union — Fintech.
A bit of history
"Brea" is Spanish for tar, named for the natural asphalt seeps Gaspar de Portolá's expedition reported in the area in 1769. Union Oil Company bought 1,200 acres here in 1894, and its first well, Olinda No. 1, struck oil in 1898, kicking off a boom that made the Brea-Olinda oil field responsible for roughly a fifth of the world's oil output over the next 25 years. The city incorporated on February 23, 1917, built directly on that oil-money foundation.
SeedStaxiom provides diligence-grade accounting for startups — bookkeeping, tax prep, and capital strategy, with an AI-assisted R&D tax credit engine reviewed by EY-trained CPAs. Founded by the team behind Ardius, the R&D tax credit company Gusto acquired in 2021.
American First Credit Union offers various financial services to its members, including checking and savings accounts, loans for vehicles and homes, and credit cards.