Atlanta-based Scoutmob hits ten new cities

Atlanta-based Scoutmob, a source of discounts sent via cell phone, arrived in ten new cities Wednesday: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, Portland, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The company also said it closed a $1.5 million round of venture capital funding from New Atlantic Ventures, a technology-focused venture capital firm. Scoutmob said the money will help fund its expansion, improve its technology and triple the number of staffers this year.

Scoutmob debuted in New York, San Francisco and Atlanta in 2010 and has attracted half a million users so far. The application sends discounts by iPhone and Android app or text message. The deals are free to consumers, and merchants pay when consumers redeem the deals in their businesses.