Startup Weekly: Enjoying the grace
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Startups are not isolated from the world. However, this week, fundraising news feels not actively correlated from the entire news cycle, providing some reprieve. Or perhaps it’s time to prepare to invest in “planetary and social health.”
The most interesting startup story of the week
This week included exits, litigation, disappointing sales and scientific controversy.
Openai graduates: Ensure Openai CTO MIR MIRATI Two new famous advisors with past connections with Openai For her new venture, AI Startup Thinking Machine Lab. For more information about Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and former chief scientist of Openai, I chose Google Cloud TPU chip His new AI startup will strengthen research carried out by the safe emergency.
Friends and enemies: Openai reportedly is considering spending $500 million Get IO productsan AI hardware startup built by Jony Ive with Sam Altman, but the two companies could partner instead. Meanwhile, Openai’s argument with Elon Musk continues, this time Countersuits for previous supporters.
Leave part: Deel’s Communications Manager I left HR Tech Companyit is being accused Planting spies It’s rippling at rival startups.
Is it huge or not?: Colossal Biosciences claims to have revived the miserable wolves, but scientists with no connection to the company are challenging the claim. Underrated or exaggerated.
Yo-yo:Lyst is a British fashion marketplace once valued at around $700 million. It was acquired for just $154 million Zozo is based in Japan.
Not so solid: Startup Solid as a Bank as a Service Chapter 11 submitted for bankruptcy protectioncites “significant and costly lawsuits.” It raised nearly $81 million, but faced legal challenges in 2023 when Series B backer FTV Capital sued to recover its $61 million investment.
Most Interesting VC and Funding News This Week
This week there were many trades and fund announcements, much smoother than the stock market than the startupland.
Road turn: Autonomous Driving Startup Nuro Securing a $106 million Series E with a $6 billion valuationdown from $8.6 billion in 2021. This valuation dip reflects not only market trends, but also the possibility that companies may need less capital, ranging from delivery robots to technology licensing.
Power for people: Base Power, a rapidly growing home battery backup provider based in Texas; raised a $200 million series b Andreessen Horowitz, LightSpeed Venture Partners and Valor Equity Partners were led by the additions.
Like a stripe: Sipay is an Istanbul-based fintech startup that charges itself as “embedded market stripes.” raised a $78 million series b With a $875 million valuation to expand outside of Türkiye.
It’s going to rain: Earned wage access startup rain All Capital raised $75 million Series b Prosus is planning to add credit cards and use them to provide products.
Looking from above: Brinc Drones, a Seattle-based police drone startup founded by 25-year-old university dropout Blacrest Nick; We raised $75 million with new funds It is led by an index venture.
Smooth generation: San Francisco-based startup Krea has revealed that it has helped designers and visual creatives use tools from several generative AI models, raising $83 million in several tranches. 47 million dollar series b.
I’m still hiring people: Artisan, AI sales agent startup known for its “Stop Hiring Humans” marketing campaign; We raised a $25 million series This will help add 22 members to a team of 35.
Billions under management: SignalFire Locked more than $1 billion in fresh capitalhas now reached approximately $3 billion in total assets under management. And Leller Hippo Fund 9 has been closed for $200 millionup from the eighth fund of $140 million, bringing its assets under management to $1.4 billion.
Two charms: Berlin-based VC company Revent Secured a $109 million fund II Invest in “Planet and Social Health” startups. A VC DIG venture that has been converted to family offices raised $100 million For the second fund, it will deploy primarily in Europe and support early stage startups in B2B SaaS, AI, and Cloud Infrastructure.
Last but not least, it’s important
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lully recently said he was personally calling Tech CEO to ask at TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event. How cities become more cooperative. “I’m calling entrepreneurs and saying, ‘How can I keep you here?’ Or, “How can I get you back?”,” Lurie said.