China blocks Meta's $2B acquisition of AI startup Manus, which returns to independence
Chinese regulators ordered Meta to unwind its acquisition of the AI startup, forcing Manus to resume independent operations.
cnbc.com · +14 outlets
General Catalyst leads $1.1B round into 2-month-old AI startup River AI
The startup founded by xAI co-founder Igor Babuschkin raised over a billion dollars at inception for personal AI agents.
TechCrunch · +1 outlets
OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap departs after years as longtime executive
One of OpenAI's longest-serving executives is leaving to start something new, marking a notable leadership change.
TechCrunch · +11 outlets
UK defense startup Cambridge Aerospace raises $300M at $3.4B valuation
The counter-drone interceptor company backed by Anduril's investors raised Series C funding to scale production.
EU-Startups · +14 outlets
OpenAI concludes $7B share buyback ahead of potential IPO
OpenAI completed a $7 billion buyback of employee shares without raising its valuation, reportedly ahead of a possible public offering.
Benzinga · +2 outlets
Whatnot raises $545M, valuation reaches nearly $20B
The live shopping and collectibles marketplace saw its valuation soar to nearly $20 billion in its latest round.
ABC15 Arizona · +8 outlets
OpenAI launches ChatGPT desktop app for Linux
OpenAI finally brings a dedicated ChatGPT desktop client to Linux users.
TechCrunch · +14 outlets
Google's Gemini app reaches 1 billion users
Google shared usage metrics showing 63% of Gemini users interact via voice and the app generates 150 million images daily.
TechCrunch · +14 outlets
Defense startup Neros triples valuation to $2.5B on drone demand
Rising defense demand for autonomous drones drove the startup's valuation jump.
Bloomberg.com · +1 outlets
Accel closes oversubscribed $550M India fund within weeks
The US VC firm raised its new India-dedicated fund rapidly, with over 55% of its previous $650M fund still available.
TechCrunch · +1 outlets
Skild AI tops robotics funding with $2.2B raised at over $14B valuation
The robotics AI startup reached a $14 billion-plus valuation with its latest funding, the largest in the sector.
cryptobriefing.com
AMD acquires Canadian AI chip startup Taalas
AMD acquired the AI chip startup that hardwires model weights directly into 6nm silicon.
Startup Story · +14 outlets
Defense tech startup Lyntris files for $492M IPO
The defense technology company launched plans for an initial public offering.
Law360 · +1 outlets
Mobility startup Moove raises $250M Series C at $2.1B valuation
The African mobility fintech becomes one of the continent's most valuable startups with its latest round.
AfroTech · +11 outlets
Mastercard acquires stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK at $1.8B valuation
The acquisition signals major payment network interest in stablecoin infrastructure.
CoinDesk · +14 outlets
SpaceXAI launches Grok Bot agent for persistent digital coworker tasks at $120/month
SpaceXAI (formerly xAI) launched an early beta of Grok Bot, an AI agent designed to continuously execute work across software applications.
VentureBeat
Former OpenAI exec Kevin Weil seeks at least $750M valuation for AI science startup
The former OpenAI executive is raising for a new AI-focused science venture.
Business Insider · +1 outlets
Revolut granted French banking licence
Europe's most valuable tech firm secured a French banking licence to strengthen its regulatory standing in Western Europe.
Sifted · +14 outlets