FirstClub Secures $23M Series A to Expand Curated Quick‑commerce in India
India‑based quick‑commerce startup FirstClub announced a $23 million Series A round, lifting its post‑money valuation to $120 million. The round was co‑led by Accel and RTP Global, with participation from Blume Founders Fund, 2am VC, Paramark Ventures and Aditya Birla Ventures. The funding will fuel FirstClub’s expansion of its premium grocery offering across Bengaluru and beyond.
Anthropic Completes Oversubscribed $10B Funding Round
The article references Anthropic's oversubscribed $10 billion funding round for its foundation-model business, highlighting massive investor demand amid broad AI investment trends. The raise is presented as a major capital event underpinning growth in AI infrastructure and products.
Commonwealth Fusion Systems Raises $863M in Series B2 with Participation From Google and Nvidia
Commonwealth Fusion Systems closed an $863M Series B2 round in August 2025 with participation from Google and Nvidia (and others), backing the company as it builds its Sparc demonstration reactor and advances commercial fusion efforts.
Terraton Secures $11.5M Seed Funding to Franchise Biochar Solutions
Terraton announced a $11.5 million seed round to scale its biochar franchise model, aiming to replicate facilities worldwide. The round was led by Lowercarbon Capital and Gigascale Capital, with participation from ANA Future Frontier Fund, Takanawa Gateway Global Co‑Benefits Fund, and...
CoreWeave Raises $11.2B in Debt to Fund AI Infrastructure Buildout
CoreWeave secured an $11.2 billion debt package to help finance roughly $22 billion in capital expenditures for AI data center capacity. The raise positions the company as a bellwether for AI infrastructure demand, hinging on long-term customer commitments to match...
Paradigm Raises $5M Seed to Launch AI-Powered Spreadsheet to Public
Paradigm raised a $5 million seed round and is releasing its AI-powered spreadsheet, which embeds an AI agent in every cell, to the general public. The funding will support the product launch and further development of the AI spreadsheet.
AI2 Secures $152M From NSF and NVIDIA to Build Open Multimodal AI Infrastructure
The Allen Institute for AI Research (AI2) received $152 million in combined funding—$75M from the National Science Foundation and $77M from NVIDIA—to support the Open Multimodal AI Infrastructure to Accelerate Science (OMAI) project, aiming to build a national-level open AI...
NeoLogic Raises $10M Series A to Build Energy-Efficient CPUs for AI Data Centers
NeoLogic raised $10 million in a Series A round to develop energy-efficient server CPUs for AI data centers. The round was led by KOMPAS VC with participation from M Ventures, Maniv Mobility, and lool Ventures.
Uzum Raises $65.5M in New Funding Round, Valuation Climbs to $1.5B
Uzbekistan’s homegrown unicorn Uzum announced a $65.5 million equity funding round co‑led by Tencent and VR Capital, with participation from FinSight Ventures, lifting its post‑money valuation to about $1.5 billion. The Tashkent‑based e‑commerce and fintech platform now serves 17 million monthly active users...
Conversation Raises $28M for AI Marketing Automation
Conversation, an AI marketing automation startup founded by two UC Berkeley dropouts, raised $28M to scale its product and go-to-market. The financing will fund growth and product development for the AI-driven marketing automation platform.
Betaworks Closes $66M Fund III to Back Early-Stage AI Startups
Betaworks has closed its third fund at $66M to invest in early-stage AI startups, targeting at least 25 pre-seed to seed investments and roughly 50 total investments. The fund continues Betaworks' multi-year focus on AI investments dating back to 2016.
Lumotive Expands Series B to $59M with Backing From Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund
Lumotive reopened its February Series B to add Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund and ITHCA Group, increasing the round to $59 million. The funding bolsters the programmable optics startup's growth and development efforts.
RA Capital Planetary Health Closes $120M Fund
RA Capital Planetary Health has closed a $120 million fund to invest in planetary health-focused startups. The fund closing was announced in a TechCrunch piece outlining the firm’s investment rubric.
AI Voice Startup Hyper Raises $6.3M to Automate 911 Call Handling
Hyper, an AI voice company building automated solutions for emergency call centers, raised $6.3M to scale nationwide, integrate with existing 911 systems, hire engineering leadership, and develop its next product. The funding will support commercialization and operational expansion across public-safety...
Substack Raises $100M at $1.1B Valuation From Chernin Group, A16z, Skims CEO and Others
Substack raised $100M in a growth-stage funding round led by investors including Chernin Group, Andreessen Horowitz and the CEO of Skims, valuing the company at $1.1 billion—about 70% above its 2021 valuation of $650M. The round expands Substack's capital base...
Substack Raises $100M From Chernin Group, Andreessen Horowitz and Others
Substack has raised $100 million in a growth-stage funding round with participation from Chernin Group, Andreessen Horowitz and the CEO of Skims among others. The capital will support Substack's expansion of its paid-subscription publishing platform and product development.
Substack Raises $100M Series C Led by BOND and The Chernin Group at $1.1B Valuation
Substack raised $100 million in a Series C round led by BOND and The Chernin Group, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Rich Paul, Jens Grede and others. The funding values the company at $1.1 billion and will be used to...
Thinking Machines Lab Raises $2B Seed Round at $12B Valuation
Thinking Machines Lab, co-founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, raised a $2 billion seed round at a reported $12 billion valuation. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z).
Sarah Smith Raises $16M Fund to Back Startups, Cites AI as Force-Multiplier for Solo GPs
Solo GP Sarah Smith has launched a new $16M venture fund, saying AI tools help her make faster investment decisions without committee approval. The fund will be managed by Smith as a solo general partner to deploy capital into early-stage...
Melio Sells for $2.5B After Growing to $153M ARR
Melio, a SaaS payments company with $153M ARR and 127% YoY growth, was sold for approximately $2.5 billion, reflecting roughly a 16x revenue multiple. The transaction outcome was discussed as a disappointing valuation for similar high-growth portfolio companies.
Catalio Capital Closes Fund IV Raising over $400M
Catalio Capital has closed its fourth fund, Fund IV, at over $400 million to continue investing in early-stage life sciences and biotech companies. The new fund will support the firm's existing strategy of backing founders in therapeutics and platform technologies.
Kalshi Raises $185M in Growth-Stage Funding
Prediction markets startup Kalshi closed a $185 million funding round, signaling strong investor interest in forecast-market platforms. The raise comes as rival Polymarket is reportedly seeking $200 million.
Applied Intuition Raises $600M to Expand Into Defense
Applied Intuition, an AI-driven autonomous vehicle software company, raised $600M in a growth-stage funding round, more than doubling its valuation year-over-year as it pushes further into defense markets. The capital will support product development and expansion into defense-focused applications.
Sam Altman-Backed Coco Robotics Raises $80M
Coco Robotics secured an $80M funding round to expand deployment of its zero-emissions delivery robots, which have completed over 500,000 deliveries since 2020. The round is backed by investors including Sam Altman to accelerate growth and scale operations.
Sam Altman-Backed Coco Robotics Raises $80M
Coco Robotics, backed by Sam Altman, has raised $80M in a growth-stage funding round announced on 2025-06-11. The capital will support the company’s development and scaling of its robotics and AI-driven automation products.
Sam Altman‑backed Coco Robotics Raises $80M to Expand Autonomous Delivery and AI Platform
Coco Robotics raised $80 million from angel investors Sam Altman and Max Altman alongside VC firms including Pelion Venture Partners and Offline Ventures. The Los Angeles startup will use the capital to expand its zero‑emissions last‑mile delivery robots and its...
Yuri Milner Invested $100M Into Airwallex at $1.1B Valuation
Airwallex received a $100M investment from Yuri Milner at a reported $1.1B valuation, recounted by CEO Jack Zhang on the 20VC podcast. The anecdote highlights a rapid, high-conviction check after a brief personal conversation.
Capsule Raises $12M to Build Next-Gen AI Video Editor for Brands
Capsule has raised $12M to develop the next version of its AI-powered video editor targeted at brands. The funding will be used to accelerate product development and go-to-market efforts for its B2B video editing platform.
Isomorphic Labs Announces $600M Raise
Isomorphic Labs announced a $600M fundraising round, per coverage in the RAAIS 2025 speaker roundup. The raise was noted alongside the company’s continued push in AI‑first drug development.
Conifer Raises $20M Seed to Commercialize Rare-Earth-Free Electric Hub Motor
Conifer, a startup founded by former Lucid and Apple EV engineers, raised a $20M seed round to advance its drop-in electric hub motor that uses ferrite magnets instead of rare earth elements. The funding will support product development and commercialization...
Dig Ventures Raises $100M to Back Early-Stage European Startups
Dig Ventures has secured a fresh $100M to deploy into early-stage European startups, aiming to expand its presence and support more founders across the region. The capital appears targeted at increasing dealflow and backing seed to growth-stage companies.
Symphonic Capital Raises $13.5M for Inaugural Fund
Symphonic Capital, founded by Sydney Thomas, has raised $13.5 million for its inaugural fund to invest in early-stage healthcare and financial-services companies, with typical checks around $250,000. The firm says it is backed by a group of institutional investors and...
Sydney Thomas's Symphonic Capital Raises $13.5M for Inaugural Fund
Symphonic Capital, founded by Sydney Thomas, has closed an inaugural $13.5M fund to back early-stage companies. The new fund marks the firm's market entry and will deploy capital into its target sectors (article published 2025-04-10).
Symphonic Capital Raises $13.5M for Inaugural Fund
Symphonic Capital, founded by Sydney Thomas, raised $13.5M for its inaugural fund to invest in early-stage companies, focusing on founders outside the Bay Area. The firm launched in 2022 after Thomas left Precursor Ventures.
OpenAI Reportedly Nearing Close of SoftBank-Led $40B Growth-Stage Round
Reports indicate OpenAI is set to close a SoftBank-led $40 billion growth-stage financing round imminently. The massive capital raise would be led by SoftBank (likely via its Vision Fund) and further solidify OpenAI's valuation and funding runway.
OpenAI Nearing Close of SoftBank-Led $40B Funding Round
OpenAI is reportedly close to finalizing a $40 billion growth-stage funding round led by SoftBank, with SoftBank initially contributing $7.5B and plans for additional tranches. Other investors in discussions include Magnetar Capital, Coatue Management, Founders Fund and Altimeter Capital.
OpenAI Nearing Close on SoftBank-Led $40B Funding Round
OpenAI is reportedly close to finalizing a $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank. The mega-round would represent a major growth-stage financing for the AI company and include SoftBank as a lead investor.
Amazon’s Alexa Fund Backs Four AI Startups as It Expands Into Gen AI
Amazon’s Alexa Fund announced investments into four early-stage AI startups as the fund broadens its remit to back generative AI and multimodal models alongside Alexa+. The corporate venture program will increase focus on AI solutions supporting voice and multimodal experiences....
Island Raises $250M Series E at $4.85B Valuation Led by Coatue
Dallas-based enterprise browser startup Island raised $250M in a Series E round led by Coatue at a $4.85B valuation, bringing total funding to $730M. Other participants include Insight Partners, Sequoia and Canapi Ventures; Island serves 450 customers with secure, enterprise-focused...
Island Raises $250M Series E at $4.85B Valuation Led by Coatue
Enterprise browser startup Island raised $250 million in a Series E round led by Coatue, valuing the company at $4.85 billion. The round comes less than a year after its prior fundraise and significantly increases the company's valuation.
Kerry Washington Leads Pre-Seed $550K Raise for Wedding Marketplace Cheersy
Cheersy, a 2024-founded marketplace helping couples find day-of-service wedding coordinators, raised $550,000 in a pre-seed/seed round led by actress and angel investor Kerry Washington. Other investors include Elizabeth Cutler and unnamed angels supporting the platform’s early growth.
Vento Launches €75M Fund to Back Italian Founders Worldwide
Vento has launched a new €75M venture fund aimed at backing Italian founders regardless of their location, seeking to boost Italy's startup ecosystem. The fund will invest in early- to growth-stage Italian founders and support cross-border entrepreneurship.
Vento Launches €75M Fund to Back Italian Founders Globally
Vento has launched a new €75 million fund aimed at investing in Italian founders regardless of where they live. The fund targets startups founded by Italians to stimulate Italy’s startup ecosystem.
Vento Launches €75M Fund II to Back Italian Founders Worldwide
Vento, an Italy-based early-stage VC, has closed a second, hard-capped fund of €75M to invest in Italian founders globally. The sector-agnostic Fund II plans ~375 investments over five years and targets Italian entrepreneurs regardless of domicile.
Intangible Raises $4M Seed to Build AI-Powered No-Code 3D Creation Studio
Intangible raised $4M in a seed round led by a16z Speedrun and Crosslink Capital with participation from several angel investors. The startup will use the funding to develop its AI-driven no-code 3D web studio, hire talent, and prepare for a...
Cambridge Innovation Capital Launches £100M ($126M) Opportunity Fund to Back Later‑stage Deep Tech and Life Sciences
Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) has launched a £100 million ($126M) Opportunity Fund anchored by Aviva Investors and British Patient Capital to invest up to £20M per deal in later‑stage deep tech and life sciences companies. Two portfolio companies cited are...
SmartSuite Raises $38M in Series A Funding Led by Canapi Ventures
SmartSuite announced a total of $38 million in new financing, highlighted by a $13 million Series A round led by Canapi Ventures with participation from Sorenson Capital and High Alpha. The funding will support product expansion and hiring as the collaboration platform scales...
Sanas Raises $65M at >$500M Valuation to Scale AI Accent‑conversion Tech
Sanas closed a $65M funding round led by Quadrille Capital and Teleperformance, with participation from Insight Partners, Quiet Capital, Alorica and DN Capital, valuing the company at over $500M. The startup will use the capital to expand speech‑to‑speech algorithms, grow...
Hightouch Raises $80M at $1.2B Valuation for AI-Powered Marketing Tools
Hightouch raised $80M in a growth-stage funding round at a $1.2B valuation to expand its AI-powered marketing tools and customer data activation platform. The round will fuel product development and go-to-market expansion for the B2B SaaS company.
Hightouch Raises $80M at $1.2B Valuation to Power AI Marketing Tools
Hightouch raised $80M in a growth-stage funding round that values the company at $1.2B. The round will support expansion of its AI-powered marketing tools and go-to-market efforts. (Article date: 2025-02-18)