🎯Today's Entrepreneurship Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: Neo launches low‑dilution accelerator with $750k uncapped SAFE
Neo has introduced Neo Residency, an accelerator that backs each startup with $750,000 via an uncapped SAFE. Depending on the next round’s valuation, founders could give up as little as 0.75% equity, far below the typical 7‑10% taken by other top programs.
Also developing:
News•Feb 10, 2026
Saudi Fintech SiFi Raises $20 Million Series A Led by Ra’ed Ventures
Saudi fintech Simplified Financial Solutions Company (SiFi) secured a $20 million Series A round led by Ra’ed Ventures, with participation from QED Investors, Breyer Capital, MEVP and several local backers. The financing follows a $10 million seed round, bringing total capital raised to over $34 million. SiFi’s spend‑management platform offers virtual and physical corporate cards, automated expense reporting and vendor payments, serving more than 3,500 Saudi startups, SMEs and government entities. The new funds will fuel market expansion, deepen AI‑driven finance capabilities and evolve the solution into a full‑suite finance management platform.
By Wamda
News•Feb 10, 2026
Zain Hosts Demo Day for Regional Startup Accelerator Zain Great Idea
Kuwait‑based Zain Group staged a Demo Day for its flagship accelerator Zain Great Idea, showcasing eleven tech startups from six Arab markets. The event marked the programme’s final milestone and opened pathways for investment and strategic partnerships. Zain Ventures paired...
By Wamda
News•Feb 10, 2026
Routech Express Bags $1 Million Pre-Seed
Saudi‑based logistics tech startup Routech Express closed a SAR 3.75 million ($1 million) pre‑seed round led by Q Fund, with angel participation. The platform aggregates multiple carriers, delivering instant price comparison, booking, payment and tracking through a single digital interface. Funds will accelerate...
By Wamda
News•Feb 10, 2026
Smart Bricks Closes $5 Million Pre-Seed to Automate Real Estate Investing
Smart Bricks, a Dubai‑based proptech startup, closed a $5 million pre‑seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z Speedrun, with participation from global funds and angels. The company is building an AI‑native infrastructure that automates the end‑to‑end real‑estate investment workflow, compressing a...
By Wamda
News•Feb 10, 2026
A Profile of Anthropic and Its Key Executives Like Chris Olah, and a Look at Project Vend, an Internal "Claudius"...
Anthropic, the AI safety‑focused startup behind the Claude series, is profiled in a New Yorker feature that spotlights executives such as former Google researcher Chris Olah. The piece delves into the company’s internal “Project Vend,” a Claudius‑branded experiment that tasked...
By Techmeme
News•Feb 10, 2026
Startmate Launches Social Enterprise Stream Backing Founders Taking on Society’s Biggest Problems
Startmate has added a dedicated Social Enterprise stream to its Launch Club pre‑accelerator, offering four to six fully‑funded scholarship spots for founders tackling social or environmental challenges. Applications close on March 1, with the cohort launching in late March. The program...
By Startup Daily (ANZ)
News•Feb 10, 2026
Steve Baxter: Why I’ll only Invest in Australian Defence Startups that Are Serious About the US
Steve Baxter announced that his fund will only back Australian defence startups that demonstrate a concrete plan to establish a U.S. presence. He argues that the U.S. defence budget—about $1.5 trillion—offers the scale required for venture‑backed growth, far beyond Australia’s $35 billion....
By SmartCompany » StartupSmart (AU)
News•Feb 10, 2026
Elle, MD, Hiive, and LiORA Among Latest CIX Startup Awards Winners
Elevate announced the 14 winners of its 2026 CIX Startup Awards, chosen from more than 370 applications by a 94‑member investor committee. The awardees span three maturity tiers—Emerging, Early and Growth—and include fintech platform Hiive, geothermal pioneer Eavor, climate‑tech firm...
By BetaKit (Canada)
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Impact Beats Tools: Solve a Problem Today
The tools don't matter. The framework doesn't matter. The stack doesn't matter. What matters: Did you solve someone's problem today? That's the only metric that counts.
By Luca Restagno
News•Feb 10, 2026
Ssense Founders Can Buy Back Company, Court Rules
Montréal‑based luxury e‑commerce platform Ssense will be reclaimed by its founders after a Quebec Superior Court dismissed lenders' request for a forced asset sale. The court approved a founder‑led buyback valued at $78 million, including a $58.5 million cash payment and assumption...
By BetaKit (Canada)
News•Feb 10, 2026
Sen. Warren Plans Bipartisan Legislation with Sen. Banks that Bans the Sale of Certain AI Chips to China After Dario...
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown announced a bipartisan bill to prohibit the export of certain advanced AI chips to China. The legislation follows a meeting between OpenAI co‑founder Dario Amodei and Warren, where concerns about China’s use of AI...
By Techmeme
News•Feb 10, 2026
Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter Steps Down After More than 30 Years with the Company and Plans to Retire; CFO...
Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter announced his retirement after more than three decades leading the robotics pioneer. Playter, who guided the development of flagship robots like Spot and Atlas, will hand the reins to CFO Amanda McMaster as interim chief...
By Techmeme
Social•Feb 10, 2026
AI Dominates Startups, yet “Why Now?” Still Matters
Thanks for resurfacing this, Dimitry Gershenson 🙏 ❤️ So much has changed since we put this together in 2023 (i.e. AI dominating the startup ecosystem) but also, not much has changed (i.e. the importance of asking "why now?").
By Angela Tran Kingyens
Social•Feb 10, 2026
PE Overvalued Saa
Entrepreneurs: private equity firms OVERVALUED SaaS companies during 2020-21. NOW, those “overvalued” companies are getting marked down 30-60% 🤯 If you’re an investor = BUY distressed assets LOW If you’re a startup founder = CASHFLOW CASHFLOW
By Sherrard Harrington
News•Feb 10, 2026
Prediction Market Kalshi Reached $1bn in Trading Volume During Super Bowl
Kalshi, a U.S.‑based prediction market, recorded over $1 billion in trading volume on Super Bowl Sunday, a 2,700% year‑over‑year surge. More than $145 million was wagered on Bad Bunny’s opening song and $45 million on his guest performers, despite the platform not running a...
By The Guardian » Business
Social•Feb 10, 2026
AI Personas Deliver Instant Strategic Product Feedback
Out of all the things we've shipped recently, this one has been my biggest wow moment. Instant feedback from any type of user... → Create a persona that matches your real users and buyers. → An AI agent takes on that persona. →...
By Brian Balfour
News•Feb 10, 2026
Newo, Which Offers AI Voice and Text Agents that Act as Always-On Front Desks for SMBs, Raised a $25M Series...
Newo, a startup delivering AI‑powered voice and text agents that function as always‑on front desks for small and medium‑sized businesses, announced a $25 million Series A financing round. The new capital lifts the company's total funding to $32 million, positioning it for rapid...
By Techmeme
News•Feb 10, 2026
This Kenyan Startup Promises School Pickups Digital Paper Trail
TerraGO, a Kenyan startup, has launched an NFC‑based platform that records school transport handovers through wristbands or bag tags and readers at buses and gates. The system creates time‑stamped, location‑specific logs of boarding, arrival and pickup events, providing parents and...
By TechCabal
News•Feb 10, 2026
Sources: Spain-Based Multiverse, Which Shrinks LLMs to Reduce Energy and Compute Costs, Is in Talks to Raise ~€500M at a...
Spain‑based Multiverse, which compresses large language models to slash energy and compute expenses, is courting investors for a €500 million round that would value the company at over €1.5 billion. The startup recently disclosed it has reached €100 million in annual recurring revenue,...
By Techmeme
News•Feb 10, 2026
We Need a Fresh Vision to Save Our High Streets | Letters
Letters to the Guardian call for a radical overhaul of the UK high‑street model, arguing that tinkering with business rates, rent levels and planning cannot reverse decline. Authors propose four pillars: reforming business rates, taxing online retailers, forcing reasonable rents,...
By The Guardian » Business
News•Feb 10, 2026
Why Some Founders in Startup Accelerators Do Better Than Others
Startup accelerators boost growth but outcomes vary dramatically, according to a new Strategic Management Journal study of 6,723 firms in 280 programs. The research shows founders' pre‑entry knowledge—education, industry experience, and prior ventures—drives revenue, headcount, and funding gains, with high‑knowledge...
By Wharton Knowledge
News•Feb 10, 2026
Bretton AI Raises $75 Million To Expand Financial Crime Automation
Bretton AI, formerly Greenlite AI, announced a $75 million Series B funding round led by Sapphire Ventures, with participation from existing backers and new investor TIAA Ventures. The capital will fuel expansion of its AI‑driven compliance platform, which automates high‑volume...
By Ventureburn
News•Feb 10, 2026
UK Sleepwalking Into Joblessness Epidemic, Tesco Boss Warns
Tesco UK chief Ashwin Prasad warned that Britain is "sleepwalking" into a joblessness epidemic, with unemployment at a four‑year high of 5.1%. He highlighted that more than 9 million people aged 16‑64 are economically inactive, including 2.9 million young adults, and that...
By The Guardian » Business
News•Feb 10, 2026
Sources: Crypto Exchange Kraken Has Fired Its CFO, Stephanie Lemmerman, Ahead of Its Long-Awaited IPO; Lemmerman Joined Kraken From Dapper...
Kraken, the New York‑based crypto exchange, has terminated CFO Stephanie Lemmerman just weeks before its long‑awaited initial public offering. Lemmerman, who came from Dapper Labs in November 2024, was responsible for steering the firm’s financial reporting and regulatory compliance. The...
By Techmeme
News•Feb 10, 2026
Competition Is Not Market Validation
The article argues that a crowded competitive landscape does not prove a large or attractive market. It explains that excess venture capital, low barriers to entry, and an oversupply of founders can create a swarm of startups even in modest...
By Hacker News
News•Feb 10, 2026
Annual VC Funding Into Irish SMEs Fell for First Time Since 2018
Annual venture capital funding for Irish tech SMEs fell 23% in 2025 to €1.1 billion, marking the first decline since 2018. The fourth quarter dropped 46% to €291.4 million, driven by a 71% retreat of international investors. Life‑science firms attracted the most...
By Irish Tech News
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Winning Products Focus on the Critical Last 20%
We’re about to be flooded with: – average MVPs – look-alike products – tools with no point of view – software that works but doesn’t matter What actually wins now isn’t speed to “something.” Today, anyone can prompt their way to an MVP. You can get 80%...
By Wes Bush
News•Feb 10, 2026
Lightspeed Selects 4 Deeptech Startups for Its India Ascends 2026 Cohort
Lightspeed India has announced its India Ascends 2026 cohort, selecting four deep‑tech startups founded by entrepreneurs under 25. The cohort targets frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, space, robotics, biotechnology, and defense, and is backed by partners Anthropic, Groq, Google...
By YourStory
News•Feb 10, 2026
Deep Fission Raises $80 Million To Scale Underground Nuclear Reactor Technology
Deep Fission announced an $80 million financing round, selling over five million restricted shares at $15 each. The capital will fund its underground borehole‑installed small modular pressurised water reactors, a design the company says can cut construction costs by up to...
By Ventureburn
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Earn $1 Now, Not $1M Dreamed Inaction
Making $1 beats planning to make $1M and doing nothing. Seen this too many times with aspiring founders.
By ai_topia_
News•Feb 10, 2026
Varntix Expands the Conversation Around Fixed-Income Opportunities in Crypto
Varntix is introducing a digital‑asset treasury model that issues on‑chain fixed‑term convertible notes with income paid in stablecoins. The initiative reflects a broader shift from variable staking rewards toward structured, predictable crypto income. By combining treasury diversification with predefined payout...
By Ventureburn
Blog•Feb 10, 2026
Claude Code - All Things Product Podcast with Teresa Torres & Petra Wille
In the All Things Product podcast, Teresa Torres and Petra Wille explore Claude Code, Anthropic’s local AI coding assistant, and demonstrate how non‑engineers can integrate it into daily workflows. They contrast the browser‑based Claude with Claude Code on a personal...
By Product Talk
News•Feb 10, 2026
In Conversation With: Bloomberg’s Amanda Stent
Amanda Stent, Bloomberg's head of AI strategy, says artificial intelligence is now a core reality for financial services, yet regulatory frameworks lag behind. She emphasizes that responsible AI—transparent attribution, explainability, and robust guardrails—is essential for trust and competitive advantage. Bloomberg...
By UKTN (UK Tech News)
News•Feb 10, 2026
Shamli’s Iron Fabrication Works: Powering Agriculture Through Harrow Discs
Shamli’s iron‑fabrication cluster, designated under the One District One Product (ODOP) programme, has become a hub for manufacturing harrow discs, essential components for disc harrows used across Indian agriculture. The family‑run Adhinath Industry, operating since 2005, employs around 35 workers...
By YourStory
News•Feb 10, 2026
Indiqube Posts Rs 390 Cr Revenue in Q3 FY26; Losses Rise 21%
Indiqube, a managed workspace solutions provider, reported Q3 FY26 revenue of Rs 390 crore, a 45.5% year‑on‑year increase, bringing total income to Rs 411 crore including non‑operating revenue. Total expenses rose 39% to Rs 434 crore, driven by higher employee...
By Entrackr
News•Feb 10, 2026
North Africa Rises on Deals as MENA AI Funding Hits $858 Million
AI venture capital in the Middle East and North Africa surged to $858 million in 2025, representing 22% of total regional VC and 29% of all deals. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia dominated funding, absorbing 87% of AI capital,...
By TechCabal
News•Feb 10, 2026
Antler Launches Always-On Nordic Residency and $100M+ Fund to Accelerate Startup Investment
Antler has unveiled an always‑on residency for Nordic founders, backed by the $100 million‑plus Antler Nordic Fund II—three times larger than its first fund. The continuous program replaces biannual cohorts and can approve investments within two to six weeks. Selected startups receive...
By ArcticStartup
News•Feb 10, 2026
Jumia’s Q4 2025 Revenue Jumps 34% to $61.4 Million
Jumia reported Q4 2025 revenue of $61.4 million, a 34% year‑over‑year rise driven by a booming marketplace segment. Gross profit jumped 43% and operating loss narrowed to $10.6 million, reflecting stronger margins and tighter cost control. The company’s GMV climbed 36% to $279.5 million,...
By Techpoint Africa
News•Feb 10, 2026
Beyond Heritage: How Hardoi’s Handloom Sustains a Living Economy
Hardoi’s Mallawan handloom sector remains a vital economic engine, producing cotton textiles ranging from towels to quilts. Entrepreneur Hafizuddin Ansari shifted from retail to local manufacturing, investing in machinery and coordinating a home‑based network of weavers. Support from the One...
By YourStory
News•Feb 10, 2026
Reliance Consumer Products Acquires Southern Health Foods to Boost Millet Portfolio
Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL) has acquired Southern Health Foods, the Tamil Nadu‑based maker of the Manna millet brand, to deepen its health‑focused staples portfolio. The undisclosed deal enables RCPL to leverage its extensive distribution and supply‑chain network to take Manna...
By YourStory
News•Feb 10, 2026
HAMR Energy Lands $10 Million Runway From Qantas and Airbus
Australian low‑carbon fuel startup HAMR Energy closed a $10 million Series A round backed by Qantas, Airbus and Thyssenkrupp Uhde. The capital will accelerate its flagship Portland Renewable Fuels project, targeting 300,000 tonnes per year of methanol derived from plantation forestry residues. A...
By SmartCompany » StartupSmart (AU)
News•Feb 10, 2026
UK Space Agency Launches Programme to Boost Industry Skills
The UK Space Agency has unveiled the Skills for Space internship programme, offering 50 paid eight‑week placements for undergraduates and further‑education students across the country. The scheme aims to address a widening talent gap, as a recent Space Skills Survey...
By UKTN (UK Tech News)
News•Feb 10, 2026
Trust Science Acquires Lenders API to Build Fraud Defence System for Lenders
Trust Science, an AI‑driven risk platform, has acquired Toronto‑based Lenders API, bringing its consortium‑based fraud‑prevention technology, customers, and data into Trust Science’s portfolio. The deal creates Canada’s first industry‑wide defence system against coordinated lending fraud, enabling real‑time, anonymized data sharing...
By BetaKit (Canada)
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Ship Imperfectly, Let Users See Your Vision
Flo Crivello , founder of Lindy told me he gave early users a product that was oily, half-broken, and rough around the edges. His no-code AI automation platform wasn't ready. Not by traditional standards. The first people through the door didn't judge...
By Omer Khan
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Startups Can Grow Tenfold, YC Fuels the Boom
What do I believe that few other people believe yet? Startups can and will be 10x bigger YC’s role to make that happen. We're the tree of prosperity: minting more great founders so that both the mega-platforms and the boutiques have...
By Garry Tan
News•Feb 10, 2026
Regulatory Conditions Block Access Bank’s Bidvest Bank Acquisition
Access Bank's planned acquisition of South Africa's Bidvest Bank has collapsed after the Nigerian lender failed to satisfy regulatory conditions by the Jan 26, 2026 deadline. The deal, announced in Dec 2024, would have given Access 100 % ownership of Bidvest Bank, expanding its...
By TechCabal
Social•Feb 10, 2026
Future Teams: PMs Code, Architect Manages Infrastructure
anyone with theories on how software teams will evolve? today: 1 eng, 1 PM, 1 designer (EPD) tomorrow: 10 PMs who vibe code all day + 1 eng architect (the architect creates the scaffolding and writes adversarial agents to manage tech debt, security, scalability issues) Thoughts?
By Andrew Chen
Social•Feb 10, 2026
CEOs May Flee Taxes, but California Retains Talent
This take might age like milk, but I'm calling it: the tech CEOs might move their domicile to other states for tax reasons, but they will keep their teams in California. The chicken-and-egg of talent density is so difficult to replicate...
By Eric Bahn
News•Feb 10, 2026
Clean-Tech Startup PadCare Labs Raises $3 Mn Led by Rainmatter
PadCare Labs, a clean‑tech firm specializing in sanitary‑waste recycling, secured $3 million in a pre‑Series A round led by Rainmatter, with participation from 3one4 Capital, Brigade REAP, PKRBCV Shroff Trust, existing backers and debt from EXIM and ICICI banks. The capital will...
By Entrackr
News•Feb 10, 2026
AstraZeneca CEO Hails NHS Drug Price Deal but Keeps Pause on £200m UK Investment
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot praised the UK‑US NHS drug‑pricing agreement as a "very positive step," but said it will not unlock the paused £200 million Cambridge research hub investment. The deal is projected to cost the NHS about £1 billion over its...
By The Guardian » Business