How New SR&ED Changes Could Supercharge Canadian Hard Tech and Manufacturing Startups
Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive program, which returned roughly $3.3 billion USD to over 22,000 firms in 2025, has been revamped to better serve hard‑tech and manufacturing startups. The refundable credit limit has doubled to $6 million CAD (about $4.4 million USD), capex on equipment and facilities is once again claim‑eligible, and publicly traded companies can now access the strongest benefits. These changes aim to de‑risk capital‑intensive R&D, encouraging more aggressive experimentation in sectors like cleantech, robotics, and advanced materials. Boast, an AI‑driven R&D tax platform, reports helping 2,000+ firms secure an estimated $462 million USD in credits.
What Is a Merchant Cash Advance? A Must-Read for UK Entrepreneurs
A merchant cash advance (MCA) is an alternative financing product that provides UK businesses with a lump‑sum cash injection, repaid as a fixed percentage of future card sales. Unlike traditional bank loans, MCAs require no collateral, do not affect credit...
Chapter Secures $100M to Bridge Seniors and AI Tech
Chapter, a New York‑based AgeTech startup, closed a $100 million Series E round led by Generation Investment Management, with participation from Fifth Down Capital, 8VC, Stripes, Addition and Susa Ventures. The funding backs its AI‑native platform that scans more than 24,000 Medicare...
Luminai Secures $38M, Inks Enterprise AI Partnership with Cleveland Clinic
Luminai announced a $38 million Series B round led by Peak XV Partners, lifting its total capital to $60 million. Simultaneously, the company unveiled an enterprise AI deployment with the Cleveland Clinic to automate the routing of faxed referrals. By embedding hospital‑specific standard operating procedures...
Daniella Senior Champions Cuban Hospitality with Growing Colada Shop Concept
Daniella Senior launched Colada Shop a decade ago as a Cuban‑inspired all‑day café that shifts from coffee to rum‑based cocktails across dayparts. The concept now spans seven locations, including a spot at Reagan National Airport, and is bolstered by a...
Justin Rosenberg Combines Tech, Service, and Unique Food at Honeygrow
Justin Rosenberg founded Honeygrow in 2012 after a personal health wake‑up, creating a fast‑casual concept that serves cooked‑to‑order stir‑fried noodles and a customizable Honeybar dessert line. The chain now operates 74 locations across eight states, with three new openings in...
Former UEFA, Orange Executive Nicolas Déal Launches OVERCAST Private-Cloud Production Service
Former UEFA and Orange executive Nicolas Déal has launched OVERCAST, a Swiss‑based private‑cloud platform tailored for live‑sports broadcasting. The service delivers IP‑native, micro‑service production, contribution and distribution capabilities from distributed European data centers, promising ultra‑low deterministic latency. OVERCAST’s data‑to‑data workflow...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Daniel Bock, Morpheus Space
Morpheus Space, founded by TU Dresden researchers, commercialized NanoFEEP electric propulsion for CubeSats and larger platforms. After an in‑orbit qualification in February 2019, the startup raised a diverse 2020 round led by Vsquared Ventures with investors such as Airbus Ventures and...
Find the Pain or Build Forever with Sridhar Uyyala
In the Predictable Revenue Podcast, Sridhar Uyyala recounts his winding path to product‑market fit, beginning with an ambitious AI assistant for autonomous cars that was technically impressive but premature. After a series of unrelated prototypes, a conversation with a dental‑clinic...
Canada’s Spotty Support for Innovation Is Grounding Its Space Ambitions
Canada’s space sector is contracting despite recent high‑profile achievements, as the government cancelled the $43 million Canadian Lunar Rover and paused the $1 billion Canadarm3 program tied to the stalled Lunar Gateway. The cancellations expose a systemic flaw: the Canadian Space Agency...
Augment Aero: Automated Airside Assistance
Augment Aero, founded in 2023 by former aerospace recruiter Elaine Harding, is developing AI‑driven augmented‑reality glasses to automate aircraft‑engineer admin tasks. The startup secured a £1.2 million ($1.5 million) UK grant and later attracted private investment after highlighting Boeing’s £1 billion ($1.27 billion) cap‑table...
Nvidia Invests In CPU Chip Startup SiFive
Nvidia disclosed a strategic stake in SiFive, the RISC‑V processor startup, as part of a $400 million oversubscribed financing round that values SiFive at $3.65 billion. The new capital will accelerate SiFive’s development of custom RISC‑V CPUs and AI IP aimed at...
Lending to Nigeria’s SMEs Is Hard. Nomba Thinks There’s a Better Way
Nomba announced that its 18‑month partnership with Globus Bank generated roughly $26.6 million in loans to Nigerian SMEs, while keeping the non‑performing loan ratio below 1 %. The fintech’s underwriting relies on real‑time payment flows rather than traditional audited statements, and it...
OWM Founder Jeff Frommer on Why Creators Are Leaving Money on the Table
Jeff Frommer, founder of creator‑ownership platform OWM, argues that creators are missing out on equity in deals that generate billions of brand value. He identifies three structural blockers—lack of standard contracts, limited equity education, and misaligned manager incentives—and shows how...
Libas’ Next Big Thing After Hitting The ₹600 Cr Revenue Mark
Libas, the Indian ethnic‑wear brand founded in 2014, has surpassed the ₹1,000 Cr (~$120 M) annual revenue run‑rate after a decade of bootstrapped growth. The company began by targeting affordable workwear for women online, later pivoting to a fast‑fashion model that slashed...
Brands for a Better World: Coffee with Benefits with Holly Xing of Eightbillion
Holly Xing, a nutritional scientist and formulating chemist, launched JostArriba—an instant coffee infused with nootropic and adaptogen ingredients such as Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Ashwagandha, and L-Theanine. The blend aims to counter typical coffee side effects while enhancing cognition, focus, stress...
Why Non‑UPF Verification Is Emerging as a Strategic Advantage for Startups
Non‑UPF verification is emerging as a strategic tool for early‑stage food brands as consumer demand to avoid ultra‑processed foods spikes. Surveys reveal 72 % of Americans want to steer clear of such products, yet most lack clear guidance, creating a trust...
Your Launches Are Late Because Your Cadence Is Wrong
Product launches often slip because teams lack a disciplined cadence that surfaces problems early. The article outlines seven concrete strategies—monthly milestone commits, quarterly design‑build‑buffer gates, biweekly risk reviews, quarterly skip‑level syncs, a hard‑coded six‑week launch buffer, annual planning with market...
Pivot Founder Chris Cocalis on Their New Insanely Powerful Shuttle AMP’d, XC Race Bike Design, 32” Wheels, & More (Ep.321)
Pivot unveiled the Avinox M2S‑powered Shuttle AMP’d, a high‑output electric mountain bike that pushes power levels beyond typical e‑bike norms. Founder Chris Cocalis explained the engineering trade‑offs of integrating the controversial Avinox drive, including frame reinforcement and advanced battery management. The...
Stop Selling to Enterprises. Start Building with Them.
Founders are moving from a pure sales mindset to co‑building AI solutions with large enterprises. As corporations scramble to deploy AI faster than they can develop it internally, they are seeking startup partners for joint pilots, data sharing, and rapid...
Exel Gaming Accelerator Reopens with up to $300,000 in Funding for Third Cohort
Exel Gaming Accelerator has reopened for its third cohort, offering up to $300,000 in combined cash and in‑kind support. Startups can receive up to $150,000 in cash plus $150,000 worth of services, weekly mentorship, and an AI‑focused curriculum. The program...
Apex B2B Launches Its SaaS Platform for Merchants with £1.3m Backing
Apex B2B has launched a new AI‑enabled SaaS platform aimed at mid‑market B2B merchants, backed by £1.3 million (approximately $1.66 million) of seed capital. The solution targets companies with annual revenues between £10 million and £300 million ($12.8‑$384 million) that have outgrown basic retail tools...
This Founder Helped Build SpaceX’s Most Powerful Rocket Engine. Now He’s Building a ‘Fighter Jet for Orbit.’
Portal Space Systems, founded by former SpaceX Raptor engineer Jeff Thornburg, announced a $50 million Series A round that values the startup at $250 million. The company is developing solar‑thermal propulsion, which concentrates sunlight to heat propellant and deliver high‑speed thrust for satellites...
Portal Closes $50M Series A
Portal Space Systems announced a $50 million Series A round led by Geodesic Capital and Mach33, with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, Ark Invest, AlleyCorp and FUSE. The capital will fund the first flight of its Starburst spacecraft on Transporter‑18 and a...
Yao Ming, Marc Lasry Invest in Tsai’s Asian College Hoops League
Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai’s Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) secured a Series A round with investors including former NBA star Yao Ming, private‑equity veteran Marc Lasry and venture‑capitalist David Blitzer. The round, led by Tsai’s family office Blue Pool Capital, is valued at least eight...
Propeller Brings Five MENA Deeptech Startups to Silicon Valley with Kernel Camp
Propeller, an AI‑focused venture capital firm, launched the inaugural Kernel Camp residency, bringing five deep‑tech startups from Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt to Silicon Valley. The eight‑week program embeds founders in the Bay Area ecosystem, offering access to engineers, investors...
Estonia’s Handhold Secures €3M Seed to Automate B2B Software Sales with AI Agents
Estonia‑based Handhold raised €3 million (≈$3.3 million) in a seed round led by Entourage Capital to automate inbound B2B software sales with multimodal AI agents. The platform assigns each lead a virtual “account manager” that qualifies prospects, delivers custom demos, and guides...
Meet Nigerian Innovator Building STEM Platform to Support Less-Priviliged African Kids
Nsisong Okon, a Nigerian‑born software engineer now based in Portugal, co‑founded Fancybox and its education arm STEM4Kiddo. The platform delivers interactive STEM lessons to primary‑school children across emerging markets, offering a paid subscription that’s free for beneficiaries of his NGO....
AfterQuery Raises $30M To Expand AI Data Solutions
AfterQuery announced a $30 million Series A round that values the applied‑data lab at $300 million. The funding will fuel expansion of its expert network, hiring, and enterprise solutions. The company already works with nearly 100,000 vetted professionals and has surpassed a $100 million...
Sora Fuel Raises $14.6 Million to Produce Jet Fuel From Air, Water, and Clean Energy
Climate‑tech startup Sora Fuel announced a $14.6 million financing round to accelerate its air‑to‑fuel technology that converts water, ambient CO₂ and renewable electricity into carbon‑negative jet fuel. The Boston‑based company claims its integrated direct‑air‑capture process can capture CO₂ for under $50...
Sateliot Seeks €100M in Latest Funding Round
Sateliot, the Spanish low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite operator, has opened a Series C round seeking roughly $108 million to finance the launch of 16 additional 5G‑capable satellites. The company already has six satellites in orbit and plans to add five more this year,...
How Temu Gave a Quokka Coffee the Boost It Needed
Quokka Coffee, a two‑person UK coffee startup, listed its products on Temu in August 2025 and quickly saw the platform become a vital sales channel. Within five months Temu accounts for roughly 15% of the company’s orders—about 20 weekly shipments—and...
BlockchainFX Hits $14.18M in Presale Funding: The Next 100x Crypto Token?
BlockchainFX’s presale has amassed $14.18 million from more than 22,900 participants, leaving just $820 k to hit its $15 million soft‑cap and trigger exchange listings. The token is priced at $0.035 now, with a guaranteed launch price of $0.05, embedding immediate upside for...
Global Investors Help Boost Latin America’s Late-Stage Funding Boom In Q1
Latin America’s venture ecosystem recorded a $1.03 billion funding surge in Q1 2026, driven primarily by a 158% jump in late‑stage and growth capital to $761 million. Mexico eclipsed Brazil, with Kavak’s $300 million Series F alone accounting for nearly a third of regional funds....
Happy Belly Accelerates Expansion as U.S. Entry Nears
Happy Belly Food Group, a Canadian fast‑casual operator, is accelerating its national rollout, opening 10 stores in Q1 2026 and targeting 35‑50 new sites this year to reach 100 locations by mid‑2026. Its franchise‑heavy, multi‑brand platform—Heal Wellness, Rosie’s Burgers, Yolks—has delivered strong same‑store performance...
Exclusive: BRND.ME to Convert Into Public Company; Set to Raise Rs 300 Cr Debt
BRND.ME, the e‑commerce roll‑up formerly Mensa Brands, has approved a name change to Mensa Brand Technologies Limited, signaling its conversion to a public company ahead of an IPO slated for the next 12‑18 months. The board also authorized a Rs 300 crore...
Masters’ Union Launches Rs 100 Cr Early-Stage Investment Platform
Masters’ Union, the Gurugram‑based business school, has launched MU Ventures, a Rs 100 crore ($12 million) early‑stage fund targeting founders under 25. The platform offers rapid funding decisions—typically within 10 days—and invests between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 50 lakh ($6k‑$60k) per startup. MU Ventures operates through...
SEADLING Founder Simon Davis on Bringing Long-Term Economic Benefit to SEA’s Seaweed Farmers
Biotech startup SEADLING, founded by Simon Davis, supplies Elkhorn sea moss seedlings to smallholder farmers in Malaysian Borneo and processes the harvest into fermented, functional ingredients. In 2025 the company closed a $1 million seed round and opened a second processing...
I Quadrupled My Revenue With a Newsletter in 6 Months. Here’s How Startup Founders Can Do the Same
Newsletter platforms are experiencing explosive growth, with Beehiiv reporting $19 million in paid subscriptions for 2025—a 138% jump from 2024. A founder who focused on email newsletters doubled his revenue every quarter, ultimately quadrupling earnings in six months. The piece outlines...
From Hype to Silence: Why Vietnam’s Clubhouse-Like App OnMic Couldn’t Survive
Vietnam’s home‑grown social‑audio platform OnMic, launched in 2021 with seed funding from Touchstone Partners, announced it is shutting down. The app rode the pandemic wave, touting more than 11 million live minutes and 20,000 programmes, but failed to convert that early...
Syneron Raises $150m for Macrocyclics, and Other Financings
Syneron Bio, a Beijing‑based biotech, closed a $150 million Series B just four months after raising $100 million, underscoring strong investor appetite for macrocyclic peptide therapeutics. The company’s AI‑powered Synova platform claims to design drug candidates for protein targets that have eluded conventional...
The Hidden IT Crisis Inside Fast-Growing SMEs
Fast‑growing SMEs often outgrow the IT systems that once kept them agile, leading to slower performance, security gaps, and compliance headaches. As data volumes and SaaS tool sprawl increase, legacy infrastructure struggles to support new workflows and AI initiatives. The...
Robilant and Voena Gallery Founders Part Ways to Start Separate Ventures with Their Children
After 22 years together, co‑founders Edmond di Robilant and Marco Voena have dissolved their partnership to launch two independent family‑run galleries, Robilant and Voena. The next generation steps into leadership, with Michele di Robilant taking the director role at Robilant...
A Maker of Pet Toys in Ukraine Turns to Killer Drones
Ukrainian pet‑monitoring startup Petcube pivoted to combat drones, launching Odd Systems and The Fourth Law to produce AI‑enabled FPV quadcopters. The drones integrate image‑recognition that spots tanks, artillery and soldiers, and use a YOLO interface that hands off the final...
Zerodha Rolls Out Fixed Deposits on Coin App
Zerodha has launched fixed‑deposit (FD) products on its Coin platform, partnering with Suryoday, Utkarsh and Unity Small Finance Banks. The service is fee‑free for investors, with Zerodha earning backend commissions from the banks. While FD distribution carries thin margins, the...
AI Is Rewriting the Rules of European Entrepreneurship
AI and low‑code platforms are collapsing the technical and financial barriers that have traditionally defined European entrepreneurship. Tools such as Lovable and Anthropic’s Claude let non‑technical founders turn domain expertise into market‑ready software in weeks rather than months. This shift...
Quest Nutrition Co-Founder Tom Bilyeu Built a $1 Billion Brand Using 1 Uncomfortable Rule About Emotions
Tom Bilyeu, co‑founder of Quest Nutrition, turned a modest protein‑bar startup into a $1 billion exit by insisting on a single uncomfortable rule: rigorously regulate his emotions. After leaving a security‑software firm and walking away from $2 million in equity, he spent...
India Is Slowing Down but Southeast Asia Is Falling Behind Faster
India’s venture capital market contracted 18% in FY2025‑26, pulling in $11.7 billion, yet it remains the world’s fourth‑largest funding pool. The decline is uneven: late‑stage financing fell 38% while early‑stage capital rose 33%, signaling a shift toward disciplined growth. Southeast Asia,...
Former OYO Executive’s Startup Nava Raises $22 Mn To Build Neocloud Platform
Former OYO executive Abhinav Sinha’s AI startup Nava, formerly Kluisz.ai, closed a $22 million Series A round led by Greenoaks, bringing total funding to $31.6 million. The company rebranded as Nava and established its regional headquarters in Singapore to tap APAC talent and...
Is Algae The Answer To Carbon Capture? Intrinsic Foundries’ Green Fix For Toxic Waste
Indian startup Intrinsic Foundries, founded in 2023, raised about $1.5 million seed funding to develop algae‑based carbon capture and utilization (CCUS) platforms that turn industrial CO₂ and waste streams into valuable biochemicals. The company’s proprietary 3‑D‑printed photobioreactors replace large ponds, achieving...