The Deep-Tech Founder Using AI to Address Immunology Challenges
Camille Bouget, CEO and co‑founder of Scienta Lab, launched EVA, a multimodal AI platform designed to accelerate immunology drug development. The model helps R&D teams identify viable therapeutic targets, predict preclinical efficacy, and stratify patients for clinical trials. By applying AI across discovery, preclinical, and clinical stages, EVA aims to reduce the high attrition rates that plague treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease. The approach hinges on a multidisciplinary team that blends immunology expertise with advanced machine‑learning engineering.
Metafuels Awarded €1.92M to Develop Rotterdam E-SAF Project
Swiss sustainable aviation fuel company Metafuels secured a €1.92 million (≈ $2.1 million) grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency for its Rotterdam e‑SAF project, administered through its Dutch subsidiary. The funding will finance front‑end engineering, permitting and commercial preparation for the Turbe plant,...
Iris Ventures Sets Next Edition of Glow Up, Its Beauty and Wellness Accelerator
Iris Ventures announced the fourth edition of its Glow Up accelerator, a five‑week online program for female founders launching April 23. The curriculum covers retail strategy, brand positioning, global operations, fundraising, and M&A preparation, with sessions led by experts such as McKinsey...
Saronic Raises $1.75B at $9.25B Valuation to Gear up Autonomous Ship Production
Saronic Technologies announced a $1.75 billion Series D round, valuing the autonomous shipbuilder at $9.25 billion. The funding will accelerate production of unmanned vessels for defense and commercial markets, including the newly unveiled 180‑foot Marauder built in under six months. Saronic also secured...
What It’s Like Being a Black Beauty Founder Today
The Cut interviewed seven Black beauty founders to explore the evolving landscape of products for darker skin tones. Pioneers like Lisa Price, who launched Carol’s Daughter in 1993, recount early struggles with limited shade options and the emotional toll of...
Small Metal Fabricator Implements ERP Software Before Even Renting a Warehouse
Aston Precision, a Melbourne‑based metal fabricator, grew from a spare bedroom startup to a key supplier for construction, machinery and Amazon within three years. The founder installed the MRPeasy ERP system before securing a warehouse, completing the initial setup in...
Treeline Pushes Software-Driven Model for IT Services
Treeline announced a $25 million Series A round to develop a modern IT operating system that automates and standardizes service delivery across IT, security, and compliance. The platform replaces fragmented, ticket‑based workflows with a unified, software‑driven layer, allowing routine tasks to be...
TippingPoint Raises $4.5M Seed to Drug Hidden Epigenetic Targets in Deadly Pediatric Brain Cancer
TippingPoint Biosciences announced a $4.5 million seed round led by SOSV and LKS Fund to advance its epigenetic drug discovery platform. The company targets protein‑protein interfaces within disease‑specific chromatin environments, aiming at sites traditionally deemed undruggable. Its inaugural program focuses on...
NACO Wants Feds to Use $750 Million in VC Funding to Back Startups Earlier
The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) is urging the Canadian government to allocate its $750 million VC envelope – roughly $555 million USD – toward early‑stage seed funding. Its white paper proposes a $500 million Early‑Stage Matching Funds Program with a two‑to‑one public‑private...
OBIO® Celebrates Women Leaders in Life Sciences and Health Tech with Investment in Block Biosciences and Launch of Entrepreneurship Training...
OBIO marked International Women’s Month by awarding a $100,000 investment to Block Biosciences and a $10,000 audience‑choice prize to Arche Biotechnologies, highlighting the third cohort of its Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program. The cohort of nine women‑led companies...
Are Algae Securities Fraud?
Algae‑based fuel startups are pitching genetically engineered algae as a breakthrough renewable energy source, promising massive returns. Founders often embellish technical viability to attract venture capital, leading investors to question whether claims are realistic. The article highlights the tension between...
Canned Seaweed Drink OoMee Expands Retail Footprint to over 700 Stores Worldwide
OoMee, the canned red seaweed beverage founded by cancer survivor Alissa Miky, has expanded its retail presence to more than 700 stores worldwide. The brand leverages a proprietary ingredient called Seabiotics, offering a 20‑calorie, sugar‑free drink that claims to curb...
Kenyan AI Startup Bets on Local Dialects as Proof Gap Remains
Map Maven GMB, a Nairobi‑based AI startup founded in 2025, has launched Kaya, a 70‑billion‑parameter LLaMA‑based large language model fine‑tuned on Kenyan dialects, alongside a voice agent called Sauti deployed at Natcon SACCO. The firm also offers Daraja Connect, a...
The Refurbished Economy Is Booming — Here’s How It’s Helping Businesses Preserve Capital and Scale Smarter
Businesses are increasingly opting for refurbished assets as a strategic alternative to new purchases, driven by soaring costs and supply‑chain volatility. Refurbished equipment delivers 40‑70% cost savings, immediate availability, and warranties comparable to new, while supporting ESG and circular‑economy goals....
How a Startup Built Nigeria’s Digital Map in Nine Months
Nigerian startup Milsat Technologies built a home‑grown geospatial platform that digitally mapped the entire country in just nine months, a task that had stalled for over two decades. The mobile‑first app works offline, consumes minimal storage and delivers 99.9% location...
For Crypto Startups, Breaking Kenya’s Advertising Rules Could Cost $23,000 in Fines
Kenya’s National Treasury has released draft Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) regulations that would tightly control crypto advertising and impose new fees on transactions and token issuances. The framework, open for comment until April 10, defines advertising broadly and threatens...
Linx Security Raises $50M Series B as Identity Becomes Security’s Biggest Failure Point
Linx Security announced a $50 million Series B round led by Insight Partners, bringing its total capital to $83 million. The New York‑based startup offers an AI‑native identity governance platform that continuously maps, monitors and automates control of human, machine and AI‑agent identities. With...
Nomadic Raises $8.4 Million to Wrangle the Data Pouring Off Autonomous Vehicles
NomadicML raised an $8.4 million seed round at a $50 million post‑money valuation to commercialize its vision‑language platform that auto‑annotates autonomous‑vehicle video. The tool transforms terabytes of archived footage into searchable, structured datasets, enabling rapid identification of rare edge‑case events for training...
Novastar Ventures Closes $147 Million Third Fund to Drive Pan-African Ambitions
Novastar Ventures closed its third fund, the Africa People and Planet Fund III, at $147 million, targeting climate‑focused and impact‑driven startups across Africa. Japanese investors such as SBI Holdings, SMBC, Mitsubishi and JICA joined returning partners like Norfund and British International Investment....
Last Call for Microbiome Start-Ups and Research Abstracts for Probiota Americas
NutraIngredients is inviting consumer‑facing, science‑driven startups and researchers to submit entries for its Probiota Pioneers and Scientific Frontiers tracks, with winners presenting at Probiota Americas in Vancouver from June 8‑10, 2026. Startups must be Americas‑based, under 20 employees, founded within ten years...
Jimini Health Secures $17M to Scale Clinician-Supervised Behavioral Health AI
Jimini Health, a New York‑based behavioral health startup, announced a $17 million seed round, bringing its total capital to more than $25 million. The funding, led by M13, Town Hall Ventures and Zetta Venture Partners with backing from former CMS Acting Administrator...
Autonomous Vessel Innovator Saronic Series D Round Raises $1.75BN
Austin‑based Saronic Technologies closed a $1.75 billion Series D round, valuing the autonomous‑vessel maker at $9.25 billion. The funding, led by Kleiner Perkins, adds Advent International, Bessemer, DFJ Growth and others to its investor base. Recent milestones include acquiring Gulf Craft’s shipyard, a...
As War Unfolds, Sofra Is Turning Solidarity Into a System that Sustains Lebanon
Two weeks after Israel’s assault, over one million Lebanese are displaced, intensifying an already fragile economy. Sofra, a digital platform co‑created by the Ministry of Tourism, Siren, CME and Beirut Digital District, matches diaspora donors, local restaurants and shelters to...
ITIDA, Plug and Play Support 61 Upper Egypt Startups, Unlock $3.7M in Funding
Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) partnered with Plug and Play to complete the Aswan Bootcamp Series, supporting 61 startups in Upper Egypt. The cohort collectively raised about $3.7 million (EGP 200 million) in investment, demonstrating strong investor interest outside Cairo. After...
Siemens Joins ESA Commercialization Support Program
Siemens has entered the European Space Agency’s EPIC commercialization program, offering its digital‑twin, simulation and mentoring services to startups in ESA’s Business Incubation Centres. The partnership gives access to Siemens Xcelerator, enabling virtual design, testing and validation of space‑related systems....
Brands Briefing: How Oral-Care Brand Boka Made the Jump From Erewhon to Walmart
Oral‑care startup Boka, known for its premium $10‑$12 toothpaste, has secured shelf space at Walmart after building a foothold at upscale retailer Erewhon. The move marks the brand’s first foray into mass‑market distribution, aiming to capture shoppers willing to pay...
Antler-Backed Covrzy Shuts Down Due To Cash Crunch
Covrzy, an Antler‑backed insurtech founded in 2023, announced its shutdown after three years of operation due to a persistent cash crunch. The Bengaluru startup, which had raised $386,000 and secured an IRDAI direct broking licence, projected FY26 revenue of ₹1.3‑₹1.5 crore...
Space Start-Ups Gain Siemens Nous
Siemens has joined the European Space Agency’s EPIC programme, offering its Xcelerator software suite and digital‑twin capabilities to start‑ups nurtured by ESA Business Incubation Centres. The partnership gives fledgling space firms access to virtual design, simulation and engineering tools that...
Life in Focus: Ajay Ajmera, Founder & CEO, Ajmera Fashion Ltd.
Ajay Ajmera, founder and CEO of Ajmera Fashion Ltd., has grown a Surat‑based textile company from a Class 12 dropout to a global exporter serving more than 30 countries. The firm has empowered over 150,000 textile entrepreneurs, including more than 10,000...
What Behavioral Health Startups Get Wrong About Enrolling Therapists With Aetna, BCBS, and United
Behavioral health startups often underestimate payer enrollment for Aetna, BCBS and UnitedHealthcare, causing 60‑150 day delays before therapists can bill in‑network. The article identifies three recurring errors: submitting incomplete provider data, applying to closed panels, and assuming uniform payer timelines...
Clinical AI Platform Avo Secures $10M, Announces EBSCO DynaMed Partnership
Avo, a clinical AI platform that overlays major EHRs, closed a $10 million Series A led by Noro‑Moseley Partners and backed by AlleyCorp. The company announced a strategic partnership with EBSCO’s DynaMed to embed evidence‑based guidelines directly into its AI copilots. Avo’s...
Debt Intelligence Platform 9fin Scores £130m Round
AI‑driven debt intelligence platform 9fin has become a unicorn after closing a $170 million (≈£128.8 million) Series C round, pushing its valuation to $1.3 billion. The funding, led by HarbourVest and joined by CPP Investment Board and other investors, will fund AI enhancements, dataset...
NODWIN Lines Up $100 Mn Pre-IPO Round For Its Next Act
NODWIN Gaming is raising a $100 million pre‑IPO round to pivot from pure esports into a broader youth‑media business. The capital will fund IP expansion and new monetisation layers rather than aggressive geographic growth, as the firm already operates in over...
Brickken Secures €3M to Expand Tokenisation Infrastructure
Barcelona‑based Brickken, a tokenisation infrastructure provider for financial institutions, closed a €3 million (≈$3.3 million) pre‑Series A round. The round attracted strategic European investors, including Dedagroup founder Marco Podini and venture firm GRX. Brickken’s platform enables banks, asset managers and issuers to tokenise equity,...
Finnish Startup Test of Things Lands €1.2 Million Pre-Seed to Automate Connected Device Security
Finnish cybersecurity startup Test of Things secured €1.2 million (about $1.3 million) in a pre‑seed round led by Vendep Capital, with participation from Business Finland and several angel investors. The company is developing an AI‑driven platform that automates security testing and regulatory...
Tamannaah Bhatia Wants to Build India’s Answer to Cartier
Actress Tamannaah Bhatia has launched Tamannaah Fine Jewellery, positioning it as India’s answer to Cartier. The brand builds on her father’s fifteen‑year jewellery business, giving it in‑house manufacturing and design control. It targets modern, urban consumers who want contemporary pieces...
Is University Losing Its Edge? ELVTR Bets on Live, Industry-Led Learning
ELVTR, a spin‑out of the LABA Group, runs a live, instructor‑led platform that bridges traditional online courses and on‑the‑job training. It now offers more than 100 short, intensive programs across AI, product, design, data and creative fields, and has taught...
Inside Khetika’s Bet To Build A ₹2,000 Cr Staples Brand
Khetika, a Mumbai‑based D2C food startup, is targeting a ₹2,000 Cr (≈ $241 million) clean‑label staples brand by rebuilding the supply chain around single‑origin sourcing, stone‑grinding, and preservative‑free packaging. The company reported FY25 revenue of ₹247 Cr (≈ $30 million) and projects ₹350 Cr (≈ $42 million) by fiscal‑end,...
IdeaForge and IIT Bombay Sign MoU to Launch ‘Who Are the Next Idiots?’ Programme to Identify Emerging Deep-Tech Founders
IdeaForge Technology Ltd. and IIT Bombay have signed an MoU to launch the six‑month deep‑tech entrepreneurship programme “Who Are the Next Idiots?”. The initiative, open from 28 February to 30 April 2026, targets undergraduate, postgraduate and early‑stage founders working on robotics, energy systems,...
Growth without Drift: How Akur8 Protects Its Culture as It Scales
Akur8, the actuarial‑platform provider, expanded its global footprint in 2025, adding a new Madrid office and deepening presence across North America and Europe. Chief Talent Officer Delphine Marsh says the company’s biggest achievement was preserving its core culture while scaling....
Citykart Appoints Rohit Goyal as CFO
Citykart, the Indian value‑fashion retailer targeting tier‑II, III and IV cities, announced the appointment of Rohit Goyal as chief financial officer. Goyal brings over 20 years of finance leadership from GlobalBees, OYO Hotels, Rivigo, Bharti Airtel, PepsiCo and LG Electronics. The hire...
Why Your Favorite Workouts Likely Have California Roots (and What Makes Them Succeed)
Pickleball equipment maker CRBN Pickleball, founded in Costa Mesa in 2021, posted $20 million revenue in 2025, more than double its 2024 earnings. The company now employs 20 people and ranks #26 on Inc.’s 2026 Pacific list. California’s year‑round climate has...
These Rocky Mountain Startups Are Giving Outdoor Tech an Upgrade
Post‑pandemic outdoor activity surged, driving an 8% rise in Rocky Mountain park visits between 2019 and 2023. This demand has spurred fast‑growing startups like Dark Energy, which leverages military‑grade solar‑plus‑storage batteries. The company posted nearly $4 million in 2024 revenue and...
Move Over, Silicon Valley: Meet the Surprising Southwest Companies Reinventing the Classroom
The Southwest is emerging as a hotbed for education technology, driven by Texas' massive and growing student population—projected at 5.9 million elementary and secondary students in 2026—and a wave of public‑private partnerships. Texas recently approved $8.5 billion in new education funding plus...
Emerald AI and Nvidia Aim to Offer the Fast Pass for Data Center Grid Connects, Partnering with Power Producers and...
Emerald AI, founded by former renewable developer Varun Sivaram, offers software that makes AI data centers flexible‑load, allowing them to reduce power use during grid peaks and accelerate interconnection approvals. Nvidia’s venture arm NVentures led a $25 million round that brings...
Semarion Raises $3.8M to Scale Cell Assay Technology
Semarion, a Cambridge spin‑out, secured $3.8 million (≈£2.9 million) in a Series A round led by Parkwalk to scale its SemaCyte cell‑based screening platform. The funding follows a $2.89 million seed round in 2022 and will be used to expand manufacturing, field support,...
Savanna Fibre Sparks Price War in Kenya’s Stagnant Broadband Market
Kenyan ISP Savanna Fibre, launched in 2024, has introduced a 100 Mbps broadband plan priced at KES 2,000 (≈$15), undercutting Safaricom’s comparable offering by about 80%. The company also offers a 1 Gbps tier for $77, roughly half the price of Safaricom and...
Female Entrepreneurs Are Struggling to Scale Despite Ambition
New research by Small Business Britain and Starling Bank surveyed over 1,000 UK female founders, finding that 82% aim to grow their businesses within the next year and 53% have already seen revenue gains. Yet 51% do not plan to...
"You're Better than This": Why Young Men Are Quitting Porn in Droves
Quittr, a porn‑addiction recovery app launched in August 2024, claims nearly two million downloads and rapid subscriber growth during December‑February. Founder Alex Slater, a 20‑year‑old entrepreneur, markets the tool to young men seeking self‑improvement, leveraging influencers across religious and fitness...
On the Journey with 9fin From Day One to Their $1.3 Billion Valuation.
9fin announced a $170 million Series C round that lifts its valuation to $1.3 billion, bringing total capital raised since its 2017 launch to over $250 million. The AI‑native platform tackles the decades‑old data fragmentation in debt capital markets by centralising documents, emails and...