Exclusive: Tarte Founder Maureen Kelly Enters Nootropics with Finnsul, Co-Founded with Her Gen-Z Sons
Cosmetics founder Maureen Kelly has launched Finnsul, a brain‑hydration supplement co‑created with her Gen‑Z sons. The powder combines electrolytes, vitamin B, biotin and the nootropic Cognizin, sold in caffeinated and non‑caffeinated packets for $29.99 (15‑pack) or $49.99 (loose). Finnsul debuted on TikTok Shop on March 24, already amassing 50,000 waitlist sign‑ups and 25,000 TikTok followers, while leveraging Kelly’s 554,000‑strong personal audience. Retailers such as Ulta are planning limited‑edition kits, signaling early channel expansion.
How a Nigerian Developer Built an AI Tool Used by A16z Engineers
Nigerian developer Sampson Ovuoba launched Windframe in July 2021 as a visual UI builder that lets developers design interfaces and generate production‑ready code. After a modest start, the tool integrated generative AI in 2023, turning text prompts into responsive layouts....
Why Pure DTC Doesn’t Work in Healthcare, Per Muse Capital
Muse Capital partner Rachel Springate argues that pure direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) models rarely succeed in healthcare because they ignore insurance and system constraints. She highlights a hybrid approach where startups first attract consumers, prove outcomes, then integrate with payers and health...
The Woman Rewriting Modern Fitness: How Erin Romney Is Turning Science, Longevity, and Clean Living Into a New Path Forward...
Erin Romney, a former Division I athlete, has transformed her New Orleans boutique, Romney Studios, into a science‑driven wellness hub that aligns fitness with women’s hormonal cycles and life stages. She created the Romney Method, which blends strength training, Pilates, cardio, infrared...
Chip Interconnect Startup Kandou AI Raises $225M in Funding
Kandou AI, a Swiss startup developing copper‑based interconnects for AI chips, closed a $225 million financing round that values the company at $400 million. The round was led by chip‑design software giants Synopsys and Cadence, with participation from SoftBank, Maverick Silicon and...
Silicon Quantum Computing Receives $20 Million NRF Boost
Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) secured a ~13 million USD investment from Australia’s National Reconstruction Fund to accelerate production of its silicon‑based quantum chips and the Watermelon quantum‑machine‑learning platform. The SAFE‑note funding follows a $50 million USD Series A round in 2023 and aims to scale...
UC Davis Launches Food & Health Angels to Back Foodtech Startups as GLP-1 ‘Tsunami’ Approaches
UC Davis has launched Food & Health Angels (FH Angels), an angel network that pools capital from industry veterans to back early‑stage foodtech startups targeting metabolic health. The network allows investors to contribute as little as $10,000 or as much as...
UBC and InBC Launch New Fund to Support University Spinouts
The University of British Columbia and InBC Investment Corp. have launched the UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund, each contributing $10 million CAD (about $7.4 million USD). The partnership aims to raise an additional $20 million CAD from private investors, targeting a $40 million CAD (~$29.6 million...
Strategic Alliance Aims to Accelerate Federally Funded R&D Into Real-World Tech
The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) has entered a three‑year strategic partnership with FedTech to close the gap between federally funded research and market‑ready products. The alliance will list patented lab technologies on the FLC Business portal and task FedTech with...
Electric Trucks Take to the Road as Demand for Petrol-Free Cars Surges
Australian startup New Energy Transport completed its first electric long‑haul delivery from Sydney to Canberra, targeting a fleet of 20 electric trucks by the end of next year. The 290 km run cost about $33 in charging—roughly a third of a...
Stick to Your Business Plan — Why Making Sacrifices Can Lead to Negative Consequences
An entrepreneur expanded a successful restaurant chain by opening new sites that deviated from the original business plan, resulting in mismatched locations, poor customer experiences, and strained cash flow. The second, third, and fourth locations each suffered from sub‑optimal floor...
Vibe-Coding Startup Lovable Is on the Hunt for Acquisitions
Lovable, the AI‑powered app‑building platform once valued at $6.6 billion, announced it is actively seeking acquisitions to bring in founder‑type teams. CEO Anton Osika posted on X that the company wants “more great teams and startups to join Lovable,” aiming to boost...
Suki Teenoi on Course for 60 New Outlets This Year
Suki Teenoi, owned by BNN Restaurant Group, will open 60 new outlets in 2026, bringing its total to 133 stores. The chain is postponing any IPO because of ongoing volatility in Thailand’s stock market. It is launching a premium Teenoi...
BKR Capital Secures Initial $20 Million for Second Black Innovation Fund
BKR Capital announced the initial close of its second Black Innovation Fund with CAD 20 million (about US$14.6 million) of commitments. The firm aims to raise a total of CAD 50 million (≈US$36.5 million) to back roughly 25 Black‑led technology companies, issuing first checks of CAD 250 k‑1.5 million....
Nigerian Crypto Startup Roqqu Draws 30,000 Users to Its Futures Product
Nigerian crypto platform Roqqu attracted over 30,000 users to its futures derivatives during beta, prompting a full launch with a 0.1% trading fee. The startup is simultaneously reviving its crypto‑backed card offering and planning a prediction‑market product to broaden its...
Littlebird Raises $11M for Its AI-Assisted ‘Recall’ Tool that Reads Your Computer Screen
Littlebird, a startup founded by the creators of Sentieo, has closed an $11 million Series A round led by Lotus Studio. The company’s AI‑assisted “recall” tool continuously reads a user’s screen and stores contextual information as lightweight text rather than screenshots....
AI Doctor Startup Doctronic Garners $40M
Doctronic, a New York‑based AI doctor startup, announced a $40 million Series B round, bringing its total capital raised to $65 million. The funding, co‑led by Abstract and Lightspeed Venture Partners, will fuel expansion into pediatrics and deepen partnerships with academic institutions, payers,...
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Hot Startup of the Month: South Africa's Chocolate Tribe
South Africa’s Chocolate Tribe, founded by former lawyer Nosipho Maketo‑van den Bragt, has evolved from a Johannesburg startup into a pan‑African VFX and animation studio serving global clients such as Netflix and Disney. The company now employs over 30 creatives...
Credo Ventures Launches Over €74M New Fund to Back CEE Startups at Pre-Seed
Credo Ventures has closed the first round of its fifth fund, Credo Stage 5, raising $88 million (approximately €75 million) to back pre‑seed startups across Central and Eastern Europe. The fund plans to invest $1‑5 million in about 30 companies, targeting seven to eight...
She Says It Was a ‘Godsend’ She Didn’t Start Her Brand Until Age 50. This Is Her $100 Million Formula.
Patricia Nash launched her eponymous handbag label at age 50 after a vintage bag sparked a vision of affordable luxury. By insisting on full‑grain leather and meticulous craftsmanship while stripping traditional marketing margins, she positioned the brand at a price...
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What Is a Company? Types and How to Start One
A company is a legally recognized entity created by one or more individuals to conduct business, ranging from sole proprietorships to multinational corporations. The article outlines the primary structures—sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, and corporation—and distinguishes between public and private firms,...
Premium Chocolatier SMOOR Plans 200 Outlets, Targets ₹800 Crore Revenue in Five Years
SMOOR Chocolates, a premium Indian chocolatier, is targeting roughly $96 million in revenue over the next five years, up from about $21 million in FY 24‑25. The company plans to grow its retail footprint from 75 to 200 locations, adding 15 stores initially...
Deep-Tech Player Pranos Fusion Raises $6.8 Million in Round Co-Led by Pi Ventures, Ankur Capital
Pranos Fusion, an Indian deep‑tech startup focused on fusion energy, secured $6.8 million (≈$7.6 million) in an early‑stage round co‑led by pi Ventures and Ankur Capital, with participation from Industrial47 and several high‑profile angels. The capital will fund the commissioning of a tokamak...
STACKUP: The Stack's Weekly Tech Startups and Funding Wrap
The Stack’s weekly roundup highlights a surge of AI‑driven activity, featuring two startups that crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold to become unicorns. Two former Palantir engineers launched new companies, adding to the talent‑driven momentum. A flood of AI automation tools—from...
NDTV Alumni's Frammer AI Wins ABS-CBN, Ousts Wildmoka
Frammer AI, founded by former NDTV executives in 2023, has secured a deal with ABS‑CBC, one of Asia's largest media groups. The partnership replaces the long‑standing European platform Wildmoka, consolidating ABS‑CBC's live and edited video workflows under Frammer's AI‑driven system....
From a 15,000-Step Walk to a Global Movement: How Walk15 Is Turning Steps Into Currency
Lithuanian startup Walk15 has transformed a 15,000‑step walking route into a global motivation platform, now reaching roughly 31% of Lithuania’s population and over one million users worldwide. The app tracks steps without location data, letting participants exchange them for discounts,...
From Flagged Essay to 25 Million Users: Artur Zhdan on Building GPTinf
Artur Zhdan founded GPTinf after his AI‑assisted college essays were flagged by detection tools, turning a personal setback into a business. Launched in late 2022, the platform now serves 25 million users in education, marketing and professional writing. GPTinf combines AI...
Cocoon Raises $15 Million to Scale Low-Carbon Building Materials
Cocoon Carbon, a London‑based startup, closed a $15 million Series A round to accelerate its low‑carbon cement alternative. The company transforms steel‑making electric arc furnace (EAF) slag into a supplementary cementitious material that can cut concrete’s embodied CO₂ by up to 40%...
Practical Roadmap to Opening a Blockchain Startup
Dubai has emerged as a regulated hub for blockchain startups, offering clear licensing categories, dedicated virtual‑asset authorities, and government‑backed Web3 infrastructure. Entrepreneurs must select the appropriate jurisdiction—mainland or free‑zone—based on activity type, capital needs, and banking compatibility. The step‑by‑step formation...
Dragons’ Den’s Biggest Ever Deals: 15 Largest Investments Agreed on TV
Dragons’ Den has showcased its biggest ever investments, highlighted by Yuv Beauty’s record £500,000 (≈$625,000) for a 2% stake, valuing the beauty‑tech firm at £25 million (≈$31.3 million). Other notable deals include Kimai’s £250,000 (≈$312,500) for 3% equity and several multi‑dragon bids...
EGIDE Raises €8M Seed to Build Affordable Interceptor Systems for Modern Warfare
French defence‑tech startup EGIDE announced an €8 million seed round co‑led by Expeditions, Eurazeo and Heartcore Capital. Founded in 2025 by former MBDA engineers, the company is developing electrically propelled interceptors and a hardware‑agnostic AI software suite called Mystique. The funding...
This Serial Entrepreneur Wants The FDA To Approve His AI Doctor
Serial entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky is launching Certuma, a startup aiming to create the first FDA‑approved AI doctor. The company raised $10 million in seed funding at a $60 million valuation and is targeting 25 low‑risk conditions such as UTIs and sore throats....
Non-Tech-Savvy Startup Founders Can Turn Vibe-Coding Into a Superpower. Here’s How
The author, a former mobile‑ad startup founder, admits that lacking coding skills cost his company a market edge to technically savvy rival AppLovin, which later became a $150 billion S&P 500 giant. After selling his business for $780 million, he discovered a new...
How to Knock Down Blocks, Power up Your Pivot Points
Kathleen Wood outlines practical methods for founders to overcome four common blocks—control, trust, belief, and receiving—that hinder scaling at the pivotal moment when a business is too big to be small and too small to be big. She recommends documenting...
Newly Secures $2M+ in Funding to Advance Native App Creation Platform
Stockholm‑based Newly, formerly Natively, announced a funding round exceeding $2 million, led by PSV Tech and supported by several venture firms and angel investors. The capital will accelerate its AI‑powered platform that lets users build, iterate, and launch fully compliant native...
Dublin’s Auxilion to Create 12 Jobs Amid €1.5m Investment
Irish digital services firm Auxilion announced a €1.5 million investment to expand its advisory services practice, creating 12 new associate roles by the end of 2027. The expansion responds to heightened demand for cloud‑based automated solutions and governance, risk and compliance...
ClippaPay Launches Africa’s First Creator-Powered Content Creation, Clipping Distribution & UGC Affiliate Platform
ClippaPay has launched Africa’s first creator‑powered platform that links brands with influencers through three distinct earning models: UGC creation, video clipping, and performance‑based affiliate marketing. The service lets brands post campaigns, receive creator bids, and pay on approval, while clippers...
Plug-and-Play Cooling: Carnotfleet’s Bid to Democratise the Cold Chain
Carnotfleet, a Singapore‑incorporated startup, offers plug‑and‑play modular refrigeration that retrofits existing dry trucks and containers in minutes, using solid‑state thermoelectric heat pumps and integrated IoT. The company claims up to 80% lower total cost of ownership and 82% fewer carbon...
Balderton-Backed Startup Dash0 Bags $110 Million to Expand in US
Dash0, a monitoring platform for software systems, secured $110 million in a Balderton Capital‑led round, valuing the startup at $1 billion. The capital will fund a U.S. market push and accelerate development of AI‑driven agents. CEO Mirko Novakovic confirmed the raise and...
RyzoBee Plans Q2 Crowdfunding for Modular Electronics Platform
RyzoBee announced that its Root Series modular electronics platform will debut on Kickstarter in Q2 2026 for North America and Europe. The system targets 3D‑printing makers by offering a plug‑and‑play controller, RootMaker, that adds lighting, motion, sensing and networked interaction...
Cape Town BNPL Start-Up Happy Pay Raises R86-Million in Seed Funding
Cape Town‑based BNPL startup Happy Pay closed a US$5 million (R86 million) seed round led by Partech, with participation from several local investors. The company, which counts more than 600,000 registered users, operates a merchant‑funded, ad‑subsidised payments network that places instalment options...
Koovers Reports Rs 36 Cr Loss on Rs 198 Cr Revenue in FY25
Koovers, the Bengaluru‑based B2B automotive spare‑parts marketplace, posted FY25 revenue of Rs 198 crore, a 2.5‑fold increase over the prior year. However, expenses surged 145% to Rs 235 crore, pushing the net loss to Rs 36 crore, more than double FY24’s deficit. Material costs, which represent...