5 Interesting Startup Deals You May Have Missed: On-Demand Custom Manufacturing, Underwater Geothermal Energy, And Adventure Group Travel

Why It Matters

These investments signal venture capital’s shift toward capital‑intensive, non‑AI infrastructure that underpins emerging tech—from rapid prototyping and AI workloads to personalized health and sustainable energy—shaping the next wave of industry growth.

Key Takeaways

• SendCutSend secures $110M, $1B valuation, first VC round
• Nourish raises $100M to expand dietitian‑led metabolic health platform
• WeRoad raises €50M ($58M) to expand Gen Z travel
• Iceotope secures $26M for AI data center liquid cooling
• Endurance Energy seeds $25M‑$30M for subsea geothermal power pilots

Pulse Analysis

On‑demand manufacturing is moving from niche prototyping to a strategic supply‑chain asset as robotics, defense and electric‑vehicle firms demand rapid, low‑volume metal parts. SendCutSend’s $110 million raise, led by the Collison brothers and Sequoia, gives the Reno‑based platform the capital to scale its digital marketplace, automate quoting, and expand capacity. By backing a non‑AI play, investors acknowledge that the hardware backbone of emerging technologies can be just as lucrative as software, especially when a $1 billion valuation is on the table.

In health tech, the GLP‑1 surge has exposed a gap between prescription and long‑term outcomes. Nourish’s $100 million Series C, backed by Menlo Ventures and Thrive Capital, fuels a hybrid model that blends 10,000 dietitians, AI‑driven coaching, and insurer‑covered medication management. This approach tackles chronic disease at scale, offering payers a cost‑controlling alternative to episodic care. As insurers increasingly reimburse digital health services, platforms that can demonstrate measurable weight‑loss and metabolic improvements are poised to capture a sizable share of the $200 billion U.S. obesity market.

Beyond consumer‑facing apps, capital is flowing into niche infrastructure that supports AI’s energy appetite and sustainable power. Iceotope’s $26 million Series B will accelerate liquid‑cooling systems that cut data‑center power draw, while Endurance Energy’s $25‑$30 million seed round aims to commercialize subsea geothermal plants that could deliver baseload electricity to islands and future hyperscale facilities. Together with WeRoad’s €50 million expansion into the U.S., these deals illustrate a broader VC trend: funding specialized, capital‑heavy solutions that enable the next generation of technology and climate‑resilient growth.