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This week's newsletter is about startups. But it's also about Big Tech companies expanding their reach through acquisitions and investments.
The most interesting startup stories of the week
With tech IPOs still rare in the US, M&As dominated exit news this week. In addition, We have a new beginning to track.
Public markets all the way– Blaize, an AI chip startup founded by Intel engineers in 2011 that focuses on edge applications, went public on Tuesday. Announcing an intention to do so through a SPAC. the day before.
buy now Pay now.: Amazon. Indian BNPL plans to buy startup Axio It is reported that it is more than 150 million US dollars. This will help the e-commerce company accelerate its push into financial services in India, one of its fastest growing markets.
Car sales: eBay Plan to buy Caramel.A startup that helps car sellers and buyers complete the final steps of the transaction. It previously acquired Cargigi, an advertising and marketing technology company for car deals, and UK classifieds site Motors.co.uk.
Moody's buys Cape.: Agreed by Moody's. Get Geospatial AI startup Cape Analytics for an undisclosed sum. This will enable financial services to create a real estate database that is planned to be used to provide local risk insights for insurance clients.
An idea for AGI: Leading AI researcher François Chollet joined Zapier co-founder and head of AI Mike Knoop. Open Ndea.An AI research and science laboratory to “develop and operate” Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
This week's most interesting VC and funding news
Big goals: Colossal Biosciences grows up. $200 million in Series C funding A whopping $10.2 billion worth of woolly mammoths and two other endangered species are equally ambitious.
Take off.: Loft Orbital is a fast-growing space infrastructure startup. Raised $170 million in Series C funding. Co-led by Tikehau Capital and Axial Partners. It declined to disclose its value, but it was more capital at one time than the $160 million it has raised to date.
Rising statues.: Synthesia is a British startup that helps companies create avatar-based videos with AI technology. Closes $180 million in Series D funding. NEA led the way with a value of $2.1 billion.
GPT for Biology– French AI startup Bioptimus It earned $41 million. To develop a biologically based AI model specifically trained for underwater biological applications.
Digital change– Raised by Berlin-based startup Nelly with the goal of becoming the biggest fintech startup in the healthcare industry. $51 million in Series B funding To help more medical practices transition to digital workflows.
Quantum speed: Quantum computing startup SEEQC has been raised. $30 million Series A expansion Led jointly by Booz Allen and NordicNinja, it accelerates the commercial deployment of its chips and improves their capabilities.
turned away.: Intel announced plans. Spin off its corporate venture arm.Intel Capital, a separate fund that will launch independently in the second half of 2025, with Intel as the “anchor investor”.
Founders and Investors: Powerset, The investment program, co-founded by AngelList alum Jake Zeller, will offer five to 10 founders working as a kind of decentralized venture fund. $1 million to invest in other startups.
Nvidia's AI empire: Just a few days after TechCrunch's compilation Nvidia's startup investmentsAdded one more: A yearA Taiwanese company that creates digital twins powered by Al.
last but not least
After more than two years of interviewing founders for TechCrunch's recently concluded Found podcast; Rebecca Szkutak heard her fair share of advice on startups. in this postShe shares her top five tips. Some are the opposite — “not to be the first” — all worth reading.