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startup
Logistics Gatik Raises $200M to Scale Driverless Freight to Thousands
Gatik raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies to expand its driverless freight operations from dozens to thousands of trucks. The company reports 85,000 fully driverless orders, 99% on-time delivery, and more than $600 million in contracted revenue across Texas, Arizona, Arkansas and Canada.
Logistics Burq bets on the last-mile decision layer as giants retreat
Burq is betting that last-mile orchestration — the software layer above a fragmented mix of regional carriers, 3PLs and gig platforms — will become the product enterprise retailers pay for. According to FreightWaves, 55% of retailers now use carriers outside FedEx, UPS and USPS, and more than a third are shifting volume away from the national duopoly.
Logistics Fura Acquires Highrise in Seventh AI-Driven Freight Brokerage Roll-Up
Fura acquired Washington state-based freight brokerage Highrise, its seventh roll-up target. CEO Jeff Dangelo says the company onboards acquisitions in about a week using AI, which now sources nearly 40% of booked carriers. Fura's revenue grew from $10M to over $100M, with SG&A costs far below industry norms.
Technology Flock’s Plans for Rideshare Dashcams and Coaching Police, Revealed
404 Media revealed that Flock Safety pitched a plan to collect license plate data from ride-share and delivery dashcams through a Nexar partnership covering 350,000 devices. Flock said the partnership never happened, but the proposal raises transparency concerns about driver awareness. The week's other security news includes OpenAI AI-agent hacking, Meta ad abuse, and DHS surveillance programs.
Mitti Labs raises $9.5 mn to build resilience in Asia’s rice fields
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Technology The Hottest New AI Chatbot Is Just a Guy Answering Your Questions
WIRED reports on ChatTJB, the viral chatbot that is actually Tucker Bryant answering prompts by hand. The project has drawn 30,000 queries and a peak of 5,000 per hour, and highlights the concept of 'cognitive surrender' to AI.
4 of Google’s Top AI Brains Are Leaving—and Launching Their Own AI Startup
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Technology HappyRobot's $150M Series C Makes It FreightTech's Newest Unicorn
HappyRobot raised $150 million in a Series C led by Prysm Capital and Eurazeo at a $1.2 billion post-money valuation, becoming FreightTech's newest unicorn just 20 months after its first round. The company's AI agents now handle phone calls, emails, and follow-ups across more than 150 enterprise customers, including DHL and Uber Freight.
Ati Robotics Built a Mostly China-Free Robot as FCC Bans Chinese Robotics Imports
US regulators have moved to ban Chinese-made robots, opening an opportunity for startups with diversified supply chains. Ati Robotics assembles its robots in India and says two best-selling models have almost no Chinese parts. But battery cells, harmonic drives and a lidar sensor keep China in the mix.
Technology Mistral Seizes Opening as US AI Restrictions Push Europe Toward Open Source
Mistral, a French AI lab, is capitalizing on US restrictions on rival AI models and safety incidents at OpenAI and Anthropic to position itself as Europe's open-source alternative. The company raised nearly $2 billion at a $13.5 billion valuation and reports 20x revenue growth, with deals from Microsoft, HSBC, and the French government.
Finance Zepto Defers IPO by Two to Three Quarters After Tepid Investor Response
Zepto will defer its IPO by two to three quarters, CEO Aadit Palicha told employees. Domestic investors value the quick-commerce firm at $3-3.5 billion, over 50% below its last $7 billion valuation. The company is raising a pre-IPO round at a $4-4.5 billion valuation.
Finance Zepto Delays Listing, Looks to Raise Rs 1,000 Crore in Pre-IPO Funding at Reduced Valuation
Zepto is raising about Rs 1,000 crore (~$105 million) in pre-IPO funding at a $4–4.5 billion valuation, over 30% below its last round, postponing its public listing. The company aims to close the round in a couple of weeks and then file its RHP with Sebi, amid valuation gaps between domestic and foreign investors and intensifying competition.
Technology They Watched the Family Business Get Rolled Up. Then They Built the Version They Wanted to Work For.
The Coltrain brothers, having seen their family business Dickinson Fleet Services acquired by Cox Automotive, launched Coltrain Onsite Fleet Care in August 2025. Their mobile units are equipped with Miller Trailblazer 330 Air Pak welders and diagnostics, enabling 95% of routine repairs on-site. The company now operates roughly 70 technicians across 15 states, largely east of the Mississippi plus Texas.
Finance Sid's Farm Raises ₹81 Crore in Pre-Series B Round Led by Omnivore and NSFO
Direct-to-consumer dairy and foods brand Sid’s Farm has raised over ₹81 crore in a Pre-Series B funding round led by Omnivore, NSFO, Dodla Dairy, Next Bharat Ventures, and LIO. The capital will be used to strengthen supply chain, expand manufacturing and distribution, and invest in product innovation and farmer partnerships.
Manufacturing Arboreal Bioinnovations Raises ₹230 Crore Series A for Factory Expansion and R&D
Arboreal Bioinnovations, a specialty food and nutraceutical ingredients technology company, has raised ₹230 crore in Series A funding led by EAAA (Edelweiss alternatives arm) with participation from Omnivore and Rainmatter. The company will use the capital to expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen R&D, and accelerate commercialisation of next-generation ingredients including proteins, sweeteners, and fibres.
Logistics Freight Hero Raises $5 Million to Run Freight Broker Back-Office Operations
Freight Hero, a Durham, N.C. startup, has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Field Ventures to expand its back-office service for freight brokers. Unlike typical AI software, the company charges a flat fee per load and handles rate confirmation through proof of delivery, with AI agents managing over 90% of load touches and human operators handling exceptions. The company has managed more than 50,000 loads and counts Ally Logistics as a client, which saw 82.4% revenue growth without a proportional headcount increase.
Technology SUIND raises ₹20.5 crore in seed funding to scale unmanned aerial systems for agriculture and beyond
SUIND, a developer of near-earth autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has raised ₹20.5 crore in a seed funding round led by Transition VC with participation from IIMA Ventures. The company will use the capital to scale commercial deployment of its Bumblebee spraying UAS and accelerate development of the Wasp aerial intelligence platform, focusing on vision-based autonomy for GPS-denied environments.
Technology Two-Person Startup Starling Replaces Hated Microwave Beeps With Just Software
Joel Corelitz and Colin Coogan, sound designers at Starling, have developed a software-only solution to replace the grating beep of microwave ovens. By reprogramming the existing microcontroller using C++, they create pleasant alternative sounds without any hardware changes, potentially saving manufacturers costs.
Technology India Gold Metaverse Raises ₹300 Crore to Build Digital Infrastructure for Gold Economy
India Gold Metaverse (IGM) has raised ₹300 crore in equity and secondary placement to develop the first integrated digital infrastructure for India's gold economy. The platform combines blockchain, AI, and financial market technologies through four interconnected products: Elanzia, RamMudra, GoldSense, and BullionX. The investment was led by marquee investors including Ashish Kacholia and family offices, with Pantomath Group facilitating the transaction.
Technology Samsara Rebrands with New Logo, Custom Typeface as It Crosses $2 Billion in Annual Recurring Revenue
Samsara, the connected operations platform, has unveiled its first major visual overhaul since founding, trading its original look for a new owl logo, custom typeface, and high-visibility yellow. The rebrand coincides with the company crossing $2 billion in annual recurring revenue, growing 30% year over year, and underscores its focus on serving operators in construction, logistics, and other physical industries.
Technology Kagi Revives Human-Curated Web Search with Small Web Project and Paid Privacy
Kagi, known for its paid privacy-focused search engine, is expanding into a Small Web project that curates human-made websites. The company offers search starting at $5/month for 300 searches, with a free trial of 100 searches, and aims to counter AI-generated and ad-dominated content. The Small Web project features a 'Next Post' button for random discovery of blog posts and niche topics.
Technology Trump Tech Adviser Accuses China's Moonshot AI of Stealing from Anthropic via Distillation
US President Donald Trump's Science and Technology adviser Michael Kratsios has accused China's Moonshot AI of a 'large scale' effort to steal capabilities from US AI models, specifically by distilling from Anthropic's Fable AI to develop its K3 model. Kratsios also alleged that Moonshot gained access to restricted Nvidia servers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US would examine whether Chinese AI models stole capabilities and could impose sanctions.
Commodities Lovely Professional University Students Launch Mushroom Startup, Harvest 118 Kg
A group of Lovely Professional University students has launched a mushroom startup, harvesting 62 kg of button mushrooms and 56 kg of oyster mushrooms. The venture includes value-added products like mushroom-based face oil and soap, and repurposed spent substrate for eco-friendly items. The students earned ₹42,000 from sales and plan to expand into premium varieties like enoki, lion's mane, and Ganoderma.
Technology Polymarket’s Panama Entity Operated with US-Based Staff Despite Offshore Compliance Claims, WIRED Finds
Polymarket, a prediction market platform, established a Panama-based company Adventure One QSS to comply with a 2022 CFTC settlement. But WIRED found many Adventure One QSS staff worked from New York, not Panama, and the Panama office appeared empty, undermining the offshore compliance structure.
Technology Humanoid Robot Startup Backed by Eric Trump Prepares Bots for Military Combat
Foundation Future Industries, a startup backed by Eric Trump, is developing humanoid robots for military combat, logistics, and reconnaissance. The company has government contracts worth millions and has tested its Phantom MK1 robot with Ukrainian forces. Experts remain skeptical about the feasibility of fully autonomous robot soldiers.
Technology Agri-tech Platform Rize Secures $31 Million Series B to Scale AI-Powered Farming Tools in Southeast Asia
Rize, a Singapore-headquartered agri-tech platform, announced a $31 million Series B round ($20M equity, $11M debt) led by BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts, with participation from The Rockefeller Foundation, Temasek, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The funds will be used to scale AI-powered tools for farmers, expand into new markets, and strengthen export linkages across Southeast Asia, building on a tenfold growth in operations since its Series A two years ago.
Technology Trust Is the New Currency: How Couple Founders Mohammad Imran Shaikh and Saarah Fatima Are Redefining Business Communication Through TrustSignal
As digital fraud and phishing rise, TrustSignal offers a trust-first communication platform. Founded by couple Mohammad Imran Shaikh and Saarah Fatima, it focuses on verified, secure interactions. The platform moves beyond traditional CPaaS by prioritizing trust, transparency, and technology.
Manufacturing Taiwan Battery Startup ProLogium Plans 2027 Mass Production of Solid-State Batteries in France
ProLogium, a Taiwanese battery startup, is accelerating solid-state battery production with a new gigafactory in Dunkirk, France, backed by a €1.5 billion grant. The company aims to start mass production by 2027, leveraging geopolitical advantages as buyers seek non-Chinese suppliers. CEO Vincent Yang sees an opportunity in the next-generation battery technology race against Chinese and Asian conglomerates.
Technology A Startup Is Using Special Polymers to Better Help Nerves Heal
Tissium, a French startup, has developed a biodegradable polymer liquid that attaches to nerve tissue when exposed to light, acting as a splint to hold severed nerves in place. In a US trial of 12 patients with finger nerve injuries, all regained sensation, compared to roughly 80% with standard methods. The company has raised €60 million to commercialize the product and expand to hernia and cardiovascular applications.
Technology Duolingo Billionaire Founder Luis von Ahn on Rejecting Bill Gates and Building a Global EdTech Empire
In a BBC Business Daily podcast, Duolingo founder Luis von Ahn discusses his path from Guatemala to creating CAPTCHA, selling reCAPTCHA to Google, and building Duolingo into a multi-billion-dollar education company. He shares lessons on entrepreneurship, conflict avoidance, and rejecting an offer from Bill Gates.
Commodities Atomgrid to Launch Agro-Chemical Products for Indian Farmers in 3-4 Months
Bengaluru-based specialty chemicals R&D startup Atomgrid will launch its own brand of agro-chemical products for Indian farmers in the next 3-4 months. The company, which currently serves B2B customers globally, aims to capture the China-plus-one opportunity and target 3X growth this fiscal by entering new geographies.
Technology Startup Backers Cash Out Rs 97,000 Crore as Public Markets Become Primary Exit Route
A Business Today report reveals that early investors in Indian listed startups have sold shares worth nearly Rs 97,252 crore since 2021. The exits, spanning IPOs and block deals, underscore public markets as the primary exit route for venture capital and private equity investors after years of backing high-growth companies.
Technology Property title search engine Landeed to invest ₹30cr in FY27 for business growth
Property title search engine Landeed will invest ₹30 crore in FY27 to expand its business. The company, which raised around ₹100 crore from investors including Y Combinator, will focus on GPU infrastructure, small language models, and Indic OCR to convert fragmented property records into structured intelligence.
British Space Startup Mass Balance Launches Autonomous Longevity Lab Into Orbit on SpaceX
British startup Mass Balance launched a self-run chemical laboratory into orbit on a SpaceX transporter to study disease-causing proteins under microgravity. The grapefruit-sized pod will autonomously measure cell behavior and beam data back to Earth, aiming to generate training data for AI models like AlphaFold to improve predictions for age-related diseases.
Technology China's Z.ai Emerges as Low-Cost Challenger to OpenAI and Anthropic with GLM-5.2
Chinese AI startup Z.ai is gaining traction with its latest flagship model GLM-5.2, which offers advanced coding and AI agent capabilities at significantly lower cost than OpenAI and Anthropic. The model has climbed developer rankings and sparked comparisons to DeepSeek, while US export restrictions fuel interest in alternatives. Pricing in India starts at about Rs 1,410 per month, undercutting ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro.
Technology Ninjacart Raises $6 Million in Funding, Turns EBITDA-Profitable and Eyes Public Listing
Ninjacart has closed $6 million in funding led by existing investors Accel, Nandan Nilekani, and Tiger Global. The company reported achieving EBITDA profitability and is preparing for a public listing over the next two years. Its technology and data-driven approach has reduced supply chain costs and minimized wastage, driving threefold growth in core businesses.
AllHome Raises ₹200 Crore Series B Funding to Expand B2B Building Materials Platform
AllHome, a technology-led building materials startup founded by PharmEasy co-founders, has raised ₹200 crore in Series B funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Strides at a ₹2,000 crore valuation. The funds will be used to enhance its proprietary technology platform, expand experience centres, and invest in manufacturing as it targets ₹1,000 crore in revenue within four to six quarters.
Technology PharmEasy Founders’ New Venture All Home Raises Rs 200 Crore, Valuation Doubles
All Home, a full-stack interior design and architecture startup by PharmEasy founders, has raised Rs 200 crore in a funding round that doubled its valuation. The company reported FY2026 revenue of Rs 180 crore and an annualized run rate of Rs 400 crore, with plans to strengthen its tech stack, expand experience centres, and build manufacturing facilities.
Manufacturing Amble One: $25,000 Electric Buggy From Apple, Audi Alumni Targets Lightweight Mobility
Amble, a Lisbon-based startup founded by former Apple, Audi, and Ford employees, launched the Amble One, a $25,000 lightweight electric buggy inspired by the NASA lunar rover. The vehicle weighs under 450 kg, targets L7e classification, and emphasizes a manufacturing-driven design philosophy using materials like aluminum, leather, cotton, and cork.
Technology Square Yards Enters Unicorn Club with Rs 900 Crore Fundraise Ahead of IPO
IPO-bound real estate and mortgage platform Square Yards has raised Rs 900 crore in a debt-equity mix, entering the unicorn club. The round was anchored by EAAA Alternatives with Muzinich & Co. participating. The company plans an additional $50-60 million raise next quarter to strengthen its balance sheet, expand markets, and invest in technology before its public listing.
Logistics AI-First Brokerage Fura Achieves 800% Growth During Freight Recession Through Automation and Acquisitions
Fura, an AI-first freight brokerage, grew from $10 million to $90 million in revenue over three years during a freight recession. The company combined acquisitions of brokerages in the $10M–$30M range with process automation and offshore staffing to cut SG&A to roughly 39%, well below the industry norm of 60%–80%. The acquisition of Pinwheel illustrates the playbook: headcount dropped from 26 to 8 while the business swung from a $150,000 loss to $1 million in profit.
Technology Square Yards turns unicorn with $95 million fundraise, eyes another $50-60 million ahead of IPO
Square Yards, a real estate and mortgage platform, has raised ₹900 crore ($95 million) in a debt-equity round led by EAAA Alternatives and Muzinich & Co., achieving unicorn status. The company plans to raise another $50-60 million in the next quarter ahead of its IPO. In FY26, revenues grew 48% to ₹2,086 crore with EBITDA surging 3.7x to ₹176 crore.
Technology Pump.Fun GO Bounties Feature Draws Criticism as a Circular Grifting Scheme
Pump.Fun's new GO bounties platform allows users to offer crypto rewards for any task, leading to exploitative and potentially illegal stunts. The platform faces criticism for lacking oversight, with AI-generated fake submissions and no clear recourse for actual participants. The feature arrives amid declining user engagement, raising concerns about the platform's governance and legal compliance.
Business Zepto IPO: Can 10-Minute Delivery Sustain Profitability Under Public-Market Scrutiny?
Zepto has filed its draft red herring prospectus for an IPO of up to Rs 80,100 million, revealing revenues of Rs 22,623 crore for FY26 but pre-tax losses of Rs 6,468 crore. The company leads peers on order density per dark store, yet faces declining average order values and negative operating cash flow.
Technology Spacex Acquires AI Coding Startup Cursor For $60bn Days After Bumper IPO
Elon Musk's SpaceX agreed to buy AI coding startup Cursor for $60bn days after Cursor's IPO. The deal, announced in April as an option, will close by September. Cursor's technology automates code generation and is used by Stripe, Adobe, and Nvidia. SpaceX aims to combine Cursor's product with its Colossus supercomputer to build leading AI models.
Technology Malaysia's AI Agent-Powered Messaging Platform Respond.io Raises $62.5M, Targets Acquisitions
Respond.io, a Malaysian AI-powered customer conversation management platform, has raised $62.5M in Series B funding led by Camber Partners. The company has grown to $35M in annual recurring revenue with 169% year-over-year growth and a 30% profit margin. It plans to use the capital for hiring, organic growth, and acquisitions in North America and Europe.
Technology Sarvam AI joins unicorn club with $234 million funding, eyes enterprise AI
India-based AI startup Sarvam has raised $234 million in a funding round led by HCLTech and Bessemer Venture Partners, propelling its valuation to $1.5 billion. The company plans to expand compute infrastructure, hire AI talent, and build an AI-assisted coding platform, while its enterprise AI offerings for voice, document, and agentic AI see growing adoption.
Technology Sarvam AI Raises $234M Led by HCLTech, Becomes India's Newest Unicorn
Sarvam, a Bengaluru-based AI startup, raised $234 million at a $1.5 billion valuation, led by HCLTech, becoming India's newest AI unicorn. The funding supports sovereign AI development with models tailored for Indian languages, deployed across banking, insurance, government, and defense.
Technology NewCore Emerges with $66M to Give AI Agents Identities as Digital Workers
Cybersecurity startup NewCore emerged from stealth with $66 million in seed funding led by Cyberstarts to provide identity management for AI agents, treating them as first-class digital employees with permissions and lifecycle controls. The company claims existing identity platforms are ill-suited for the growing workforce of human and AI agents.
Technology Orbio raises $21 million to automate hiring and onboarding for frontline workers
Orbio, an enterprise startup using AI agents to automate hiring and onboarding for frontline workers, announced a $21 million Series A led by Dawn Capital. Customers include YUM! Brands and Poke, with one behavioral health provider seeing 20% more candidates hired. The company competes with Paradox and WorkJam and plans to use the funds to develop more AI agents.
E-Commerce & Marketplaces Ex-Anduril Engineer Raises $42M to Build the Amazon of Composite Parts for B2B Manufacturing
Layup Parts, a startup founded by former Anduril engineer Zack Eakin, has raised $42 million in Series A funding to build a digital marketplace for custom composite parts. The company aims to streamline ordering of carbon fiber and fiberglass parts, similar to how Amazon simplifies consumer purchases, targeting B2B customers in motorsports, design, and manufacturing.
Technology Helion, the Sam Altman-backed fusion startup, raises $465M to build a power plant for Microsoft
Helion raised $465M in Series G funding led by Thrive Capital, valuing the company at $15.5B, to build its first fusion power plant Orion, with a target to deliver power to Microsoft by 2028. The startup uses a unique magnet-based approach to directly harvest electricity from fusion.
Technology Focused Energy Raises $240M Series A for Laser-Powered Fusion, One of Largest Early-Stage Rounds
Focused Energy, a Germany-based fusion startup, announced an oversubscribed $240 million Series A round, one of the largest early-stage rounds for a fusion power company. The company is developing a laser-powered inertial confinement reactor inspired by the National Ignition Facility, with plans to build its first demonstration system at a decommissioned nuclear plant in Germany. RWE was the main investor.
Technology Hello Robot's Stretch Home Assistant: Real-World Robotics, Not Lab Fantasies
Hello Robot, a startup based in Martinez, California, released the fourth iteration of its home assistance robot, Stretch. Unlike many robotics firms, Hello Robot focuses on deploying robots in real homes with real people, collecting valuable operational data. The company's approach is highlighted by the story of quadriplegic investor Keith Platt, who uses Stretch to regain independence in daily tasks.
Technology Board, the new game startup from Mirror founder Brynn Putnam, raises $20M, has already sold thousands
Board, a New York-based startup building physical-digital board games, has raised $20 million in Series A funding led by Union Square Ventures. The company reports strong traction with tens of thousands of units sold across all 50 states and plans to launch an AI-powered game creation platform later this year.
Technology Quick-commerce FirstClub doubles valuation to $255M in 9 months on quality-first grocery bet
FirstClub, an Indian quick-commerce startup focused on curated quality groceries, raised $55M in Series B funding co-led by Peak XV Partners and Sofina, doubling its valuation to $255M in nine months. The company plans to expand beyond Bengaluru and into new categories.
Finance Zepto Files Updated DRHP for $1 Billion IPO, Targets July Listing at $10 Billion Valuation
Quick-commerce player Zepto on Monday filed its updated draft IPO papers with market regulator Sebi, moving closer to a public listing targeted in July. The startup seeks to raise up to Rs 8,010 crore through fresh shares, while existing investors including Nexus Venture Partners and Contrary will sell up to 11.3 crore shares in the offering. The total issue size is estimated at $1 billion, and the company is targeting a valuation of about $10 billion.
Technology Coralogix raises $200M on bet that someone needs to watch the AI agents
Coralogix has raised $200 million in Series F funding, valuing the observability startup at $1.6 billion. The round, led by Advent and CPPIB, comes as enterprises increasingly deploy AI agents that require new monitoring tools. The company's revenue grew over 60% in the past year, and more than half of enterprise customers now use its AI agent Olly or other AI interfaces.
Technology Supabase Raises $500M at $10B Valuation, Doubling in 8 Months on Vibe-Coding Boom
Supabase, the open-source Postgres database platform, raised $500 million at a $10 billion pre-money valuation, doubling its valuation in eight months. The company attributes its growth to the rise of vibe-coding tools like Claude Code and Codex, which have driven database launches up 600% year-over-year, with over 60% launched by AI tools. Supabase also launched Multigres, an operating system for Postgres, to ease scaling complexity.
Technology Founders from Goldman and Meta build voice AI for Africa and Middle East markets
AethexAI, a startup founded by former Goldman Sachs and Meta employees, has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding to build voice AI for customer service in Africa and the Middle East. The company uses its own small models (Kora series) to handle local dialects of English, French, and Arabic, addressing latency and accuracy issues plaguing larger models in these regions. It currently processes over 17,000 calls per day.