Topic
Startups
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 Silicon Valley's Next IPO Billionaires Are Coming. Nonprofits Are Ready for Them
As AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI prepare for IPOs, nonprofits worldwide are ramping up efforts to capture a share of the anticipated philanthropic windfall, which could total $15 billion annually. Founders and employees have pledged significant portions of their wealth, but competition for donations is fierce.
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 Why Indian Agritech’s Next Opportunity Lies in the ‘Agricultural Middle Stream’
Indian agritech has raised over $2 billion in venture capital without producing a pure-play unicorn. The author argues that the most durable opportunity lies not in direct-to-farmer apps but in the 'agricultural middle stream' — procurement platforms, cold chains, grading technology, and logistics infrastructure that connect farms to markets through existing intermediaries.
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.
Commodities IISR and Spices Board Partner to Boost Spice Startups and Exports via Incubation
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) has partnered with the Spices Board through its Agventure Technology Business Incubator (TBI) to support spice startups and export-oriented enterprises. The MoU establishes Agventure TBI as an incubation centre under the ASPIRE scheme, offering research commercialization, technology transfer, and market access.
Supply Chain Serial Entrepreneur Marc Held Reveals Keys to Successful Freight Tech Exits in AI Era
In an interview with FreightWaves, serial entrepreneur Marc Held, CEO of HOPTEK, discusses the keys to successful freight tech exits, drawing on his track record with Green Screens and Turvo. He explains how HOPTEK's AI-native freight monetization platform helps carriers maximize profit and streamline tender decisions by leveraging cross-customer and cross-industry data.
Technology Ex-Tech Executives' Startups Gain Favor with Venture Capital Investors, Report Finds
A joint report by Tracxn and RTP Global reveals that startups founded by former tech employees (operator-led startups) are securing a growing share of venture capital funding, nearly doubling to 11% of total ecosystem funding in 2025 from 5.8% in 2023. Despite comprising less than 1% of all tech startups founded between 2023 and 2025, these ventures attract larger cheques and higher valuations, driven by the founders' experience scaling teams and navigating constraints.
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.
India to Take Equity Stakes in Semiconductor Startups Under Semicon 2.0
The Indian government has approved Semicon 2.0 with a Rs 1,27,500 crore outlay, moving from one-time grants to milestone-linked funding and equity investments in semiconductor startups. The India Semiconductor Mission CEO Amitesh Kumar Sinha outlined a phased funding model where the government will generally keep its equity stake below 50%, avoid board representation, and allow founders to buy back shares. The policy addresses the challenge startups face in raising capital after the design stage.
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.
Finance Nandan Nilekani's Fundamentum Launches Rs 2,200 Crore Fund III for Growth-Stage Indian Startups
Fundamentum Partnership, led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and veteran investor Sanjeev Aggarwal, has launched Fund III with a target corpus of Rs 2,200 crore including a Rs 400 crore greenshoe option. The fund will write initial cheques of Rs 100-150 crore for 10-15% ownership in 8-10 companies, focusing on consumer technology, fintech, and AI-native businesses. Fund II has delivered a 26% gross IRR.
Technology IPO-Bound Startups Face Investor Skepticism Over High Valuations and Profitability
Startups targeting public listings are encountering increasing investor resistance over valuation expectations, with examples such as Zepto and PhonePe facing delays or valuation cuts. Market uncertainty, competition from mega listings like NSE and Jio Platforms, and a focus on profitability are reshaping the IPO landscape.
Messi, Ronaldo, and Mo Salah Take Three Different Paths to Building Tech Wealth
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are increasingly taking equity stakes in AI, health tech, and startup companies, while Mohamed Salah has largely stuck to a more traditional mix of commercial partnerships, property, and philanthropy. The shift reflects a broader trend among elite athletes seeking long-term wealth creation beyond playing careers.
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.
Technology 3 Nuclear Startups Hit a Big Milestone. Why It Matters—and Why It Doesn’t
Three nuclear startups—Valar Atomics, Antares Nuclear, and Deployable Energy—have achieved criticality as part of a Department of Energy pilot program aimed at accelerating new reactor designs. While the milestone marks progress, experts caution that these are test reactors, not commercial products, and significant hurdles remain.
Technology BBC's People Fixing The World Explores Liverpool's Hidden Entrepreneurs Programme
The BBC podcast 'People Fixing The World' highlights a Liverpool initiative that identifies and supports hidden entrepreneurs with a year's wage, expert help, and mentoring. Examples include a hairdresser building a salon-on-wheels and a travel agent creating a 'Trip Advisor for the senses'.
Technology Agri-Next: Kerala's ₹38 Crore Program to Support 150 Agritech Startups for Technology-Driven Innovations
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has launched Agri-Next, a ₹38-crore program to support 150 agritech startups under the World Bank-assisted KERA project. The initiative provides up to ₹25 lakh in funding, mentoring, and field pilots to validate technologies including AI, drones, and post-harvest processing, with deployment through Farmer Producer Organisations.
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 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.
Commodities Startups INERA and CropNXT Partner to Distribute Biological Agri-Inputs Across Five Indian States
Agri-startups INERA Crop Science and CropNXT Solutions have entered a multi-year strategic partnership to distribute biological crop inputs to smallholder farmers across five eastern Indian states. The deal targets 65 lakh farmers and 20 lakh acres through a network of over 5,000 retailers, with a projected business potential of ₹500 crore.
Technology India and Switzerland Step Up Innovation Partnership with Focus on Startups, Research
India and Switzerland are enhancing their bilateral innovation partnership, leveraging Swissnex to connect startups, researchers, and industry. Key pillars include the Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme, healthcare collaborations, and growing interest in India's digital public infrastructure. New science and technology initiatives are expected later this year.
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.
Business EDNS 2026: Endurance, Not Early Growth, Will Define India’s Next D2C Winners
At the EDNS 2026 conference, founders across beauty, nutrition, fashion, wellness, and food emphasized that long-term brand survival depends on product integrity, category creation, supply chain depth, and sustained relevance beyond early growth spikes. Key leaders from Plum, Fast&Up, Kapiva, Indo Era, and Akshaykalpa Organic shared insights on building defensible moats and navigating India's crowded D2C ecosystem.
Business India's insurgent consumer brands grow 3x faster than market, generating $7.5B in FY25
India's upstart consumer brands are growing three times faster than established FMCG companies, generating an estimated $7.5 billion in revenue in FY25, up from $2 billion five years ago, according to a report by Bain & Company and DSG Consumer Partners. Insurgent brands in jewellery, beauty, and home categories are expanding 6x faster than their broader markets, but scaling beyond Rs 500 crore remains a challenge.
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.
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.
E-Commerce & Marketplaces Kunal Shah Exits CRED CEO Role to Run WhatsApp as Meta Invests $900 Million
Kunal Shah is leaving CRED's CEO position to head WhatsApp globally, as Meta invests roughly $900 million for a 20% stake in CRED, valuing it at $4.5 billion post-money. Mark Zuckerberg announced the move, with Will Cathcart stepping aside for a new product role and Miten Sampat taking over as interim CRED CEO.
Finance Young loss-making startups keep OFS portion lean as investor scrutiny grows
New-age loss-making startups are prioritizing large fresh issue components in their IPOs to fund growth, a shift from the 2021-22 cycle. Investors now prefer capital infusion for scaling and profitability over large shareholder exits. Companies like Zepto, Ola Electric, and PhysicsWallah exemplify this trend.
Business Dealmaking Stays Strong as Startup M&A Momentum Carries Into 2026
Indian startups are experiencing a surge in M&A exits, particularly in consumer, fintech, and ecommerce sectors, signalling a robust recovery in dealmaking. Major acquisitions by L'Oréal, Marico, USV, Pine Labs, and Meesho highlight strategic buyers' appetite for new capabilities. The recovery is driven by maturing startups and staged exit structures, with momentum carrying into 2026.
Technology Manu Chandra's Sauce VC Serves Up 8-10x Return with L'Oréal's Innovist Acquisition
Manu Chandra's Sauce VC is poised to generate an estimated 8-10x return from L'Oréal's ~Rs 4,100 crore acquisition of Innovist, validating the firm's concentrated, follow-on investment strategy. Founded in 2019 with a modest Rs 60 crore fund, Sauce VC has grown to a Rs 750 crore opportunities fund, mirroring the discipline of Union Square Ventures.
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.
CMA CGM launches third startup competition with €50,000 in pilot funding for winners
CMA CGM has launched the third edition of its international startup awards programme, offering up to €50,000 in pilot project funding and a year of ZEBOX support to six winners. Applications are open until August 7 across six themes including AI-driven logistics, low-carbon tech, and humanitarian logistics. Previous winners have already worked with CEVA Logistics and CMA Media.
Finance Atom XVII Launches ₹75 Crore Consumer Fund to Back Early-Stage Indian Brands
Atom XVII has launched a ₹75 crore consumer-focused fund to invest in early-stage Indian consumer brands from pre-seed to Series A, with a focus on pre-Series A. The fund aims to build a portfolio of 13-15 companies with an average investment of ₹3 crore. It has secured soft commitments of ₹40 crore and targets first close by end-July 2026.
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 SpaceX IPO Raises $10bn More Than Initially Thought, Totaling $85.7bn
SpaceX's initial public offering raised $85.7bn, $10bn more than initially thought, after underwriters exercised a greenshoe option. The company joined Nasdaq in the largest IPO in history, with shares surging 14% on the first Monday of trading.
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.
Technology Is India’s AI moment here? Not yet, as funding and compute lag behind US and China
India's AI ecosystem, despite a surge in startup funding, remains far behind global leaders like the US and China due to inadequate compute capacity, weak research, and a lack of billion-dollar revenue companies. The report highlights the need for sovereign compute and a shift from model building to deployment in sectors like agriculture and healthcare.
Technology The 'Together Tech' Wave: Why In-Person Experiences Could Be 2026's Startup Bet
TechCrunch's Equity podcast explores the 'together tech' wave, where startups like Board (in-person games) and Cyberdeck (DIY computers) are attracting venture capital. The trend is seen as a genuine gravitation toward human connection, not just backlash against AI. Other headlines include Anthropic's IPO filing, Alphabet's $80B AI raise, and raises by Mike Schroepfer and Impulse.
Technology Defense Tech, AI, and Fundraising Take Center Stage at StrictlyVC Los Angeles
StrictlyVC Los Angeles on June 18 at The Aerospace Corporation Campus will feature sessions on defense technology, artificial intelligence, and venture capital. Speakers include Mach Industries founder Ethan Thornton, Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov, Shinkei Systems' Saif Khawaja, and M13 co-founder Carter Reum. The event offers executives curated access to insights from builders and investors shaping next-generation technology.
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 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.
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.
Technology Startups Building In-Person Games and DIY Computers to Counter Phone Addiction
TechCrunch's Equity podcast explores a growing wave of startups focused on getting users off their phones, including Brynn Putnam's Board for in-person games and viral Cyberdeck DIY computers. The trend is framed as a human-centric counterbalance to the massive AI fundraising boom.
Startup Battlefield 200 applications close June 8: last chance to apply for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Applications for Startup Battlefield 200 officially close on June 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Thousands of early-stage startups have already applied. Selected founders will pitch live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco, with a chance to win $100,000 in equity-free funding. Alumni have collectively raised over $32 billion and achieved 250 exits.
Technology Former DOGE Members Launch AI Startup Special with a16z Funding
Former Department of Government Efficiency members Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox have launched a startup called Special, aiming to bring an AI-powered operating system to critical American industries. The venture has secured funding from a16z led by Marc Andreessen, along with other high-profile investors. Their first vertical is senior care under FigureHealth.
Business Andrew Yang's Noble Mobile: A New Approach to UBI
Andrew Yang, known for his advocacy of Universal Basic Income (UBI), is taking a new approach with his startup, Noble Mobile. The company incentivizes users to reduce phone usage, aligning with Yang's vision of combating the 'attention economy.' This initiative reflects Yang's shift from policy advocacy to entrepreneurial action.
Technology PXGEO Partners with Equinor for Autonomous Subsea Trials
PXGEO has entered a one-year agreement with Equinor to conduct autonomous subsea inspection trials using the Saab Sabertooth. This marks PXGEO's first venture into unmanned operations, with initial tests set to take place in Norway.
Technology Saw: Genesis Offers Unique Asymmetric Gameplay Experience
Saw: Genesis, developed by Bloober Team and Anshar Studios, introduces an asymmetric gameplay experience where players can become a mastermind or one of the accused. The game features strategic trap-setting and resource management, promising a thrilling addition to the Saw franchise.
Business DK Vertex Invests ₹70 Cr to Launch 7 Co-working Centres Across Three Cities
DK Vertex, a co-working firm under the Vertex Group, has invested ₹70 crore to establish seven co-working centres with 10,000 desks in Gurugram, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Four centres are already operational, with 6,000 desks available and 75% occupied, while 4,000 built-to-suit seats will be added in two months. The company plans further expansion into tier I and II cities to capitalise on rising flexible workspace demand.
Technology Daily Puzzle Roundup: NYT Connections and Quordle Answers for June 11-12, 2026
The New York Times Connections puzzle #1096 for June 11, 2026 featured categories like 'Parts of a Workout Routine' and 'Payment Apps Minus a Letter'. Quordle #1600 for June 12 offered words such as TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, and UNIFY. Both puzzles are part of the growing trend of digital word games.
Business Shropshire School Uniform Charity Plans Fundraising Week Amid Rising Costs
Little Stars, a Shropshire school uniform charity founded by Leanne Farlie, will hold its annual fundraising week from 22-28 June. The charity highlights the average secondary school uniform cost of £289 and has supplied over 900 children since 2023. Last year 12 businesses and schools participated.