Facts
- HQ
- None
- Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence, AI Research
- Founded
- 2015
- Stage
- private
Nvidia Introduces Revenue-Sharing Program for AI Startups to Use GPUs with Future Sales Cut
Nvidia launched a revenue-sharing program allowing AI startups to use its GPUs now and pay later from future sales, creating a recurring earnings stream. This model strengthens Nvidia's ecosystem and locks startups into using its chips and software long-term.
Starcloud Raises $170M, Hits $1.1B Valuation to Build AI Data Centers in Space Ahead of Google
Several startups, led by Starcloud which recently raised $170 million and reached a $1.1 billion valuation, are racing to establish AI data centers in space to overcome terrestrial power and land constraints. Google and other major players are also developing satellite-based computing projects, highlighting a growing trend toward orbit-based AI infrastructure.
Shopee Partners with Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and ChatGPT to Compete with TikTok Shop in Southeast Asia
Shopee is partnering with major platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and ChatGPT to counter TikTok Shop's rapid growth in Southeast Asia, where TikTok Shop's GMV hit $54.6 billion in 2025 compared to Shopee's $83.2 billion. These collaborations aim to leverage affiliate revenue and broader internet reach to maintain Shopee's leading e-commerce position.
Zoom to Acquire Seattle AI Startup Common Room, Known for $52M-Funded Buyer Intelligence Platform
Zoom is acquiring Common Room, a Seattle-based AI startup that developed a platform to help sales and marketing teams track customer buying signals. Common Room emerged from stealth in 2021 with $52 million in funding and was named the 2022 GeekWire Awards Startup of the Year.
Chinese Startup Z.ai Launches ZCode AI Coding Tool with Lower Prices to Compete Against Cursor and GitHub Copilot
Chinese startup Z.ai launched ZCode, a new AI coding tool integrated with their GLM 5.2 model, offering competitive pricing below American tools like Cursor and GitHub Copilot. The tool aims to combine advanced AI agents with existing developer tools to streamline coding workflows.
Microsoft Invests $2.5 Billion to Launch Microsoft Frontier Co. with 6,000 Employees to Boost Enterprise AI Adoption
Microsoft is investing $2.5 billion to create Microsoft Frontier Co., a new AI-focused division deploying 6,000 employees directly with clients to accelerate enterprise AI adoption. Led by Rodrigo Kede Lima, the team will use forward deployed engineering to help businesses integrate AI technologies and protect intellectual property.
Anthropic's AI Export Controls Highlight Risks for Brand Visibility Strategies Dependent on Single Platforms
Anthropic's AI models Fable 5 and Mythos 5 were temporarily restricted globally due to a U.S. government export control directive on national security grounds, exposing the fragility of AI-based brand visibility strategies dependent on single platforms. Marketers are advised to diversify their AI visibility across multiple platforms and consider geopolitical risks as part of their strategy.
Increased Funding and Federal Initiatives Propel Quantum Computing Toward Practical Superiority over Classical Supercomputers
Quantum computing is advancing toward practical, large-scale use due to increased funding and federal support, aiming to outperform traditional supercomputers in fields like chemistry and drug discovery. Key challenges remain in scaling qubit systems and implementing effective error correction to make quantum computers commercially viable.
Nvidia Launches Revenue-Sharing GPU Access for AI Startups, Targeting Emerging Firms via Cloud Partners from July 2023
Nvidia is introducing a revenue-sharing model allowing AI startups to access GPUs through cloud partners without upfront payments, instead taking a cut of usage revenue. This strategy targets emerging AI companies lacking capital for infrastructure and counters competition from custom chip makers.
Venice.ai Raises $65M at $1B Valuation for Privacy-Focused AI Led by Erik Voorhees and Jesse Proudman
Venice.ai, founded by CEO Erik Voorhees and CTO Jesse Proudman, raised $65 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation to provide a privacy-focused AI service that does not store user prompts or responses. The company aims to compete with mainstream AI services by offering unfiltered, on-device conversations through a range of open-source and commercial AI models.
Chinese Cyber Espionage Expands to Target U.S. AI Startups, Investors, and Supply Chains Amid Tech Race
Chinese state-linked cyber actors are increasingly targeting U.S. AI startups, investors, researchers, and supply chains through sophisticated espionage campaigns beyond traditional intellectual property theft. This escalation occurs amid intensified U.S.-China competition over AI technology, involving persistent network intrusions, social engineering, and insider recruitment.
PriceRunner Awarded $1.97 Billion in Antitrust Case Against Google; Klarna Boosts Shopping Platform After 2022 Acquisition
Klarna announced that PriceRunner won $1.97 billion in damages in an antitrust case against Google for favoring its own shopping service. Klarna acquired PriceRunner in 2022 to enhance its shopping app, expanding PriceRunner's features and database across 13 markets.
Jesse Draper, Halogen Ventures Founder, Shares Daily Routine and AI Tools That Help Balance VC Work and Motherhood
Jesse Draper, founder of Halogen Ventures, balances managing her venture capital firm with raising three young boys, sharing her daily routine and favorite AI prompts that aid her productivity. She highlights her commitment to supporting female entrepreneurs, having invested in over 100 female-founded businesses with several reaching billion-dollar valuations.
Abu Dhabi's MGX Raises Nearly $50 Billion for AI Investments, Targeting $100 Billion in Assets
Abu Dhabi's MGX closed approximately $50 billion from sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors to invest in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and core AI technologies, holding significant stakes in OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI. MGX aims to reach $100 billion in assets and compete with major AI fund players like SoftBank and BlackRock.
Build Raises $8.5M Seed Round Led by Index Ventures to Expand AI-Driven Real Estate Development Platform
Build, a San Francisco startup creating an AI-native platform for automated real estate development, raised $8.5 million in seed funding led by Index Ventures. The company plans to use the funds to grow its engineering teams, advance R&D, and expand operations in North America and Europe.
Liqvd Digital Files Rs 37 Crore DRHP for SME IPO to Fund AI Expansion and Acquire Full Stake in AdLift
Liqvd Digital India Limited has filed a Draft Red Herring Prospectus for a Rs 37 crore SME IPO, aiming to raise funds for AI and technology investments, including acquiring the remaining stake in AdLift Marketing. The company plans to list on the BSE SME platform and focus on integrating AI with creativity to enhance marketing solutions.
Oracle Sues Wisconsin PSC Over $100M Annual Cost for Financial Security on $15B Lighthouse Data Center
Oracle America has sued the Wisconsin Public Service Commission over a ruling imposing financial security requirements that could cost Oracle more than $100 million annually for its nearly $15 billion Lighthouse Data Center Campus in Port Washington, developed in partnership with Vantage Data Centers and OpenAI. The data center will support extensive AI initiatives and represents one of Wisconsin's largest private investments.
Magnificent Seven Tech Giants Lose $2.3 Trillion in June 2026 Amid Investor Skepticism on AI ROI
The Magnificent Seven tech giants lost over $2.3 trillion in market value in June 2026 as investors question when their large AI infrastructure investments will generate returns. Meanwhile, capital is rotating towards semiconductor and hardware companies benefiting from AI demand, signaling a market shift in confidence toward companies with immediate cash flow from AI.
Mirendil Raises $200M Seed at $1.2B Valuation to Pursue Foundational AI Research Led by Ex-OpenAI and DeepMind Scientists
Mirendil, an AI research lab founded by former OpenAI and DeepMind scientists, raised $200 million in seed funding at a $1.2 billion valuation to focus on foundational AI research rather than commercial products. The funding will support specialized computing facilities and talent recruitment to pursue long-term scientific exploration in intelligence.
San Francisco Tech Workers with $180,000 Salaries Struggle to Afford Housing Amid Rising Costs in 2026
Tech workers in San Francisco, including those earning six-figure salaries like $180,000, are finding housing costs and general living expenses prohibitively high, leading some to consider relocating to more affordable cities like Seattle. Despite multiple attempts, the high demand and prices for housing make it difficult for even well-paid professionals to sustain a comfortable life in the city.
UPES and IIT Guwahati Launch SPARC-AI Program to Support 50 Student AI Startups in Clean Energy and Agritech
UPES and IIT Guwahati have launched SPARC-AI, an 18-month program to support 50 student innovators from Uttarakhand and Assam in developing AI-driven clean energy and agritech startups, offering funding, mentorship, and incubation. The initiative aims to transform local challenges into commercially viable ventures while strengthening AI-led innovation in the region.
Macrodata Labs Raises $4M to Solve Robotics Data Infrastructure with Open-Source Refiner Platform
Macrodata Labs, founded by AI dataset veterans Guilherme Penedo and Hynek Kydlíček, aims to address robotics' data infrastructure challenges with its open-source Refiner platform. The company raised $4 million in a June 2024 pre-seed round led by Air Street Capital to help robotics teams improve data processing and annotation.
Britain's Top Six Fund Managers Highlight Underrated Stocks in Key Sectors for Long-Term Growth
Six leading British fund managers identify underrated stocks across healthcare, finance, retail, energy, and consumer goods sectors that have strong long-term growth potential despite associated risks.
Sovereign Wealth Funds Shift $180 Billion to AI Infrastructure, Leading $40 Billion Aligned Data Centers Acquisition
Sovereign wealth funds managing over $12 trillion are shifting investments from public AI stocks to private credit and infrastructure, highlighted by a record $40 billion purchase of Aligned Data Centers by MGX, BlackRock, and the AI Infrastructure Partnership. This trend reflects a belief that significant AI returns will come from the infrastructure supporting AI operations rather than the AI models themselves.
Edison Scientific, Backed by $70M, Partners with Population Health Partners to Advance AI-Driven Drug Discovery
Edison Scientific, spun off from FutureHouse and backed by $70 million in venture funding, is partnering with Population Health Partners to leverage AI agents in drug discovery. The company gained notable attention from top pharma firms for its advanced AI agents designed to accelerate scientific discovery.
People
-
Vijaye Raji Executive, CTO of Applications