Perplexity
Facts
- HQ
- United States
- Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence, AI Platforms, Developer Tools
- Stage
- startup
Bloomberg: Moonshot AI Uses Alibaba Compute for ~20,000 Nvidia Chips to Power Kimi Models; Alibaba Denies H200 Claim
Bloomberg reported that Beijing-based Moonshot AI is using a compute agreement with Alibaba to access roughly 20,000 Nvidia processors to train its Kimi AI models, while Alibaba disputed reports that the cluster uses Hopper-generation H200 chips; U.S. officials allege Moonshot also obtained restricted Blackwell-series chips via Southeast Asian rentals. The news lifted Alibaba (BABA) shares about 5% to a near two-month high.
Madrona Leads $5.7M Investment in Polar to Build Browser-Based AI Agents for End-to-End Knowledge Work
Madrona invested in Polar because its team is building a browser-based AI agent that can complete complex, multi-step knowledge work across apps — the firm believes every sector will have its own transformative “Claude Code” moment and Polar aims to deliver that for knowledge workers.
OmniPhi launches agentic trading platform bringing autonomous AI agents to retail equities, ETFs, crypto, FX and commodities trading
Fintech startup OmniPhi launched an agentic trading platform that integrates autonomous AI agents into retail trading workflows across equities, ETFs, crypto, FX, and commodities. The platform aims to provide retail traders with institutional-grade capabilities.
Dominion Dynamics Raises Largest Canadian Defence-Tech Series A but Eyes US Market Amid Domestic Contract Uncertainty
Ottawa-based Dominion Dynamics closed Canada's largest-ever defence-tech Series A funding amid a national push to boost domestic military capacity, but many Canadian defence firms still struggle to secure federal contracts. Dominion plans to open a US office amid uncertainty about winning its first contract domestically despite increased venture funding in 2026.
Halifax Startup Floqer Raises $2M Pre-seed to Build AI-ready CRM Data Engine
Halifax-based startup Floqer raised $2 million CAD in a pre-seed round led by investors including F7 Fund, N49P, Tidal Venture Partners, and Denis Yarats to develop an AI-ready CRM data engine for sales and go-to-market teams. Founded in 2024, Floqer integrates with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce to help companies automate customer data management.
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.
Seattle-San Francisco Fund TheFounderVC Launches $5M Inaugural Vertical AI Early Stage Fund
TheFounderVC (TFVC), a new early stage fund based in Seattle and San Francisco, publicly launched its inaugural $5 million fund focused on vertical AI startups. TFVC plans to invest $100,000 to $250,000 in 25 to 30 pre-seed and seed companies, mostly with ties to Seattle, including startups in AI-powered knowledge storage, science automation, weather risk planning, and more.
Apple Acquires Seattle AI Startup WhyLabs and Integrates Founders into New Roles in 2024
Apple has quietly acquired Seattle startup WhyLabs in 2024, incorporating its founding team into AI-related roles. WhyLabs is discontinuing operations and open-sourcing its platform following the acquisition, which includes rights to its intellectual property.
GeekWire Week in Review: Bill Gates Pledges $200B, Statsig Hits $1.1B Valuation, Seattle Startups Raise Millions in May 2025
This GeekWire Week in Review highlights top tech stories including Bill Gates' $200 billion philanthropy pledge, Seattle startups raising significant capital, and the emergence of new AI-driven unicorn Statsig valued at $1.1 billion. It also covers local news like a controversial Washington EV tax and cultural moments involving Seattle figures.
Perplexity Teams Up with Seattle’s Firmly.ai to Enhance E-Commerce in AI Search App
Perplexity partners with Seattle startup Firmly.ai to integrate e-commerce features into its AI search app, enabling businesses to sell products directly through the platform. Firmly, founded by ex-Samsung executives and backed by $5.2 million in funding, supports 'buy-anywhere' shopping experiences amid rising demand.
Seattle's Foundations Launches Founder-in-Residence Program Without Equity Requirement for Early-Stage Startups
Seattle-based startup community Foundations has launched a new Founder-in-Residence program designed to support early-stage founders without requiring equity. The program offers mentorship, accepts companies at various development stages, and operates on a rolling basis with a typical six-month participation.
Perplexity Acquires Seattle Startup Carbon to Enhance Data Connectivity for Large Language Models
Perplexity, an OpenAI rival valued at $9 billion, acquired Seattle-based Carbon, a startup that enables developers to connect external data to large language models. Carbon, founded in 2022 with four employees, raised $1.3 million in seed funding and will integrate its technology into Perplexity’s AI search products.
