⛔️ Exosonic Shuts Down After Struggling to Gain Traction

Exosonic, a startup focused on supersonic air travel and UAV technology, is winding down after five years due to a lack of customer support and insufficient funding. Despite hitting key milestones, including test flights and government grants, the company couldn’t bridge the gap between R&D and commercialization, particularly in the defense tech space.

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♻️ OpenAI’s Upcoming Model May Face Slower Improvement

OpenAI's next model, reportedly named Orion, might not show the same leap in performance as prior models like GPT-4. Testers noted smaller improvements, especially in areas like coding. To address this, OpenAI has formed a foundations team to explore new training strategies, including synthetic data generation and post-training optimization.

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💻 Equal Tackles India’s Cyber Fraud Surge

Startup Equal is helping reduce cyber fraud in India by providing advanced identity verification and financial data-sharing tools for businesses. Recently, it secured $10 million in funding to scale its operations and expand partnerships across the digital finance sector.

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U.S. Companies Drive Data Center Construction Surge in AI Race

U.S. companies are investing heavily in data centers, with private construction spending surging to nearly $30 billion annually. This increase, more than double the 2022 figures, reflects the intensifying competition to lead in artificial intelligence following the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

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💡 Brazilian Fintech Tako Secures $13.2M to Revolutionize Payroll

Tako, a Brazil-based fintech, raised $13.2M led by a16z and Ribbit Capital to automate payroll and employee management using AI, targeting mid-sized companies facing complex labor laws. The funding will support Tako’s R&D as it builds toward a comprehensive employee lifecycle platform.

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🔍 Quantune Aims to Revolutionize Glucose Monitoring with Non-Invasive Technology

Berlin-based Quantune Technologies is developing a wrist-worn, non-invasive glucose monitor using a compact infrared laser spectrometer, with potential applications beyond diabetes management. Backed by recent funding, Quantune plans to refine its technology over the next two years to function effectively outside laboratory settings.

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📌 Top Startup Acquirers from 2000-2024

Visual Capitalist's infographic, based on Crunchbase data, highlights the companies most actively acquiring startups from 2000 to mid-2024. The list features 15 companies that acquired over 30 startups each in under 3.5 years, with tech giants like Alphabet, Microsoft, and Cisco leading. Only four of the top acquirers are outside the U.S., while others, including Accenture and Roche, diversify beyond tech.

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🔔 Amazon Offers $110M in Grants to Boost AI Research with Trainium Chips

Amazon Web Services (AWS) launches a $110 million grant program to support AI research, offering credits and up to $500,000 in funding for AI researchers. The initiative aims to enhance generative AI applications using AWS's custom AI chips, Trainium. While the program offers valuable resources, some critics question its potential influence on academic independence.

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❗️ Decline in Anti-Climate Startup Investments Post-2022

Investment in anti-climate startups has dropped over the past two years, with a significant spike during the crisis of 2022. While Q3 was uneventful, the general trend shows a retreat from opportunistic ventures, signaling a potential shift toward more sustainable practices.

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🔥 DeepL Launches Real-Time Voice Translation with DeepL Voice

DeepL has introduced DeepL Voice, a real-time, text-based translation service for voice and video conversations. Initially supporting 13 languages, it provides live translations for video conferencing, appearing as subnoscripts in Teams. Unlike other AI services, DeepL’s system processes translations in real-time, prioritizing accuracy over audio or video output. Despite limited integrations and no API, it aims to address customer needs, particularly in industries like customer service and hospitality. The service promises high privacy standards by not retaining or using voice data for training.

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⚡️ Nokia Acquires RapidAPI to Enhance 5G Developer Ecosystem

Nokia has acquired Rapid, a leading API marketplace, to bolster its “Network as Code” platform for 5G networks. The acquisition will help Nokia enable telecom operators to open their networks to developers, enhancing the creation of third-party services on 5G infrastructures.

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🔥 Tessl Raises $125M to Develop AI for Code Creation and Maintenance

London-based startup Tessl has raised $125 million to build an "AI-native" platform for coding and maintaining software, with a post-money valuation over $500 million. Led by Guy Podjarny, former CEO of Snyk, Tessl will enable developers to specify code requirements in natural language or code, which it will translate into software while ensuring smooth integration and ongoing maintenance.

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💡 Startup Review — Atlas.co Aims to Make Geospatial Mapping Accessible and Collaborative

Atlas.co, a startup from Norway, is building a browser-based mapping platform intended to simplify and democratize geospatial data analysis. Inspired by tools like Figma and Notion, it offers a flexible, collaborative GIS platform targeting users in fields like renewable energy, urban planning, and journalism. Recently closing a $2M pre-seed round, Atlas.co plans to expand its features and attract industries needing geospatial tools for environmental and social initiatives.

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🔵 Bluesky Gains 1M Users in 24 Hours

Bluesky saw over 1 million new signups in a day, reaching 16 million users total and topping the U.S. App Store. Growth was fueled by recent events like controversies on X and the U.S. elections. Despite being smaller than Threads, Bluesky reports higher user engagement, with over 30% actively posting. The platform recently raised $15 million and plans to launch subnoscriptions.

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🟢 Volkswagen Bets $5.8B on Rivian as Software Partner

Volkswagen finalized a $5.8 billion joint venture with Rivian to co-develop automotive software, led by engineers from both companies. The move aims to strengthen VW's software strategy amid struggles at its Cariad unit, while Rivian faces challenges with demand and supply chain issues.

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💫 Tourlane Secures $26M Series D

Berlin-based travel platform Tourlane raised $26M led by Sequoia Capital to enhance its AI-powered trip planning, targeting profitability and growth. The funds will improve personalization, expand services, and potentially reach new markets. Founded in 2015, Tourlane has served 100,000 customers and aims to scale further. Investors include Target Global and HV Capital.

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🖥 Skydio Secures $170M Extension Round Amid Defense Tech Boom

Drone manufacturer Skydio raised $170 million in a Series E extension, with strategic investments from KDDI and Axon. The company is diversifying revenue, focusing on defense and enterprise markets, and projecting significant growth despite high capital burn.

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📎 Bottom Up by David Sacks: Key Sales Pipeline Metrics Simplified

1️⃣ Pipeline Generation Metrics

Opportunities Created: Count of potential deals.
Pipeline Value Created: Total ARR (or TCV) value of these deals.
Win Rate: Percentage of deals closed (~20% is standard).

2️⃣ Pipeline Conversion Metrics

Sales Cycle Length: Time to close deals, often 6-9 months for complex B2B products.
Cohorted Win Rates: Analyze win rates by client cohorts; identify drop-off points and optimize support.
Stage Conversion Rate: Track how deals move through sales stages to find bottlenecks.
Average Time per Stage: Spot delays and improve pipeline flow.

3️⃣ Active Pipeline Metrics

Open Pipeline by Close Date: Forecast when deals will close and revenue will arrive.
Weighted Pipeline: ARR multiplied by the probability of closing, varying by stage.
Pipeline Waterfall: Visualize pipeline changes over time to pinpoint growth drivers.

#️⃣ These metrics provide a data-driven approach to refining your sales strategy and forecasting growth. Leverage tools like SaaSGrid to automate and visualize these insights.

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💫 Startups Forge Ahead Despite IPO Challenges

The U.S. IPO window remains closed, but startups are making moves with major funding rounds and acquisitions. Klarna and other tech firms explore public offerings, while notable investments include Writer’s $200M raise and Tessl’s $125M funding. Additionally, AI startups dominate Paris’ Station F incubator.

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🔗 ByteDance Values Itself at $300 Billion Amid TikTok Uncertainty

ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, recently valued itself at $300 billion in a share buyback offer, maintaining its 2022 valuation despite prior dips. TikTok’s U.S. prospects remain uncertain following legislative pressure for ByteDance to sell or face a ban, though Donald Trump's reelection has brought potential policy shifts, with Trump expressing support for keeping TikTok in America.

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Apple Brings Edge AI to the Masses

Apple’s hybrid approach to AI combines on-device processing with secure cloud computing through its "Private Cloud Compute" system. This model showcases how edge computing can enhance privacy, efficiency, and scalability for both consumers and enterprises.

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