Startups · Top stories
SpaceX Reports $561 Million Investment Gain from The Boring Co. Stake
SpaceX recorded a $561 million investment gain in Q3 from its stake in The Boring Co., contributing over half of its "other income" for the period. This gain boosted SpaceX's net income to over $4 billion, as reported in its SEC filing.
Elon Musk Reportedly Invests $1 Billion in New Media Company Skydance
Elon Musk has reportedly invested $1 billion in Skydance, a newly formed media company resulting from Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. This investment provides a financial boost to Skydance as it aims to reduce costs and integrate its streaming platforms and networks.
TechCrunch Announces 2026 Startup Battlefield Top 20 for Disrupt Competition
TechCrunch announced the 2026 Startup Battlefield Top 20 companies selected to compete at TechCrunch Disrupt. These startups will vie for a $100,000 prize and the Disrupt Cup, showcasing innovations across various sectors including space, AI, and biotechnology.
Slingshot Insurance Raises $27M Seed Funding for AI-Native Embedded Insurance Platform
Slingshot Insurance, an AI-native embedded insurance startup, secured $27 million in seed funding co-led by Rally Ventures and Skyward Group. The company provides software to help businesses offer small insurance policies at the point of sale, aiming to reduce administrative costs for low-premium products.
Reach Capital Closes Fifth Fund at $265 Million, Expanding Investment Scope
Reach Capital, an investment firm, announced the closing of its fifth fund, totaling $265 million, bringing its assets under management to nearly $1 billion. This new fund will support investments in approximately 50 additional pre-seed, seed, and Series A companies across learning, health, and work sectors, expanding beyond its initial K-12 education focus.
Electric Plant Raises $11.2M Seed Round for AI to Interpret Plant Electrical Signals
Electric Plant, a startup, raised an $11.2 million seed round to develop an AI model named Bombadil that interprets electrical signals in plants. This technology aims to provide growers with real-time information about plant needs, offering a more precise alternative to traditional agricultural monitoring tools.
Inspired Capital Closes $450M Fourth Fund, Reaching $1.4B AUM
Inspired Capital, an early-stage venture firm, closed its fourth fund with $450 million in commitments, bringing its total assets under management to nearly $1.4 billion. This new fund highlights continued capital growth outside of Silicon Valley, with Inspired Capital maintaining its investment strategy of backing 10 companies annually.
Tolan Raises $30M to Expand AI Companion App for Daily Life Management
Tolan, an AI companion app, secured an additional $30 million in funding from investors including Union Square Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Homebrew. This funding doubles its total capital raised and pushes its valuation beyond $120 million, supporting the app's growth in helping users manage daily life and emotions.
Benchmark Raises $2 Billion Across Two Funds, Maintains Investment Strategy
Venture capital firm Benchmark announced it raised $2 billion across two new funds, marking its largest capital raise in 31 years. Despite the increased capital, the firm plans to maintain its historical investment pace of two to three new investments per partner annually, focusing on early-stage and growth-stage companies.
Mark Wahlberg to Open Municipal Gym, an Affordable Longevity-Focused Fitness Concept
Mark Wahlberg is launching Municipal Gym, a 32,000-square-foot fitness club near Las Vegas in December, offering services like blood work, epigenetic testing, and recovery therapies. The gym aims to provide an affordable alternative to high-end longevity clubs, expanding on his existing Municipal sportswear brand.
Tressfecta Develops Plait Pilot Tool to Automate Hair Separation for Braiding
Tressfecta, a new company, is developing Plait Pilot, a device that automates the initial hair separation process for braiding. This tool aims to reduce the physical strain and time involved in preparing hair for braiding, a task that can take hours for stylists.
Prismm Introduces Platform to Help Banks Retain Assets After Account Holder Death
Prismm, a startup founded by Martha Underwood and Shella Sylla, launched a platform designed to help banks retain inherited money by integrating beneficiary and estate planning into accounts. The platform digitizes asset transfer to heirs, allowing designated family members to access accounts and documents for remote beneficiary transfers.
Zenzap Raises $44M to Develop AI Chat App for Workplace Communication
Zenzap, a new startup, secured $44 million in funding from investors including Bessemer and Lightspeed for its AI-powered chat application. The app aims to provide businesses with a secure communication platform that integrates AI and complies with IT regulations, offering an alternative to consumer messaging apps and existing enterprise solutions.
Floqer to open-source AI customer knowledge database, reports $1.2M ARR
Floqer, an AI-powered customer knowledge platform, plans to open-source the technology behind its autonomous customer knowledge database by early 2027. The startup has achieved $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and will present at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
NTangible Develops "Clutch Factor" Assessment to Predict Athlete Performance Under Pressure
NTangible, a sports-tech startup, launched the "Clutch Factor" assessment, a psychological tool designed to predict how athletes perform in high-pressure situations. This assessment aims to provide quantifiable data for mental aspects of sports, influencing recruiting and scholarship decisions in collegiate athletics.
Stella & Dot Founder Raises $5M Seed for AI Marketing Startup Marklo
Jessica Herrin, founder of Stella & Dot, raised $5 million in seed funding for her new AI marketing startup, Marklo. Marklo's software helps consumer brands plan marketing campaigns by analyzing sales, inventory, and past marketing data, and drafting campaign briefs. The funding will support hiring engineers, product development, and customer support as the software opens to the public.
Licube develops technology to purify lithium-6 for fusion power and other industries
Licube, a startup, has licensed technology from Hirosaki University to purify lithium-6, a critical component for tritium production in fusion power plants. This technology addresses the scarcity of lithium-6, which is essential for on-site tritium generation in future fusion reactors. Licube plans to apply this purification method to other industries like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals until fusion power becomes widespread.
Consus Launches LLM Gateway for Companies Handling Sensitive Data, Achieves FedRAMP Equivalency
Consus, a Y Combinator-backed startup, launched an LLM gateway designed for companies handling sensitive data, such as those in aerospace and defense. The platform routes AI requests through ITAR-restricted and CUI-compliant infrastructure, having completed a FedRAMP High equivalency audit.
Honeyjar Introduces AI Tools for Public Relations and Communications Workflows
Honeyjar, a new startup, is launching AI-powered tools to automate public relations tasks such as writing announcements, identifying journalists, and finding speaking opportunities. The company aims to provide senior-level PR expertise to a wider audience, including founders and individuals without formal communications roles.
Former Plaud Executive Raises $26M for AI App Ambi, Offering Real-time Assistance
Ambi, an AI application developed by former Plaud executive Peter Mo, secured $26 million in funding across multiple rounds. The app aims to provide real-time intelligence and insights by continuously listening to users, with versions available for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watch. Ambi intends to proactively offer suggestions during meetings and capture context throughout the day.
Richualist Launches Mint Hair Tool for Textured Hair Care
Dawn Myers founded Richualist and developed the Mint hair tool, which combines detangling, conditioning, and styling functions for textured hair. This tool aims to reduce the time and effort involved in wash day routines and improve hair health by minimizing breakage.
Vurt Launches Vertical Video Apps for Apple TV and Android TV, Reaching 675,000 Users
Vurt, a vertical video streaming service, launched dedicated applications for Apple TV and Android TV, allowing users to watch vertical content on widescreen televisions. The company has grown its user base from 10,000 to 675,000 since March, offering 3,500 episodes across 100 shows, primarily with human-produced content and an ad-supported free model.
Petra Power develops solid oxide fuel cells for data centers and defense vehicles
Petra Power, founded in 2017, is developing solid oxide fuel cells that convert fuel into electricity without combustion. These fuel cells aim to provide more efficient and compact power solutions for data centers and defense applications, reducing fuel costs and emissions.
LumenUs Launches AI-Powered Platform to Automate Post-Death Administrative Tasks
LumenUs, a new platform founded by Sara Tashakorinia, uses AI to automate administrative tasks following a death, such as filing insurance claims and closing bank accounts. The platform aims to reduce the burden of paperwork for grieving families, allowing them to focus on personal matters.
Danu Robotics secures $5M late-seed funding for AI-powered recycling robot H.E.R.O.
Danu Robotics, a six-year-old startup, raised $5 million in late-seed funding to commercialize its AI-powered recycling robot, H.E.R.O. The robot uses a pincer claw for sorting and continuously improves its software with AI, aiming to offer a more cost-effective solution for recycling centers.
Ex-con founder launches Commissary Club, an AI-powered social platform for former inmates
Richard Bronson, a former inmate and entrepreneur, launched Commissary Club, an AI-powered social media platform designed to help ex-convicts find employment and housing. The platform addresses the challenges former inmates face in reintegrating into society by providing job search assistance, housing resources, and a community network.
Greenairy Develops Smart Plant Towers for Indoor Air Purification
Greenairy, a startup founded by Tanvi Thombre and Lakshya Saraf, is developing smart plant towers to remove toxic gases like VOCs from indoor air. The company aims to address indoor air pollution in commercial buildings, which traditional air purifiers are less effective at handling.
Bloom raises $3.6M seed round to expand its AI-driven manufacturing marketplace
Bloom, a Detroit-based startup, secured $3.6 million in seed funding led by SNAK Venture Partners. The company operates an AI-driven marketplace connecting buyers and sellers in American manufacturing, facilitating supply chain connections for various hardware companies.
Hilt Raises $4.2 Million Seed Funding for Data Breach Prevention Software
Hilt, a cybersecurity startup, announced it has raised $4.2 million in seed funding to develop software that detects and prevents unusual data activity and sensitive information theft. This funding round, led by Array Ventures, brings Hilt's total funding to $4.7 million, enabling the company to further develop its breach prevention technology.
Bluesky applies for '.bsky' internet domain suffix to offer users personal domains
Bluesky has applied to ICANN to create a new internet domain suffix, ".bsky", which would allow users to have shorter, personalized domain names instead of their current social handles. This initiative aims to give users more control over their online identity and could evolve user profiles into comprehensive personal homepages.
Ghost raises $11M for Core, a $3,499 personal computer for AI agents
Ghost, a new startup, has raised $11 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz and launched its first product, Core, a personal computer designed for running AI agents. Core is priced at $3,499 and aims to centralize personal data for continuous AI agent operation, distinguishing itself from general-purpose computers by its specialized hardware and pre-installed AI models.
Five Startups Highlighted at PearX Demo Day in San Francisco
PearX, a startup accelerator, held its latest demo day in San Francisco, showcasing 16 startups. Venture capitalists highlighted five companies, including Speridlabs and Saia, for their innovative approaches in AI and hardware.
Neko Health, a body scan startup co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, expands to the US
Neko Health, a Swedish body scan startup co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, has launched in New York. The company offers a $500 preventative health scan and aims to address issues in the US medical system by making preventative care more accessible.
Beehiiv Increases Subscription Prices for Creator Platform Users
Beehiiv, a creator platform, has raised its subscription prices, with increases of at least $10 per month for some plans. This change has led to dissatisfaction among users, many of whom joined Beehiiv to avoid Substack's revenue share.
Feeld dating app reports 32% revenue increase, founders receive record £3.8m dividend
Feeld, a dating app for non-monogamous and queer users, saw its revenues increase by 32% to £64 million, leading to a record £3.8 million dividend for shareholders, including its founders. This growth occurred while larger dating apps like Tinder experienced user declines, indicating a shift in user preferences towards niche platforms.
MyMonthlyCar Launches Platform for Dealerships to Offer Monthly Used Car Rentals
MyMonthlyCar, a new startup, has launched an online platform connecting car dealerships with customers for month-to-month used car rentals. The platform aims to generate revenue from idle dealership inventory and provide flexible rental options to consumers.
Homeward Raises $120M Series D and $330M Debt Facility for Real Estate Transactions
Homeward, a real estate technology company, secured $120 million in Series D funding led by Saluda Grade, and an additional $330 million in asset-backed debt. This funding will support the expansion of its financing products and technology platform, enabling homeowners to buy new homes before selling their current ones or receive cash offers.
Restate Secures $20 Million Series A Funding for Durable Workflow Infrastructure
Restate, a Berlin-based startup, has raised $20 million in Series A funding to expand its durable workflow infrastructure, which is increasingly relevant for managing AI agent processes. The funding will help Restate compete in the durable infrastructure market, offering a solution for resilient multi-step workflows.
Charter Space Raises $5M Seed Round for Space Insurance Business
Charter Space secured $5 million in seed funding to expand its space insurance brokerage, which launched in May and currently serves over 50 companies. The company aims to make space insurance more accessible by using aerospace engineering data to streamline the underwriting process.
Uhura Bionics develops wearable voice prosthetics for laryngectomees
Konrad Zieliński, a founder who lost his voice to cancer, launched Uhura Bionics to create non-invasive wearable devices that allow laryngectomees to speak with emotion. The company offers two devices, including the Whitney model, aiming to provide a more natural voice than traditional options.