Category: Startups

FintechStartups

Upgrade Valued at $7.3 Billion in Latest Funding Round as IPO Plans Advance

Upgrade has secured $165 million in new funding, valuing the fintech startup at $7.3 billion. CEO Renaud Laplanche indicates the company is 12-18 months from an IPO while reporting annualized revenue exceeding $1 billion.

Fintech Unicorn Upgrade Reaches $7.3 Billion Valuation

Online lending platform Upgrade, founded by LendingClub creator Renaud Laplanche, has reportedly reached a $7.3 billion valuation following a new $165 million funding round. According to reports, the investment was led by Neuberger Berman with participation from LuminArx Capital Management, marking the company’s first capital raise since 2021.

by Aaron Blake
Business AcquisitionStartups

Grindr’s Major Shareholders Explore Taking Company Private After Stock Decline

Grindr’s largest shareholders are exploring taking the company private just three years after its public debut. The move reportedly follows stock declines that triggered loan defaults requiring share seizures by lenders.

Grindr Faces Potential Return to Private Ownership

Grindr’s largest shareholders are exploring taking the popular dating and hookup app private again, according to reports confirmed Tuesday. Raymond Zage and James Lu, who led the company’s efforts to go public, are reportedly considering acquiring all outstanding stock to return the company to private ownership.

by Aaron Blake
Business AcquisitionStartups

Core Financial Systems Expands Dublin HQ with 30 New Jobs Supported by Enterprise Ireland

Software consultancy Core Financial Systems is creating 30 new jobs at its Dublin headquarters as part of a €1 million expansion plan. The positions in software development, IT infrastructure, finance, and marketing will nearly double the company’s workforce. Enterprise Ireland is supporting this growth initiative aimed at advancing AI strategies and financial management solutions.

Major Expansion for Financial Software Consultancy

Software consultancy Core Financial Systems has announced plans to create 30 new positions at its Dublin headquarters, according to reports from the company. The expansion is part of a €1 million Research, Development and Innovation plan supported by Enterprise Ireland, with recruitment reportedly beginning next month.

by Aaron Blake
ManufacturingStartups

Caracol Secures $40M Series B Funding to Expand Advanced Manufacturing Globally

Italian-American robotics manufacturer Caracol has closed a $40 million Series B round with significant institutional investor participation. The funding will drive international expansion into Asia Pacific and strengthen capabilities in metal additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense applications.

Major Funding Round for Advanced Manufacturing

Caracol, a large-format robotics manufacturing company, has reportedly closed a $40 million Series B funding round according to recent announcements. Sources indicate the round was significantly oversubscribed, enabling some early investors to exit with substantial returns while bringing new institutional players into the company’s capital structure.

by Aaron Blake
Business AcquisitionStartups

From Bankruptcy to $745M Exit: How Kass Lazerow Lost Friends, Got Sued, Then Built a Tech Empire

After her first startup collapsed into bankruptcy, Kass Lazerow faced lawsuits from family members and lost friendships. Six years later, she sold that same company for $24 million, then built Buddy Media into a $745 million acquisition by Salesforce.

When Kass Lazerow’s first e-commerce venture collapsed into bankruptcy, the financial loss was only the beginning of her troubles. The 54-year-old entrepreneur watched relationships shatter as friends and family who’d invested in her business saw their money disappear—and in one particularly painful case, a relative actually sued her.

Yet from this devastating failure emerged one of tech’s most remarkable comeback stories. The same couple who faced financial ruin and personal betrayal would eventually sell their second company for a staggering $745 million, proving that entrepreneurial resilience can overcome even the most crushing setbacks.

by Aaron Blake
Arts and EntertainmentRoboticsStartups

Stealth Humanoid Robot Startups Secure Massive Funding in AI Robotics Race

Two well-funded AI startups are developing humanoid robots in stealth mode, with Rhoda AI raising $230M for heavy-lifting capabilities and Genesis AI securing $105M for wheeled humanoids. The companies join a growing field of robotics ventures attracting billions in investment despite commercialization challenges.

The artificial intelligence revolution is expanding into physical form as stealth humanoid robotics startups secure massive funding rounds to develop machines capable of performing human tasks. According to documents obtained by Forbes, two Silicon Valley ventures have raised over $300 million combined while secretly developing advanced humanoid robot systems designed for industrial and domestic applications.

The Humanoid Robotics Gold Rush

by Aaron Blake
Arts and EntertainmentStartups

QumulusAI Secures $500M Blockchain-Backed Facility for AI Compute Expansion

QumulusAI has secured a groundbreaking $500 million blockchain-backed facility to accelerate its AI compute infrastructure deployment. The innovative financing model allows the company to borrow stablecoins against tokenized GPU deployments through Permian Labs’ USD.AI protocol.

QumulusAI has announced a landmark $500 million blockchain-backed financing facility that represents a significant evolution in how artificial intelligence infrastructure projects secure capital. The non-recourse facility, arranged by Permian Labs, will enable the GPU cloud company to accelerate its compute infrastructure buildout through an innovative tokenization framework that transforms hardware assets into collateral for blockchain-based lending.

Revolutionary Financing Structure for AI Infrastructure

by Aaron Blake
Business AcquisitionStartups

How Oura Achieved $11 Billion Valuation: Funding, Growth & Future Plans

Finnish health tech startup Oura has secured $900 million in Series E funding, catapulting its valuation to $11 billion. The investment comes amid surging revenue and ambitious international expansion plans for the biometric ring maker.

In a landmark moment for the wearable technology industry, Finnish health tech company Oura has secured a massive $900 million Series E funding round that values the company at an impressive $11 billion. This represents a dramatic valuation jump from just $5 billion in late 2024, highlighting the explosive growth trajectory of the biometric ring manufacturer and the increasing investor confidence in the startup company ecosystem.

Breaking Down Oura’s Monumental Funding Round

by Gabriel Novak
FundingStartups

Oura Ring’s $900M Funding Round Led by Fidelity Values Company at $11 Billion

** Oura has secured $900 million in new funding led by Fidelity, valuing the smart ring company at approximately $11 billion. This represents a significant increase from its $5.2 billion valuation after raising $200 million in December 2024. The company has now sold 5.5 million smart rings total. **CONTENT:**

Oura has raised $900 million in a funding round led by Fidelity that values the smart ring company at approximately $11 billion, according to recent analysis. This represents a dramatic valuation increase from the $5.2 billion mark the company achieved after raising $200 million in December 2024. The latest funding round comes as Oura announces it has sold 5.5 million smart rings total, cementing its position in the wearable technology market.

by Aaron Blake