Startups
Hugging Face debuts $400 Microduck robot with AI capabilities
The open-source robot, priced at $399, features walking, object manipulation and roller-skating. Developers can program new skills using reinforcement learning.
Gatik secures $200 million Series D as autonomous freight demand accelerates
Autonomous trucking firm Gatik raises $200 million in a Series D round led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies, citing over $600 million in contracted revenue and 85,000 driverless orders completed.
Lambda seeks $3 bln at $12 bln valuation in next funding round
AI cloud provider Lambda is in advanced talks to raise up to $3 billion in a new funding round that would value the company at $12 billion or more. Nvidia is among its backers.
Startups continue buying startups at high pace in 2026
More than 440 venture-backed startups have acquired others in the first half of 2026, with AI and fintech firms leading the trend. Deal flow remains robust despite a slight dip in overall counts.
Hugging Face explores sale at $13 bln or higher valuation
AI startup Hugging Face has hired a bank to gauge buyer interest for a potential sale that could value the company at $13 billion or more. The firm last raised funds at a $4.5 billion valuation in 2023.
AI fintech Tabs raises $92M, valued at $400M amid revenue surge
Tabs, an AI-driven finance automation platform, has grown from a 2023 launch to 180 employees and triple-digit revenue growth, backed by $92M in funding and a $400M valuation.
Chery’s robotics unit AiMOGA plans IPO amid push into global police robot market
AiMOGA Robotics, Chery Automobile’s robotics division, is preparing for an IPO to fund expansion into overseas markets for its humanoid police robots. The unit has already deployed 110 units across Chinese cities and targets 10,000 global deliveries by next year.
OpenAI launches ad business in Switzerland and Europe
ChatGPT ads to roll out Monday across 31 markets including Switzerland, Germany, France and Italy. Free-tier users to see targeted placements, with paid tiers remaining ad-free.
Anthropic plans dual-class shares for founders ahead of potential IPO
AI startup Anthropic is preparing to issue supervoting stock to CEO Dario Amodei and co-founders as it gears up for a public listing, The Information reports. The unusual governance structure could support a record-breaking IPO.
Etched raises $700 million at $21 billion valuation for AI inference chips
AI hardware startup Etched secures $700 million in fresh funding, doubling its valuation to $21 billion as it scales production of specialized inference clusters. Lead investor Jane Street among backers including Sequoia and Blackstone.
Sequoia, Khosla and Y Combinator lead 2026 unicorn investor rankings
Crunchbase data shows 250 new unicorns in 2026, with Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator among the top 10 most active investors. AI, robotics and healthcare sectors dominate funding.
Physical AI startups raise $47.4bn in H1 2026, outpacing all prior periods
Venture funding in robotics, autonomous systems and aerospace surged to a record $47.4 billion across 521 deals in the first half of 2026, nearly quadrupling H2 2025 totals. Major rounds for Waymo, Anduril and Shield AI underscore the sector's rapid expansion.
Anthropic’s annualized revenue rate exceeds $65 bln: report
AI startup Anthropic’s annualized revenue rate rose to over $65 bln by July, underscoring rapid growth in enterprise demand for generative AI tools.
Serve Robotics, Grubhub launch autonomous food delivery service
Partnership integrates Serve Robotics' robots with Grubhub's platform to expand autonomous delivery in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Anemoi Secures $3.2 Million in Pre-RTO Subscription Agreements
Anemoi has raised $3.2 million through pre-reverse takeover subscription agreements ahead of a public market listing.
Databricks raises $10bn at $190bn valuation
Big data firm secures $10 billion in fresh capital, pushing its valuation to $190 billion as investors bet on AI-driven growth.
Unicorn births hit record in H1 2026, surpassing full-year 2025 totals
AI, robotics and semiconductor startups drove the surge, with 195 new unicorns minted in the first half of 2026, exceeding the 193 recorded for all of 2025.
Maria Shevchuk to keynote Platform Global conference in France
Ukrainian tech entrepreneur and investor Maria Shevchuk will deliver a keynote address at the Platform Global conference in Paris next month.