Startup news, 7 September 2026

7 briefs

• Pixxel secures India's largest space-tech funding round at $100M

  Pixxel, an Indian space technology startup, has closed a $100 million Series C round—the country’s largest for a space-tech company. Temasek and Seraphim led the funding, which follows previous backin

  Reported by reuters.com

• Hyderabad's Leanwatts secures $2M seed for EV power tech

  Leanwatts, a Hyderabad-based deeptech startup, has raised $2 million in seed funding across two rounds. The capital will fund further R&D and expansion of its locally developed EV power solutions plat

  Reported by msn.com

• SparkLabs launches $75K climate prize for Korean startups ahead of COP31

  SparkLabs has introduced a $75,000 prize for Korean climate startups, offering exposure to global judges and investors. The initiative ties into COP31 in Türkiye later this year, aiming to highlight l

  Reported by koreatechdesk.com

• MENA startup funding doubles in August despite fewer deals

  Startup funding in the Middle East and North Africa reached $375 million in August 2026, more than doubling from the previous month. However, the number of deals declined sharply, signaling a shift to

  Reported by wamda.com

• Crusoe secures $13B AI cloud deal with Jane Street

  AI infrastructure startup Crusoe has locked in a five-year cloud services agreement with trading firm Jane Street. The contract, reported by Bloomberg, carries a value in the range of $13 billion. Sou

  Reported by msn.com

• Crusoe hits $30B valuation with $3B raise, pivots to AI data centers

  Crusoe, an AI infrastructure startup, reached a $30 billion valuation after securing $3 billion in funding. The company, previously linked to cryptocurrency, now provides specialized data center servi

  Reported by cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com

• India's space-tech startups grow, but funding gaps persist

  India’s space-tech sector is seeing more startups emerge, yet securing capital remains a hurdle. While the ecosystem expands, investors appear cautious despite rising interest in the field. The mismat

  Reported by business-standard.com