Startup news, 18 September 2026

35 briefs

• PhytoFoundry exits stealth with plant cell culture platform for bioactives

  PhytoFoundry has launched its plant cell culture platform, focusing on high-value bioactive compounds. The company prioritizes product-market fit, customer validation, and capital efficiency from the

  Reported by agfundernews.com

• ShipAfrica sells majority stake to US logistics firm Pigee

  Nigeria’s ShipAfrica has transferred a 55% stake to U.S.-based Pigee, handing control to the buyer. The deal aims to strengthen logistics networks across Africa, though terms remain undisclosed. ShipA

  Reported by weetracker.com

• Notes·fm raises funds for artist-focused fintech tools

  Music-fintech startup Notes·fm has secured funding from artists and industry veterans. The company offers financial accounts for artists via Stripe and maintains an open music-credits database. Its re

  Reported by musically.com

• UPI MDR revival draws investor attention back to payment fintechs

  Investors expect the return of merchant discount rates on UPI transactions to improve fintech profit margins. This shift is also anticipated to drive up valuation multiples and attract more funding, p

  Reported by moneycontrol.com

• Manus eyes $500M raise, Hong Kong IPO on the table

  AI startup Manus is in talks to secure $500 million in new funding, potentially lifting its valuation to $4 billion. The company is also considering a public listing in Hong Kong as part of its capita

  Reported by msn.com

• AI quality control startup Rapta secures $8M for defense manufacturing

  An AI-driven platform for factory quality control has raised funds to scale in defense, aerospace, and precision manufacturing. Rapta’s technology targets production floors in the U.S. sector, aiming

  Reported by thedefensepost.com

• NYC startups secure fresh funding rounds on 9/17/2026

  New York-based startups Adaptive and Polyphron were among those closing new funding rounds yesterday. The deals span venture capital, seed, pre-seed, and angel investments, reflecting ongoing activity

  Reported by alleywatch.com

• AI startups lead $310M funding wave across tech sectors

  Venture funding this week spanned AI, semiconductors, enterprise software, and interactive content. Five companies secured capital, with AI driving the largest share of the total raised. The deals ref

  Reported by analyticsinsight.net

• OpenAI preps for expected IPO after confidential filing

  OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, with investors reportedly in early talks about a new funding round. The move follows months of speculation about the AI firm’s path to p

  Reported by cnbc.com

• AI-native security startup Comp AI secures $34M Series A

  Comp AI, a startup focused on compliance and security built around AI, has raised $34 million in a Series A round. The funding pushes its total capital to over $36 million, with the company yet to dis

  Reported by securityweek.com

• Saudi fintech and Israeli AI dominate MENA startup funding week

  Funding in the Middle East and Africa this week concentrated in two hubs. Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector absorbed most of the capital, while Israeli startups working on AI accounted for the remainder.

  Reported by techloy.com

• Datavault AI faces investor suit amid $29M funding filing

  Datavault AI has filed to raise $29 million while facing a lawsuit from investors alleging misleading claims. The legal dispute centers on accusations that the company misrepresented its technology or

  Reported by technical.ly

• Crusoe secures $3.9B at $30.9B valuation, eyes IPO

  AI data center operator Crusoe has closed a $3.9 billion Series F round, bringing its valuation to $30.9 billion. Investors include Nvidia, Qatar Investment Authority, and Founders Fund. The company i

  Reported by coincentral.com

• Plaud targets 2028 IPO after hitting $1B revenue milestone

  San Francisco-based AI startup Plaud intends to file for a U.S. IPO in 2028, according to CEO Xu. The company will pursue the public listing once its annual revenue surpasses $1 billion, Xu stated in

  Reported by msn.com

• AI and chip startups secure major seed funding rounds

  Mantic, an AI startup outperforming humans in forecasting contests, raised $25 million in seed funding. Separately, Delos Data, founded by ex-Intel engineers, secured $100 million for AI-focused chip

  Reported by reuters.com, msn.com, msn.com

• Maven Robotics exits stealth with $100M for industrial robots

  Santa Clara-based Maven Robotics has ended its stealth phase, backed by $100 million from investors including RoboStrategy, LocalGlobe, Vine Ventures, and XTX Markets Ventures. The funding will go tow

  Reported by digitalmarketreports.com

• Ravel closes $8.2M seed to recycle blended textiles

  Textile recycling startup Ravel has secured an $8.2 million seed round after demand exceeded expectations. The funding, led by One Small Planet, includes participation from AP Ventures, Overlay Capita

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• South Africa's 22 On Sloane launches $63M fund for AI startups

  South Africa’s 22 On Sloane has introduced an AI-focused platform and a $63 million fund to back entrepreneurs in the region. The initiative targets startups working in artificial intelligence and aim

  Reported by techinafrica.com

• Skalar debuts revenue-based financing for customer acquisition

  Skalar has launched a model that funds startups’ sales and marketing costs, recouping its investment from the revenue generated by those campaigns. The approach targets companies seeking alternatives

  Reported by news.crunchbase.com

• NYC startup Adaptive secures $30M to tackle construction accounting

  Construction job sites struggle with real-time tracking of expenses and progress. Adaptive, a New York-based startup, has raised $30 million to address this using AI. The funding will help scale its s

  Reported by bizjournals.com

• European fund eyes ElevenLabs in $500M+ AI funding push

  A European tech fund, Scaleup Europe Fund, is reportedly in discussions to back British AI voice startup ElevenLabs. The company is targeting a funding round exceeding $500 million, according to sourc

  Reported by marketscreener.com

• Indian startup Wippi raises $1.2M to curb doomscrolling habits

  Two Indian startups, Wippi and Fullhouse, are building tools to help users reduce compulsive social media use. Their approach shifts focus from endless scrolling to intentional technology engagement.

  Reported by cnbctv18.com

• Plaud targets 2028 US IPO with $1B revenue goal

  San Francisco AI startup Plaud intends to go public in 2028, according to its founder. The company will only pursue an IPO once it surpasses $1 billion in annual revenue. No timeline for reaching that

  Reported by msn.com

• Starting a business in 2026 can cost nothing, guide claims

  A new guide suggests entrepreneurs can launch a business without upfront capital by building a minimum viable product first. The approach relies on generating early revenue or attracting investment af

  Reported by msn.com

• Clay hits $7.1B valuation with $115M round led by Egyptian co-founder

  New York-based software startup Clay has raised $115 million, pushing its valuation to $7.1 billion. The company was co-founded by an Egyptian entrepreneur, marking one of the highest valuations for a

  Reported by zawya.com

• AI startup Discovery Loop targets $50B valuation in new funding round

  Discovery Loop, an artificial intelligence startup, is reportedly seeking another funding round at a $50 billion valuation. Sources familiar with the discussions told Business Insider the terms remain

  Reported by msn.com

• Viabot secures $24M to expand autonomous property maintenance robots

  Autonomous robotics firm Viabot has closed a $24 million Series A round. Walden International led the funding, with CDIB Capital Group and Stalwart Ventures joining. The company focuses on outdoor com

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• Alma secures $17M to automate employment visa processing

  An immigration law firm built for AI-driven workflows has closed a Series A round. Alma, founded by a former Cooley attorney, focuses on simplifying employment visas and global hiring. The funding wil

  Reported by law.com

• Mosaic Ventures co-leads €18M Series A for Berlin AI startup Integral

  Berlin-based AI company Integral secured €18 million in Series A funding, with Mosaic Ventures acting as co-lead investor. Law firm Taylor Wessing, through venture capital specialist Dr. Armin Bartsch

  Reported by taylorwessing.com

• TigerByte Cyber exits stealth with seed funding for edge security

  TigerByte Cyber, a cybersecurity firm focused on securing hardware at the tactical edge, has ended its stealth phase. The company announced seed funding, though the total was not disclosed in initial

  Reported by defensedaily.com

• Pittsburgh robotics event draws crowds despite sponsor struggles

  A recent Robotics and AI Discovery Day in Pittsburgh attracted thousands of attendees and over 250 exhibitors. The event aimed to connect local startups with investors and defense buyers. Sponsor PRN,

  Reported by technical.ly

• Robotics funding hits $4.9B in August 2026 across 162 deals

  In August 2026, robotics investments reached nearly $4.9 billion, spanning 162 tracked financial transactions. The figures reflect a continued surge in capital flowing into the sector, though deal vol

  Reported by therobotreport.com

• Zipline in talks for $1B round at $20B valuation

  Drone delivery startup Zipline is negotiating a funding round that could raise approximately $1 billion, valuing the company at around $20 billion. The logistics and autonomous drone firm has not fina

  Reported by ttnews.com

• Microsoft's M12 backs UK AI startup Mantic for event prediction

  A London-based AI startup, Mantic, has secured funding from investors including Microsoft’s venture arm. The company says its system can forecast global events. No details on the round’s size or other

  Reported by msn.com

• OpenAI in talks for $1.2tn valuation ahead of potential IPO

  OpenAI is reportedly discussing a private funding round that could value the company at around $1.2 trillion. The AI startup, known for ChatGPT, is exploring the move before a possible public listing,

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com, pymnts.com