Startup news, 19 September 2026

12 briefs

• AI drives surge in sales and marketing startup funding

  Sales, marketing, and customer management startups have secured $7.5 billion in funding this year, per Crunchbase. The rounds cover a range of tools, from ad platforms to sales software, reflecting br

  Reported by news.crunchbase.com

• A5X's $69.9M Series D dominates Latin America startup funding

  Latin American startups secured $73.7 million in funding this week. Nearly all of it—$69.9 million—went to Brazil-based A5X, which closed a Series D round. The remaining $3.8 million was spread across

  Reported by techloy.com

• Flam secures $40M Series B, adds Shah Rukh Khan as investor

  AI content startup Flam has raised $40 million in a Series B round led by QED Investors. The company, which counts over 100 enterprise customers, plans to expand its product suite, hire AI research en

  Reported by thehindubusinessline.com, businessworld.in, moneycontrol.com

• Portland AI data startup Antfly secures $2M for agent infrastructure

  Antfly, a Portland-based startup, has raised $2 million to simplify data infrastructure for AI agents. The company, founded by James McDermott and AJ Roetker, aims to reduce the complexity of building

  Reported by geekwire.com

• EIT expands AI focus to robotics, launches €80M European founders program

  The EIT AI Community has rebranded to include robotics, forming a pan-European effort to back AI and robotics startups. Alongside the shift, it launched a founders program with €80 million in funding

  Reported by roboticsandautomationnews.com

• Nvidia-backed UK cloud startup Nscale files for NYSE IPO

  Nscale, a UK-based cloud computing startup backed by Nvidia, has filed for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. The company did not disclose the number of shares or the price ran

  Reported by msn.com

• Startup funding landscape expands beyond traditional models

  The ways startups secure capital have diversified, moving past conventional funding routes. Founders now access a broader range of financial tools, altering how early-stage ventures scale. This shift

  Reported by wales247.co.uk

• Two AI-driven manufacturing startups secure major funding rounds

  CADDi, an AI startup focused on manufacturing, reached a $1.2 billion valuation after raising $114 million in Series D funding. Separately, D-Robotics closed a $400 million Series C round to expand it

  Reported by msn.com, autonews.gasgoo.com

• India's DeepTech summit PIVOT 2026 opens in Kochi

  A DeepTech Innovation and Venture Summit, PIVOT 2026, launched in Kochi to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem in hardware, DeepTech, and critical technologies. Ramanan Ramanathan, a member of the In

  Reported by msn.com

• Seed rounds hit $40M for two AI startups in a week

  Two AI startups secured roughly $40 million each in seed funding this week. The deals suggest a shift in early-stage expectations for founders seeking capital in the sector. No further details on the

  Reported by msn.com

• NYC startups secure funding in Sept 14 roundup

  AlleyWatch reported funding activity for New York City-based startups on September 14, 2026. The roundup included deals for companies Highstock and UrgentIQ, among others, across venture capital, seed

  Reported by alleywatch.com

• ElevenLabs in talks for $500M+ funding months after $11B valuation

  ElevenLabs is negotiating a new funding round exceeding $500 million from Scaleup Europe Fund. The AI voice startup recently closed a $500 million Series D at an $11 billion valuation just months ago.

  Reported by cryptobriefing.com