Startup news, 25 September 2026

94 briefs

• Maven Robotics reportedly deploys humanoid robots in UK factory pilot

  Maven Robotics may have begun operating its humanoid robots in a UK factory, potentially representing one of the first commercial deployments of its platform in Europe. The Austin-based startup, which

  Reported by technologymagazine.com

• Nscale raises $3.36B in pre-IPO convertible notes amid IPO filing

  London-based AI cloud startup Nscale has raised $3.36 billion in convertible loan notes, led by Third Point, a move that automatically converts into equity upon its impending IPO. The financing was an

  Reported by unite.ai

• AI agents may force enterprises to rethink trust—Ekai raises $1.7M

  Enterprise trust models were built for humans. AI agents don’t play by the same rules.

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• GalaxEye bags ₹63.8Cr RDI grant for multisensor satellite tech

  Indian spacetech startup GalaxEye has secured ₹63.84 crore in non-dilutive funding from the Centre’s Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, Inc42 reported. The support is intended for the co

  Reported by inc42.com

• Ema raises $77M Series B to automate enterprise workflows

  Bengaluru-based Ema has raised $77 million in a Series B round led by Creaegis. The startup’s agentic AI platform is designed to automate workflows across enterprise functions.

  Reported by yourstory.com

• India’s $10.3B funding rise hides steep drop in startup deals

  Indian startups raised $10.3 billion in the first nine months of this year, a 7% increase from the same period last year. But the number of funding rounds fell 38% to 1,134, according to data reported

  Reported by newsbytesapp.com

• India’s startup funding rises 7% but deal count plunges 38% in 2026

  Indian startups raised more money in the first nine months of 2026 than they did in the same period last year, but the number of funding rounds fell sharply, revealing a market where fewer companies a

  Reported by firstpost.com

• VOLL round sparks debate: travel tech’s LatAm comeback?

  The travel tech company’s undisclosed round was cited as the week’s largest, though details about its size relative to other deals remain unclear.

  Reported by techloy.com

• India’s enterprise AI push highlights infrastructure challenges

  Indian enterprises appear to be assessing whether their infrastructure is equipped to support AI at scale. Inc42 recently reported that corporate India is raising questions about the robustness of its

  Reported by inc42.com

• DensityAI nears $10B valuation in AI chip funding push

  DensityAI, the AI chip startup founded by former Tesla Dojo executives, is in late-stage talks to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in a funding round that would value the company at roughly $10 b

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• Enveda’s $311M raise puts AI biotech’s nature-based approach in focus

  Enveda has raised $311 million in a Series E round at a $2 billion valuation, positioning itself as a player in AI-powered drug discovery. The funding, first reported by *DigitalMarketReports*, comes

  Reported by digitalmarketreports.com

• Anupam Kher joins Tender247 to unlock India’s ₹70L Cr tender market

  Anupam Kher has signed on as the public face of Tender247, a platform that aims to simplify access to India’s ₹70 lakh crore government and institutional tender market. The actor’s involvement is mean

  Reported by yourstory.com

• Tech layoffs surge as AI spending reshapes workforce

  U.S. tech layoffs hit 94,046 between January and August, a 16.8% jump from the same period last year, as companies redirect capital from headcount to AI initiatives. The trend, reported by Crunchbase,

  Reported by news.crunchbase.com

• Cherry adds Legora backer as AI legal tech draws investor attention

  Tatiana Shalalvand has joined Cherry, the early-stage fund, with a mandate to lead the firm’s investment in Legora, the collaborative AI startup for lawyers. Sifted reported the hire, noting that Shal

  Reported by sifted.eu

• Rainmaker raises $100M Series B for global cloud-seeding push

  Rainmaker, an El Segundo-based cloud-seeding startup, has closed a $100 million Series B to scale its operations globally. The funding follows a year in which the company claims its technology generat

  Reported by bizjournals.com

• Waabi COO says autonomous trucks ready for Southern US rollout

  Waabi’s COO Lior Ron told BetaKit the company’s autonomous trucks are ready for deployment across the Southern US by next year, pending Volvo’s technical validation. The announcement follows a pattern

  Reported by betakit.com

• Rivet raises $10.5M seed to take on US dating market

  Rivet, a dating startup targeting the US, has raised $10.5 million in seed funding led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Shine Capital and others. The round, reported by Inc42, values the c

  Reported by inc42.com

• Make in India turns 12 with defence exports, PLI driving growth

  India’s Make in India initiative marked its 12th anniversary this month with a quiet but measurable shift: defence exports and production-linked incentives are now the program’s most visible successes

  Reported by yourstory.com

• Bengaluru takes lion’s share of India’s 2026 startup funding as rounds shrink

  Bengaluru-based startups raised a significant portion of India’s total startup funding in the first nine months of 2026, according to data reported by Moneycontrol. The city’s share, while down from t

  Reported by msn.com, msn.com

• CodeKarma in talks for $6M round with Prosus, Accel

  Enterprise tech startup CodeKarma is in late-stage talks to raise $5 million to $6 million from Prosus and Accel, according to Inc42. If completed, the round would mark Prosus’s first fresh investment

  Reported by inc42.com

• Snapdeal parent AceVector’s IPO sees modest 9% subscription on day one

  Snapdeal’s corporate parent, AceVector, saw its ₹420 crore initial public offering subscribed just 9% by mid-afternoon on the first day of bidding, a slow start that suggests muted demand for the comp

  Reported by inc42.com

• Astrobase joins IN-SPACe-backed spacetech cohort

  The company is reportedly developing infrastructure aimed at supporting launch capabilities, though details about its specific focus remain limited.

  Reported by inc42.com

• New report highlights sponsorship gap for women in tech

  A new report from the Toast Institute reveals that women in tech middle management receive significantly less professional sponsorship than their peers, creating a barrier to career advancement. The f

  Reported by betakit.com

• Bengaluru startups take large share of India’s top-10-city funding

  Bengaluru-based tech startups raised $4.4 billion in the first nine months of 2026, outpacing the combined total of the next five highest-funded Indian cities. The figure, reported by Moneycontrol, re

  Reported by moneycontrol.com

• Tata-TVS lease puts spotlight on India’s AI factory land rush

  The deal, first reported by YourStory, involves a site that could potentially be positioned for large-scale infrastructure needs. That timeline—nearly three decades—aligns with the kind of long-term c

  Reported by yourstory.com

• GenAI Fund’s $500K pre-seed for Bonbon Mobility reflects a hands-on investment model

  The deal, first reported by MSN, fits a pattern where investors don’t just provide capital but also contribute to forming the company itself.

  Reported by msn.com

• Andhra sets high clean-energy bar for data centres, targets Vizag growth

  The policy, revealed by state officials, also touches on water use but lacks detailed guidelines. The move aims to establish Visakhapatnam as a key location for data centres, drawing tech investments

  Reported by yourstory.com

• FM clarifies UPI MDR isn’t a tax—fintech relief or investor bait?

  The clarification follows recent regulatory moves that reintroduced MDR for certain UPI transactions, marking a shift in how digital payments are monetized.

  Reported by yourstory.com

• Defence primes test startup partnerships for faster battlefield tech

  A major European defence contractor is experimenting with a new playbook, turning to startups for prototype development in an effort to speed up technology deployment. The move, described in a recent

  Reported by tech.eu

• Central Europe’s VC debate: when to take money and when to sell

  The question of when to take venture capital is as old as the industry itself, but at this year’s Infobip Shift conference in Zadar, Croatia, it took on a distinctly Central European flavor. Thousands

  Reported by tech.eu

• Maven Robotics deploys humanoid robots in first commercial pilot

  Maven Robotics has reportedly begun deploying its humanoid robots in a commercial factory setting, potentially marking an early trial of its platform in real-world conditions. The Austin-based startup

  Reported by thetechedvocate.org

• Per Annum hits Rs1,500Cr AUM, eyes broader retail shift

  Alternative investment platform Per Annum has crossed Rs 1,500 crore in assets under management. The milestone arrives as the company expands into P2P lending, private credit, and fractional real esta

  Reported by yourstory.com

• AI funding flows to optical hardware as startup raises seed round

  A European startup developing optical computing hardware for AI workloads has raised a seed funding round from a mix of venture capital firms and existing backers. The capital will be used to accelera

  Reported by analyticsinsight.net

• Elastic exec: enterprise AI needs "context engineering," not bigger prompts

  Elastic’s head of field engineering Ravindra Ramnani has spent the last year helping enterprises move AI from demos to production. What he’s found isn’t a shortage of model size or compute power, but

  Reported by yourstory.com

• India eyes $2.4B fund to boost AI and compute infrastructure

  The Indian government is reportedly weighing a ₹15,000–20,000 crore fund to strengthen the country’s AI and computing ecosystem. The proposed investment would anchor a larger initiative, though detail

  Reported by inc42.com

• Indian semiconductor startups showcase commercial silicon at SEMICON 2026

  Five Indian semiconductor startups—Aheesa, Vervesemi, InCore Technologies, Netrasemi, and Mindgrove—demonstrated progress at SEMICON India 2026, signaling a shift from design validation to commercial

  Reported by fortuneindia.com

• Startup builds modular humanoid robots for industrial tasks

  A startup is developing humanoid robots designed to work alongside humans in factories. Unlike fixed robotic arms, these machines are built to handle complex, varied tasks. The goal is to address labo

  Reported by thetechedvocate.org

• IIT Delhi founders raise $1M for AI coding tool after quick exit

  Anirudha Kulkarni and Pratyush Saini, co-founders of ByteAsk, secured $1 million for their AI startup targeting C and C++ developers. The duo previously built and sold LawSutra AI within four months.

  Reported by msn.com

• Saudi AI startup Gaia secures $1.5M pre-seed from local VC

  Gaia, an enterprise AI platform based in Saudi Arabia, has closed a $1.5 million pre-seed round. The funding was led by a KSA-based early-stage venture capital firm. The startup focuses on sovereign A

  Reported by msn.com

• Bihar-based Swadeza builds AI-native chip platform FORGE

  Swadeza, a startup from Bihar, is developing FORGE, an AI-native chip platform aimed at verification, design, and post-silicon engineering workflows. The company focuses on integrating AI into semicon

  Reported by yourstory.com

• Two AI startups secure mega-funding at high valuations

  OpenEvidence, an AI platform for healthcare professionals, reached a $15 billion valuation after raising nearly $800 million in the past year. Investors include Nvidia, Thrive Capital, and Sequoia Cap

  Reported by businessinsider.com, msn.com

• Lightspeed synchronizes India fund cycle with global strategy

  Lightspeed is raising a new India-focused fund for early-stage AI startups, marking the first time its local fundraising aligns with its global funds. The firm is also adopting a shorter investment pe

  Reported by msn.com, techcrunch.com

• NYSE teams with FINTECH.TV for daily startup series from trading floor

  The New York Stock Exchange and FINTECH.TV have launched a daily video series filmed on the exchange floor. The program will profile founders and companies, offering a regular look at startups and mar

  Reported by markets.businessinsider.com

• Govt caps UPI merchant fees on transactions above Rs 2,000

  Starting October 15, merchants will pay a 0.4% fee on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. The charge will not apply to person-to-person payments, regardless of the amount. The government has clarifie

  Reported by yourstory.com

• Lightspeed synchronizes India fund cycle with global strategy

  Lightspeed is raising a new early-stage AI-focused fund for India, marking the first time its local fundraising aligns with its global funds. The firm has shortened its investment period for the regio

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• Fortum joins Norrsken Evolve’s €62M fund to push Europe’s electrification

  Nordic energy firm Fortum has become a limited partner in Norrsken Evolve’s newly closed €62 million fund, channeling the investment through its innovation and venturing unit. The fund aims to acceler

  Reported by tech.eu

• Mumbai fintech Easy Platform turns profitable in FY26 after losses

  Easy Platform Services, the Mumbai-based parent of digital lending startup Zype, reported its first profitable year in FY26. The company posted a ₹5.3 crore consolidated profit after tax, reversing a

  Reported by msn.com

• Europe’s top pre-seed investors ranked for 2026

  A new ranking identifies the most active pre-seed investors in Europe for 2026. The list highlights firms backing early-stage startups before institutional funding rounds. Criteria include deal volume

  Reported by sifted.eu

• Sifted Summit highlights European startup trends

  Sifted Summit, an annual event for European startups, will focus on key industry themes. The conference aims to address challenges and opportunities in the region’s tech ecosystem, bringing together f

  Reported by sifted.eu

• Europe’s top spacetech teams by growth speed revealed

  A ranking of Europe’s fastest-growing spacetech startups highlights teams expanding headcount rapidly. The list focuses on companies scaling operations without relying solely on funding rounds. Sector

  Reported by sifted.eu

• Ex-Tesla Dojo leaders' AI chip startup eyes $10B valuation

  DensityAI, launched last year by former Tesla Dojo supercomputer executives, is negotiating a funding round that could value the AI chip company at $10 billion. The deal would inject hundreds of milli

  Reported by theinformation.com

• Serbian biotech documents move to Cambridge for longevity research

  A Serbian biotech startup, backed by a local telecom fund, has released a documentary tracing its shift from Belgrade to Cambridge. The film follows the company’s evolution from a scientific project t

  Reported by financialcontent.com

• Google to launch first AI satellite under Project Suncatcher

  Google is set to deploy its initial Project Suncatcher satellite next week, aiming to test AI data centers in low-Earth orbit. The prototype will launch aboard a SpaceX rocket, marking the company’s f

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Beagle Labs secures $4.1M pre-seed for AI-driven insurance underwriting

  An AI-powered platform specializing in property intelligence for commercial insurance underwriting has closed a $4.1 million pre-seed round. Chingona Ventures led the investment, with participation fr

  Reported by markets.businessinsider.com

• DNEG-backed Brahma AI secures $150M at $2B valuation

  Brahma AI, controlled by visual effects company DNEG, has raised $150 million. The funds will support U.S. expansion and scaling its commercial operations. The round values the AI startup at $2 billio

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• DeepMind co-creator launches AI reasoning startup with funding

  Thore Graepel, who co-created AlphaGo at Google DeepMind, has left the company to start an AI reasoning venture. The new startup has secured tens of millions in early funding.

  Reported by cryptobriefing.com

• Seven Australian startups secure $274.7M in weekly funding roundup

  This week, seven Australian startups—Heidi, Amber, HEO Robotics, Kinoxis Therapeutics, OpenDebt, RentBetter, and Medcast—raised a combined $274.7 million. The funding spans sectors including robotics,

  Reported by smartcompany.com.au

• Island secures $400M at $6.4B valuation for enterprise browser

  A browser built for corporate environments, Island, has closed a $400 million funding round. Evolution Equity Partners led the Series F, with participation from J.P. Morgan, Sequoia Capital, and Georg

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Mythic AI expands to India, targets data centers and robotics

  A chip startup developing analogue compute-in-memory for AI inference has set up operations in India. The company, founded in 2012 and based in Austin and Palo Alto, employs nearly 20 people locally a

  Reported by economictimes.indiatimes.com

• Oracle invokes force majeure over delayed New Mexico data center

  Oracle has issued a force majeure notice to the developer of Project Jupiter, a data center campus under construction in New Mexico. The clause, typically used in energy and commodities contracts, all

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Flatkey and Realset AI secure $10M Series A after developer surge

  An AI infrastructure platform and its partner have raised $10 million in Series A funding. The companies reported surpassing 10,000 developers on their unified API key system within two months of laun

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• NYSE launches daily series tracking private-market startups from trading floor

  The New York Stock Exchange is teaming with FINTECH.TV on a daily series filmed on its trading floor. The program will follow founders, companies, and capital flows shaping private markets, offering a

  Reported by usatoday.com

• Island hits $6.4B valuation in $400M cybersecurity raise

  Dallas-based cybersecurity firm Island has secured $400 million in new funding, pushing its valuation to $6.4 billion. The round arrives as enterprises increasingly prioritize security amid rising AI-

  Reported by msn.com

• Akamai stock surges 20% on $11.6B AI computing deal with Anthropic

  Akamai Technologies saw its shares climb over 20% in after-hours trading after announcing a seven-year, $11.6 billion agreement to provide computing infrastructure for AI firm Anthropic. The deal cent

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Carbon removal startup shifts to CO2-enhanced oil recovery

  A direct air capture company originally focused on sequestering atmospheric CO₂ has pivoted to selling the gas to oil producers. The move follows reduced federal funding and weaker corporate demand fo

  Reported by thestar.com.my

• Island raises $400M at $6.4B valuation amid AI security concerns

  Enterprise cybersecurity firm Island has secured $400 million in Series F funding, pushing its valuation to $6.4 billion. The round reflects growing investor attention on securing corporate data and a

  Reported by msn.com

• AI surgical startup secures $10M for shoulder replacement tech

  Redefine Surgery, an AI-driven surgical intelligence startup, has raised $10 million. The funding will advance its platform for shoulder replacement procedures, developed in partnership with Catalyst

  Reported by beckersspine.com

• Kompeld scores company messaging clarity for startups

  A new tool called Kompeld evaluates how effectively companies communicate their value. It scans websites, sales materials, and other communications to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in messaging. T

  Reported by geekwire.com

• Tokyo startup O-ID secures $1.2M for modular humanoid robot

  A Tokyo-based company developing a fully modular humanoid robot for industrial and logistics use has raised $1.2 million. O-ID’s pre-seed funding will help move its robot from prototype to production.

  Reported by roboticsandautomationnews.com

• Amazon opens fourth US robotics plant with $100M Indiana factory

  Amazon is investing over $100 million in a Greenwood, Indiana facility to manufacture equipment for its warehouse robots. The plant becomes the company’s fourth dedicated to robotics production, follo

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Kazakhstan fintech shifts as banks dominate consumer market

  Kazakhstan’s fintech sector is moving into a new phase, with major banks consolidating control over the mass consumer market. Their super-apps now bundle payments, lending, and commerce, reshaping how

  Reported by finchannel.com

• Security firms shift focus to governing AI agents in the workforce

  At Proofpoint’s Protect event, the conversation around AI in enterprise security has moved from adoption to oversight. Companies now face threats from attackers using AI to craft convincing phishing s

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• TEKEVER closes $580M Series D at $6.4B valuation

  Portuguese defense tech firm TEKEVER has secured the first tranche of a $580 million Series D round, lifting its valuation to $6.4 billion. The company specializes in AI-driven autonomous systems for

  Reported by tech.eu

• Bengaluru tech funding nearly matches next five Indian cities combined

  In the first nine months of 2026, Bengaluru-based tech startups secured $4.4 billion in funding. The next five highest-funded Indian cities together raised $4.8 billion, highlighting the city’s outsiz

  Reported by msn.com

• Startup Nexterity builds robot for pipefitting bolt work

  Nexterity has developed a robot capable of tightening or loosening four bolts simultaneously in pipefitting tasks. The device is compact enough to fit inside a standard Pelican case, targeting labor-i

  Reported by techcrunch.com

• Cleantech founders highlight supply chain value at Nrth Festival

  At the Nrth Festival, cleantech founders argued for investment in the sector as a way to strengthen critical mineral supply chains. The discussion focused on sustainability and reliability, positionin

  Reported by betakit.com

• PGA of America tightens identity security amid AI agent sprawl

  The Professional Golfers’ Association of America has adopted a simplified identity architecture to manage security risks as AI agents operate across its systems. The move targets challenges faced by s

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Aloja secures $1.4M to refine tours and activities pricing

  Aloja, a startup focused on pricing tools for tours and activities, has raised $1.4 million. The funding will go toward product development, expanding internationally, and improving integrations with

  Reported by phocuswire.com

• Amazon India plans $3B investment in quick commerce by 2030

  Amazon India reportedly intends to allocate $3 billion to its quick commerce unit, Amazon Now, over the next six years. The funding aims to scale the service, competing with established players in the

  Reported by inc42.com

• India’s TravelTech startups expand beyond bookings into AI and fintech

  India’s TravelTech sector has moved past basic flight and hotel bookings. New ventures are integrating AI, fintech, visa services, mobility solutions, and personalized travel experiences. The shift re

  Reported by analyticsinsight.net

• PicoJool secures $27.5M for AI data center optical connectivity

  Optical connectivity startup PicoJool has closed a $27.5 million Series A round. The funding, led by Socratic Partners with Hudson’s participation, will advance its technology for high-density AI data

  Reported by unite.ai

• AI safety group ties more cyberattacks to rogue AI agents

  A nonprofit AI safety organization has traced three additional hacking campaigns to artificial intelligence agents. The attacks targeted a university’s digital library and two other services, accordin

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Redefine Surgery closes oversubscribed pre-seed, partners with Catalyst OrthoScience

  A medical tech startup focused on AI for surgery has secured pre-seed funding, exceeding its target. The round pushes its total raised capital to $10 million. The company also announced a partnership

  Reported by finance.yahoo.com

• TPG sells FirstCry stake in ₹202 crore bulk deal

  Private equity firm TPG has exited its investment in omnichannel kids' products retailer FirstCry through a ₹202 crore bulk deal. The transaction marks the end of TPG’s ownership in the company, thoug

  Reported by inc42.com

• PrismML ports small AI models to Qualcomm smart glasses

  PrismML has adapted its lightweight language models to run on smart glasses powered by Qualcomm chips. The move focuses on edge AI, aiming to leverage existing device hardware rather than relying on c

  Reported by techcrunch.com

• Neo4j argues for knowledge graphs as shared AI context

  Enterprise AI agents risk operating with fragmented understanding as each develops its own interpretation of business data and processes. Neo4j suggests knowledge graphs could provide a unified framew

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• Thinkific cuts 30% of staff as it shifts focus to enterprise clients

  Thinkific has laid off nearly a third of its workforce, affecting 96 employees. The edtech company is pivoting away from small and medium-sized business customers to prioritize enterprise clients. The

  Reported by betakit.com

• Okta uses AI agent to cut employee support hours, tests customer tools

  Okta’s Dex AI agent has reduced internal support workloads, exceeding its 2023 target of saving 250,000 employee hours. The company now aims for 1 million hours saved this year. The tool also serves a

  Reported by siliconangle.com

• TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 offers 50% off second pass for attendees

  TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is running a promotion: purchase one full-price pass and receive 50% off a second ticket of the same type. The discount applies to registrations before the event begins on Octo

  Reported by techcrunch.com

• Québec IT firm launches $10M corporate VC to back local tech startups

  Devolutions, a Québec-based IT services company, has established a venture capital arm to invest in regional tech firms. The new division has already deployed $10 million CAD, aiming to strengthen the

  Reported by betakit.com

• Demoverse raises $600K for AI-driven consumer co-creation

  Demoverse, an AI platform allowing brands to collaborate with consumers on product development, secured $600K in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Lumikai, based in New Delhi. The startup focuses

  Reported by latestly.com

• Rio Health secures $4.5M to expand quick pharmacy delivery

  Quick commerce startup Rio Health has raised $4.5 million in pre-Series A funding. The round was led by investors to scale its pharmacy-focused delivery network across markets. The company focuses on

  Reported by inc42.com

• BlackBerry beats expectations with automotive software growth

  BlackBerry exceeded its own Q2 forecasts, lifting its fiscal outlook. The company’s earnings strength came from a rise in automotive software revenue, a segment that has offset declines in its legacy

  Reported by betakit.com

• Feather launches $30K customizable robotics platform for developers

  Feather has introduced a robotics platform priced at $30,000, designed for software developers. The startup positions its offering as a flexible, modular system aimed at simplifying robotics developme

  Reported by techcrunch.com