Latest Startups & Entrepreneurship News
xAI Closes $20 Billion Funding Round at $230 Billion Valuation
Elon Musk's xAI secured $20 billion in funding, exceeding its $15 billion target, with investors including Nvidia, Cisco, Valor Equity Partners, Fidelity, Qatar Investment Authority, and MGX. This positions xAI among top AI giants amid continued sector investment.
The round highlights robust capital flow into AI infrastructure.
Skild AI Raises $1.4 Billion for Robotics Foundation Model
Robotics startup Skild AI raised $1.4 billion led by SoftBank, tripling its valuation to over $14 billion. The funding supports development of a unified model controlling any robot without prior body knowledge.
Investors include Samsung, LG, Schneider Electric, CommonSpirit Health, and Salesforce Ventures.
Etched Secures $500 Million for AI Chip Development
AI chip startup Etched raised about $500 million at a $5 billion valuation, led by Stripes with Peter Thiel and others participating. The company aims to challenge Nvidia in the AI processor market.
This reflects booming demand for specialized AI hardware.
Anthropic Signs $10 Billion Term Sheet at $350 Billion Valuation
Anthropic agreed to a $10 billion funding round led by Coatue and GIC, following investments from Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. Sequoia is set to join GIC and Coatue in the investment.
Reports also note pursuits of up to $25 billion at the same valuation.
OpenAI Poaches Key Talent from Mira Murati's Thinking Machines
OpenAI lured three founding members—Barret Zoph, Luke Metz, and Sam Schoenholz—from Thinking Machines, amid a talent exodus. Additional researchers are reportedly departing for OpenAI and Meta.
The $12 billion startup struggles with retention despite massive seed funding.
Good Day Raises $7 Million Seed Funding Led by Ridge Ventures
Chubbies cofounder Kyle Hency's new startup Good Day raised $7 million in seed funding from Ridge Ventures, FirstMark Capital, and Flex Capital. The funding supports its early-stage growth in consumer products.
This marks a comeback for the serial entrepreneur.
Alpaca Raises $150 Million to Compete with Interactive Brokers
Brokerage tech firm Alpaca secured $150 million to expand and challenge trading giant Interactive Brokers. The funding bolsters its fintech infrastructure for developers.
This positions Alpaca strongly in brokerage technology.
Xella Health Raises $3.7 Million Pre-Seed for Women's Health
San Francisco-based Xella Health, co-founded by Kelly Lacob and Adriana Dantas, raised $3.7 million pre-seed led by Precursor Ventures. Investors include Capital F, Ulu Ventures, and angels.
The startup focuses on innovative women's health solutions.
Juvena Therapeutics Secures $33.5 Million Series B
Clinical-stage biotech Juvena Therapeutics raised $33.5 million Series B led by Bison Ventures, with Eli Lilly and others joining. The funding advances regenerative biologics to restore tissue function.
Co-founded by Dr. Hanadie Yousef, it's based in Redwood City.
Crypto Startups Raise $588 Million in Early 2026
Crypto startups attracted $588 million in investments in the first two weeks of January 2026, per DefiLlama. This signals returning institutional interest amid market recovery.
The influx underscores renewed confidence in blockchain ventures.
Korean Startups Secure Major Funding Including SDT's $20.6M
Quantum tech startup SDT raised $20.6 million for AI-quantum infrastructure, planning a 2026 IPO. Marketing platform BOOSTERZ secured $25 million, expanding into K-Beauty.
Other Korean firms like KOREALFP ($3M) and FOBECON also raised funds.
Google for Startups Offers Up to $350K Cloud Credits in 2026
Google updated its Startups Cloud Program for 2026, providing up to $350,000 in credits for AI-first companies. Tiers range from Start ($2K) to Scale AI ($200K+), with mentorship from DeepMind.
The AI Futures Fund offers equity up to $2M for early-stage AI startups.