Latest Startups & Entrepreneurship News
Apptronik Raises $520M in Funding for Humanoid Robots
Austin-based Apptronik, developing humanoid robots for industrial applications, raised $520M, bringing total funding to $963.6M. Backed by Google, John Deere, and Qatar Investment Authority, the company focuses on real-world robotics. Founded in 2016 by Bill Helmsing, Jeffrey Cardenas, and Nicholas Paine.
Brandlight Secures $30M for AI Brand Visibility Platform
New York-based Brandlight, an AI platform for monitoring and optimizing brand visibility, raised $30M, totaling $35.8M. Investors include Cardumen Capital and Pelion Venture Partners. Founded in 2024 by Didi Dvash, Imri Marcus, and Uri Gafni.
Natilus Bags $28M for Sustainable Cargo Aircraft
San Diego aerospace startup Natilus, designing blended-wing-body cargo planes for efficiency, raised $28M, reaching $28.8M total. Backers include Draper Associates and Flexport. Founded in 2016 by Aleksey Matyushev and Anatoly Starikov.
Newo.ai Lands $25M for AI Agent Cloud Platform
San Francisco's Newo.ai, offering a cloud for AI agents handling voice and chat, raised $25M, totaling $30.9M. Supported by Acrobator Ventures and Ratmir Timashev. Founded in 2023 by David Yang and Luba Rein.
Take2 AI Raises $14M for Candidate Screening
New York startup Take2 AI, using AI voice agents for phone screening, secured $14M, bringing total to $19M. Investors include Bertelsmann Investments and Reach Capital. Founded in 2022 by Kaushik Narasimhan and Yaniv Shimoni.
Force Equals Raises $2.2M Seed for AI Planning OS
Tampa-based Force Equals, an AI-native enterprise planning system, raised $2.2M in seed funding led by Cultivation Capital. Funds will accelerate product development and go-to-market. Funding announced in February 2026.
Shakudo Converts Customers to Investors with $7M Raise
Toronto AI infrastructure startup Shakudo raised $7M USD in Series A2 from customers like Loblaw-linked Wittington Ventures. Total funding now $18M; expands to Silicon Valley and Bangalore. Announced February 17, 2026.
Andercore Secures $40M Series B for Procurement Marketplace
German contech startup Andercore raised $40M in Series B for its industrial supply procurement platform focusing on infrastructure and energy. Offers real-time quoting and logistics. Funding reported week of February 16, 2026.
Rogo Raises $75M Series C at $750M Valuation
AI-powered financial analytics firm Rogo closed $75M Series C led by Sequoia at $750M valuation, totaling over $165M. Targets Wall Street analytics. Round in January 2026.
Clear Street Files for $1B IPO at $12B Valuation
Fintech Clear Street filed for $1B IPO at $12B valuation after $1.48B funding; cloud-native prime brokerage hit $1B+ revenue run rate. Goldman Sachs leads underwriting. Filed February 2026.
WMF 2026 Startup Competition Offers $1M World Cup Access
WMF 2026 in Italy returns with startup competition for global exposure, VC meetings, and Startup World Cup entry. Over 5,300 past applications; €5.3M prizes awarded. Event June 24-26, 2026.
Grey Launches Grey Business for African Startups' Payments
Grey launched Grey Business on February 10, 2026, simplifying global payments for African startups and SMEs. Debuted at Africa Tech Summit Nairobi with Paystack. Features live demos by founders.