☕ Google’s $2.7B AI hire joins OpenAI in under 18 months & Apple's next AirPods could have cameras.
AI chip shortage could make your next iPhone much more expensive & Amazon's $68B ad business is in the FTC's crosshairs.
Breaking News
Google is losing one of AI’s most influential researchers as Gemini co-lead Noam Shazeer leaves to join OpenAI, marking a major talent win ahead of OpenAI’s expected IPO. Shazeer co-authored the landmark Transformer paper that helped launch the modern AI boom, and his move highlights how fierce the competition for top AI talent has become.
Apple says rising memory chip prices driven by AI demand could force significant price increases across future devices, with some analysts estimating iPhone Pro models may become up to $270 more expensive. As AI features require more memory and compute power, the AI boom is increasingly impacting consumer hardware costs, not just data centers and cloud infrastructure.
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STARTUPS RAISING MILLIONS
💰 Startup Funding Updates
PRE-SEED
Optiak, a Madrid-based modular operating system for enterprise AI, raised €4M ($4.7M) in Pre-Seed funding. The round was led by Market One Capital, Next Tier Ventures, EA Ventures, Plug and Play EMEA Fund, and Mission.
Crest, a Mumbai-based AI-native fractional family office and wealth management platform, raised $3.1M in Pre-Seed funding. The round was led by BEENEXT, with participation from Sparrow, Shastra VC, DeVC, Warmup Ventures, Atrium Ventures, 91ventures, and over 40 angel investors from India and the UAE.
SEED
Clario, a Menlo Park-based platform helping enterprises manage redundant, obsolete, and insignificant data, raised $6M in Seed funding. The round was led by Preface Ventures, with participation from Foster Ventures, Golden Sparrow, High Sage Ventures, Moment Ventures, Mentors Fund, Page One Ventures, Rain Capital, Ridge Ventures, Transform VC, and angel investors Michael Callahan and Baris Aksoy.
Soource, a Bolzano-based multi-agent procurement platform, raised €3M in Seed funding. The round was led by Vertis, with participation from 360 Capital, Tenity, and Club degli Investitori.
HighGround, a Washington, DC-based data and intelligence platform, raised $6.5M in Seed funding. The round was led by Next Frontier Capital, with participation from Tandem Ventures, Fulcrum Capital, and Context Ventures.
OffPlan, an Atlanta-based healthcare platform connecting employers and employees with primary care services, raised $2.5M in Seed funding. Investor details were not disclosed.
NeuralTrust, a NYC-based AI agent security platform, raised $20M in Seed funding. The round was led by Alstin Capital, with participation from VentureFriends, Seaya, Kibo Ventures, Banc Sabadell, EA Ventures Plug and Play Fund, and Finaves.
Tenet Security, a NYC-based cybersecurity company focused on securing autonomous AI agents, raised $6M in Seed funding. The round was led by The Westly Group and MizMaa Ventures.
PDKINEMATICS, a Vilnius-based precision guidance systems company for UAVs, raised €2M in Seed funding. The round was led by Coinvest Capital and Iron Wolf Capital.
Traysar, an Austin-based subterra defense technology company, raised $25M in Seed funding. The round was led by Silent Ventures, with participation from Lux Capital, Ora Global, NeverLift VC, Mana, Impatient Ventures, New Vista, Entree Capital, and angel investors including Steve Blank and founders from Anduril and Erebor.
GROWTH
Convey, a San Francisco-based enterprise AI platform for autonomous digital teammates, raised $38M in Series A funding. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from Khosla Ventures and Pear VC.
Trace Finance, a São Paulo-based regulated financial infrastructure company for cross-border payments and stablecoin settlement, raised $32M in Series A funding. The round was led by CoinFund, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, Jump Capital, Valor Capital, Paxos, HOF Capital, Chainlink Labs, and SNZ Capital.
KLIPY, a San Francisco-based API platform for expressive media, raised $3.8M in funding. Backers included Google’s AI Futures Fund, I2BF, Silvercircle VC, Sturgeon Capital, Red Swan Ventures, Intuition Ventures, Capra Ventures, and Zaza Pachulia.
Conduct, a London-based AI operating system for enterprise software, raised $60M in Series A funding. The round was co-led by Index Ventures and ICONIQ, with strategic investment from SAP and participation from Creandum, Lucid Capital, and Booom.
Vali Health, a San Francisco-based responsible AI infrastructure company for home care, emerged from stealth with $6M in funding. Backers included Bonfire Ventures, Supernode, Comma Capital, and Jacquelyn Kung.
Camphouse, a Stockholm-based enterprise media operations platform, raised a Series A round, bringing total funding to $17M.
Flagright, a San Francisco-based AI operating system for financial crime compliance, raised $12.5M in Series A funding. The round was led by Infinity Ventures, with participation from Sella Direct Ventures, Frontline, and Y Combinator.
Twenty, an Arlington-based cyber warfare startup, raised $100M in Series B funding at a $1B valuation. The round was led by Caffeinated Capital and Tim Junio, with participation from General Catalyst and In-Q-Tel (IQT).
Triveni Bio, a Watertown-based biotech company developing antibody treatments for immunology and inflammation disorders, raised $65M in Series C funding. The round was co-led by Ascenta Capital and Janus Henderson Investors, with participation from Deep Track Capital and existing investors.
Dioseve, a Tokyo-based fertility biotech company, raised approximately $7M in funding. The round was led by Archetype Ventures, with participation from DG Daiwa Ventures, Mirai Door, D4V, Shionogi & Co., and Pangaea Ventures.
Everlab, a Melbourne-based preventative healthcare company, raised AU$65M in Series A funding. The round was led by Airtree Ventures, with participation from Plural, Left Lane Capital, b2venture, and angel investor Pat Cummins.
NEW VCs IN THE MARKET
🏦 Venture Capital Updates.
PayPal Ventures, the corporate venture arm of PayPal, has paused new investments and is winding down operations as part of the company’s broader restructuring efforts under new CEO Enrique Lores. Founded in 2016, the U.S.-based fund raised $850 million across three funds and backed startups including Plaid, Anchorage Digital, and Talos, while PayPal explores strategic options and potential secondary sales of its venture portfolio.
Animal Capital, a NYC-based early-stage venture capital firm, closed Animal Capital Fund III, at $33m. The closing represents an increase from the firm’s $13m Fund I and $16m Fund II. LPs include Paris Hilton, Kevin Mayer, Justin Kan, Gary Cohn, Rich Miner, Jason Karp, Pete Davidson, Mark Wahlberg, Christina Aguilera, James Corden, Taylor Fritz and Mr. Beast.
KEY STORIES IN TECH
📜 Latest In Tech
Apple's next AirPods could have cameras
Apple is reportedly working on new AirPods with built-in cameras that would give an upgraded Siri “visual context” about your surroundings, and they are currently on schedule for a late 2027 launch, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The earbuds would have cameras mounted in their stems and lights to show when data is being uploaded to the cloud, and they are being tested internally with next year’s iOS 28 update, Gurman says.
Apple is said to be planning these camera-equipped AirPods before it eventually releases its first pair of smart glasses, signaling how the company wants to add cameras to its wearable products over the next few years.
Anthropic joins $1.8B climate coalition as AI energy demands surge
Anthropic has become the first AI startup to join Frontier, a carbon removal coalition backed by major tech companies, helping expand its total funding commitments to $1.8 billion.
The move comes as AI companies face growing scrutiny over their energy consumption and environmental impact, marking Anthropic’s first major climate-related initiative.
Frontier has already committed nearly $700 million across more than 50 carbon removal projects and is now shifting toward larger, long-term bets on technologies that could eventually remove billions of tons of CO₂ annually.
'AI' branding turns off most US shoppers
A new report from WordPress VIP finds that 60% of US consumers say brands using “AI” in their messaging are a turnoff, even as companies push to appear in AI search results.
The survey of 2,000 people found 86% don’t fully trust AI and want original sources, while 42% trust AI answers without clear attribution less than airline fees, privacy policies, and medical bills.
Despite this wariness, AI referrals are climbing: 60% of enterprise respondents reported more traffic from AI search engines over the past year, and 74% called AI discoverability and attribution a main priority.
Amazon's $68B ad business is in the FTC's crosshairs
Amazon could face a lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission over claims it failed to give advertisers clear information about how some of its advertising products, which earned $68.6 billion last year, were priced.
The FTC’s consumer protection division is examining Amazon’s advertising auctions, focusing on whether the company clearly told customers about “reserve pricing,” the minimum amount advertisers must pay to secure certain ad placements.
Several state attorneys general are also involved in the investigation, which could end with a settlement or a formal lawsuit as early as this summer, exposing Amazon to civil penalties.
Meta’s AI workplace overhaul loses key leader
Emily Dalton Smith, the executive leading Meta’s internal “AI for work” transformation, is leaving the company just two months after being appointed to oversee AI-powered workplace tools and automation initiatives.
Her departure comes amid growing employee backlash against Meta’s AI-driven restructuring, which has included 10% workforce cuts, internal transfers, and efforts to automate tasks currently performed by human employees.
Smith’s team was responsible for expanding Meta’s internal AI assistant, Metamate, into a central workplace platform with features like AI-powered research, coding support, workflow automation, and persistent memory capabilities.
Apple may shift chip production to Intel’s US factories
President Donald Trump said Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and manufacture some of its chips in the United States, marking a potential shift in Apple’s semiconductor strategy.
The move would help Apple diversify beyond its heavy reliance on TSMC, whose advanced manufacturing capacity is increasingly constrained by surging demand from AI chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD.
Reports earlier this year suggested Intel and Apple had been discussing a manufacturing partnership for over a year, with the deal potentially boosting Intel’s foundry ambitions while strengthening domestic US chip production.
LAST COFFEE SIP
☕ Other News
Snap’s $2,200 AR glasses debut sends investors running
Snap’s stock fell more than 5% after unveiling its new AR glasses, Specs, as investors questioned whether consumers will be willing to pay nearly $2,200 for the device.
CEO Evan Spiegel argued that Specs should be viewed as a high-end computer rather than traditional smart glasses, positioning it between Meta’s lower-cost Ray-Bans and Apple’s more expensive Vision Pro headset.
The launch highlights a broader challenge for consumer AR hardware: balancing advanced capabilities with mainstream affordability, especially when Snap’s core audience consists largely of younger users.
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