☕ Lovable raises $330M, ChatGPT launches an app store & Alexandr Wang calls Zuckerberg micromanagement ‘suffocating’.
SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite after mishap & Meta’s Yann LeCun targets $3.5B valuation for new AI startup.
📬 What’s in store:
Today’s Picks: Break into VC resources, ChatGPT for competitive analysis, how many emails drive a sale, B2C idea validation framework, measuring VC exit efficiency.
Lovable has raised $330M in Series B funding at a $6.6B valuation.
ChatGPT launches an app store, opens platform to third-party developers.
China advances on its AI ‘Manhattan Project’.
Trump Media merges with nuclear fusion firm for $6 billion.
Alexandr Wang calls Zuckerberg micromanagement ‘suffocating’.
Meta’s Yann LeCun targets $3.5B valuation for new AI startup.
SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite after mishap.
Apple opens up its App Store to competition in Japan.
ChatGPT’s mobile app hits new milestone of $3B in consumer spending.
Pickle Robot adds Tesla veteran as first CFO.
VC & Startup Jobs: VC & investors backed startup hiring for remote roles.
FROM OUR PARTNER - MECO
🤝 The best new app for newsletter reading
Reading newsletters in the inbox is frustrating - it is noisy and easy to lose control of subscriptions. Now with Meco you can enjoy your newsletters in an app built for reading, while giving your inbox space to breathe.
Meco connects to Gmail & Outlook, allowing you to instantly move your newsletters to the app (and clear your inbox)
Over 30k readers are enjoying their newsletters (and decluttering their inbox) with Meco - try the app today!
PARTNERSHIP WITH US
💪 Get your startup in front of over 103,000+ audience.
Our newsletter is read by thousands of tech professionals, founders, investors (VCs / Angel Investors) and managers around the world. Get in touch today.
DAILY PICKS
🗞️ What else is brewing
Break into VC: A Curated Resources – Guide by Leading Venture Capitalists. (Link)
How to use ChatGPT for competitive analysis. (Link)
How many emails does it take for someone to buy a product? (Link)
B2C startup idea validation framework. (Link)
Measuring true efficiency in Venture exits (RBCx’s exit velocity index) (Link)
Investor outreach email sequence pack: 20+ proven templates used & approved by VCs. (Link)
40 real startup pitch decks that raised $350M+ (Including leading startups decks) (Link)
STARTUPS RAISING MILLIONS
💰 Startup funding updates
Lovable, the Swedish AI-powered “vibe coding” startup, has raised $330M in Series B funding at a $6.6B valuation, led by CapitalG and Menlo Ventures. Founded in 2024 and based in Stockholm, Lovable hit $200M ARR within its first year and now powers 100K+ new app builds per day. Investors include Khosla, Salesforce, and Databricks Ventures — and CEO Anton Osika credits global growth to staying rooted in Sweden, not Silicon Valley.
Katalist, a San Francisco, CA provider of an AI platform for professional video production, raised $1.5M in funding. The round was led by South Central Ventures.
InfiniteWatch, a NYC-based provider of an AI-native platform for customer interaction intelligence, raised $4m in funding. The round was led by Base10 Partners, with participation from Sequoia and A16Z scouts, Kfund, Kibo, LifeX, and four unicorn founders.
Neural Concept, a Lausanne, Switzerland-based provider of an AI platform and a company which specializes in engineering intelligence, raised $100M in Series C funding. The round was led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with existing investors Forestay Capital, Alven, HTGF, D.E. Shaw Ventures and Aster Capital.
GravityLabs, a San Francisco, CA-based AI-powered healthcare startup, raised $17M in Series A funding. Backers included BVA (formerly SoftBank Ventures Asia), Goodwater Capital, Atinum Investment, NAVER, DSC Investment, and Bass Ventures.
Gander Social, a Toronto, Canada-based provider of a social media platform, raised $1.5M on FrontFundr. Over 2,000 Canadians have participated in the campaign.
Edison Scientific, a San Francisco, CA-based AI scientist startup, raised $70m in seed funding. The round was led by Triatomic Capital, Spark Capital, and a major US institutional biotech investor, with participation from existing investors Pillar VC and Susa Ventures, along with Striker Venture Partners, Hawktail VC, Olive VC, and a host of angels.
Nirvana Insurance, a San Francisco, CA-based AI-native commercial insurer, raised $100M in Series D funding. The round was led by Valor Equity Partners, with previous lead investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst.
Thread, a NYC-based company developing an AI service desk platform for managed service providers (MSPs), raised $18M in Growth funding. The round was led by Susquehanna Growth Equity, with participation from Headline.
SkillCorner, a Paris, France-based provider of AI-driven sports tracking and contextual performance data solutions, raised $60m in growth funding. Silversmith Capital Partners made the investment.
Endra, a Stockholm, Sweden-based provider of an AI-powered mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) platform, raised $20M in Seed funding. The round was led by Notion Capital, with participation from existing investor Norrsken VC.
Mythic, an Austin, TX-based accelerated computing company, raised $125M in funding. The round was led by DCVC, with participation from NEA, Atreides, Future Ventures, Softbank KR (SBVA), S3 Ventures, Linse Capital, One Madison Group, Catapult, UDC, and many others.
Cordulus, an Aarhus, Denmark-based AI weather-tech company, received an investment from Delphinus Venture Capital. The raise brought the total of the Series A to €6.8M.
Bahn Express, a Helsinki, Finland-based provider of an automotive logistics platform for car transport, raised €5M in funding. The round was led by node.vc, along with existing investors Trind VC and Innovestor and a syndicate of angel investors, including Vincent Ho-Tin-Noe, CPO of Wolt, the European food delivery platform acquired by DoorDash, and the founders of Swappie and Smartly.
Arcads.ai, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of a go-to platform for creating marketing videos with AI, raised $16m in Seed funding. The round was led by Eurazeo, with participation from Alpha Intelligence Capital and other international investors including the Sequoia Scout program.
Wearlinq, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of wearable health monitoring and diagnosis solutions, raised $14m in Series A funding. The round was led by AIX Ventures, with participation from AIX Ventures, SpringTide, Berkeley Catalyst Fund, Lightscape Partners, Solasta, Alumni Ventures, Amino Capital, Angelschool, LDV Partners, Maliam, XB Ventures, Celtic House Asia Partners Health, Device of Tomorrow Capital, NYX Ventures Partners, and SmartLink Partners.
UpCharge, a NYC-based provider of a Shopify solution for merchants, raised $900K in funding. The round was led by Capitaliply.
Clarity Pediatrics, a San Francisco, CA-based telehealth pediatric chronic care company, raised $14.5M in Series A funding. The round was led by Jackson Square Ventures with participation from City Light Capital, MassMutual Catalyst Fund II, GingerBread Capital, Scrub Capital, Operator Collective. Rethink Impact, Maverick Ventures and Homebrew.
Exein, a Rome, Italy-based company developing cybersecurity solutions for connected devices, raised €200M in funding. The round was led by Blue Cloud Ventures, with participation from HV Capital, Intrepid Growth Partners, Geodesic Capital, and J.P. Morgan, bringing its total funding to $170M
Imprint, a NYC-based provider of a financial platform enabling brands to engage, reward, and retain their customers, raised $150m in Series D financing at a $1.2 billion valuation. The round was led by Khosla Ventures, with meaningful participation from Thrive Capital, Ribbit Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Hedosophia, Spice Capital, and Timeless.
CURATED RESOURCE FOR YOU
🤝 Investor Q&A Prep Kit for Founders
Most founders don’t lose deals because of their deck, they lose them in the Q&A.
This Investor Q&A Prep Kit helps you answer tough investor questions clearly, confidently, and without freezing in the room.
Inside:
Real questions VCs, angels, and accelerators actually ask
What investors are really testing with each question
Simple answer frameworks + real sample responses
Common mistakes founders make (and how to avoid them)
Organised across team, market, traction, financials, strategy, risk, and fundraising, so you’re prepared for every conversation.
NEW VCs IN THE MARKET
🏦 Venture Capital updates
FemHealth Ventures, a Short Hills, NJ-based women’s health-focused venture capital firm, closed FemHealth Ventures Fund II, at $65m. The fund received support from existing limited partners alongside new investors. The raise brought the firm’s assets under management to $100m across two funds. FemHealth Ventures Fund I, launched in 2021, is recognized as a top-decile performer across DPI and IRR according to Carta and Pitchbook databases.
MBX Capital, a Claymont, DE-based early-stage venture capital firm, crossed $100m in cumulative capital commitments to invest in early-stage biotech and health technology companies developing innovations that prevent and cure disease. Institutional limited partners include Industry Ventures, the State of New York, Tangram Asia Capital, Village Global, and Cathay Innovation’s InnoSquare fund.
KEY STORIES IN TECH
📜 Latest in tech
ChatGPT launches an app store, opens platform to third-party developers
OpenAI is letting developers submit apps for review and potential publication inside ChatGPT, alongside a new in-app directory that many are already calling an app store.
The move follows earlier integrations with companies like Expedia, Spotify, Zillow, and Canva, and now opens the door for a much broader developer ecosystem.
Using OpenAI’s Apps SDK (currently in beta), developers can build action-oriented apps and submit them via the OpenAI Developer platform, with approved apps expected to roll out inside ChatGPT over the coming year.
China advances on its AI 'Manhattan Project'
Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang privately told associates that Mark Zuckerberg’s tight control over the company’s artificial intelligence efforts is stifling progress, adding to the growing internal turmoil at Meta.
The botched rollout of Llama 4 saw the model lag behind rivals on key benchmarks like coding, with insiders blaming weak training data and insufficient testing for the humiliating blow.
Chief AI scientist Yann LeCun is departing to start a new initiative after reportedly objecting to reporting to the 28-year-old, while staff question if the TBD Lab head is out of his depth.
Trump Media merges with nuclear fusion firm for $6 billion
Donald Trump’s social media firm is entering the fusion-power business through a $6 billion all-stock merger with privately held TAE Technologies that pairs Truth Social with experimental nuclear fusion technology.
Devin Nunes will be the co-CEO along with Michl Binderbauer for the combined entity, which plans to site and begin construction on a utility-scale fusion power plant after the deal closes.
Investors sent shares surging on the news even though the platform consistently clocked losses, while its new partner is backed by Google to build neutral beam systems for AI data centers.
Alexandr Wang calls Zuckerberg micromanagement 'suffocating'
Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang privately told associates that Mark Zuckerberg’s tight control over the company’s artificial intelligence efforts is stifling progress, adding to the growing internal turmoil at Meta.
The botched rollout of Llama 4 saw the model lag behind rivals on key benchmarks like coding, with insiders blaming weak training data and insufficient testing for the humiliating blow.
Chief AI scientist Yann LeCun is departing to start a new initiative after reportedly objecting to reporting to the 28-year-old, while staff question if the TBD Lab head is out of his depth.
Meta’s Yann LeCun targets $3.5B valuation for new AI startup
Yann LeCun, Meta’s outgoing chief artificial intelligence scientist is in early talks to raise around €500M for a new AI startup, targeting a valuation of roughly €3B or $3.5B before its official launch, according to the Financial Times.
The startup is expected to focus on building superintelligent AI systems based on world models that can understand and interact with the physical world, with applications in robotics and transport.
Strong early funding interest and a high pre launch valuation are already fueling debate about AI hype and bubble risk, especially given LeCun’s stature as a deep learning pioneer and former Meta chief AI scientist.
SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite after mishap
A Starlink satellite suffered an internal anomaly in orbit, creating a small debris field and cutting off communications at around 418 km altitude, according to SpaceX.
Space tracking firm LeoLabs detected tens of debris fragments, suggesting a minor onboard explosion rather than a collision with another object.
The incident adds to growing concerns over space traffic coordination as thousands of new satellites crowd low Earth orbit, increasing risks for other spacecraft.
Apple opens up its App Store to competition in Japan
Apple will allow alternative app stores and permit developers to process digital payments outside its in-app purchase system in Japan, to comply with the country’s Mobile Software Competition Act.
The move mirrors earlier changes forced by regulation in the EU and court rulings in the U.S., further pressuring Apple’s App Store revenue model across major markets.
Apple is introducing a notarization and authorization process for third-party marketplaces and a new fee structure, which critics like Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney argue still undermines true competition.
ChatGPT’s mobile app hits new milestone of $3B in consumer spending
ChatGPT has crossed $3 billion in global consumer spending on mobile since launch, with the vast majority coming in 2025 alone.
Users spent an estimated $2.48 billion this year, up 408% year over year, far outpacing the app’s early revenue growth in 2023 and 2024.
The app reached $3B in just 31 months, faster than TikTok, Disney+, and HBO Max, highlighting unusually strong consumer monetization for an AI product.
LAST COFFEE SIP
☕ Other news
Pickle Robot adds Tesla veteran as first CFO
Pickle Robot hired former Tesla executive Jeff Evanson as its first CFO, days after reports of a major expansion of its partnership with UPS.
Evanson previously led global investor relations and strategy at Tesla, working closely with Elon Musk and helping raise capital for multiple vehicle launches and acquisitions.
The hire comes as Pickle, which builds autonomous warehouse unloading robots and has raised around $100M, reportedly prepares to deploy hundreds of robots for UPS starting in late 2026.
HIRING ALERT: STARTUPS & VC ROLES
💼 Today’s VC & startup job opportunities
All-In-One VC Interview Preparation Guide: With a leading investors group, we have created an all-in-one VC interview preparation guide for aspiring VCs. Don’t miss this. (Access Here)
VC Investment Intern - First Momentum Venture | USA - Apply Here
VC Investor - Quamtum Light | UK - Apply Here
Head of Operations - Sagest Capital | USA - Apply Here
Portfolio Management Lead - Yzi Labs | Remote - Apply Here
Office Manager - Seedcamp | USA - Apply Here
(Senior) Investment Manager - Finch Capital | USA - Apply Here
Partner - a16z | USA - Apply Here
Investment Associate - Energy Impact Partner | London - Apply Here
VC Intern | lvlp Venture | Remote - Apply Here
Visiting Analyst - Seedcamp | UK - Apply Here
WHEN YOU’RE READY, HERE’S HOW I CAN HELP:
💁 You might need our help!
Reach 95,000+ Founders & Investors: Partner with our newsletter to reach a highly engaged audience.
Build Your Pitch Deck: We write, design and model your pitch deck into a storyteller book within 4-5 days.
Do you have any news to share about your Startup or VC fund? Please email us.
We’ll be back in your inbox on Monday.