☕ Microsoft CEO warns a few companies will grab all AI value & UK officially bans social media for under-16s.
Microsoft hit with shareholder lawsuit over AI spending and Azure growth & Fox is buying Roku in a $22 billion deal.
Breaking News
SoftBank Vision Fund CFO is leaving after nearly a decade, closing a chapter that included both the fund’s biggest wins and major setbacks such as WeWork and the restructuring of Vision Fund 2. His departure comes during a renewed period of strength for SoftBank, fueled by its OpenAI investment, which helped generate a record ¥5 trillion ($31.2B) profit and drive a nearly 60% increase in the company’s share price this year.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warned that a small number of AI providers could capture most of the economic value created by AI, while companies risk losing control of their own expertise if they rely too heavily on external models. He argued that the real winners will be businesses that combine human knowledge with proprietary AI systems, turning AI into a competitive advantage rather than outsourcing their intelligence.
FROM OUR PARTNER - LEGION M
🎬 Investors are backing Legion M, the world’s first fan-owned movie studio
Hollywood is controlled by a handful of studios and executives. The people who actually watch, promote, and pay for movies rarely have any ownership in what gets made.
Legion M is building the world’s first fan-owned movie studio, allowing everyday investors to own equity in a company that develops, finances, produces, and distributes films.
Why investors are paying attention:
Raised over $25M from 60,000+ investors
1.96x Revenue Growth from 2024 to 2025.
Worked on 15+ film projects with upcoming releases including Nimrods and Coyote vs. ACME
Founded by Emmy-winning entrepreneurs behind MobiTV, one of the pioneers of mobile streaming
The company has spent nearly a decade building its community, film pipeline, and distribution capabilities. With record revenue, upcoming releases, and one of the largest investor communities in entertainment, it is entering its next phase of growth.
This is the time to back the future of fan-owned entertainment, and there are three ways to get involved:
Invest In Legion M (the studio)
When you invest in Legion M, you join over 60,000 other investors who own shares in Legion M and a stake in all of our projects. You don’t get direct royalties from any single project, but you do get an early-stage stake in the first movie studio built to be owned by fans.
Invest In The Film Fund
The Legion M Film Fund currently has a limited allocation available for NIMRODS, the comedy from Green Day & Live Nation Studios. A Film Fund investment allows you to receive returns directly from the release of NIMRODS – with the option to roll over any returns into our next film.
Get On The List
Not sure about investing? Join the Legion M community (it’s FREE) to get on the list for updates about our upcoming films Coyote vs. ACME and NIMRODS, future projects, and fan exclusives!
Legion M’s Reg CF offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Startup investments like Legion M are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment.
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🗞️ What else is brewing
An experienced VC’s framework for discussing valuation, reading investor signals, and negotiating without naming a price too early. (Link)
The end of cheap AI: Why AI startups may face their AWS moment sooner than expected. (Link)
These Service Businesses Still Running On WhatsApp and You Can Turn That Into $10K-$100K MRR. (Link)
STARTUPS RAISING MILLIONS
💰 Startup Funding Updates
PRE-SEED
Mimir, an Oslo-based AI-native e-commerce operations and customer support platform, raised $600K in Pre-Seed funding. The round was led by Sondo Capital, with participation from strategic Nordic tech and e-commerce angel investors from VILLOID, Kry, Enode, and Whitson.
Concentrate AI, a NYC-based multi-model routing and token cost management software company, raised $5M in Pre-Seed funding. The round was backed by True Ventures and RRE Ventures.
CardNexus, a Le Bouscat-based mobile-native TCG marketplace, raised €3.5M ($4M) in Pre-Seed funding. The round was led by Piton Capital, with participation from Kima Ventures and Motier Ventures.
SEED
CollimateHealth, a Munich-based life sciences startup focused on radiation therapies, raised €6M in Seed funding. Backers included VP Venture Partners, Positron, XISTA Science Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and caesar.
Qorelo, a Berlin-based AI-driven ERP delivery and software migration platform, raised €3M ($3.5M) in Seed funding. The round was co-led by HPI Ventures and Caesar Ventures, with participation from 10x Founders, Antler, Adesso Ventures, and Angel Invest.
Radical Numerics, a San Francisco-based AI research lab building general biological intelligence, raised $50M in Seed funding. The round was led by Emergence Capital, with participation from Obvious Ventures, Triatomic Capital, Factory, and First Spark Ventures.
Vaja, a Stockholm-based solar tracking technology company, raised €3.1M in Seed funding. The round was led by The Footprint Firm, with participation from node.vc.
Compuvi, a San Francisco-based LegalTech and RegTech AI company, raised an undisclosed Seed round at a $40M valuation. The round was led by Islam Yildiz and Ozay Law Firm.
Copperlane, a NYC-based AI-native autonomous mortgage origination platform, raised $4.1M in Seed funding. The round was led by TQ Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, US News Digital Ventures, Mercor, and Valon Mortgage.
Human Continuum, a NYC-based developer of platelet-derived and plant-based exosome therapeutics and diagnostics, raised over $5.13M in Seed funding. Investor details were not disclosed.
ChatSee.ai, a San Francisco-based intelligence layer platform for autonomous AI systems, raised $6.5M in funding. The round was led by True Ventures, with participation from First Rays Venture Partners and Seven Hill Ventures.
GROWTH
CollimateHealth, a Munich-based life sciences startup focused on radiation therapies, raised €6M in Seed funding. Backers included VP Venture Partners, Positron, XISTA Science Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and caesar.
Qorelo, a Berlin-based AI-driven ERP delivery and software migration platform, raised €3M ($3.5M) in Seed funding. The round was co-led by HPI Ventures and Caesar Ventures, with participation from 10x Founders, Antler, Adesso Ventures, and Angel Invest.
Radical Numerics, a San Francisco-based AI research lab building general biological intelligence, raised $50M in Seed funding. The round was led by Emergence Capital, with participation from Obvious Ventures, Triatomic Capital, Factory, and First Spark Ventures.
Vaja, a Stockholm-based solar tracking technology company, raised €3.1M in Seed funding. The round was led by The Footprint Firm, with participation from node.vc.
Compuvi, a San Francisco-based LegalTech and RegTech AI company, raised an undisclosed Seed round at a $40M valuation. The round was led by Islam Yildiz and Ozay Law Firm.
Copperlane, a NYC-based AI-native autonomous mortgage origination platform, raised $4.1M in Seed funding. The round was led by TQ Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, US News Digital Ventures, Mercor, and Valon Mortgage.
Human Continuum, a NYC-based developer of platelet-derived and plant-based exosome therapeutics and diagnostics, raised over $5.13M in Seed funding. Investor details were not disclosed.
ChatSee.ai, a San Francisco-based intelligence layer platform for autonomous AI systems, raised $6.5M in funding. The round was led by True Ventures, with participation from First Rays Venture Partners and Seven Hill Ventures.
NEW VCs IN THE MARKET
🏦 Venture Capital Updates.
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.
Base10 Partners, a San Francisco, CA-based venture capital firm, closed $850m in new capital throughout 2025, with funds now actively deploying. The above fundraise included commitments from Base10’s limited partner base, including endowments, pensions, sovereign wealth funds, and other institutional investors.
KEY STORIES IN TECH
📜 Latest In Tech
Anthropic shutdown sparks fears of government control over AI
The U.S. government forced Anthropic to suspend access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models through an export control directive, raising concerns about how quickly authorities can intervene in AI product availability.
Security experts argue the alleged model “jailbreak” that triggered the action did not justify such a sweeping response, with some calling the move hasty, misguided, and potentially harmful to cybersecurity research.
The incident has sparked broader debate about political influence over AI companies, with critics warning that the precedent could undermine trust in U.S. AI providers and increase concerns about government interference in technology.
UK officially bans social media for under-16s
The UK is set to ban social media for under-16s, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying that “children will be given back their childhoods thanks to government action”.
Following Australia’s move in December 2025, the UK has promised “world-leading additional restrictions” on features like live streaming and strangers communicating with children, with the government saying it is “backed by 9 in 10 parents”.
The legislation is expected to be brought before Parliament before Christmas and could then come into force in Spring 2027, locking teens out of popular social media apps.
Fox makes a $22 billion play for your TV
Fox is buying Roku in a $22 billion deal that gives the cable-reliant media company access to more than 100 million households on Roku’s streaming platform, helping it target ads and cut reliance on traditional distribution.
The combined company would become the third-largest player in U.S. television by viewership, with Fox shareholders owning about 73% and Roku investors holding the rest after the deal closes in the first half of 2027.
Fox plans to fund the cash portion through new debt and cash on hand, backed by $12 billion in bridge financing from Morgan Stanley, with the merger expected to generate about $400 million in annual cost savings.
China vows payback after Pentagon blacklists its tech giants
China has warned the United States that it could retaliate after the Pentagon added major Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and NIO, to a list tied to Beijing’s military.
The updated Section 1260H list, which US law requires the Defense Department to refresh yearly through 2030, also names solar panel makers Trina Solar and JA Solar Technology, and companies can submit evidence to challenge the label.
Alibaba said there was “no basis” for its inclusion, noting the 1260H list does not automatically ban exports or block American customers, unlike the Commerce Department’s separate Entity List that limits access to US technology.
Judge throws out xAI’s trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI
A U.S. federal judge dismissed xAI’s lawsuit accusing OpenAI of stealing Grok-related trade secrets, ruling that the company failed to show OpenAI knowingly sought or received confidential information.
The case centered on former xAI engineer Xuechen Li, but the court found that discussing previous work during recruitment is standard industry practice and does not imply trade secret theft.
The ruling marks Elon Musk’s second major legal loss against OpenAI in recent weeks, further escalating the ongoing rivalry between the two AI companies.
Microsoft hit with shareholder lawsuit over AI spending and Azure growth
Microsoft shareholders have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit, alleging the company failed to adequately disclose slowing Azure cloud growth and the scale of AI-related infrastructure spending.
The lawsuit follows Microsoft’s January earnings report, after which the stock fell 10% in a single day, wiping out roughly $357 billion in market value and marking its biggest one-day decline in nearly six years.
Investors claim Microsoft diverted significant resources toward AI initiatives, including Copilot and related infrastructure, while underplaying the impact on cloud growth and capital expenditures. Microsoft has called the allegations meritless and says it will vigorously defend itself.
LAST COFFEE SIP
☕ Other News
Stanford students walk out on Google CEO over controversial contracts
Around 200 Stanford graduates reportedly walked out and others booed Google CEO Sundar Pichai during his commencement speech, protesting Google’s ties to the Israeli military and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Demonstrators criticized Project Nimbus, Google and Amazon’s $1.2 billion cloud and AI contract with Israel, carrying signs and chanting in support of Palestine during the ceremony.
The protest reflects growing scrutiny of Big Tech’s government and defense partnerships, with critics arguing AI companies should be held accountable for how their technologies are used.
HIRING ALERT: STARTUPS & VC ROLES
💼 Today’s VC & Startup Job Opportunities
Most aspiring VCs struggle with interviews, unclear expectations, no structured prep, and generic advice that doesn’t actually help. So we partnered with a leading investor group to build an all-in-one VC Interview Preparation Guide that gives you real clarity and frameworks. (Access Here)
Investment Team - Antler | Germany - Apply Here
Chief of Staff - AlpenGlow Venture | USA - Apply Here
Associate, Venture Capital - Artha Venture Partner | USA - Apply Here
Investor (Senior Associate/Principal) - Square Peg | USA - Apply Here
Head of Entegris Ventures - Entegris Venture | USA - Apply Here
Founding Investor - Discipulus Ventures | USA - Apply Here
Investor - Starfire Venture | USA - Apply Here
Senior Analyst - ICONIQUE Capital | USA - Apply Here
Venture AI & Operations Specialist - Blum Venture | Austria - Apply Here
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