Startup Industry News

A collection of Startup latest news, analysis and best practices from top business influencers and the world's most trustworthy sources.

japantimes.co.jp - Nicholas Takahashi - U.S. self-driving startup Nuro begins testing in Tokyo
U.S. self-driving startup Nuro begins testing in Tokyo
The Japan Times

Self-driving car startup Nuro has begun testing its technology in Tokyo, the U.S. company's first location abroad after partnering with Uber Technologies and Lucid Group. Backed by the likes of Nvidia and Toyota Motor, California-based Nuro aims to…

techcrunch.com - Julie Bort - Zendesk acquires agentic customer service startup Forethought
Zendesk acquires agentic customer service startup Forethought
TechCrunch

Zendesk is acquiring Forethought, a company that builds software to automate customer service interactions, the companies announced on Wednesday. The deal is expected to close by the end of March. While AI agents, particularly for customer service…

bloomberg.com - Nicholas Takahashi - US Self-Driving Startup Nuro Begins Testing in Tokyo
US Self-Driving Startup Nuro Begins Testing in Tokyo
Bloomberg

Self-driving car startup Nuro Inc. has begun testing its technology in Japan's capital city, the US company's first location abroad after partnering with Uber Technologies Inc. and Lucid Group Inc. Backed by the likes of Nvidia Corp. and Toyota…

techcrunch.com - Lauren Forristal - Netflix may have paid $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI startup
Netflix may have paid $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI startup
TechCrunch

Last week, Netflix announced the acquisition of InterPositive, an AI company co-founded by Ben Affleck that helps filmmakers edit footage in post-production. This deal could be worth up to $600 million, according to Bloomberg, potentially ranking…

techcrunch.com - Dominic-Madori Davis - Breakout Ventures raises $114M fund to back AI science startups
Breakout Ventures raises $114M fund to back AI science startups
TechCrunch

Breakout Ventures has closed a $114 million Fund III to back AI-focused early-stage startups working in scientific fields such as biology and chemistry. The firm has already written checks to three companies and plans to invest in at least 20…

techcrunch.com - Kate Park - Chinese brain interface startup Gestala raises $21M just two months after launch
Chinese brain interface startup Gestala raises $21M just two months after launch
TechCrunch

Elon Musk's Neuralink and OpenAI-backed Merge Labs are pushing forward with brain–computer interface (BCI) technology in the U.S. Meanwhile, Chinese serial entrepreneur Phoenix Peng is building rival efforts through two startups: NeuroXess…

techcrunch.com - Anna Heim - Health insurance startup Alan reaches €5B valuation
Health insurance startup Alan reaches €5B valuation
TechCrunch

30% of European unicorns may have lost their billion-dollar status, but not Alan. The French health insurance startup is now valued at €5 billion — approximately $5.83 billion, up from $4.5 billion in 2024. Created in 2016, Alan has…

businessinsider.com - Melia Russell - $8 billion legal behemoth Harvey is getting into the startup investing game
$8 billion legal behemoth Harvey is getting into the startup investing game
Business Insider

Harvey's CEO Winston Weinberg thinks the $1 trillion legal market is too big and too fragmented for any one software company to sweep it. So the $8 billion legal-tech startup is trying a different play: bankroll whatever comes next. Harvey said…

techcrunch.com - Rebecca Bellan - Google wraps up $32B acquisition of cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz
Google wraps up $32B acquisition of cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz
TechCrunch

Google has officially acquired Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion in cash, a full year after the companies announced the deal. This marks Google's biggest acquisition in its history. Wiz provides a security platform that protects major…

techcrunch.com - Sean O'Kane - EV startup Harbinger reveals a smaller work truck with electric and hybrid variants
EV startup Harbinger reveals a smaller work truck with electric and hybrid variants
TechCrunch

Los Angeles-based EV startup Harbinger has revealed its second vehicle: a smaller, medium-duty work truck. Called the HC Series Cab, the new truck will be available as an all-electric vehicle, or as a hybrid (the latter has up to 500 miles of…

gizmodo.com - Passant Rabie - California Startup Wants to Send Thousands of Mirrors to Orbit For the Dumbest Reason Ever
California Startup Wants to Send Thousands of Mirrors to Orbit For the Dumbest Reason Ever
Gizmodo | The Future Is Here

A new startup has come up with a way to sell sunlight on demand, proposing a constellation of satellites that would reflect beams of light onto Earth. Reflect Orbital wants to deploy up to 50,000 in-space mirrors mounted on satellites to create…

bloomberg.com - Yazhou Sun - French Health Startup Alan Valued Above €5 Billion After Raise
French Health Startup Alan Valued Above €5 Billion After Raise
Bloomberg

French health-insurance startup Alan has raised more than €100 million ($116 million) at a valuation above €5 billion, according to a company statement. The funding was earlier reported by Bloomberg. The round was led by existing…

businessinsider.com - Ana Altchek - This AI startup wants to pay you $800 to bully AI chatbots for the day
This AI startup wants to pay you $800 to bully AI chatbots for the day
Business Insider

If an AI chatbot has ever tested your patience, this job will pay you $800 to unleash your frustration. An AI software company just opened applications for someone's dream job: Professional AI Bully. 'You'll spend a full 8-hour day interacting with…

sfgate.com - Anna FitzGerald Guth - Experts skeptical this California startup can turn night into day
Experts skeptical this California startup can turn night into day
SFGATE

Imagine a night sky where satellites, saddled with huge mirrors reflecting sunlight, shine like artificial moons. A startup in Los Angeles County is awaiting regulatory clearance to make that dream a reality, with plans to sell the light to…

sfgate.com - Anna FitzGerald Guth - California startup's plan to sell sunlight at night sparks controversy
California startup's plan to sell sunlight at night sparks controversy
SFGATE

Imagine a night sky where satellites, saddled with huge mirrors reflecting sunlight, shine like artificial moons. A startup in Los Angeles County is awaiting regulatory clearance to make that dream a reality, with plans to sell the light to…

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