Atomico, a prominent European venture capital firm, has closed two new funds totaling $1.24 billion. The funds are split into a $485 million "Atomico Venture VI" for early-stage startups and a $754 million "Atomico Growth VI" for later-stage companies. This marks Atomico's largest fundraise to date, with the growth fund slightly exceeding its target while the venture fund fell short by nearly 20%.

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iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

The new iPhone lineup features the A18 chip, improved cameras, and AI capabilities. The Pro models boast larger displays and an advanced camera system with Camera Control. Pre-orders start September 13, with in-store availability on September 20.

Apple Watch Series 10

This iteration is the thinnest Apple Watch yet, with the largest display. It introduces a sleep apnea detection feature (pending FDA approval) and c...

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The UK government has extended the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) scheme by ten years, with the new end date set for 5 April 2035. These schemes are designed to encourage investment in early-stage companies by offering tax reliefs to investors, thereby supporting innovation, job creation, and economic growth in the UK. The extension aims to provide greater certainty for investors and businesses, fostering a robust environment for start-ups and small ent...

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UK venture capitalists and tech entrepreneurs are warning that potential tax increases under Labour could harm the country's tech sector. Concerns are focused on possible rises in capital gains tax and changes to carried interest tax treatment, which could deter investment and talent. Chancellor Rachel Reeves signaled that wealthier individuals may face higher taxes, with capital gains and inheritance taxes likely targets for increases.

Investors argue that higher taxes on ca...

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UK pension fund managers, following the Mansion House Compact, are set to invest billions in high-growth companies. While venture capital (VC) firms initially hoped to benefit from this move, their role may be smaller than expected. Although 70 firms signed a follow-up Venture Capital Investment compact, major pension managers like L&G, Phoenix, and Aviva are now launching their own private market platforms to handle investments directly.

This shift could marginalize trad...

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BigEndian, a fabless semiconductor design startup, has raised $3 million in its seed round led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India. The round also included participation from strategic investors.

The proceeds will be used to expand its engineering team, enhance research and development capabilities, and scale operations.

Founded in 2024, BigEndian is building semiconductor solutions in the surveillance vertical. Its first SoC is being built for surveillance ca...

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🚀 G Squared has raised $1 billion for its sixth fund, capitalizing on growing investor interest in secondary market investments. 

Unlike traditional VCs, G Squared focuses on buying existing stakes in startups, allowing them to acquire shares at discounts of up to 80%. 

This strategy is gaining traction as public listings slow down, providing liquidity to founders and early investors. 

With this new fund, G Squared now manages...

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Swiss venture capital firm Redalpine has successfully raised a new $200 million fund, known as RAC VII, aimed at early-stage investments in European companies. The fund was oversubscribed, reflecting Redalpine's strong track record, which boasts consistent top quartile returns averaging 24% per annum over the past decade. 

Redalpine specializes in the "continuum of software and science," effectively targeting deep tech startups across Europe. Since the fund's launch, the...

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🚫 The Federal Trade Commission has just announced a groundbreaking rule aimed at combating fake reviews and testimonials! 🛡️ This new regulation will prohibit the creation, sale, and purchase of misleading reviews, including those generated by AI.

Businesses will no longer be able to compensate individuals for biased reviews, whether positive or negative, ensuring that consumer feedback remains authentic. The rule also mandates clear disclosure of insider reviews and company connectio...

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Citadel's recent move to significantly cut its NVIDIA stock holdings has raised eyebrows in the investment community. In the second quarter of 2024, the hedge fund sold around 500,000 shares, reducing its investment from $60 million to just $19 million. This decision comes despite NVIDIA's strong performance and dominance in the AI sector.

This shift reflects a broader trend among hedge funds, with some like DE Shaw also trimming their stakes, while others, such as Renaissanc...

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The venture capital landscape in 2024 is characterized by a stark contrast between established firms and newcomers. While major players like Kleiner Perkins and Andreessen Horowitz have secured billions in new funding, smaller and newer funds are struggling to attract investors. This trend reflects a broader pattern of wealth concentration in the tech industry.

Investors have become more selective, focusing on firms with proven track records of returns. Data shows that many f...

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The clean energy venture capital landscape is currently facing significant challenges. In 2023, global investment in clean energy startups declined by 6%, marking the first drop since 2015. This downturn was particularly pronounced in North America and Europe, where funding decreased by 21% and 29% respectively. 

In contrast, investment in the Asia Pacific region, especially China, doubled during the same period.The average funding per round also fell sharply, dropping 3...

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UK fintech company Revolut has achieved a valuation of $45 billion, making it Europe’s most valuable private technology firm. This milestone was reached following a secondary share sale that allowed employees to realize the financial benefits of their contributions to the company's success. The sale attracted new and existing investors, including Tiger Global, Coatue, and D1 Capital Partners, and is expected to generate $500 million for employees.

Revolut's valuation has sign...

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Berlin-based Caresyntax has recently secured a substantial $180 million Series C extension to enhance its AI-driven data platform for surgeries. This funding round comprises $80 million in equity and $100 million in debt, marking a significant milestone for the company. This latest investment follows their previous $130 million Series C raised in 2021, bringing their total equity funding to an impressive $220 million.

The new capital will be instrumental in scaling customer a...

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HBR argues that artificial intelligence (AI) alone will not provide companies with a sustainable competitive advantage. It highlights that while AI can enhance efficiency and decision-making, its widespread availability means that any technological edge is likely to be temporary. The article suggests that companies should focus on integrating AI into their broader strategic objectives and leverage uni...

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I think it's cool. Not everyone should take venture capital $, and not everyone needs venture capital $. More power to you!

https://cointelegraph.com/news/hamster-kombat-turns-down-venture-capital-offers

Norway's Government Pension Fund Global, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, reported a profit of approximately $138 billion for the first half of 2024, largely driven by strong gains in technology stocks. The fund achieved an overall return of 8.6%, slightly below its benchmark index. CEO Nicolai Tangen noted that the impressive results were primarily due to the increased demand for innovative solutions in artificial intelligence. Established in the 1990s to manage surplus earnings fr...

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Balderton Capital, a leading European venture capital firm, has raised $1.3 billion across two new funds: $615 million for its Early Stage Fund IX and $685 million for its Growth Fund II. This marks the firm's first simultaneous fundraising for both early and growth-stage investments. The funds aim to support European startups from seed stage through to IPO, reinforcing Balderton's mission to partner with founders building transformative businesses in Europe. The investment includes a $90 mil...

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Berlin-based AI mental health tech startup Clare&Me has successfully raised €3.7 million (approximately $4 million) in funding to advance its innovative chatbot designed for clinical settings. This cutting-edge technology allows patients to engage in meaningful conversations about their mental health, aiming to reduce waiting times and combat stigma associated with seeking help.

Founded by Emilia Theye and Celina Messner, Clare&Me is on a mission to enhance mental health care th...

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The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a preliminary investigation into Amazon's recent $4 billion investment in AI startup Anthropic. This inquiry aims to determine if the partnership creates a "relevant merger situation" that could impact competition in the market.

The deal, announced in March, includes Anthropic's commitment to utilize Amazon Web Services as its primary cloud provider for critical workloads. Anthropic has stated that it remains independent, hig...

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The new Labour government has halted £1.3 billion in funding for technology and AI projects previously promised by the Conservatives. This includes £800 million for an exascale supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh and £500 million for AI Research Resource. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) stated these were unfunded commitments, necessitating difficult spending decisions to restore economic stability. The decision has drawn criticism from industry leaders, w...

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Anysphere, a two-year-old startup that’s developed an AI-powered coding assistant called Cursor, has raised over $60 million in a Series A financing at a $400 million post-money valuation, two sources familiar with the deal told TechCrunch. 

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Ola Electric, India's largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer, experienced a significant share price increase of up to 20% on its public debut, marking the largest listing among Indian firms in two years. The company's shares opened at ₹76, the upper end of its IPO price range, and peaked at ₹91.18, giving it a market capitalization of approximately $4.75 billion. Despite this success, Ola Electric's valuation at IPO was 26% lower than its previous funding round in October 2023.

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Anduril Industries, a defense technology startup founded by Palmer Luckey in 2017, has successfully raised $1.5 billion in its latest funding round, bringing its valuation to an impressive $14 billion. The funding round was co-led by Founders Fund and Sands Capital, with participation from major institutional investors such as Fidelity Management and Research Company and Baillie Gifford. This significant investment reflects the growing interest in defense tech, as Anduril aims to become a for...

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Kenneth Stanley, co-founder of the social media platform Maven, is stepping down just three months after its public launch. Despite positive responses, Maven struggled to achieve the growth needed to attract further investment. Stanley and co-founder Blas Moros are pursuing other opportunities to extend Maven's operational runway. Jimmy Secretan, the chief technology officer, will remain to drive product innovation.

Maven, backed by figures like Ev Williams and Sam Altman, a...

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The UK government has announced a major International Investment Summit to be held on October 14, 2024, as part of its national mission for growth. Key points include:

1. The summit aims to bring together up to 300 industry leaders to catalyze investment in the UK.

2. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will lead the event.

3. The government is emphasizing that the UK is "o...

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Joan Solotar, Global Head of Blackstone’s Private Wealth Solutions, makes a case for increasing allocations to private markets. Joan advocates for private markets with following salient points:

1. Private Ownership Dominance: Did you know that nearly 90% of scaled, established businesses and commercial real estate globally are privately owned? This is a staggering statistic that many investors overlook.

2. Portfolio Underweight

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