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  • Klarna files for U.S. IPO & Intel's new CEO to receive $1 million as base salary.

Klarna files for U.S. IPO & Intel's new CEO to receive $1 million as base salary.

Venture Daily Digest - 17/03/2025

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Venture Daily Digest
March 17, 2025

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Sharks kill about 5 people a year; humans kill 100 million sharks. For all the Jaws-level fear, sharks barely bother us. Meanwhile, we’re out here wiping out their entire species. Who’s the real apex predator?

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📬 What’s in store:

  • Today’s Picks: YC’s MVP framework, GP stakes, financial model, startup validation, Amazon’s metrics, pitch rules, EvolutionIQ’s $730M playbook, 2700+ US VCs, investor networking, user acquisition, 350+ Indian VCs, legal docs, AI unicorns, 1000+ Euro VCs, DoorDash v1, pitch deck guide, AI resources.

  • China is reportedly keeping DeepSeek under close watch.

  • Apple considered building the iPhone 17 Air without ports.

  • SoftBank buys $676M old Sharp plant for its OpenAI collab in Japan.

  • Google is replacing Google Assistant with Gemini.

  • Nvidia names new chips after Vera Rubin, woman who discovered dark matter.

  • Klarna files for U.S. IPO.

  • Intel's new CEO to receive $1 million as base salary.

  • VC & Startup Jobs: VC & investors backed startup hiring for remote roles.

⏱️ Read Time: 3 minutes

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🗞️ What else is brewing

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STARTUPS RAISING MILLIONS

💰 Startup funding updates

nunu.ai, a San Francisco, CA-based startup building AI agents capable of testing and playing games, raised $6m in Seed funding. The round was co-led by Tirta Ventures and a16z speedrun.

Lumafield, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of industrial X-ray CT technology, raised $75M in Series C funding. The round was led by IVP led and included new investors G2 Venture Partners and Wellington Management along with existing investors Spark Capital, DCVC, Kleiner Perkins, Lux Capital, and Matter Venture Partners.

Disputed.ai, a Portland, OR-based provider of an AI-driven chargeback management platform for enterprise merchants, raised $1.12M in Seed funding.

Fixated, a Los Angeles, CA-based provider of a digital entertainment platform, raised $12.8M in funding. The round was led by Eldridge Industries.

Anyware Robotics, a Fremont, CA-based company which specializes in multi-purpose mobile robotics, raised $12M in Seed funding. The round was led by GFT Ventures, with participation from Foothill Ventures, Black Forest Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and other investors.

Cartesia, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of an AI powered voice generation platform, raised $64m in Series A funding. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Index Ventures, Lightspeed, A*, Factory, Greycroft, Dell Technologies Capital, and Samsung Ventures.

Strolll, a Stafford, UK-based digital therapeutic software company, raised £10.35M in Series A funding. The round was led by IW Capital.

Omni, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of a business intelligence and embedded analytics platform, raised $69m in Series B funding. The round, which brought the valuation to $650m, was led by Iconiq Growth, with participation from Theory Ventures, First Round Capital, Redpoint Ventures, GV, and Snowflake Ventures.

Darwin, a NYC-based company which specializes in AI security and governance for the public sector, raised $5M in Seed funding. The round was co-led by UpWest and Resolute Ventures.

Human Computer, a San Francisco, CA-based indipendent game studio, raised $5.7M in Seed funding. The round, which brought the total amount to $7.7M, was led by Makers Fund.

Terabase, a Berkeley, CA-based provider of digital and automation solutions for utility-scale solar power, raised $130M in Series C funding. The round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from both existing and new strategic investors.

Flock Safety, an Atlanta, GA-based provider of a safety technology platform, raised $275M in funding, at $7.5M Billion valuation. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Greenoaks Capital, Bedrock Capital. Meritech Capital, Matrix Partners, Sands Capital, Founders Fund, Kleiner Perkins, Tiger Global, and Y Combinator.

Onyx, a San Francisco, CA-based first AI deep research agent designed for the workplace, raised $10M in Seed funding. The round was led by Khosla Ventures and First Round Capital, with participation from Y Combinator and angels like Gokul Rajaram (Coinbase, Pinterest), Arash Ferdosi (Dropbox), Amit Agarwal (Datadog), Kulveer Taggar (Zeus Living) and others.

Montara Therapeutics, a San Francisco, CA-based biotech company empowering brain-selective therapies for CNS diseases, raised $20M in Seed funding. Backers included SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund, Two Bear Capital, Dolby Family Ventures, and KdT Ventures, along with new investments from BEVC and additional investors, bringing the total amount to $28M.

Bria, a NYC-based provider of a visual gen AI platform, raised $40M in Series B funding. The round was led by Red Dot Capital, with participation from Maor Investment, Entrée Capital, GFT Ventures, Intel Capital, and In-Venture, bringing total capital raised to $65M.

Insilico Medicine, a Cambridge, MA-based clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, raised $110M in Series E funding. The round was led by Value Partners Group (HKG:0806) with participation from new and existing investors.

Accropeutics, a Suzhou, China-based clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops novel therapeutics that target molecular mechanisms of regulated cell death for immune mediated diseases, raised $12M in Series B funding. The round was led by Shenzhen Capital Group (SCGC), an existing investor, with participation from Morningside Ventures, also an existing investor, and new investors Leader Venture Investment (SZTI) and Hefei Sci-Tec Venture Capital (HFST).

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NEW VCs IN THE MARKET

🏦 Venture Capital updates

Vento, an Italy-based early-stage VC firm, has launched its second fund, hard-capped at €75 million, to back Italian founders globally. Originating from the organizers of Italian Tech Week, the firm plans to make 375 investments over five years, with a standardized €150,000 ticket size. The fund aims to strengthen Italy’s startup ecosystem by supporting founders at home and abroad while leveraging its network of global investors.

Y Combinator sent a letter urging the Trump administration to support Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), arguing that it curbs Big Tech’s anticompetitive behavior and fosters innovation for American startups. The DMA, which regulates six major tech companies, promotes interoperability and prevents platform self-preferencing. YC, aligning with the "Little Tech" agenda, believes the DMA benefits AI, search, and consumer app startups, though it's unclear how the administration will respond.

KEY STORIES IN TECH

📜 Latest in tech

China is reportedly keeping DeepSeek under close watch:

  • DeepSeek, the AI startup behind the open reasoning model R1, is now facing stricter government oversight, with China reportedly playing a role in screening potential investors.

  • Some employees are being restricted from traveling abroad, with DeepSeek’s parent company, High-Flyer, allegedly holding onto certain staff’s passports to enforce the rule.

  • The move follows broader Chinese government directives urging AI researchers and entrepreneurs to avoid U.S. travel, citing concerns over trade secrets.

Apple considered building the iPhone 17 Air without ports:

  • Apple is launching the iPhone 17 Air this fall, a slimmer model that blends high-end and low-end features, similar to the MacBook Air.

  • Engineers faced major challenges in making the device thinner without sacrificing battery life, particularly with the use of thinner batteries.

  • Apple considered making it completely port-free, relying solely on wireless charging and cloud syncing, but scrapped the idea due to regulatory concerns in Europe over USB-C requirements.

SoftBank buys $676M old Sharp plant for its OpenAI collab in Japan:

  • SoftBank is acquiring Sharp’s Sakai Plant in Osaka for $676 million to convert it into an AI data center, supporting its push into AI infrastructure.

  • The facility will power AI model training and enterprise AI services, including OpenAI’s Cristal Intelligence for Japan, as part of SoftBank’s joint venture with OpenAI.

  • Operations will start in 2026, with initial power capacity of 150 megawatts, scaling to over 240 megawatts, making it SoftBank’s third data center after Tokyo and Hokkaido..

Google is replacing Google Assistant with Gemini:

  • Google will phase out Assistant on most mobile devices later this year, replacing it with Gemini, which will also expand to tablets, cars, headphones, and smart home devices.

  • Users will be upgraded to Gemini over the coming months, with new features like music playback, timers, and lock screen actions added to improve functionality.

  • The shift aligns with Google's strategy of making Gemini its primary AI assistant, starting with the Pixel 9 series, which launched with Gemini as the default assistant.

Nvidia names new chips after Vera Rubin, woman who discovered dark matter:

  • Nvidia is set to unveil its latest AI graphics processor named "Rubin," in honor of American astronomer Vera Rubin, at the company's annual GTC conference.

  • Rubin made significant contributions to the understanding of dark matter and advocated for women in science, making her a fitting namesake for Nvidia's next-generation chip platform.

  • Nvidia has a tradition of naming its GPU architectures after renowned scientists, aiming to achieve recognition similar to its previous platforms, such as Hopper and Blackwell, in the tech industry.

LAST COFFEE SIP

☕Other news

Klarna files for U.S. IPO:

  • Klarna filed its F-1 prospectus for a U.S. IPO, aiming to raise at least $1 billion at a $15 billion valuation, though pricing details are yet to be disclosed.

  • The Swedish fintech reported a $21 million net profit in 2024, a turnaround from its $244 million loss in 2023, with revenue rising to $2.8 billion.

  • Klarna’s AI-driven cost-cutting, including replacing 700 contract workers with a ChatGPT-powered bot, helped reduce its workforce from 5,000 to 3,500, saving $40 million annually.

Intel's new CEO to receive $1 million as base salary:

  • Intel’s newly appointed CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, will receive a $1 million base salary and be eligible for an annual cash bonus of up to $2 million, according to a regulatory filing.

  • Tan’s contract includes a three-year performance target and a “change in control” clause, allowing him to retain two-thirds of his stock awards if significant ownership changes occur within 18 months.

  • Unlike his predecessor Pat Gelsinger, Tan is not required to devote his full time to Intel, allowing him to remain active in venture capital through his firm, Walden International.

HIRING ALERT: STARTUPS & VC ROLES

💼 Today’s VC & startup job opportunities

  • General Counsel - Playground Global | USA - Apply Here

  • Principal - Mavin Ventures | India - Apply Here

  • Vice President - Agritech - Mavin Venture | India - Apply Here

  • Part-Time Student at Impact VC - Kopa Venture | Germany - Apply Here

  • Partner 16 - a16z | USA - Apply Here

  • Partnerships, Events & Outreach Intern - Succeed Venture | India - Apply Here

  • Senior Associate - Hubspot Venture | USA - Apply Here

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