A promising Seattle startup in the data governance space is closing up shop. Codified, which raised a $4 million seed round just months ago, is winding down as its founder and CEO moves to a new role at Google.
A new startup called Buzzy is launching an AI platform that promises to turn viral content creation from a guessing game into a “systems science.” It analyzes trends across TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube to provide creators with a “Viral DNA Map” for their products. Early tests reportedly helped
Akka, a Spanish FinTech, is turning startup investing into a community sport. Through its app and club model, it’s funneled millions into European tech companies, aiming to bring VC-style access to retail investors.
Hungarian communications giant 4iG has made a binding $100 million investment commitment to Axiom Space. The deal aims to secure Hungary a role in future orbital data center programs and expands 4iG’s ambitious push to become a vertically integrated space player.
Visa and Mastercard have agreed to a $167.5 million settlement over claims they conspired to keep ATM access fees high. The deal, filed in federal court, covers potentially millions of ATM users with qualifying transactions since October 2007.
Imprint, a fintech that builds co-branded credit card programs, has raised $150 million at a $1.2 billion valuation. The round was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from several top-tier VC firms.
The era of the unicorn is over. A new class of startup, the “hectocorn,” valued at $100 billion or more, has emerged. This small club includes giants like OpenAI, SpaceX, and ByteDance.
The European Innovation Council, which manages a €10 billion ($10.7B) deeptech fund, has appointed a new 20-person board. The move comes as the organization announces it will begin funding dual-use defense technologies starting in early 2026 and emphasizes a new focus on scaling companies globally.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, says the current frenzy around AI startup funding is creating unsustainable “bubbles.” He points to companies raising at “tens of billions” valuations with little to show, predicting a market correction is on the way.
Two former Palantir employees have raised a $20 million Series A for their London-based startup, Ankar. They’re using AI to streamline the notoriously slow and manual patent filing process, with early customers like L’Oréal reporting big productivity gains.
