Startups news and trends

What Lies Ahead for the CFPB as Trump 2.0 Takes Shape?
Regulation // November 06, 2024

As Donald Trump retakes the reins of power, the uncertainty over who occupies the White House is over. Republicans are retaking the Senate, and the House is still up for grabs as of Wednesday morning (Nov. 6). There’s at least some uncertainty removed from the...

OpenAI Names Meta Augmented Reality Vet Caitlin Kalinowski to Head Robotics Project
Personnel // November 05, 2024

The one-time head of Meta’s augmented reality glasses project is headed to OpenAI. Caitlin Kalinowski has been hired to oversee the artificial intelligence startup’s robotics effort, according to a Monday (Nov. 4) post on LinkedIn. Kalinowski began leading Meta’s AR glasses team in March 2022,...

Tiny Neural Networks Could Slash Computing Costs for Business AI
artificial intelligence // October 30, 2024

A startup has built artificial intelligence systems that can reportedly match current capabilities while using fewer neurons, potentially slashing the massive computing costs that have kept many businesses from deploying AI. The “liquid neural networks” developed by MIT spinoff Liquid AI require only dozens of...

Antitrust Fears for Big Tech as States Ramp Up Regulations
Artificial Intelligence // October 30, 2024

Major tech companies have spent over $30 billion acquiring artificial intelligence startups while facing mounting antitrust concerns, as states rush to fill the federal regulatory void with nearly 700 AI-related bills introduced in 2024 — an almost 400% increase from 2023. The flurry of activity...

Interviews & Exclusives
Businesses May See Cost of Capital Relief as Fed Slashes Rates

September 18, 2024
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.5% Wednesday (Sept. 18), the first cut in four years. While stocks gyrated Wednesday and were down slightly in the afternoon, how the rate cuts will filter through the capital markets remains to be seen. Not just for consumers, but also for businesses. Clearing the Hurdle The cost […]

Skyfire CEO Says AI Agents Need New AI Payments Rails

August 22, 2024
A new startup is addressing a significant challenge in artificial intelligence: enabling AI agents to independently manage financial transactions. San Francisco-based Skyfire has announced $8.5 million in seed funding from investors...

FinTech IPO Index Surges 3.5% on Partnership Announcements Ahead of Earnings Season

July 12, 2024
Earnings season’s about to begin – on Friday, but the FinTech IPO Index’s 3.4% rally these past five sessions came amid several new partnership announcements. Upstart Leads the Momentum Upstart...

Forestay’s New $220M Fund Targets the ‘Inflection Point’ in AI Startups

July 11, 2024
High interest rates usually spell trouble for venture capital (VC) firms. But with a hot hand to play like AI and cybersecurity, and a shrewd evaluation strategy for potential investments,...

Quick Reads
Visa Invests in Four African FinTech Startups From Accelerator Program

November 06, 2024
Visa is injecting fresh funding into four startups that graduated from the first batch of its Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator program. The investments highlight Visa’s dedication to driving digital innovation within Africa, according to a Wednesday (Nov. 6) news release emailed to PYMNTS. In doing so, the payments giant aims to foster the development of […]

OpenAI Names Meta Augmented Reality Vet Caitlin Kalinowski to Head Robotics Project

November 05, 2024
The one-time head of Meta’s augmented reality glasses project is headed to OpenAI. Caitlin Kalinowski has been hired to oversee the artificial intelligence startup’s robotics effort, according to a Monday...

Nasdaq CEO Expects IPOs to Pick Up Steam in 2025

October 27, 2024
While this year hasn’t seen an initial public offering (IPO) rebound, the CEO of Nasdaq reportedly isn’t surprised. That’s according to a report Sunday (Oct. 27) by TechCrunch, citing Adena...

Procurement Startup Zip Valued at $2.2 Billion After $190 Million Funding Round

October 21, 2024
Procurement startup Zip secured $190 million in Series D funding, increasing its valuation to $2.2 billion (up from $1.5 billion in 2023). The investment is one of the largest in...