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CES 2025, the annual consumer tech conference held in Las Vegas, is upon us — and this is where you…
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Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly retread of everything you ca n’t miss from the world of startup . Want it in your inbox every Friday?Sign up here .
The second week of the twelvemonth is usually a busy one for startup newsworthiness , and 2025 is no exception . From CES product launch to M&As and funding rounds , here ’s what you ask to know .
Most interesting startup stories from the week
Several startupslaunched new products at CES 2025 : Full Nature Farms and itsfarm irrigation arrangement , Soliddd and itssmart glasses for people with macular decadency , May Mobility and itselectric autonomous minibus , and more . There was other tidings this week too :
Green light : Dutch semiconductor gargantuan NXP announcedplans to develop TTTech Auto , a VC - backed Austrian spinoff specializing in safety equipment computer software for autonomous vehicle , in an all - cash transaction valued at $ 625 million .
goodly match : Healthcare analytics platform H1acquired Ribbon , a Y Combinator graduate that helps patient find doctors supported by their insurance and that had raise funding from a16z and General Catalyst .
Flock of lawsuits : In a new instalment in its late legal troubles , Flock Safety isgetting suedby a city manager who claims the public safety tech company wrongfully terminate him .
Room for partners : 3D design app Rooms secured apartnership with Google , which will invest $ 1 million into the startup and give it early approach to Gemini AI .
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Wild drive : defence mechanism technical school head-shrinker Peterson Conway is quite the character , and his visibility makes fora very good read .
Most interesting fundraises this week
This year almost had its first pentacorn — but not quite . And several other funding rounds of varying size also made the news show .
Near - pentacorn : Livestream frequent app Whatnotraised a $ 265 million Series E round of funding , putting its valuation at nearly $ 5 billion ( $ 4.97 billion , to be exact ) . The company also disclose that its annual gross merchandise value ( GMV ) surpassed $ 3 billion .
Blue sea : Xocean , an Irish nautical robotics startup that collect sea data with uncrewed surface vessel ( USVs),raised $ 119 millionto spread out beyond the energy and hydrography sectors .
Cross - molding : NomuPay , an Irish startup that was formed out of some of collapsed German fintech Wirecard ’s regional payment licenses , raised a $ 37 million Series B round at a $ 200 million valuationto expand its requital rails in underserved markets across Asia .
Paying off : OnPay , an Atlanta - establish startup that develop payroll and HR resolution , secured a debt installation and over $ 100 million in young funding , inclusive ofa $ 63 million Series B roundled by Carrick Capital Partners , with involvement from AB Private Credit Investors .
Game on : Grand Games , the Turkish startup behind Magic Sort and Car Match , raiseda $ 30 million Series A of fundingled by London - based Balderton , which also recently back Find the Cat maker Agave Games .
Most interesting VC and fund news this week
entrant : Defiant , a new European early - stage VC firm , come out of stealthand announced its purpose to arouse as much as $ 70 million for its initial fund , which is focused on B2B SaaS and fintech , and for which it already insure $ 30 million .
Trucking on : conveyance - focused Trucks Venture Capital plans to make about 30 seeded player investment out of itsnew $ 70 million fund . The new fund , its third to engagement , is backed by strategic limited partners , admit an automotive supplier , tire manufacturing business , insurance company , and airline carrier .
India - focalise investment firm : Silicon Valley - based South Park Commons israising an India - specific fund . Some VC firms find the market challenging , but others have doubled down , although Accel is direct a measured coming . In an audience with TechCrunch , partner Shekhar Kirani said the firmcould have raised “ multi - billion dollars”for its latest India fund , but pick out not to .
Last but not least
VC investment in some emerging market declinedby more than 40%in 2024 , and over half of global VC fundingwent to Silicon Valley . The data comes from different sources , but the picture is the same , and as the AI boom continues , there is no indication that this might change in 2025 .
From the Storyline:Live Updates CES 2025: The final reveals and analysis as the event nears its end
atomic number 58 2025 , the yearly consumer technical school group discussion hold in Las Vegas , is upon us — and this is where you …
