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Welcome to Startups Weekly — your hebdomadal recap of everything you ca n’t overlook from the world of inauguration . Want it in your inbox every Friday?Sign up here .
This calendar week was full of news show , probable because it is also the last “ real ” hebdomad of 2024 . Which is another fashion for us to say goodbye for now , and see you in 2025 !
Most interesting startup stories from the week
This week brought us some M&As , but also some reminders that it ’s always worth looking closer at thing , whether that ’s prospective LPs or sheeny announcements .
white capital : More than 20 VC firm , many of which invest in United States Department of Defense tech , sign the Clean Capital Certification , self - take the stand that they have not and will not take money from U.S. geopolitical adversaries such as China and Russia .
Have - nots : The AI hoopla is distorting aggregated VC data . fag deeper , the fundraising landscape isradically different for non - AI startup , and many that raised a Series A pear-shaped 18 month ago are likely facing challenges in elevate Series B funding , Tribeca Venture Partners conscientious objector - founder Brian Hirsch told TechCrunch .
Big pot with caveats : Nuclear startup Oklo , which is back by Sam Altman , signed amassive but nonbinding understanding with data center hustler Switch . The bargain is also open to the startup receiving approving from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after having its previous program deny in 2022 .
AI productivity : Grammarly isacquiring productiveness startup Codato flesh out its scope . In an unusual move , Coda CEO and co - father Shishir Mehrotra will become the new chief operating officer of Grammarly , put back Rahul Roy - Chowdhury , who will move on to an advisor role .
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Informed reply : Perplexityacquired Carbon , a Seattle - found startup that touch base LLMs to international data before they generate an solvent . This could help Perplexity tap into “ inner databases , cloud storage , or text file repositories , ” the party articulate .
Most interesting fundraises this week
As startup rushed to divulge their late fundraising news before the holidays , there were plenty of deal announcements this calendar week .
Mammoth pre - IPO round : Databricksraised $ 10 billionin one of the largest one shot in VC chronicle . The mammoth Series J might be its last fundraiser before its extremely hoped-for IPO ; but while its chief operating officer is n’t dominate it out for 2025 , it couldalso be in 2026 , he said .
Africa ’s latest unicorn : South African fintech Tyme Group raiseda $ 250 million Series D round . direct by Nu Holdings , the parent company of Latin American fintech Nubank , it put Tyme ’s rating at $ 1.5 billion .
band manufacturing business : Finnish wearable startup Oura raiseda $ 200 million Series D funding roundat a $ 5.2 billion valuation . It include participation from Fidelity Management and glucose twist maker Dexcom , with which Oura lately enrol a partnership .
traveling is back : Canadian travel startup Hostaway , which makes software for holiday rental operator , raised $ 365 millionat a $ 925 million valuation . The round was led by General Atlantic and will help oneself the company reduplicate down on growth .
Momentum for accessibility : Evinced , which help companies comply with on-line availableness requirements , raised a $ 55 million Series C roundto expand into Europe , where new rule will take effect in June .
immobile funding : AI startup Decart , which is based in San Francisco but with operations in Israel , secured$32 million in fresh fundingat a $ 500 million valuation , a mere two month after come out of stealth .
Find the money : Agave Games , the Turkish startup behind extremely entertaining mobile plot Find the Cat , raised an $ 18 million Series A round of fundingit will use to work up out its squad and work on coming titles .
Most interesting VC and fund news this week
Pendulum swing : Marcy Venture Partners , Jay - Z ’s VC house , merged with Pendulum Opportunitiesto form MarcyPen Capital Partners , which now has $ 900 million in plus under management .
blend wing : Backstage Capital founder Arlan Hamilton announced that she’smoving on to an advisory use ; 360 Venture Collective will be “ take a significant stake in Backstage ’s management entity ” and joining in co - managing operator and ply capital for the firm , which antecedently faced criticismand struggle .
Vote of confidence : G2 Venture Partners , a spinout of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers empower in climate and sustainability inauguration , is raising$750 million for a third fundthat would confirm LP bullishness for its thesis .
Last but not least
We ’re leave you with a list ofthe 51 most disruptive startups of 2024 — a corporate feat with part from several member of the TechCrunch team . Go read it , and happy holidays !
