Explore tech insights, expert opinions, and cutting-edge trends.
Crypto
Figure Technology (NASDAQ: FIGR) surged 44% in its market debut on Thursday, closing its first trading session with a valuation of $7.62 billion. The strong performance adds to a growing list of crypto-linked companies that have delivered standout IPOs, underscoring the digital-assets industry’s steady march toward mainstream acceptance.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Micro1, a fast-growing startup that helps AI companies source and manage human contractors for data labeling and training, has raised a $35 million Series A funding round at a $500 million valuation. The round was led by O1 Advisors, the venture capital firm founded by former Twitter executives Dick Costolo
Crypto
Gemini, the cryptocurrency company founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, priced its initial public offering at $28 per share late Thursday, topping its expected range of $24 to $26. The pricing gives the company a valuation of $3.3 billion. Gemini raised $425 million by selling 15.2 million shares
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Alibaba Group Holding has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model, marking a major leap in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The model, developed under the Qwen3-Next architecture, is said to be 10 times more powerful yet requires only a tenth of the cost to build compared with its predecessor, according to announcements
Finance
OpenAI announced Thursday that it has reached a non-binding agreement with Microsoft, its largest investor, to restructure its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation (PBC) — a move that could reshape the AI startup’s governance and fundraising model. If approved by regulators in California and Delaware, the shift would
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Perplexity, the AI-powered search startup positioning itself as a rival to Google, has secured $200 million in fresh funding at a $20 billion valuation, according to The Information. The new round comes just two months after the company raised $100 million at an $18 billion valuation, per a July Bloomberg
Advertising
In a landmark move that further reshapes the streaming ad landscape, Amazon and Netflix have entered into a significant partnership that will make Netflix’s ad-supported inventory available through Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP). The integration is set to roll out in Q4 across key international markets, including the United
Cloud Computing
Oracle’s shares soared in after-hours trading yesterday following news that the company had secured several multi-billion-dollar contracts. Now, details are emerging that point to OpenAI as one of its biggest customers. According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI has agreed to purchase $300 billion worth of compute
Transportation
If you know Arc Boats, the Los Angeles startup founded in 2021 by former SpaceX engineers, it’s probably because of its sleek, futuristic sport boats. But the company is now steering into heavier waters: tugboats. On Wednesday, Arc announced its first major commercial contract — a $160 million deal with
Media
YouTube announced on Wednesday that its multi-language audio feature is officially rolling out after a two-year pilot, giving millions of creators the ability to dub their videos in different languages. The feature, which had been in testing since 2023, is designed to help creators grow their global audiences by making
Software Development
Replit, the fast-growing collaborative coding platform, has closed a $250 million funding round that values the company at $3 billion, according to sources familiar with the deal. The round marks a dramatic leap in valuation from its last raise in 2023, when the startup secured $100 million at a $1.
Funding
Fintech company Pipe is teaming up with Uber Eats in a new initiative designed to make it easier for small restaurants to secure capital. The partnership will embed Pipe’s financing technology directly into the Uber Eats Manager app, giving thousands of U.S. restaurants access to customized, pre-approved funding