aurora innovation Self-Driving Startup Aurora Reaches $2B Valuation in Massive Funding Round Aurora Innovation is raising over $500 million at a $2 billion valuation, propelled by a star-studded team and major automaker partnerships. The funding highlights a record-breaking year for autonomous vehicle investments.
ai Hire Faster, Work Happier: Startups Target Employment with AI and Engagement Tools Early-stage startups are reshaping the employment landscape by leveraging artificial intelligence for hiring and employee engagement.
ai Startups Utilize AI and Engagement Software to Reshape Hiring Early-stage startups are leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline the hiring process and using digital engagement tools to boost workplace happiness, signaling a major shift in how people find and keep jobs.
boom supersonic Boom Supersonic Raises $100M for Mach 2.2 Airliner Development Denver-based Boom Supersonic secures $100 million in Series B funding to advance its economically viable supersonic commercial jet. The startup plans to test a scaled prototype this year while targeting business-class ticket prices.
flowater FloWater Secures $15 Million to Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Bottles FloWater raises $15 million in a major funding round led by Bluewater to expand its purified water refilling stations across schools, hotels, and offices. The company aims to tackle plastic waste and health issues by providing a sustainable alternative to traditional bottled water.
niantic Niantic Secures $190 Million as It Prepares Harry Potter AR Game Pokémon GO creator Niantic officially closes a $190 million funding round, bringing its total raised capital to over $415 million. The investment arrives as the company gears up to launch its next major augmented reality title, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
ai Synapse Raises $6M to Upgrade X-Ray Security With AI Synapse Technology brings neural network weapon detection to existing x-ray machines through a non-invasive hardware add-on. The startup uses a new $6 million seed round to expand its footprint in critical infrastructure and airports.
synapse technology Synapse Raises $6M to Bring Neural Net Weapon Detection to X-Ray Machines Synapse Technology raises $6 million in seed funding to expand its neural network-powered weapon detection system for existing x-ray machines.
export-controls Curbs on A.I. Exports? Silicon Valley Fears Losing Its Edge The US Commerce Department proposed new export restrictions on artificial intelligence technology for national security reasons following the passage of the Export Controls Act of 2018. In November, the department released a list of technologies under consideration, including categories like computer vision and natural language understanding. Federal officials argue that
lightspeed china Lightspeed China Partners Seeks $560M for Two New VC Funds Lightspeed China Partners files SEC paperwork to raise $560 million for two new venture capital funds.
microsoft Microsoft Acquires AI Startup Bonsai to Boost Azure Autonomous Systems Microsoft acquires Berkeley-based Bonsai to advance its reinforcement learning capabilities and integrate them into the Azure cloud platform. The deal aims to make artificial intelligence development more accessible to developers of all skill levels.
microsoft Microsoft Acquires AI Startup Bonsai to Boost Cloud Offerings Microsoft purchases Bonsai, a startup specializing in reinforcement learning, to enhance its Azure cloud platform. The acquisition supports Microsoft's ongoing strategy to commercialize artificial intelligence for enterprise customers.
artificial intelligence Artificial Intelligence Transforms Non-Autonomous Vehicles Inside and Out While fully autonomous cars remain on the horizon, artificial intelligence is actively reshaping traditional vehicles by enhancing cabin safety and predicting maintenance needs. This shift creates significant new opportunities for tech startups and established automakers alike.
ai Venture Capitalists Target Edge AI and Specialized Hardware for 2018 Investors are shifting their focus away from core machine learning tools and toward applications that bring AI to the edge and specialized hardware.