Startups

$132K – $149K, here’s what seed-stage founders pay early employees, based on data

Startups /

Once a startup has raised its seed round, the perennial question becomes how much should the founders pay themselves and their first few employees? Kruze Consulting, a CPA firm that specializes in venture-backed startups, recently analyzed average salary ranges for over 450 seed-stage startups and shared that data with TechCrunch. The following averages are based […]

$132K – $149K, here’s what seed-stage founders pay early employees, based on data Read More »

Revenue-based financing startups continue to raise capital in MENA, where the model just works

Startups /

In an era where it’s become tougher to raise venture capital, many companies have turned to non-dilutive, Revenue-Based Financing (RBF) as an alternative. As a result, plenty of startups have risen to meet that challenge, none more so than in the MENA region, which has taken to the model like a duck to water. The

Revenue-based financing startups continue to raise capital in MENA, where the model just works Read More »

After causing outrage on the first day of Y Combinator, AI code editor PearAI lands $1M seed

Startups /

On the first day of Y Combinator’s winter 2024 session — right after orientation and a photo in front of the YC sign — the founders of PearAI got “canceled,” as founder Nang Ang described it to TechCrunch, receiving an outpouring of online hate. But they survived and graduated the YC’s winter 2024 cohort earlier this

After causing outrage on the first day of Y Combinator, AI code editor PearAI lands $1M seed Read More »

VCs pledge not to take money from Russia or China, and Databricks raises a humongous round

Startups /

Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. This week was full of news, likely because it is also the last “real” week of 2024. Which is another way for us to say goodbye for

VCs pledge not to take money from Russia or China, and Databricks raises a humongous round Read More »

Backed by a16z and NEA, Backflip raises $30M Series A to turn text into AI-generated designs

Startups /

What if it were as easy to generate a usable 3D design as prompting ChatGPT? That’s the mission of Backflip, a startup founded by 3D printing veterans that’s just scored $30 million from Andreessen Horowitz, New Enterprise Associates, and a host of other big names in tech.  Designing physical objects often requires hours or days

Backed by a16z and NEA, Backflip raises $30M Series A to turn text into AI-generated designs Read More »

$25 billion valuation Chime takes another step towards an IPO

Startups /

As predicted, ServiceTitan’s wildly successful IPO is beckoning other fintechs to move forward on their own public debuts. Digital bank Chime has filed its confidential paperwork with the SEC, Bloomberg reports. It’s been prepping for this moment since it hired banker Morgan Stanley in September, with an eye to IPO in 2025.  The IPO won’t

$25 billion valuation Chime takes another step towards an IPO Read More »

Indian startups raised 32% fewer rounds in 2024 as VCs got selective

Startups /

Indian startups raised 32% fewer funding rounds in 2024 compared to last year, per new numbers from data intelligence platform Tracxn, signaling that investors are being more selective when striking deals. The number of startup funding rounds fell to 1,448 compared to 2,114 last year, but overall funding rose 6% to $11.3 billion — the

Indian startups raised 32% fewer rounds in 2024 as VCs got selective Read More »

Hauler Hero wants to bring waste management software into the 21st century

Startups /

After nearly four years of working in sales at tradesperson software company ServiceTitan, Mark Hoadley (pictured above) was looking for a change and to potentially start something of his own in a similar industry. Hoadley’s brother-in-law, and now co-founder, Ben Sikma, was working on M&A in the waste management space at the time. Sikma discovered

Hauler Hero wants to bring waste management software into the 21st century Read More »

Building physical tech is back in fashion thanks to AI, robotics, and defense

Startups /

When it comes to frontier technology, the interests of government and Silicon Valley are increasingly aligned. We’ve been watching a trend emerge where dual-use startups cut their teeth by solving defense, infrastructure, or intelligence problems for the government and then scale up by taking those products to the public. “The advantage the government has is

Building physical tech is back in fashion thanks to AI, robotics, and defense Read More »