a16z

Mirelo raises $41M from Index and a16z to solve AI video’s silent problem

Fundraising /

AI lets anyone create videos, but many AI video creation tools lack support for audio. Mirelo is building AI that adds soundtracks to match the video’s action. Earlier this year, the Berlin-based startup released Mirelo SFX v1.5, an AI model that interprets videos to add synced sound effects (SFX).  This attracted attention from VCs gearing […]

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ElevenLabs just hit a $6.6B valuation. Its CEO says the real money isn’t in voice anymore.

AI /

ElevenLabs has made a name for itself building realistic AI voices.   What started as two Polish engineers annoyed by terrible movie dubbing has grown into a profitable company now valued at $6.6 billion, doubling from just nine months ago. The company recently announced a $100 million tender offer led by Sequoia and ICONIQ, with participation from a16z

ElevenLabs just hit a $6.6B valuation. Its CEO says the real money isn’t in voice anymore. Read More »

Oboe raises $16 million from a16z for its AI-powered course generation platform

Fundraising /

Oboe, a learning startup from Anchor co-founders and former Spotify execs Nir Zicherman and Michael Mignano, said today it has raised $16 million in Series A funding led by a16z, with participation from existing investors Eniac, Haystack, Offline, and Factorial. The round also saw investments from individuals such as Adam D’Angelo, Garry Tan, Lenny Rachitsky,

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a16z leads $21M Series A into AI-native tax compliance software Sphere

Startups /

As Nicholas Rudder built his last startup, an educational marketplace called ScholarSite, he kept running into the same problem: tax.   “Marketplaces are liable for tax on their entire GMV (gross merchandise value) not just their take rate, so every new country meant a maze of registrations, filings, deadlines, and risk,” Rudder told TechCrunch. “It became a constant distraction.

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SoftBank is back, and the AI hype cycle is eating itself

AI /

SoftBank and OpenAI announced a new 50-50 joint venture this week to sell enterprise AI tools in Japan under the brand “Crystal Intelligence.” On paper, it’s a straightforward international expansion deal. But SoftBank’s role as a major investor in OpenAI is raising questions about whether AI’s biggest deals are creating real economic value or just moving money in circles. 

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a16z pauses its famed TxO Fund for underserved founders, lays off staff

Venture /

Andreessen Horowitz is pausing its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund and program, according to four sources familiar with the matter, including more than one founder in the program.  The firm announced TxO in 2020 to support founders who do not have access to traditional venture networks. Many of TxO’s participants were women and minorities who, overall, receive very slim amounts of venture

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A16z-backed Codi launches AI agent office manager

Startups /

Codi, an Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup founded by Christelle Rohaut and Dave Schuman, is launching what it hails as the first AI-powered platform to fully automate office management.   Codi was founded in 2018, in a pre-pandemic world, with a mission to help companies find flexible office spaces. It was more of a marketplace, as TechCrunch previously reported, that matched companies

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