Startups

Yolando: $8.5 Million Raised From Drive Capital To Launch GEO And Competitive Intelligence Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

Yolando, a Toronto-based competitive intelligence and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) platform, said it has officially launched commercially after raising $8.5 million in total cumulative funding from Drive Capital. The company positions its software as a way for marketing teams to measure and improve how their brands appear in AI-generated answers, alongside traditional search visibility.

Epic Angels Backs Refurbi Seed Extension To Scale LATAM Refurbished Smartphone Ecosystem

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

Epic Angels, the global all-female investor collective, has invested in Refurbi, a Colombia-founded company building a circular ecosystem for affordable, sustainable refurbished smartphones, as the startup raises a $4 million seed extension round across equity and debt.

MyARC: Over $2 Million Raised To Launch Next-Generation Platform For Fitness Creators

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

MyARC, a platform designed to help fitness creators train their communities at scale, announced the launch of a next-generation product to support, monetise, and grow creator-led fitness businesses. The company also disclosed a $2 million-plus funding round with participation from Araya Ventures, Morgan Stanley, Techstars, and G Fund.

Synthesia: $200 Million Series E At $4 Billion Valuation Raised To Expand AI Video And Agentic Workforce Training

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

Synthesia, a London-headquartered AI video platform focused on helping organizations create and share knowledge, said it has raised a $200 million Series E round at a $4 billion valuation, positioning the company to accelerate product development aimed at enterprise learning, internal communications, and upskilling.

Everything: $6.9 Million Seed Funding Raised To Build A Unified Perps and Markets ‘Everything Exchange’ With Humanity Verification

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

Everything, a Hong Kong-based startup positioning itself as an “everything exchange” spanning perpetual futures, spot markets, prediction markets, and payments, has raised a $6.9 million seed round as it builds a unified trading experience across Telegram, mobile, and web.

2150 Closes €210 Million Second Fund, Lifting AUM To €500 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2026

Venture firm 2150 said it has reached a final close on its second fund at €210 million, bringing the firm’s total assets under management to €500 million as it continues investing in technology companies aimed at reshaping cities and the industries that power them.

Enechain: Japan Power Trading Startup Raises About $32 Million, Says Report

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 25, 2026

Japan power trading startup enechain has raised ¥5.05 billion (about $31.9 million) in an additional funding round to support business expansion. The round includes investors such as Soros Capital Management and Coreline Ventures, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. The person said the financing details have not yet been publicly disclosed.

Stream: $90 Million Series D Raised To Expand Workplace Finance Platform And Accelerate US Growth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Stream, the workplace finance provider formerly known as Wagestream, has raised $90 million in a Series D round, bringing total funding to $228 million. The company said the new capital will support its push to bring “fair financial tools” to more workers by expanding partnerships with employers and continuing to broaden its product suite.

Allocation Strategy: £1.6 Million Seed Funding Raised For Helping Portfolio Design

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Allocation Strategy announced it has raised £1.6 million in seed funding in a round led by Fuel Ventures, with participation from angel investors and industry experts. The company said the financing will be used to build and scale the business, expand its research and development, and accelerate the rollout of new solutions for institutional investors.

Overworld: $4.5 Million Pre-Seed Funding Raised For Local-First Diffusion World Models

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Overworld (formerly Wayfarer Labs) has released a research preview of what it calls a local-first diffusion world model, an early and experimental system designed for researchers, engineers, and builders exploring how diffusion-based world models might run entirely on-device at frame rates suitable for play. The company framed the release as foundational work toward a broader platform, while cautioning that the preview does not yet reflect the level of visual fidelity, stability, or depth it plans to deliver publicly.

Shield Space: $2.7 Million Pre-Seed Closed To Advance Autonomous Space Control Capability

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Shield Space announced it has raised a $2.7 million pre-seed round to develop autonomous “Space Control” and counterspace capabilities designed to support NATO and allied forces, the company said in a LinkedIn post.

Antidote: $5 Million Seed Funding Closed To Automate Billing Compliance for Enterprise Law Firms

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Antidote, a London-based legaltech company, has raised a $5 million Seed round led by Lakestar, with participation from Concept Ventures, The LegalTech Fund (TLTF), and a group of industry angels. The financing brings Antidote’s total capital raised to $7 million, following a $2 million pre-seed in 2025, and will be used to accelerate product development and expand in the U.S.

CoolSem Technologies Closes Pre-Seed Round To Advance Wafer-Level Thermal Management Technology

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

CoolSem Technologies, an Eindhoven-based semiconductor thermal management startup, said it has closed a pre-seed financing round led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from KBC Focus Fund NV, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), and TTT Green Tech B.V. (managed by SHIFT Invest). The company did not disclose the amount raised, but said the four-investor European syndicate provides a “solid runway” to move its technology from early concept toward customer-validated engineering samples.

Sparkli: $5 Million Pre-Seed Funding Raised For A Multimodal AI-Native Learning Engine For Children

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Sparkli, a Zurich-based AI startup founded by former Google Area 120, Search, and YouTube team members, has raised a $5 million pre-seed round to build a multimodal AI native learning engine for children ages 5 to 12.

Helin: €10 Million Closed To Scale Industrial Edge Intelligence Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Helin has secured a €10 million growth investment led by Amsterdam-based venture firm FORWARD.one as it looks to scale its industrial edge intelligence platform and expand internationally. The Rijswijk-based company, which provides edge computing and analytics technology for asset-heavy industries, said the round follows the securing of a loan from Rabobank and will be used to grow sales capacity and further develop its platform.

Balance Homes Relaunches With $30 Million Backing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Balance Homes has relaunched with a $30 million investment led by Falco Group, positioning its flexible co-ownership model as an alternative way for homeowners to access equity and stay in their homes amid rising affordability pressures.

Agileday: €6.4 Million Series A Raised To Modernize Professional Services Operations With AI

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2026

Agileday, a Finnish technology company building a people-centric operating platform for professional services firms, has raised a €6.4 million Series A round to support international expansion and further develop its AI-driven product.