Startups

Olas: $13.8 Million Raised To Advance Autonomous Agents In Crypto

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Olas, an original AI agent platform enabling autonomous agents in crypto since 2021, announced that its core contributor has secured $13.8 million in funding led by 1kx. This funding comes as Olas unveils Pearl, the world's first agent app store, democratizing access to user-owned AI agents.

Soil Connect: New Funding Raised And Jonathan Alvarado Named As CEO

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Soil Connect, a leading dirt marketplace and service provider for the construction and soil industry, announced several significant milestones that marked its transformative year. This includes the company raising new funding, accelerating product development, and expanding its market presence. This funding round, which was led by Heartland Ventures, with participation from Cemex Ventures, AM Ventures, TIA Ventures, GS Futures, Stellifi VC, and others, reinforces confidence in Soil Connect’s mission to revolutionize the way developers, contractors, and suppliers manage their soil and dirt needs.

Mangrove Lithium: Canada-Based Lithium Conversion Company Raises $35 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Mangrove Lithium, a lithium conversion company based in Canada, announced the closing of $35 million in financing to begin construction of a lithium refining plant in Delta, British Columbia. This milestone also follows the successful closing of a $35 million strategic investment round with participation from new investors such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Asahi Kasei Corporation, InBC Investment Corp. (InBC), Orion Industrial Ventures, and Export Development Canada. Mangrove’s existing investors, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BMW i Ventures, and BDC Capital also joined the round.

VEIR: Superconducting Power Company Raises $75 Million (Series B)

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Superconducting power delivery company VEIR announced the closing of an oversubscribed $75 million Series B round led by Munich Re Ventures, with participation from new and existing investors. Munich Re Ventures led the Series B round with participation from new investors Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Tyche Partners, Piva Capital, National Grid Partners, Dara Holdings, and SiteGround. And existing investors VXI Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Congruent Ventures, Engine Ventures, Fine Structure Ventures and Galvanize Climate Solutions also joined the round.

SafelyYou: $43 Million (Series C) Closed For Addressing Challenges In Senior Living

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

SafelyYou, a leader in empowering safer and more person-centered care across senior living through AI, industry-changing hardware, and remote expert clinicians, announced the closing of a $43 million Series C financing round led by Touring Capital. This funding fuels SafelyYou’s ability to help solve critical challenges in senior care, including how accurately and efficiently operators can predict residents’ care needs. Foundation Capital, Omega Healthcare Investors, Founders Fund, Cross Creek, Samsung Next, and Qualcomm Ventures also contributed to the funding round. This brings the total funding raised by SafelyYou to $100+ million.

Bonsai Robotics: $15 Million (Series A) Raised For Advancing Physical AI Solutions For Agriculture Applications

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Bonsai Robotics, a developer of physical AI solutions for agriculture applications, announced it has raised $15 million in Series A funding. Bison Ventures led the oversubscribed round with participation from new investor Cibus Capital and existing investors Acre Venture Partners, Congruent Ventures, Fall Line Capital, E14 Fund, SNR, and Serra Ventures. This latest funding round enables Bonsai to continue enhancing its software capabilities, expanding its physical AI platform and data set, driving more OEM partnerships, and accelerating commercialization efforts.

The Helper Bees: $35 Million Raised For Expanding Aging-In-Place Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

The Helper Bees, a platform transforming how older adults live and age safely in their own homes, announced the completion of a $35 million funding round. Led by Centana Growth Partners, the funding round also saw strong support from existing investors, including Silverton Partners, Impact Engine, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Alumni Ventures.

Castelion: Defense Manufacturing Company Raises $100 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Castelion – a new defense manufacturer helping America and its allies preserve peace through deterrence with long-range hypersonic strike weapons – announced it has raised $100 million in debt and equity financing. And with rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the United States and its allies need a non-nuclear deterrent capability. The company's affordable and mass-produced hypersonic long-range strike weapons are required to build a decisive combat power advantage and deter future aggression.

Rynse: $5 Million (Seed) Raised For Improving Ongoing Auto Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 4, 2025

Rynse - a new fleet management software for government and enterprise organizations - offers a powerful solution for fleets struggling with operational efficiency and profitability challenges like fraud, overspending, and vehicle maintenance. And by connecting fleet management with payment systems, Rynse provides an expansive network of vendors, streamlines procurement, saves time, and reduces fraud, enabling fleets to operate more efficiently. Rynse has secured $5 million in seed funding led by Autotech Ventures, with participation from returning investors Founder Collective and Correlation Ventures, along with new investor Connexa Capital.