Startups

Axol Bioscience: $2.8 Million Raised To Accelerate US Expansion And Scale iPSC Cell Manufacturing

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Axol Bioscience announced it has raised $2.8 million (£2.1 million) in funding to expand its US operations, advance product development, and scale cell manufacturing capacity. The financing was led by US life sciences investor BroadOak Capital Partners, with participation from Axol’s founding investor, the Roslin Foundation. Axol said the capital will support growth of its commercial presence in the US while also enabling development of enhanced induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models in neuroscience, ophthalmology, and cardiovascular disease.

Flip: $20 Million Series A Raised After Handling 300 Million Automated Customer Service Calls

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Flip, an AI platform that automates customer service phone calls for enterprise brands, has raised $20 million in a Series A round as it reported surpassing 300 million calls handled across hundreds of brands. The financing was co-led by Next Coast Ventures and Ridge Ventures, with participation from Data Point Capital, ScOp Venture Capital, Bullpen Capital, Forum Ventures, and angel investors. The round brings Flip’s total funding to $31 million.

StarLIMS Announces Strategic Investment By Turn/River Capital

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

StarLIMS, an enterprise informatics software provider for laboratories, said it has secured a strategic investment from Turn/River Capital, with existing sponsor Francisco Partners exiting its position as part of the transaction.

RISA Labs: $11.1 Million Series A Raised To Scale AI Operating System For Oncology Workflows Nationwide

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

RISA Labs, a company developing an AI-driven operating system for oncology, said it has closed an $11.1 million Series A financing to expand deployments across cancer clinics, health systems, specialty pharmacies and infusion networks in the U.S.

Diffraqtion: $4.2 Million Pre-Seed Closed To Build Quantum Camera Imaging Constellations For Space and Earth Observation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Diffraqtion, an MIT and University of Maryland spinout developing satellite and telescope systems powered by a quantum camera, has closed a pre-seed financing round totaling $4.2 million, combining both dilutive and non-dilutive capital. The round was led by QDNL Participations, with participation from milemark•capital, Aether VC, ADIN, and Offline Ventures. In addition to the equity financing, the company also secured non-dilutive support through a DARPA SBIR Direct-to-Phase 2 contract tied to space situational awareness capabilities.

Enspire DBS Therapy Secured $10.3 Million Series B1 To Advance DBS-Enabled Stroke Rehabilitation Trial

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Enspire DBS Therapy, a Cleveland-based clinical-stage medical device company developing an implantable neuromodulation approach for post-stroke recovery, has raised $10.3 million in a Series B1 financing to support pivotal clinical development of its deep brain stimulation-enabled rehabilitation program. The round was led by Genesys Capital, which joined as a new investor, with participation from existing backers Cleveland Clinic and JobsOhio Ventures. As part of the financing, Genesys Capital Managing Partner Jamie Stiff will join Enspire’s board of directors.

WitnessAI: $58 Million Raised To Expand Globally And Roll Out New Security Controls For AI Agents

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

WitnessAI, an enterprise AI security and governance vendor, said it has raised $58 million in a strategic funding round to accelerate global go-to-market efforts and broaden its product portfolio as more companies deploy autonomous, agent-based AI systems. The round was led by Sound Ventures, with participation from Fin Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Ventures, and Forgepoint Capital Partners, according to the company. WitnessAI said the capital will be used to expand internationally and scale product development focused on securing AI agents alongside traditional large-language-model usage.

The 33rd Team Raises Eight-Figure Series B As It Shifts From Media To Football Analytics Technology

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

The 33rd Team, a football intelligence and technology company founded by veteran NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum, has closed an eight-figure Series B funding round as it accelerates its push to become a data and technology provider for pro and collegiate football organizations. The round was led by a consortium of strategic SME-focused investors and included Liberty Media, FORTA Advisors, Autumn Road, Dan Senor, Nick Gross, Gary Vaynerchuk, Ryan Moore, Greg Ciongoli, George Pyne, John Low, and Silver Falcon Capital, the family office of former NASCAR CEO Brian France. The company said it also added football industry participants to its cap table, including NFL alumnus Justin Pugh and former head coach Matt Patricia.

Nuclera Extends Series C Funding To $87 Million To Advance Antibody Engineering

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Nuclera, a biotech company developing a benchtop platform for rapid access to functional proteins, has raised a $12 million extension to its Series C financing, bringing total Series C funding to $87 million.

Klearly: €12 Million Series A Raised To Expand Restaurant Payments Across Europe

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Klearly, an Amsterdam-based payments platform built for restaurants, bars, and clubs, announced in a LinkedIn post that it has raised a €12 million Series A round led by PayPal Ventures as it pushes beyond the Netherlands into new European markets. The funding included participation from Italian Founders Fund alongside existing backers Global PayTech Ventures, Antler Elevate and Shapers.

Zepo Intelligence: $15 Million Seed Round Raised To Protect Workspaces From AI-Driven Social Engineering

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Zepo Intelligence, a human-centric cybersecurity startup focused on defending employees against AI-powered manipulation, has raised a $15 million seed round backed by European investors Kibo Ventures, eCAPITAL, and TIN Capital.

Verna: $4 Million Raised To Help Organizations Deliver Nature Recovery Projects

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Verna announced it has raised $4 million to meet growing demand for software that helps organizations take verifiable action on nature recovery, as companies and public bodies move from nature risk reporting toward long-term delivery on the ground.

X Square Robot Raises $140 Million in Series A++ Funding To Scale Embodied AI Models And Robot Deployment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

X Square Robot, a China-based developer of general-purpose embodied artificial intelligence, said January 12, 2026 that it has completed a Series A++ funding round of about $140 million, or roughly RMB 1 billion, as it accelerates development of what it calls a “robot brain” foundation model for the physical world and expands commercialization across logistics, manufacturing and healthcare use cases.

Aquilance: $16 Million Strategic Growth Raised To Expand Delivery Of Unbundled Family Office Solutions

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Aquilance, a technology-enabled provider of personal financial administration services for wealthy families and their advisors, has secured a $16 million strategic growth investment led by Ten Coves Capital as it looks to scale demand for “unbundled” family office-style services across wealth management firms, RIAs, and trust companies.

NGP VAN Launches API And Data Products Team With Seven-Figure Investment To Modernize Integrations

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

NGP VAN announced it has formed its first dedicated API and Data Products Team and committed a seven-figure investment to modernize and expand the company’s APIs, a move aimed at strengthening the integration infrastructure used across the progressive technology ecosystem.

bricks.sh Raises €1.6 Million Pre-Seed And Launches Public Beta For Internal Tools Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

bricks.sh announced it has closed a €1.6 million oversubscribed pre-seed round and opened a public beta of its platform designed to help companies build internal tools faster while preserving customization.

HPS/PayMedix Secures $33 Million Investment To Expand Healthcare Financing Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

HPS/PayMedix announced it has closed $33 million in combined equity and debt financing to accelerate national growth of PayMedix, its healthcare financing and payments platform designed to simplify how consumers and providers manage medical bills.

Mevaldi: New Investment Secured To Speed Industrial Scale-Up

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Mevaldi announced it has raised new investment from ICOS Capital, with High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and ICIG Ventures also participating, as the company looks to accelerate the industrial scale-up of its technology and expand the market reach of its bio-based chemical building blocks.

Deepgram: $130 Million Series C At $1.3 Billion Valuation Raised And OfOne Acquisition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

Deepgram announced it raised $130 million in Series C funding at a $1.3 billion valuation to accelerate development of its real-time voice AI API platform and support new product and ecosystem initiatives, including an acquisition, expanded intellectual property efforts, and a new collaboration space in San Francisco.

AI4Eyes: C$6.5 Million Raised To Advance AI-Powered Eye Care Products

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 13, 2026

AI4Eyes Medical Technologies has secured a combined C$6.5 million in new capital to support the development and commercialization of regulated, AI-powered eye care solutions, the company said.

PulseAI: Seed Funding Secured To Advance AI-Driven ECG Diagnostics

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

PulseAI announced it has closed a seed funding round to expand deployment of its AI-enabled electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnostics platform and progress toward U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance, positioning the company to commercialize clinical decision-support tools for both primary care and acute care environments.

Inquis Medical: $75 Million Series C Raised To Expand AVENTUS Thrombectomy Commercial Rollout

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Inquis Medical announced it closed a $75 million Series C financing to accelerate nationwide commercial expansion of its AVENTUS thrombectomy system and advance a next-generation product pipeline, as the company looks to scale adoption in venous thromboembolic disease (VTE).

Polar Light Technologies: €5+ Million Raised To Push Pyramidal MicroLEDs Toward First Product Launches

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Polar Light Technologies AB, a Linköping, Sweden-based semiconductor company developing MicroLED display technology, announced it has closed a €5 million-plus funding round to support commercialization and the rollout of its first products. The round was led by J2L Holding AB, with participation from STOAF, Almi Invest and Butterfly Ventures. Polar Light said the financing extends its runway as it prepares initial product launches built on its pyramidal MicroLED platform.

Elevate Capital Invests $1.6 Million in 5 Oregon Startups Through State-Backed Venture Program

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Elevate Capital announced it has deployed $1.6 million into five Oregon-based startups through the state’s Venture Direct program, a venture capital initiative supported by the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The firm said the investments are intended to expand access to early-stage capital for local founders and support long-term economic growth across Oregon.

Applied Brain Research Raises Seed Round To Scale On-Device Voice AI With TSP1 Edge Chip

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Applied Brain Research (ABR) announced it has closed an oversubscribed seed funding round to accelerate development and commercialization of its TSP1 “state space accelerator” chip and accompanying software models for edge AI inference. The round was led by Two Small Fish Ventures, and the firm’s general partner Eva Lau will join ABR’s board.

Ventaris Surgical: $30 Million Series A Raised To Develop System For Complete Kidney Stone Treatment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Ventaris Surgical, a San Carlos, California-based medical device company, has closed a $30 million Series A financing round to advance a ureteroscopic platform designed to improve stone clearance during kidney stone procedures. The round was led by Longitude Capital, with new investor Vensana Capital also participating. Existing backers Atypical Ventures, Neotribe Ventures, and Boutique Venture Partners also joined the financing.

Neuramint: $5 Million Seed Round Raised To Build AI Agent Workflow Platform For Web3

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Neuramint announced it has raised a $5 million seed round to develop an AI agent workflow platform designed to help developers build and manage autonomous Web3 workflows across decentralized finance, NFTs, and blockchain networks.

Accelsius: $65 Million Series B Raised To Scale Two-Phase Liquid Cooling for AI Infrastructure

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Accelsius closed a $65 million Series B financing led by Johnson Controls, with Legrand joining as a strategic investor, as the company ramps production and expands deployment of its two-phase, direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology for AI and high-performance computing environments.

OutSee: £2.5 Million Seed Round Completed And Partnership With o2h Discovery

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

OutSee, an AI-enabled genomics and drug discovery company, has closed a £2.5 million seed funding round and signed a strategic agreement with o2h discovery to begin a collaborative drug discovery programme around OutSee’s lead drug target candidate.

Cast AI Surpasses $1 Billion Valuation Following Pacific Alliance Ventures Strategic Investment

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 12, 2026

Cast AI announced it has crossed a $1 billion valuation following a strategic investment from Pacific Alliance Ventures (PAV), the U.S.-based corporate venture arm of Shinsegae Group, as the company launched OMNI Compute, a unified compute marketplace designed to help enterprises access and operate GPU capacity across clouds and regions without making code changes.