Another week, another pulse check on venture.
From top insights and reports to new funds, VC jobs, and the hottest deals—here’s everything you need to stay ahead.
Let’s dive in 👇
Brought to you by Harmonic — the startup discovery engine
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The world’s best VCs use Harmonic to find their fund returners.
In-Depth Insights 🔍
Early-Stage VC in the Age of Vertical AI 📊
Generalist VC is out, niche focus is in. Here’s why the smartest investors are going deep. [Euclid Ventures]
The AI Reasoning Revolution - Scaling Smarter LLMs 🧠
AI models are getting smarter—not just through better training, but by scaling their thinking at inference time. [Sebastian Raschka, PhD]
Software Moats Are Dead—Now What? 🏰
The days of defensibility through code alone are over. Here’s how to build a real edge. [OnlyCFO]Kirsten Green’s Playbook for Iconic Brands 🎨
The mind behind Glossier, Warby Parker, and more shares what makes brands legendary. [Mario Gabriele]How to Win as a Solopreneur 🔧
No cofounder, no problem—here’s how to build, scale, and thrive solo. [Hemant Pandey & Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi]224 Tax Loopholes Every VC Should Know 🏦
The tax moves and QSBS tricks that separate elite funds from the rest. [Doug Dyer]
📢 Want to get in front of +300k founders and investors?
For sponsorship opportunities across this newsletter and my other media assets, email: rdominguezibar@gmail.com
Interesting Reports 📊
100 GenAI Apps That Matter Today 🤖
a16z showcases the most disruptive AI applications across industries.
The 2025 Fundraising Guide—Backed by Data 📊
A data-packed breakdown of startup fundraising trends and investor behavior.
Recently Launched Funds 💸
Vento Capital is doubling down on Europe’s startup scene with a fresh €75M Fund II for early-stage bets.
Informed Ventures is going all in on AI-powered digital health, launching a new early-stage fund.
National Grid Partners just committed $100M to back AI startups shaping the future of energy. Big power play.
Bessemer Venture Partners is making a strong India push, rolling out a $350M second fund for the region.
Equator locks in $55M to fuel African climate tech startups tackling sustainability head-on.
Optimist Ventures is putting money where the storms hit—its accelerator fund now open for hurricane recovery startups.
Aligned Climate Capital closes an $85M second fund to drive climate innovation. Green money for a greener future.
Fusion Fund secures $190M for Fund IV, fueling deep tech and frontier innovation. The future is now.
Fundraising?
If you're raising a round,
and I can help. We gather startup fundraising data and share it with our audience of 300k+ investors and startup enthusiasts. Fill out this form and we’ll will do our best to connect you with the right investors! 🚀VC Jobs 💼
Citi Ventures (New York, NY): VC Vice President (apply here)
Untapped Ventures (San Francisco, CA): VC Intern (apply here)
Bessemer Venture Partners (Boston, MA): VC Associate (apply here)
New Catalyst (Washington, DC): VC Investor (apply here)
Biotech Fund (Remote): VC Investor II (apply here)
BITKRAFT (Remote): VC Principal (apply here)
Flybridge (Remote): VC Intern (apply here)
BITKRAFT (Remote): VC Associate (apply here)
ADA Ventures (London, England): VC Associate (apply here)
Speedinvest (Berlin, Germany): VC Associate (apply here)
Hottest Deals 💥
Insilico Medicine, Hong Kong-based AI drug discovery powerhouse raised $110M in Series E to push the limits of pharma innovation. (read here)
Aura, San Francisco’s newest darling snagged $5.5M in Seed funding to speed up AI model validation and shake up rental marketplaces. (read here)
Darwin, NYC-based supply chain optimizer bagged $5M in Seed funding to help businesses evolve smarter, faster, better. (read here)
Human Computer, Austin AI startup scored $5.7M in Seed funding to rewire human-machine conversations. (read here)
Terabase Energy, Solar tech trailblazer raised a blazing $130M in Series C to supercharge renewable energy automation. (read here)
Flock Safety, Public safety innovator flew away with $275M at a sky-high $7.5B valuation to make communities safer. (read here)
Accropeutics, Biotech disruptor secured $12M in Series B+ to fuel its next breakthrough cancer therapies. (read here)
nunu.ai, LA-based social AI platform locked in $6M in Seed funding to rewrite online interactions. (read here)
Lumafield, Cambridge startup lit up $75M in Series C to bring X-ray CT tech to every factory floor. (read here)
Disputed.ai, Portland-based fintech landed $1.12M in Seed funding to automate chargeback disputes and save businesses big. (read here)
Fixated, LA content studio nailed down $12.8M to double down on creator-driven storytelling. (read here)
Anyware Robotics, Bay Area robotics startup pulled in $12M in Seed funding to build the Swiss Army knife of mobile robots. (read here)
Strolll, UK-based digital therapeutics startup walked away with £10.35M in Series A to help patients move better, faster, stronger. (read here)
Omni, SF business intelligence platform bagged $69M in Series B to turn data chaos into clarity. (read here)
Cloud Gateway, London’s cloud connectivity expert locked down £1.5M to make secure networks a breeze. (read here)
RESOURCES 🛠️
✅ Ultimate Investor List of Lists (+5k VCs)
✅ 40 Pitch Decks That Raised Over $460M
✅ The Startup Founder’s Guide to Financial Modeling (7 free templates included)
✅ SAFE Note Dilution: How to Calculate & Protect Your Equity (+ Cap Table Template)
✅ 400+ Seed VCs Backing Startups in the US & Europe
✅ The Best 23 Accelerators Worldwide for Rapid Growth (and How to Get Into Them)
✅ 144 Family Offices That Cut Pre-Seed Checks
✅ The Ultimate Startup & Venture Capital Notion Guide: Knowledge Base & Resources
✅ AI Co-Pilots Every Startup & VC Needs in Their Toolbox
✅ How to Create a Co-Founder Agreement + 3 Templates
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