🏠 Roam Raises $11.5M to Revolutionize the Housing Market with Assumable Mortgages

New York-based startup Roam has raised $11.5 million in a Series A round led by Khosla Ventures, aiming to make assumable mortgages more accessible to homebuyers amid rising interest rates.

🌟 Roam's platform connects buyers to homes with assumable mortgages, allowing them to secure lower monthly payments compared to current rates.

🚀 In 2024, Roam facilitated $200 million in home sales, charging buyers 1% of the purchase price as a fee.

📈 The company plans to expand nationwide by the end of 2025, building on its presence in 17 states, including California, Texas, and Florida.

💼 CEO Raunaq Singh, formerly of Opendoor, emphasizes the platform's ability to reduce homebuying time from 180 days to 45 days.

💡 Roam's innovative model addresses the housing affordability crisis, offering a solution to high mortgage rates with assumable loans.

Roam’s mission to make homeownership more affordable positions it as a key player in the evolving housing tech landscape.

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🇨🇳 Chinese Tech Giants Rush to Buy Nvidia’s H20 AI Chips Amid U.S. Ban

Chinese companies like ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent have placed over $16 billion in orders for Nvidia’s H20 AI chips in the first quarter of 2025, trying to secure the hardware before potential U.S. export restrictions come into effect.

💰 The H20 chip is Nvidia’s top-tier AI processor still available in China, designed after the 2023 U.S. export ban on more advanced chips.

🚀 Nvidia’s revenue from Chinese sales hit $17 billion last year, accounting for 13% of its total revenue.

⚠️Supply concerns are emerging, as H3C and other Chinese manufacturers warn of potential shortages.

🔄 Despite the looming restrictions, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he doesn’t expect a major short-term impact, though plans are in place to shift production to the U.S.

With AI demand skyrocketing in China, tech firms are racing to secure essential hardware, making Nvidia's H20 chip a hot commodity before potential bans hit.

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💡DeepIP Raises $15M to Streamline Patent Drafting with AI

Paris and New York-based startup DeepIP has secured $15 million in a Series A round led by Resonance, with participation from Headline, Serena Capital, and Balderton. The funding will be used to enhance its AI assistant and expand product teams.

🤖 DeepIP's AI assistant helps draft patents faster, summarizing large documents, suggesting alternative claim structures, and detecting omissions.

🌎 The platform is gaining traction among corporations and law firms, including Schwegman Lundberg Woessner, and has already helped draft 8,500 patent applications.

🗣️CEO François-Xavier Leduc emphasizes that the AI tool is designed to assist rather than replace patent practitioners, making the patent filing process more efficient.

💼 With legal tech investment on the rise, DeepIP's solution addresses the complexity of patent drafting, saving time and effort for attorneys.

DeepIP is positioned to revolutionize patent drafting by combining AI innovation with human expertise, making the process faster and more accurate.

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🤖 Legora Takes on Legal Tech Giants with AI-Powered Solutions

Stockholm-born startup Legora is making waves in the legal tech space with its AI software for lawyers, challenging established players like Harvey. The company recently signed Goodwin as a client and opened a New York City office to expand its global presence.

🌱 Founded in 2023, Legora aims to help legal professionals work smarter with a digital workspace built on large language models, now used in nearly 20 countries by more than 250 clients.

💡Key Features: The platform's tabular review tool enables the bulk upload of documents and uses software "agents" to extract specific information quickly and accurately.

💰 Funding: The startup has raised over $35 million from investors like Benchmark, Redpoint, and Y Combinator.

🌎Expansion: With a focus on the U.S. market, Legora aims to become a leading name in legal tech, leveraging its agile engineering team to stay ahead of the competition.

Can Legora outpace Harvey and legacy legal tech giants in the race for AI-powered legal solutions?

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🚀 Amazon's Starlink Competitor 'Project Kuiper' Set for Launch

Amazon is set to launch 27 satellites as part of Project Kuiper next week, aiming to challenge Starlink's dominance in satellite internet. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., on April 9.

🚀 High-Speed Global Internet: Project Kuiper aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to almost any location worldwide, similar to Starlink.

🔄 Mass Deployment: Amazon has secured over 80 launch dates to eventually deploy a fleet of 3,200 satellites.

💻 Consumer Terminals: The standard terminal will deliver speeds up to 400 Mbps, while the Pro version reaches 1 Gbps. A smaller, affordable model offers 100 Mbps.

💰Cost Focus: Amazon plans to keep customer terminal costs under $500, comparable to Starlink's $349-$499 range.

Will Project Kuiper be able to compete with Starlink in delivering affordable, global satellite internet?

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💰Runway Raises $308M to Boost AI-Powered Media Production

Runway, known for its video-generating AI models, has secured $308 million in a Series D funding round led by General Atlantic, with participation from Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Nvidia, SoftBank, and others. The funding will be used to advance AI research, expand the Runway Studios film and animation arm, and hire new talent.

💡 Runway's Offerings: The startup provides a suite of AI media tools, including video- and image-generating models, and recently launched Gen-4, a model that creates consistent characters, locations, and objects across scenes.

🎥 Hollywood Collaboration: Runway has inked a deal with a major Hollywood studio and aims to reach $300 million in annualized revenue this year.

⚠️Legal Challenge: Runway faces a lawsuit over allegedly training its AI models on copyrighted artwork without permission, but the company argues fair use as a defense.

Can Runway's AI models revolutionize media production despite the legal hurdles ahead?

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🤖 OpenAI Announces New AI Models: o3 and o4-mini to Arrive Soon, GPT-5 Delayed

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a change in the company’s AI model release schedule. The o3 and o4-mini models will be launched in the next few weeks, while GPT-5 is expected to arrive in a few months.

🔄Updated Strategy: OpenAI is prioritizing deeper improvements to GPT-5, aiming to push the model's capabilities further than initially planned.

⚡️Intermediate Models: The o3 and o4-mini models will be released first to maintain user engagement and manage infrastructure while GPT-5 undergoes enhancements.

🚀Anticipating Demand: Altman acknowledged the need to ensure sufficient capacity as OpenAI expects unprecedented demand for GPT-5.

💡Why the Delay?: The decision wasn't just about fixing bugs but about making GPT-5 significantly stronger and better prepared for large-scale use.

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🐳 Poseidon Aerospace Unveils Seagull: A Modern Take on the 'Sea Monster' Glider

San Francisco-based Poseidon Aerospace has launched Seagull, an uncrewed sea glider inspired by the Soviet Caspian Sea Monster. The glider leverages low-altitude flight to minimize drag and increase lift, aiming to revolutionize cargo transportation.

✨Renaissance Tech: Seagull revives Cold War-era ekranoplan technology with modern upgrades like carbon fiber construction and autonomous control.

🚀 Operational Debut: Poseidon plans to test Seagull with the US Navy and Coast Guard this summer.

💜 Logistics Potential: Capable of carrying 100 pounds with a 13-foot wingspan, Seagull targets high-priority goods like medical supplies.

🦎 Next Steps: Poseidon is working on a larger model called Heron, designed for contested logistics missions with a 50-foot wingspan and two-ton payload capacity.

Will Poseidon’s Seagull glider take flight as the next big innovation in autonomous cargo transport?

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💎 Insurtech GRACE Secures €5.9M to Protect Luxury Goods

Franco-Swiss fintech startup GRACE has raised €5.9 million in a Seed round to expand its AI-powered insurance platform for luxury items. The funding round was led by FinTech Collective and Speedinvest, with participation from Firstminute Capital, Purple, Kima Ventures, Bpifrance, a16z, and Sequoia through their Scout Program.

🚨 Luxury Theft on the Rise: The value of stolen luxury goods has surged 236% year-over-year, highlighting the need for better protection solutions.

🌟 Seamless Protection: GRACE provides automatic coverage against theft and loss from the moment of purchase, with claims resolved within days.

🫱 Strategic Partnerships: Collaborates with Chubb, a global insurance leader, and plans to cover 200,000 luxury items by 2025 through partnerships with major luxury brands.

📊 Data-Driven Insights: The platform also helps brands collect customer data, improving their understanding of buyer behavior.

With theft of luxury items on the rise, can GRACE redefine how high-value assets are protected?

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🤖 Chef Robotics Raises $20.6M to Automate Food Production

AI robotics startup Chef Robotics has secured $20.6 million in a Series A round led by Avataar Venture Partners. The funding will help the company scale its AI-powered food preparation robots, which are designed to operate in assembly lines alongside human workers.

🍴 Revolutionizing Food Production: Chef robots use spatial intelligence to handle diverse ingredients, making them more versatile than traditional factory machines.

💼 Key Clients: Includes Amy's Kitchen, Sunbasket, and Chef Bombay.

🚀 Major Backers: Construct Capital, Bloomberg Beta, Promus Ventures, and others participated, with Silicon Valley Bank providing an additional $22.5 million in equipment financing.

🌎 Real-World Impact: Deployed in North America, Chef robots have processed nearly 2,000 ingredients and produced over 44 million food servings.

With the food industry facing a labor shortage, Chef Robotics aims to bridge the gap with autonomous solutions that enhance productivity and reduce operational costs.

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🤖 ARX Robotics and Daimler Truck Collaborate on Next-Gen Military Vehicles

ARX Robotics has announced a strategic partnership with Daimler Truck to advance the development of autonomous military vehicles, combining AI-driven robotics with Daimler’s expertise in specialized defense trucks.

✨Next-Gen Military Tech: The collaboration focuses on integrating ARX’s AI and robotics systems into Daimler’s Unimog and Zetros series to enhance autonomous driving and teleoperation.

🚀 Multi-Domain Operations: The new vehicles will support coordinated missions with drones and other systems, thanks to ARX’s Mithra OS, enabling networking and real-time data processing.

💜 Enhanced Capabilities: Upgraded vehicles will feature autonomous navigation, object recognition, and real-time communication for safer and more efficient military operations.

ARX and Daimler aim to set a new standard for digital defense solutions, positioning Europe at the forefront of autonomous military technology.

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📱 Unravel Raises €6.3M to Transform Travel Discovery

London-based startup Unravel has secured €6.3 million in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered video commerce platform that turns creator-driven travel content into seamless booking experiences.

🚀 Key Backers: Led by Nauta Capital, with participation from Active Partners, Slingshot Ventures, and Olivier Bisserier (ex-CFO, Booking.com).

🌎 What They Do: Unravel partners with travel creators to curate authentic, high-quality video content and integrate it into banking, airline, and FinTech apps for easy booking.

📈 Impressive Metrics: Partnered platforms report a 4x increase in daily active users and a 10x increase in conversion rates.

⭕️ Expansion Plans: The fresh capital will enhance AI capabilities and support global growth, with a focus on Europe and the UK.

With its innovative approach, Unravel aims to become the "TikTok of Travel", making video-driven bookings a reality.

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🤖 You.com Raises $50M to Compete in the AI Assistant Market

Palo Alto-based startup You.com is raising $50 million in a Series B round, aiming to establish itself in the competitive AI assistants space. The funding round is led by Georgian, with support from existing investors.

✨Market Ambitions: You.com is pivoting from an AI-infused search engine to a comprehensive AI assistant focused on productivity and search.

📈Growth and Challenges: Despite a drop from 20 million peak visitors in February 2023 to 11 million in May, You.com has seen its annual recurring revenue grow fivefold since January.

💡 Subscription Model: The platform charges $15 per month for premium features, including access to advanced AI models and productivity tools.

With competition from tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, You.com is betting on its unique assistant capabilities to capture a share of the growing AI market.

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🤖 CMR Surgical Accelerates Growth with Next-Gen Robotic Surgery

Cambridge-based CMR Surgical, a leader in surgical robotics, is pushing forward with its global expansion plans following a successful funding round of over €185 million, combining equity and debt capital.

💡Transforming Surgery: CMR’s Versius Surgical Robotic System is designed to make robotic-assisted surgery more accessible and affordable, offering modular, portable solutions for various medical procedures.

🚀 Key Innovations: The new funding will accelerate the commercial expansion of Versius, particularly in the U.S., and support the launch of the enhanced Versius Plus system.

🌎 Global Impact: Versius is the second most utilized soft tissue surgical robot worldwide, completing over 30,000 surgeries in 30+ countries, including colorectal, gynecology, and urology procedures.

💼 Strategic Backing: The round was led by Trinity Capital, with existing major investors participating. CMR plans to expand its clinical footprint with trials in pediatric and transoral robotic surgery.

CMR Surgical aims to revolutionize healthcare by making robotic-assisted surgery more efficient and accessible worldwide.

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🎮 Ultra Aims to Redefine Gaming in Europe with One-Stop Platform

Tallinn-based Ultra is on a mission to revolutionize the gaming industry with a one-stop destination for gamers, publishers, and developers. The company recently secured €10.8 million to expand its team, develop its platform, and set the stage for future growth.

🚀 Game-Changing Vision: Ultra aims to challenge the traditional gaming landscape by integrating distribution, player experience, and digital ownership into one cohesive platform.

🌎 European Tech Revival: Ultra sees an opportunity to bridge the gap in Europe’s gaming and digital assets sectors, aiming to lead the continent’s tech resurgence.

💡 Strategic Backing: The funding round was led by NOIA Capital, with new CEO Gus van Rijckevorsel spearheading the company’s bold vision to disrupt the stagnant gaming industry.

🔧 Next Steps: The fresh capital will be used to hire top talent, expand the Ultra platform, and prepare for a significant upcoming raise.

Ultra is setting out to become the go-to gaming hub in Europe, redefining how developers, publishers, and players connect.

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💼 Pennylane Transforms Accounting for Small Businesses

French fintech startup Pennylane is revolutionizing accounting with its all-in-one platform designed specifically for accountants and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The platform streamlines invoicing, expense tracking, cash flow management, and financial forecasting into one user-friendly system.

🚀 Localized Solution: Unlike global alternatives like QuickBooks, Pennylane is tailored to meet the needs of French accountants, offering a comprehensive tool that integrates seamlessly into their workflow.

🌎 European Expansion: After establishing a strong foothold in France with 4,500 accounting firms and 350,000 SMBs using the platform, Pennylane is gearing up to enter the German market this summer. The company aims to replicate its success by adapting to local accounting practices.

💡 AI-Driven Innovation: Pennylane is integrating AI to automate bookkeeping and support accountants with smarter financial insights. As Europe moves toward mandatory e-invoicing, Pennylane positions itself as the go-to tool for compliance and efficient financial management.

💰 Strategic Growth: With a focus on R&D rather than high customer acquisition costs, Pennylane is set to reach €100 million in annual recurring revenue by year-end. The recent €75 million funding round, co-led by Sequoia Capital and CapitalG, will support its expansion and product development.

By combining localized expertise with AI-driven efficiency, Pennylane is on a mission to modernize accounting for European SMBs.

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🎥 Moonvalley Aims to Revolutionize AI Video with Ethical Models

Los Angeles-based startup Moonvalley is positioning itself as a leader in ethical AI video generation. Unlike many competitors, Moonvalley is committed to using exclusively licensed content and protecting creators' rights.

🚀Ethical AI Video: Moonvalley’s generative video models are built on licensed data from content owners, with an option for creators to remove their content from the models. The startup also ensures that customers can delete their data anytime and provides an indemnity policy to safeguard users from copyright challenges.

💡Latest Model - Marey: Built in collaboration with AI animation studio Asteria, Marey offers advanced customization features like fine-grained camera and motion controls, generating HD clips up to 30 seconds long.

💰Funding Boost: Moonvalley recently raised $43 million, adding to the previous $70 million seed round co-led by General Catalyst and Khosla Ventures. The funding will accelerate R&D and support the development of new AI video models.

Moonvalley is on a mission to transform media creation responsibly, setting itself apart with a commitment to ethical AI and robust creator protections.

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🎨 Krea: The One-Stop Platform for GenAI Creatives

San Francisco-based startup Krea aims to simplify generative AI for designers and visual creatives by offering a unified platform that integrates multiple AI models, making content creation smoother and more customizable.

🚀 Streamlined Creative Process: Krea’s platform allows users to input an idea, and the system automatically selects the most suitable AI models, offering easy customization to maintain creative vision.

🌟 Designed for Creators: Unlike typical AI tools that replace creative workflows, Krea enhances creativity by giving users control over their content, from image creation to video generation. The company plans to expand into audio and music tools soon.

💡Real-World Adoption: Krea is already being used by creatives at Perplexity AI, Loop Earplugs, Pixar, LEGO, and Samsung, showing strong traction among both individual users and small teams.

💰Funding Milestone: Krea recently raised $83 million to further develop its platform, backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and Abstract Ventures.

Krea aims to revolutionize creative work by empowering designers with intuitive, AI-powered tools that keep creativity at the forefront.

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💳 Miss Moneypenny Technologies Transforms Digital Wallet Engagement

Berlin-based Miss Moneypenny Technologies is redefining how businesses interact with customers through its SaaS platform, Wallet Studio. The platform leverages Apple Wallet and Google Wallet to turn static wallet cards into dynamic, interactive customer engagement tools.

🚀Next-Gen Wallet Cards: Wallet Studio upgrades traditional wallet cards, enabling real-time communication, data collection, and personalized services. This approach bridges the gap between businesses and customers, enhancing digital interactions while cutting costs.

🌟 Proven Impact: Leading brands like HDI, SIXT, and Zurich Insurance are already using Wallet Studio to boost customer engagement, with interaction rates reportedly reaching 80%. The platform’s no-code, scalable solution is making customer connections more intuitive and efficient.

💰 Backed for Growth: The startup raised €7.3 million in a Seed round led by Earlybird, with b2venture also participating. The funds will support the expansion of Wallet Studio’s reach and capabilities.

Miss Moneypenny Technologies is positioning itself as a leader in revolutionizing digital wallet interactions, creating smarter and more connected customer experiences.

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🐺 Colossal Biosciences Brings Back Dire Wolves – A Step Towards De-Extinction?

Dallas-based biotech startup Colossal Biosciences has unveiled its latest breakthrough: the creation of dire wolves, iconic prehistoric predators thought to have gone extinct 12,000 years ago. Using CRISPR technology, Colossal engineered wolves genetically 99.5% similar to the dire wolf, featuring larger skulls and elongated muzzles.

🧪 Conservation Angle: While some scientists debate whether the recreated wolves are truly “de-extinct,” Colossal aims to use the same technology to save critically endangered red wolves, with four cloned red wolves already born.

🌎 Cultural Significance: Supported by Indigenous groups and Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, the project blends conservation with cultural preservation, focusing on species with both ecological and symbolic value.

💰What’s Next: Beyond dire wolves, Colossal plans to spin off businesses in artificial womb technology and conservation partnerships, aiming to generate revenue through biodiversity credits.

Colossal Biosciences continues to challenge the limits of biotech, blending science and conservation in its quest to revive extinct species.

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