TechCrunch Startup News

Deepinder Goyal returns with a $54M brain-monitoring bet; plus, Ultrahuman bets on redesigned smart ring to win back U.S. market

Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal's new wearable startup Temple has raised $54 million in a friends-and-family round at a post-money valuation of about $190 million. Plus, Ultrahuman’s Ring Pro promises 15-day battery life and a $479 price tag as the wearables maker expands its health-tech push. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Sophia Space raises $10M seed to demo novel space computers; plus,

Sophia Space's modular computer tiles offer a new vision for space data centers. Also, Trace is launching with $3 million in seed funding, including investment from Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, Transpose Platform Management, Goodwater Capital, Formosa Capital, and WeFunder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Jest is challenging the app store status quo; plus, Self-driving truck startup Einride raises $113M PIPE

Jest, a marketplace for messaging games, emerged from stealth with $7 million in seed funding. Also, self-driving trucks startup Einride has raised an oversubscribed $113 million PIPE in advance of its SPAC merger scheduled for early 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Y Combinator grad and AI insurance brokerage Harper raises $47M; plus, AI chip startup MatX raised $500M

Harper is an AI-native insurance brokerage that just raised a $45 million combined Series A and seed, after a member of YC's Winter 2025 cohort. Also, MatX, a chip startup founded by two former Google hardware engineers, has raised a $500 million Series B led by Jane Street and Situational Awareness, an investment fund formed by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Canva acquires startups working on animation and marketing; plus, Stripe, PayPal Ventures bet on India’s Xflow

With the new acquisitions, the company wants to bolster its position as a marketing solution by potentially adding video creation and more granular measurement. Also, Stripe and PayPal Ventures have participated in Xflow's $16.6 million round that gives it a post-money valuation of $85 million. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]