He Started a Social Network Alone. Then 5 Million People Signed Up

Issam Hijazi launched UpScrolled after users alleged censorship on other platforms. Nine months later, its user base is soaring—while Hijazi tries to catch up with his own success. [...]

Picsart launches “Earn with Picsart”, a monetisation programme with no invite list

The AI design platform is paying creators based on engagement performance rather than audience size, marking its transition from a tool into a platform where creators can earn directly. The launch fol [...]

Hermeus raises $350M at a $1B valuation to build autonomous hypersonic fighters

The Los Angeles defence startup flew a demonstrator the size of an F-16 in March. A third aircraft is now in development. CEO AJ Piplica says the only way to build hypersonic aircraft at this pace is [...]

Natter raises $23M to replace enterprise surveys with AI-moderated video conversations

The London-based startup, founded by former BBC and Uber executives, runs AI-orchestrated video conversations that can gather structured insight from thousands of employees simultaneously. A seven-min [...]

Conxai raises €5M to bring agentic AI to construction industry

The Munich-based startup automates complex project workflows using AI trained on construction-specific data, not general-purpose models. Its backers include Earlybird, Pi Labs, noa, and Zacua Ventures [...]

Nvidia-backed Firmus targets $2bn ASX IPO after locking in $505m equity and $10bn Blackstone debt for its AI factory network

In short: Australian AI data centre company Firmus has raised $505m at a $5.5bn valuation in what it says is its final pre-IPO round, and is now targeting a $2bn listing on the ASX in June or July, b [...]

EIB lends PLD Space €30M to finish building its MIURA 5 rocket

The venture debt facility, backed by InvestEU and signed on 7 April, takes PLD Space’s total 2026 fundraising to €210 million following its €180 million Series C in March. MIURA 5 is on track fo [...]

neuroClues closes €10M Series A to bring its eye-tracking Parkinson’s diagnostic to European and US neurologists

The French-Belgian medtech uses a portable headset to capture up to 800 infrared images per eye per second, extracting oculomotor biomarkers that can indicate Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multipl [...]

Anthropic in talks to invest $200m in private equity venture to push Claude deeper into enterprise

In short: Anthropic is in negotiations to anchor a new joint venture with Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Permira that would embed Claude across private equity portfolio companies, investing [...]