Startups Blog

The AI arms race is heating up, and tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Salesforce are investing heavily in AI startups.

Ivy Startups in 2023

Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, two of the world's top business schools, produced a combined 87 startups in 2023.

Harvard graduates launched 64 startups, while Stanford graduates launched 23. Healthcare and Artificial Intelligence were the most popular sectors for Stanford and Harvard graduates respectively. Other popular sectors included sustainability and Web3 technologies.

Seattle VCS and Startup Founders

At a Seattle Tech Week panel, venture capitalists and startup founders discussed the use of AI tools and the potential hurdles that come with them.

They discussed how AI can be used internally to record, transcribe, and summarize meetings, as well as how AI can help data scientists answer questions more quickly.The panelists also discussed the potential of AI in the next five years, such as robotics taking off, deep fake content becoming more prevalent, and personalized music being created for users.

Finland Tech

Finland is the second-best funded tech ecosystem in the Nordics, according to Dealroom. To find out which startups could be set to follow in the footsteps of the 27 startups that caught the eye of Sifted, two VCs from Inventure and Maki.vc were asked to name some of their top picks. One was Ambio, a startup that uses AI to help companies reduce their carbon emissions. 

Boxed Wine Startups

Finally, boxed wine startups are looking to capitalize on the growing trend of at-home drinking during the pandemic, offering more sophisticated wines than past boxed varieties and more sustainable packaging. They are also taking advantage of lower fulfillment costs and are focusing on e-commerce and on-premise sales. With the current state of the economy, these startups have an opportunity to convert more at-home drinkers.

The competition in the business world is insane since there are millions of businesses out there. Currently, there are 33.2 million small businesses in the US, which is equivalent to 99.9% of US businesses.

From AI-enabled accounts payables to a new NATO fund for defense tech startups, there is plenty to be excited about. Here's a look at the latest news on startups.

Not Just for Kids

The popular narrative of startups being founded by young people is pervasive in Silicon Valley, but experienced founders often have an advantage. Life skills that come with age, such as having kids, can make one a better manager and more resilient and patient. Experience is also important for building a personal network, which is crucial for finding solvable problems and selling products.

A survey conducted by Start-Up Nation Central has revealed that 68% of Israeli startups have taken active steps to pull money and shift parts of their businesses outside of the country due to the uncertainty created around the proposed judicial overhaul.

Mixed Gender Founding Teams 

Mixed-gender founding teams have raised $24.1 billion in 2023, which is expected to be the second-highest total ever. This 28.1% of capital raised is a significant increase from the 16.9% of capital raised in H1 2022. However, all-women founding teams have raised only $1.4 billion in the first half of 2023, which is significantly lower than the $3.1 billion raised in the first half of 2022. This demonstrates that the presence of a man on the founding team is still a major factor in raising capital.

Now as much as ever, the startup world is in a state of flux. Here's a look at some of the biggest stories in recent days.

The startup world is in a state of flux, with a number of changes taking place that could have a major impact on the industry. From down rounds to new venture capital investments, the startup landscape is constantly evolving. Here are the latest news and trends in the startup world that entrepreneurs should be aware of. Stripe, a San Francisco-based financial tech firm, recently lowered its valuation to $50 billion from $95 billion in order to raise money, a move known as a down round. This is a common trend among tech startups in the Bay Area and across the country, as the economic market has made it difficult for them to pursue an initial public offering. Other startups, such as Instacart, Klarna, Oda, Snyk, Dataiku, and Tonal, have also had to resort to down rounds in order to raise capital. VCs have identified a number of promising healthtech startups for 2023, including those innovating in AI, mental health, and cancer research. Despite a decrease in venture-capital investment in the first half of the year, these startups have managed to stand out and attract attention from investors. Insider asked VCs to name the most promising healthtech startups of 2023, including firms they had invested in and those they had not. Five partners at Sequoia Capital have left the firm, the largest shakeup since Roelof Botha took over a year ago. Michael Moritz is leaving to focus on the firm's wealth management business, while four other partners have also exited. This is a major development for the firm, and it remains to be seen how it will affect its investments and operations going forward. Karat Financial is a startup that helps content creators manage their money and access capital to expand their businesses. It offers a business credit card with higher limits based on creators' social and financial stats, and is now launching a card that builds personal credit history. The company recently closed a $70 million Series B funding round, a combination of debt and equity, to help them scale their existing products and build tools to help creators manage money. This is a great example of how startups can use venture capital to grow their businesses and reach new heights. Startup failure rates have been historically high, with around 90% of companies going out of business. However, the failure rate has doubled in 2021 due to the influx of venture capital funding, which has caused startups to burn through their cash reserves. To survive, founders need to be more strategic and selective about where they invest their resources. This means taking the time to research potential investors, understanding the risks associated with venture capital, and having a clear plan for how to use the funds. The startup world is constantly changing, and entrepreneurs need to stay up to date on the latest news and trends in order to stay ahead of the competition. From down rounds to new venture capital investments, the startup landscape is constantly evolving. By understanding the current trends, entrepreneurs can make more informed decisions and increase their chances of success.