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• Silence Laboratories has raised $4.1 million in funding to enable Privacy Preserving Collaborative Computing, led by Pi Ventures and Kira Studio.
• The company aims to facilitate data collaborations without exposing sensitive information, using modern cryptography like Silent Shard for distributed signatures.
• Products like Silent Shard and Silent Compute allow enterprises to collaborate on data processing without sharing sensitive data, using multi-party computation.

• San Francisco’s judicial elections experiencing unprecedented funding from tech billionaires
• Concerns raised about the future and integrity of the judiciary
• Tech elites pouring close to $1 million into campaigns of challengers
• Debate sparked on the role of politics in the judiciary
• Financial influence on judicial races raises integrity concerns

Unprecedented Tech Billionaire Funding in San Francisco Judicial Elections

In a surprising twist, San Francisco’s upcoming Superior Court judge elections have become the talk of the town, not just for the rare challenge against sitting judges but for the massive influx of money coming in from Silicon Valley’s elite. Read more

• Zactor Tech secures pre-seed funding at $3 million valuation
• Funding co-led by High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs)
• Funds to be allocated to product development, user acquisition, and financial literacy initiatives
• Co-founded in 2023 by Abhishek Walia and Shivam Parihar
• Platform offers goal-based saving system, reports 2x monthly user growth

Zactor Tech Secures Pre-Seed Funding at $3 Million Valuation

In the fast-evolving landscape of financial technology, Zactor Tech has made waves by securing pre-seed funding at a valuation of $3 million. Read more

• Chicago Tech Companies: Last month, various industries in Chicago received significant venture capital investments, including greentech, consumer software, and artificial intelligence sectors.
• Aarogya: Healthtech company Aarogya received funding from Hersha Hospitality Trust to enhance its health management solution, focusing on product development and team expansion.
• Cambio: Originally a debt negotiation tool, Cambio is now an AI platform assisting banks with sales calls, securing seed funding from Builders, DVC, and EGR Partners after Y Combinator.

• Huge funding round makes “Figure” Big Tech’s favorite humanoid robot company
• Investors Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, and Intel value Figure at $2.6B
• Figure AI raises $675 million in funding round for commercializing humanoid robot
• Collaboration with OpenAI to develop next-gen AI models for humanoid robots
• Figure 01 robot showcased with focus on hand dexterity and human-like manipulation

Introducing Figure: Big Tech’s Favorite Humanoid Robot Company

In the world of robotics and artificial intelligence, one company has been making waves with its innovative approach to humanoid robots. Read more

• Over €1.85 billion invested in European tech this week, with Mistral AI partnering with Microsoft
• More than 90 tech funding deals and around 15 exits tracked across Europe
• Significant investments include Polestar, Enviria, Powerdot, and Deel acquiring Zavvy
• EQT’s new €22 billion fund announced, while Verdane’s Edda III fund closes at €1.1 billion
• Various industry-related news items and acquisitions reported, such as Hopin’s liquidation, Google’s lawsuit, and Meta’s disinformation combat efforts

European Tech Investment: A Weekly Roundup

This week in European tech investment has been nothing short of exciting, with major players making significant moves in the industry. Read more

• HSBC and Google collaborate to provide a $1 billion boost for climate tech companies
• Google vets and selects climate tech firms for financing by HSBC to reduce carbon output
• HSBC aims to accelerate funding for climate solutions, meeting a $1 billion target by 2030
• The partnership’s first financing deal supports LevelTen Energy, a renewable energy marketplace
• The collaboration aims to connect customers with climate tech firms to facilitate sustainability transition

Collaboration Between HSBC and Google for Climate Tech Funding

In a groundbreaking move towards combating global pollution, HSBC and Google have joined forces to provide a significant financial boost of $1 billion for technology companies dedicated to tackling the climate crisis. Read more

• Top U.S. startup funding this week exceeds $100M in biotech, AI, energy, and agtech sectors.
• Fervo Energy secures a significant $244 million investment, emphasizing the shift towards sustainable energy solutions.
• AI startup Glean raises $200 million in Series D funding, showcasing the sector’s ongoing appeal to investors.
• Investments in biotech and agtech sectors, such as FogPharma and Oishii Farm, highlight innovation in healthcare and agriculture.

• Heatio, a Liverpool-based clean tech company, has been awarded £1.2m funding to help homeowners improve heat efficiency and save on energy bills.
• The funding, part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio scheme, introduces an Energy as a Service solution for heat pumps, solar PV, and battery storage.
• Heatio is also involved in providing a fixed-rate green mortgage to incentivize homeowners to retrofit their homes with low carbon technologies.

• Virtus AI Tech Fund aims to provide stable cash flows through managed distributions, leveraging income and growth.
• The fund sustains distribution levels through various income sources, including net investment income and realized capital gains.
• Some distributions may constitute a return of capital, highlighting a crucial strategy for managing payouts.
• The Fund’s performance figures as of January 31, 2024, demonstrate robust growth and income potential over a five-year period.

• Beijing establishes fund to optimize AI industry innovation with 26 projects and 350 million yuan
• Plans to increase investment guidance in AI chips and algorithms, attract social capital
• Introducing specialized talent plan for AI industry to cultivate top talent and attract professionals
• Beijing intensifies industrial support to become international tech hub and AI pilot zone
• Beijing-based Beiming Software Co collaborates with AI enterprises, praises government’s effective policies

Beijing’s Focus on AI Investment

Beijing, a city known for its rapid technological advancements, is now turning its attention towards the booming artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Read more

• Perplexity AI is seeking a major funding boost to outpace competitors like Google and OpenAI in the AI race.
• The startup is employing innovative financial mechanisms like SAFE notes to attract venture capital and elevate its valuation.
• Endorsements from industry giants like Nvidia’s CEO and Jeff Bezos highlight Perplexity’s credibility and potential for disruption in the AI market.
• Perplexity’s CEO is confident in the company’s ability to compete with established players like Google, emphasizing the importance of AI-driven search engines.

• Anti-child labour start-up, Hace: Data Changing Child Labour, closes oversubscribed seed funding round of £450,000
• Funding led by Manchester Angels with co-investments from GC Angels, Ada Ventures, Found Capital, and individual angels
• Capital to be used for developing Child Labour Index product to help wealth and asset managers identify and engage with businesses at risk
• Plans to grow independent business advisory board and research into child labour as an investment risk
• Board of directors includes industry experts such as Eric Solomons and John Freeman, with CEO Eleanor Harry expressing gratitude for support

Introduction: Anti-child Labour Start-Up Secures Oversubscribed Seed Funding

Hace: Data Changing Child Labour, a Manchester-based start-up, has successfully closed an oversubscribed seed funding round, receiving £450,000 in funding to further its mission of combating child labour in business supply chains. Read more

• Figure AI secures a groundbreaking $675M in Series B funding from tech giants, advancing humanoid robotics for commercial use
• Backed by Microsoft, OpenAI, Jeff Bezos, NVIDIA, Amazon, Intel Capital, and ARK Invest, the funding propels Figure AI to a $2.6 billion valuation
• The company’s Figure 01 humanoid, developed by a team from Boston Dynamics, shows potential in addressing labor shortages in challenging sectors
• Collaboration with OpenAI and Microsoft Azure aims to enhance AI models tailored for humanoid robots, accelerating technological progress
• Despite challenges like cost reduction and achieving artificial general intelligence, the market potential for humanoid robots is projected to reach $38 billion by 2030

Figure AI Secures $675M in Series B Funding

In a groundbreaking move that is set to revolutionize the field of robotics, Figure AI has secured a massive $675 million in Series B funding. Read more

• Tech startup Silence Laboratories secures $4 million in funding for data privacy solutions, co-led by Pi Ventures and Kira Studio
• Founded in 2021 by Jay Prakash and Andrei Bytes, specializing in privacy technology and collaborative computation
• Funds will be used to advance technologies and scale up tech and business teams for global privacy-compliant collaboration infrastructure
• Utilizes cutting-edge technologies like multiparty computation (MPC) for data privacy and decentralized authorization
• Focus on developing privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), strategic partnerships with key players, and creating a global data collaboration network

Empowering Data Privacy Solutions: Silence Laboratories Secures $4 Million in Funding

In the fast-evolving landscape of technology, data privacy has become a critical concern for businesses and individuals alike. Read more