Episodes
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Sarla Aviation, an Indian electric air taxi startup, recently secured $10 million in Series A1 funding led by Accel, with participation from prominent angel investors.
The company, focusing on higher-payload, shorter-range aircraft suitable for India's congested cities, aims to launch commercial operations in Bengaluru by 2028, expanding to other major cities thereafter.
Funding will support R&D, team expansion, and prototype development. Sarla Aviation plans to offer air taxi services at competitive prices, comparable to premium car services, eventually reaching affordability levels similar to auto-rickshaws.
The company will also provide a free air ambulance service.
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Vinay Hiremath, the Indian-origin co-founder of Loom, sold his company for $975 million and subsequently wrote a blog post about his post-sale experiences. His post details his feelings of confusion and aimlessness, despite his newfound wealth.
Hiremath recounts various attempts to find purpose, including failed entrepreneurial ventures and a brief stint working with Elon Musk.
He also discusses a relationship breakup and a Himalayan climbing expedition gone wrong. Finally, his blog post's virality led to a surge in Google searches related to him and Loom.
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Missing episodes?
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This podcast episode from "Startup News" discusses crucial cybersecurity resolutions for startups in 2025.
Highlighting the numerous data breaches of 2024, the episode emphasizes practical steps to enhance security.
These include secure password management, implementing multi-factor authentication, keeping software updated, regular data backups, being wary of suspicious phone calls, and maintaining transparency in case of a breach.
The episode aims to help startups avoid becoming victims of cyberattacks by adopting these straightforward yet effective measures.
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Today we are discussing the launch of Stem AI, a new artificial intelligence startup founded by former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear and Adam Goldstein.
Stem AI, currently operating in stealth mode, aims to develop AI that aligns with human values and ethics, securing funding from Andreessen Horowitz.
Shear's past experience, including a brief, tumultuous stint as interim CEO of OpenAI, and his outspoken concerns about AI safety and regulation, are highlighted.
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Indian startup funding in 2024 saw a 32% decrease in funding rounds compared to 2023, although total funding increased by 6% to $11.3 billion.
This suggests investors are focusing on larger, later-stage deals, as evidenced by a rise in Series C and later funding and a significant increase in IPOs. Early-stage funding decreased, but several promising startups are preparing for future funding rounds or IPOs in 2025.
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Tyme Group, a South African fintech company, secured $250 million in Series D funding, led by Nubank, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. This investment signifies Nubank's strategy to expand beyond Latin America into emerging markets. Tyme, operating a hybrid digital banking model, boasts 15 million customers across South Africa and the Philippines and plans further expansion into Asia.
This podcast episode from "Startup News" reports on this significant funding round and Tyme's future growth plans, including a potential New York IPO.
The investment highlights the growing interest in African fintech companies and their potential for global expansion.
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Apple's 2024 U.S. App Store rankings reveal Temu as the most downloaded free app, surpassing TikTok, which fell to third place behind Instagram Threads.
ChatGPT's significant rise to fourth place is noteworthy, outperforming Google Search.
Other notable rankings include various Meta apps and other popular applications. This information is presented as a bonus episode of the "Startup News" podcast, powered by "The Product City."
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This podcast episode of "Startup News" discusses new WhatsApp features. These include the ability to select specific participants for group video calls, avoiding unnecessary disturbances. Additional improvements mentioned are enhanced video call resolution, fun filters, and a redesigned desktop call tab. These upgrades position WhatsApp as a more robust alternative to platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, particularly for work-related calls. Finally, the episode emphasizes the overall enhancement of WhatsApp's video calling capabilities.
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Nowadays, a Y Combinator-backed startup using AI to automate event planning. Founded by two sisters, it leverages AI to source venues, caterers, and other services, significantly streamlining the process for large-scale events. The company has already booked over $4 million in events for clients including major tech companies, and recently secured $2 million in seed funding. Nowadays focuses on high-budget events and is gaining traction through word-of-mouth referrals. The episode highlights the sisters' entrepreneurial journey and the innovative application of AI in the event planning industry.
The podcast, "Startup News," provides news and updates on startups in the technology sector.
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Cleerly, a cardiovascular imaging startup, uses AI to detect early-stage coronary artery disease from CT scans. A recent podcast episode highlighted Cleerly's $106 million Series C extension funding round, led by Insight Partners, which will fuel further growth and clinical trials. The company's technology offers a less invasive alternative to traditional methods like stress tests and angiograms, and has already gained Medicare coverage. Despite competition, Cleerly's rapid growth and potential for widespread screening make it a promising player in the heart health market.
The podcast, "Startup News," provides news and updates on startups in the technology sector.
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Lica, a new AI-powered video creation tool, is the focus of a "Startup News" podcast episode. Founded by two ex-Microsoft employees, Lica uses AI to generate professional-looking product videos and tutorials from screen recordings and screenshots. The startup recently secured $4 million in seed funding, highlighting investor confidence in its potential to disrupt the video production market by simplifying a previously expensive and time-consuming process. Lica offers a freemium model, with paid plans providing increased video length and download limits. Future plans include expanding video formats beyond product tutorials.
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Omri Casspi, a former NBA player, launched Swish Ventures, a $60 million venture fund focusing on early-stage cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and AI startups. This is Casspi's second fund, following the successful Sheva Capital. Swish Ventures will invest $5-$7 million per deal in approximately 10 companies, with a focus on experienced entrepreneurs and leveraging connections from his previous fund. The fund has secured notable investors, including Sequoia Capital and several founders from Casspi's prior portfolio companies. Casspi's venture capital activities highlight a growing trend of athletes investing in startups.
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