Mistral Reportedly Raising €3B at €20B Valuation
TechCrunch AI2 days agoBusinessTechCrunch reports that Mistral is rumored to be raising a €3 billion funding round. The proposed round would value the company at around €20 billion, or about $23.15 billion. That would be nearly double Mistral’s Series C valuation of €11.7 billion, signaling a major potential step-up in investor appetite for the company.
Jeff Bezos’ Prometheus Targets an “Artificial General Engineer”
The Verge AI2 days agoBusinessJeff Bezos’ AI startup Prometheus is aiming to develop what he calls an “artificial general engineer.” The company wants to build AI-powered tools that help design physical products, with possible applications in robotics, drug design, manufacturing, and complex hardware. The Verge reports that Prometheus has raised $12 billion, reached a $41 billion valuation, employs about 150 people, and is led by Bezos and Vik Bajaj.
ElevenLabs crosses $500M ARR and welcomes BlackRock, NVIDIA, and others★ 72
ElevenLabs Blog6 days agoBusinessElevenLabs announced in its blog title that it has crossed $500 million in annual recurring revenue. The company also says it welcomed new investors, including BlackRock, NVIDIA, Jamie Foxx, and Eva Longoria. Since no article body is provided, details such as funding amount, valuation, revenue mix, product roadmap, or specific strategic partnerships cannot be confirmed.
Mira Murati steps back into the spotlight, carefully
TechCrunch AI9 days agoCommentaryTechCrunch argues that staying quiet has diminishing returns in the current AI environment. At some point, founders and companies may need to create enough noise to remind the market they still exist. The “carefully” framing suggests Murati’s return to public attention is measured rather than a full promotional push.
Lovable signs multi-year deal with Google Cloud to up usage 5x, source says
TechCrunch AI10 days agoBusinessTechCrunch AI reports that Lovable and Google signed an expanded multi-year agreement. The deal reportedly includes a fivefold expansion of Lovable’s footprint on Google Cloud. It also includes expanded access to Anthropic Claude, though the article does not specify contract value, timing, exact Claude usage, or any immediate product changes for users.
The Groupthink Boom: What 3 Top VCs Really Think About the AI Frenzy
TechCrunch AI15 days agoBusinessTechCrunch examines the AI investment frenzy through the views of three top venture capitalists. One VC joked that a 22-year-old building in AI in San Francisco may already have a seed term sheet, while a 19-year-old might have a Series A offer. The remark highlights intense competition for young AI founders and the risk of groupthink.
Tech companies desperately want to film you doing chores
The Verge AI16 days agoEthicsThe Verge reports that AI training startup Shift is offering to clean New Yorkers’ homes for free, with plans to expand to cities including London. The catch is that Shift wants footage of people doing chores and cleaning at home. The story highlights how tech companies are seeking real-world household data for AI and robotics training, raising questions about privacy and consent in domestic spaces.
Anthropic raises $65B, nears $1T valuation ahead of IPO★ 78
TechCrunch AI16 days agoBusinessAnthropic has closed a $65 billion Series H round at a $965 billion post-money valuation. The TechCrunch report says this could be the AI startup’s final private fundraise before a highly anticipated IPO. The news is primarily a business and capital markets signal, highlighting investor appetite for leading AI companies at near-trillion-dollar valuations.