Defense tech, AI, and fundraising take center stage at StrictlyVC Los Angeles on June 18

With just two weeks to go, StrictlyVC Los Angeles is quickly approaching. On Thursday, June 18, at The Aerospace Corporation Campus in El Segundo, investors, founders, and tech leaders will gather for an evening of conversation exploring some of the mo…

Startup Battlefield is returning to Australia — here’s what happened the last time we came to Sydney

On August 19, Startup Battlefield is returning to Sydney in partnership with Stripe, one of the world’s most iconic technology companies. We’re taking over Stripe Tour Sydney for a night that the Australian startup ecosystem won’t forget.

Benchmark raises its first-ever growth fund as part of $2B capital raise

The legendary abandons its more than 20 year tradition of keeping its funds to about $425 million.

Defense tech is flooded with money, but who’s built to last?

Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new…

How Europe’s AI strategy diverges from Silicon Valley’s

The global AI race is often framed as a battle between the United States and China. But at VivaTech, Europe is expected to make the case for an entirely different model.

Zigging when most are zagging, ex-Meta CTO raises $250M climate fund

Mike Schroepfer’s Gigascale Capital has raised a large fund to back founders building climate-friendly solutions for the world’s energy and material shortages.

Black founders raise highest amount of quarterly funding since 2022, but there’s a catch

Speaking to TechCrunch, Crunchbase’s head of research Gené Teare, said the factors holding back Black founders include “access to networks, relationships, and early introductions.”

SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers

The goal, the firm said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity.

Snap alums unveil Ghost Angels fund

A group of 20 Snap alumni has come together to launch a fund called Ghost Angels to back the next generation of social media.

The groupthink boom: what three top VCs really think about the AI frenzy

“If you’re 22 years old in San Francisco and building something in AI, there may be a seed term sheet in your inbox — but if you’re 19, oh my God, this means you’re really good; you might already have a Series A [offer],” said one, half-kiddingly.