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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - North America and Israel, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌎️

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📰 Important News

• Mira Murati has co-founded Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup focused on human-AI collaboration across science and programming.

• Nikola Corporation, once valued at $30 billion, filed for bankruptcy after legal troubles and failed funding efforts, with plans to auction assets.

• Crypto exchange Bybit reported a hack resulting in the theft of 401,346 ETH worth about $1.4 billion, marking the largest known crypto theft in history.

• Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency fired nearly half of a small team regulating autonomous vehicles at NHTSA.

• OpenAI is planning to shift three-quarters of its data center capacity to SoftBank’s Stargate project by 2030, moving away from Microsoft.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Saronic Technologies raised $600 million in Series C funding, bringing its valuation to $4 billion, to build Port Alpha shipyard for autonomous ships.

• Lambda closed a $480 million Series D round co-led by Andra Capital and SGW to expand its AI cloud platform scaling infrastructure software and GPUs.

• Together AI secured $305 million in Series B funding led by General Catalyst to scale its AI Acceleration Cloud.

• Abridge raised $250 million in a Series D round co-led by Elad Gil and IVP to expand its AI-powered clinical documentation platform.

• Verkada secured $200 million in a Series E round led by General Catalyst at a $4.5 billion valuation to expand its AI-powered security solutions.

💰️ Notable Exits

• HP acquired AI platform Cosmos and talent from Humane for $116 million to accelerate the development of AI-powered devices.

• Primus Capital acquired a majority stake in Calgary’s Reach to help expand its global e-commerce and SaaS payment solutions.

• Menlo Security acquired Votiro to enhance its browser security solutions with AI-driven data and file protection.

• BHC Global acquired a majority stake in POWERCONNECT.AI to scale AI-driven customer experience solutions for utility and energy companies.

• Motus acquired Everlance to enhance its vehicle reimbursement and risk mitigation solutions, expanding its capabilities to serve businesses of all sizes.

🏦 About Investors

• Greenfield Partners has closed its $400 million third fund, bringing its assets under management to $1 billion, focusing on tech companies.

• Afore Capital launched a $185 million fund and a new "pre-seed 2.0" strategy, offering flexible investments from $1 million to help founders at different stages.

• Cherryrock Capital, founded by Stacy Brown-Philpot, closed its $172 million Fund I with investors like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Reid Hoffman.

• Swizzle Ventures closed its first fund at $6.6 million, focusing on women’s health and financial issues, with plans to invest in 30 startups.

• Insight Partners confirmed a January cyberattack involving unauthorized access to its systems through a social engineering attack.

📊 Investment Highlights

Explore the vibrant venture capital ecosystem of Washington, D.C. and meet the firms driving innovation across various sectors, from life sciences to technology. These firms are not only providing vital funding but also offering strategic support to emerging startups. Want to know more about the key players shaping the city’s entrepreneurial landscape? Delve into the full article to discover the top D.C.-based VC firms and their standout portfolio companies that are making a global impact.

🚀 Startup of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Saronic Technologies

Saronic Technologies, a defense technology company founded in 2022 in Austin, Texas, specializing in Autonomous Surface Vessels for the U.S. Navy and its allies. It has secured $600 million in Series C funding, bringing its valuation to $4 billion. Led by Elad Gil, with participation from General Catalyst, a16z, Caffeinated Capital, and 8VC, the investment will fund the development of Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard designed to rapidly produce autonomous ships at an unprecedented scale. This initiative aims to address U.S. shipbuilding capacity gaps, support the Navy’s transition to a hybrid fleet, and reinforce maritime security through advanced unmanned vessel technology.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Greenfield Partners

Greenfield Partners, a growth equity firm based in New York and Tel Aviv, has closed its $400 million third fund, bringing its total assets under management to $1 billion. Founded in 2016 and independent since 2020, the firm focuses on early-growth-stage technology companies and strengthens its global investment strategy in Series B and C rounds. With the opening of its New York office, Greenfield aims to enhance its international support for founders, leveraging its Greenfield Growth Momentum (G2M) methodology to drive efficient, scalable growth for its portfolio companies.

🤑 Opportunity Radar

Call for Applications: Global Entrepreneurship Challenge 2025

Apply to the Global Entrepreneurship Challenge 2025 by March 4, 2025, for a chance to launch and scale your startup in Japan’s dynamic business ecosystem. Backed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this program offers international entrepreneurs mentorship, networking with local businesses, and full travel support to Japan. Whether your innovation focuses on sustainability, digital transformation, education, or culture, this is your opportunity to establish your business in one of the world’s leading markets. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this global initiative—apply now and take your venture to the next level in Tokyo!