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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 🌎️

If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the perfect time. Don't miss the opportunity to supercharge your understanding and stay ahead in this dynamic world.

Let's delve into the core sections of our weekly newsletter:

• 📰 Important News

• 💸 Top Funding Rounds

• 💰️ Notable Exits

• 🏦 About Investors

• 📈 Deep Dive Bites

• 🤝 Diversity Spotlight

• 🚀 Startup Of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

• 🤑 Opportunity Radar

📰 Important News

• OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Search, a new feature that provides timely answers and information from various online sources.

• xAI has launched the Colossus supercomputer with 100,000 NVIDIA Hopper GPUs for AI model training and is planning to double its capacity soon. The company aims to raise several billion dollars at a valuation near $40 billion.

• Gen AI company ElevenLabs has hired the team behind the open-source read-it-later app Omnivore to enhance its ElevenReader app.

• Intel is shutting down Granulate, laying off its workforce of over 100 employees less than three years after acquiring the startup for $650 million.

• Dropbox is laying off 20% of its workforce, impacting 528 employees as CEO Drew Houston aims to create a more efficient team structure.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Crusoe Energy has raised $500 million in equity capital, led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, to expand its natural gas-powered data centers.

• BETA Technologies has secured $318 million in Series C funding led by Qatar Investment Authority to support the production of its electric aircraft.

• Armis Security has raised $200 million in a private funding round, increasing its valuation to $4.3 billion.

• Sierra, co-founded by Bret Taylor, has secured $175 million in funding, focusing on AI-driven customer service chatbots for brands.

• Melio has secured $150 million in Series E funding at a reduced valuation of $2 billion despite a tenfold revenue increase.

💰️ Notable Exits

• AI startup Sana has acquired Israeli workflow automation company Ctrl to enhance enterprise knowledge sharing and automate complex workflows.

• Carta has acquired Tactyc, enhancing its offerings for private fund CFOs with advanced fund forecasting and portfolio construction tools.

• ŌURA has acquired Sparta Science to enhance its Oura Teams B2B platform with improved data analysis and insights for corporate clients.

• Nvidia's $700 million acquisition of AI startup Run:ai is facing EU antitrust scrutiny due to concerns about competition in their operating markets.

• The court approved Fenix’s $4 million acquisition of lab-diamond company Lusix, favoring its proposal for preserving more jobs over other bidders.

🏦 About Investors

• MaC Venture Capital has successfully raised $150 million for Fund III, enabling investments of $2 million to $3 million in seed-stage companies.

• BBG Ventures has raised a new $60 million fund expanding its focus beyond exclusively women founders.

• The Female Founders Fund has successfully returned its $5.85 million Fund I, distinguishing itself as a rare diverse-focused fund to achieve this milestone.

• Olivia Wilde has launched a venture capital firm named Proximity Ventures alongside industry veterans, with four investments already made.

📈 Deep Dive Bites

Discover Indiana’s vibrant venture capital ecosystem, where firms like Elevate Ventures, High Alpha, and Allos Ventures are at the forefront of funding innovation across technology, healthcare, and sustainability. These influential players are not only fueling growth for startups but also strengthening Indiana’s entrepreneurial landscape through strategic partnerships and mentorship. Dive into the full article to explore the key VC firms leading Indiana's journey toward economic growth and see how they’re shaping the future of the state’s thriving startup scene.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Crusoe Energy

Crusoe Energy has raised $500 million in equity capital, led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, increasing its valuation to around $3 billion. Founded in 2018 by Chase Lochmiller and Cully Cavness, the company operates in the neocloud sector, utilizing natural gas from remote oil fields to power modular data centers, thus reducing methane emissions from flaring. The funding will help expand its infrastructure for AI support, and Crusoe has secured a $3.4 billion deal with Blue Owl Capital to finance a new Texas data center for Oracle Corp, highlighting the growing demand for eco-conscious solutions in cloud computing.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

MaC Venture Capital

MaC Venture Capital has successfully raised $150 million for its Fund III, bringing its total assets under management to $600 million. Founded in 2019 by a team of experienced investors, MaC VC focuses on seed-stage investments, typically writing checks between $2 million and $3 million. The firm has made notable investments in companies such as Chef Robotics and Stoke Space and is recognized for its commitment to supporting startups in Africa. This fundraising marks one of the largest closes for a minority-owned firm this year, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Black founders and fund managers in securing capital.

🤑 Opportunity Radar

Call for Applications: YC W25

Apply to Y Combinator's Winter 2025 Batch by November 12th, 2024, to supercharge your startup journey. Gain access to a world-class ecosystem, resources, and networking opportunities in the heart of San Francisco. The YC program is designed for founders at all stages, from those with just an idea to companies with significant traction. Begin your application process today and join the ranks of successful startups like Airbnb, Stripe, and Reddit. The batch runs from January to March 2025, featuring weekly meetups, eminent speakers from the startup world, and dedicated support from experienced YC partners. Don't miss this chance to tap into YC's $600B combined valuation network and receive $500,000 in funding to kickstart your company's growth.