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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

• Former PayPal COO David Sacks has been appointed as Trump’s crypto and AI ‘czar’ to work on legal frameworks for both crypto and artificial intelligence.

• OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Pro, a $200/month subscription offering advanced features targeting power users and medical researchers.

• SpaceX is negotiating a tender offer that could raise its valuation to $350 billion from its previous $210 billion valuation earlier this year.

• Three former Google NotebookLM leaders are leaving to create a stealth startup focused on building user-first AI products.

• Perplexity has expanded its publisher program with major outlets like LA Times and Adweek signing up.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• AI chipmaker Tenstorrent has closed a $693 million Series D round led by Samsung Securities and AFW Partners.

• Nuvig Therapeutics raised $161 million in Series B funding to advance its lead immunomodulator NVG-2089 into Phase 2 clinical trials.

• Heirloom Carbon raised $150 million in Series B funding to scale its carbon-removal technology using crushed lime, aiming to help combat climate change.

• Manufacturing AI startup Tractian secured $120 million in Series C funding led by Sapphire Ventures to modernize maintenance processes.

• Maze Therapeutics raised $115 million in Series D funding to advance its lead programs for treating kidney and metabolic diseases.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Uptiq.AI acquired UpSwot to enhance its platform with data integration, boosting financial institutions' decision-making and customer experiences.

• GPS Trackit acquired Zonar to enhance its fleet management platform, improving fleet health, safety, and compliance.

• LeaseCrunch merged with Finagraph to expand its CPA firm customer base to 750, enhancing financial data collection and streamlining workflows.

• CyberProof acquired Interpres Security to enhance managed security services with Threat Exposure Management and Security Control Assessments.

• Amagi acquired Argoid AI to enhance its media solutions with AI-driven content recommendations and programming automation.

🏦 About Investors

• Metta World Peace launched Tru Skye Ventures with Stephen Stokols aiming to raise $100 million to invest in sports tech, media, and wellness.

• Former NBA player Omri Casspi raised $60 million for Swish Ventures' second Seed fund with backing from Sequoia and over 25 entrepreneurs.

• Former IDF Chief Aviv Kohavi joined Israeli-Canadian deep-tech VC Awz Ventures as military tech applications rise in Ukraine and Israel.

• Nonprofit 1863 Ventures has transitioned into for-profit New Majority Ventures, continuing its mission to support underrepresented founders.

🚀 Startup of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Tenstorrent

Tenstorrent, a Canadian AI chipmaker founded in 2016, is aiming to challenge Nvidia’s dominance in the AI industry with its specialized chips designed for generative AI. The company was co-founded by Ljubisa Bajic, Milos Trajkovic, and Ivan Hamer, with Jim Keller, a prominent figure in the semiconductor industry, taking over as CEO in 2023 after Bajic transitioned to focus on a new venture. Tenstorrent recently secured $700 million in a Series D funding round, valuing the startup at approximately $2.6 billion. Notable investors in this round include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Samsung, LG Electronics, and Fidelity, alongside South Korea's AFW Partners and Samsung Securities. This investment highlights the growing confidence in Tenstorrent's technology and its potential to disrupt the AI chip market.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Metta World Peace

Metta World Peace, the former NBA superstar, has launched Tru Skye Ventures, a $100 million venture fund focused on sports tech, digital media, and health and wellness innovation. World Peace, alongside former Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols, aims to raise the fund by the end of Q1 next year. The fund has already made its first investment in Barcode, a performance beverage company founded by Mubarak “Bar” Malik, former director of performance for the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. This investment aligns with World Peace’s focus on mental health and wellness. Tru Skye Ventures plans to invest in at least 20 companies, offering both capital and expertise in product development, marketing, and brand partnerships.

🤑 Opportunity Radar

Call for Applications: Imagine H2O 2025

Apply to the Imagine H2O 2025 programs today and take your water innovation to the next level. The Accelerator program, with over fourteen years of experience, connects early-stage startups to a network of industry experts, investors, and customers to help commercialize and scale their solutions. Open to global applicants, the program offers tailored support for startups with less than 7 years in operation, under $5 million in revenue, and less than $10 million in equity investment. Don't miss the chance to accelerate your path to market—apply by December 14th, 2024, and join a global community driving water innovation.