AI Funding News Week Ending 04.11

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Your trusted round-up of the latest funding, acquisitions, and signals in the AI space.

Apple's New Smart Display Confirms What This Startup Knew All Along

Apple has entered the smart home race with its new Smart Display, firing a $158B signal that connected homes are the future.

When Apple moves in, it doesn’t just join the market — it transforms it.

One company has been quietly preparing for this moment.

Their smart shade technology already works across every major platform, perfectly positioned to capture the wave of new consumers Apple will bring.

While others scramble to catch up, this startup is already shifting production from China to its new facility in the Philippines — built for speed and ready to meet surging demand as Apple’s marketing machine drives mass adoption.

With 200% year-over-year growth and distribution in over 120 Best Buy locations, this company isn’t just ready for Apple’s push — they’re set to thrive from it.

Shares in this tech company are open at just $1.90.

Apple’s move is accelerating the entire sector. Don’t miss this window.

Act Fast- Apple’s Halo effect is coming

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💸 Biggest AI Funding Rounds This Week

• Caris Life Sciences raised $168M (Growth Capital) – AI-powered precision medicine, Irving, TX

• Aurascape raised $50M – AI-native security, Santa Clara, CA

• LiveKit raised $45M (Series B, $345M valuation) – Real-time multimodal voice AI, San Jose, CA

• Artisan raised $25M (Series A) – AI sales agent startup, San Francisco, CA

• Gallatin AI raised $15M (Seed) – Defense tech, Washington, DC

• ConductorAI raised $15M (Series A) – Dual-use AI approvals software, Biddeford, ME

• Cyberhaven raised $100M (Series D, $1B valuation) – AI data security, Palo Alto, CA

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🚀 Startups to Watch

These rising startups are carving out bold new spaces in AI. Niche focus, cutting-edge tech, and building serious momentum, making them ones to watch:

• heyLibby ($4.5M Seed) – AI team member for fitness & wellness

• Series ($3.1M) – AI-powered social platform

• Glimpse ($10M Series A) – Deduction management for CPGs

• HoneyHive ($7.4M) – AI agent observability platform

• Octane ($6.75M Seed) – AI cybersecurity

• Thoughtful.ai – AI operating system for healthcare

• Starday ($11M Series A) – AI food innovation

🤝 Mergers & Acquisitions

• GrubMarket acquired Delta Fresh Produce – Enhancing AI-powered food supply

• IBM acquired Hakkoda – Global data & AI consultancy

• Humach acquired Markets EQ – Voice analytics for Wall Street

• Urbint acquired StormImpact – AI for climate risk in utilities

• Honeycomb acquired Grit – Open-source AI query engine

• Lucid Software acquired airfocus – AI product roadmapping

📡 Signals – What This Week Tells Us

• Defense AI is heating up: Gallatin AI’s $15M Seed round signals growing interest in dual-use AI applications.

• Agentic AI expanding into observability: Platforms like HoneyHive are emerging to evaluate and monitor AI agents—especially as use scales.

• Voice AI gets real-time: LiveKit’s $45M raise (powering ChatGPT’s voice mode) shows that multimodal, synchronous experiences are gaining investor confidence.

• AI for finance and compliance is hot: Warrant, Pax, and Glimpse signal demand for automation in regulatory-heavy industries.

• Global infrastructure continues to surge: NexGen Cloud’s $45M in the UK and Qevlar AI in France show how AI infra is spreading beyond the Valley.

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Till next Week,

- Joey, The Feed the AI Crew