TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, in partnership with Stripe, is bringing its pitch competition to Sydney, Australia, on August 19. Eight early-stage Australian startups will compete for prizes, including $15,000 in Stripe credits and an automatic entry to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched "From Idea to Frontier," an AI accelerator program for Chinese-speaking entrepreneurs, offering up to $100,000 in credits, mentorship, and a global showcase for up to 100 early-stage teams, betting on solo founders building global companies with AI.
Venture capitalist Charles Hudson discusses challenges for early-stage founders, advising against chasing high valuations and urging founders to conduct due diligence on investors. He also highlights the changing VC landscape, influenced by rapid AI company growth.
Bidbus, a startup that connects car sellers with multiple dealers for competitive bidding, has raised $15 million in Series A funding. The platform aims to offer sellers higher prices than services like Carvana by leveraging dealer competition, with an average offer reportedly $2,000-$3,000 higher.
Early-stage firm Magnify Ventures has secured $46.6 million for its second fund, with notable participation from Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures. The fund will focus on companies developing AI for households, health systems, and family fintech infrastructure.
Sparrow Capital has closed its third fund at Rs 475 crore, aiming to invest $1-2 million in 25-30 startups over three years. The fund's LP base has shifted towards institutional investors, including global endowments and family offices, marking a change from its earlier non-institutional focus.
Early-stage investor Seedcamp has raised $320 million for its latest funds, with a significant portion dedicated to expanding its US presence. Fund VII, totaling $220 million, will focus on early-stage investments, while a new $100 million Select fund will target growth-stage opportunities.
Researchers have developed a handheld biosensing system, significantly more accurate than conventional methods, with findings published in Nature Photonics. The technology aims for high-performance diagnostics in various settings.
TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield 200 competition applications close May 27. Early-stage startups can apply for a chance to pitch at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, gain VC access, and win $100,000 in equity-free funding.
Early-stage venture firm A* Capital just took the wraps off its $450 million Fund III.
A* Capital launches $450M Fund III to support 30+ startups across AI, fintech, healthcare, and security with $3M-$5M average investments over 2-3 years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he underwent treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, revealing he delayed publishing the diagnosis for two months during the war with Iran to avoid what he called false propaganda. The tumor was found at a very early stage with no metastases and has been fully treated, according to Hadassah Hospital oncology chief. The 76-year-old leader previously had surgery for an enlarged benign prostate in 2024.
Mary Minno launches early-stage startup accelerator program, Treehub, and an early-stage firm, AI Health Fund, aimed at backing startups working at the intersection of healthcare and AI.
Mary Minno, investor and former Google product manager, has launched Treehub, a six-month residency accelerator program, and AI Health Fund, a $10M venture fund targeting healthcare-AI startups. The fund made its first close at $1.5M, including $1M from Tim Draper, and writes $50K-$150K checks. Partners include Esther Wojcicki and Stanford researchers. The program aims to back 60 companies in its first iteration, helping academic founders commercialize research.
Kristal Tin Yui-lee, 48-year-old Hong Kong actress and former TVB star, has revealed on social media that cancer cells were found in her lymph nodes, more than a year after being diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. She discovered the recurrence after experiencing a persistent low fever at the end of last year, which she initially suspected was a bacterial infection. A lymph node biopsy after Chinese New Year confirmed the cancer cells. She is being supported by her husband Chapman To Man-chak, an oncologist at a Taiwan hospital, and a Buddhist master.
Chinese biomedical companies deploying cutting-edge technologies are emerging as serious competitors to Western dominance in the race to treat Parkinson’s disease, in a market that could reach US$16 billion over the next decade. The firms are developing a range of approaches – from autologous cell therapies made from a patient’s own cells and ready-made cell products to gene therapies and non-invasive ultrasounds – although many of these candidates are still in early-stage trials. Many patients...
GSK has announced promising early-stage trial results for its cancer treatment Mo-Rez, which showed high efficacy in shrinking tumors for ovarian and endometrial cancer patients. The company plans to move directly to late-stage clinical trials.
