Waymo under the microscope: Alphabet’s robotaxi unit Waymo is under investigation after the feds received 22 reports of its autonomous vehicles crashing or potentially violating traffic safety laws by driving into wrong lanes or construction zones. Waymo probably thought it was in the clear after its main competitor, Cruise, had to take a backseat, but this new investigation just goes to show that the spotlight illuminates flaws just as much as it does strengths. Read More
Climate funds are trending: Paris-based VC firm Blisce is the latest to launch a dedicated climate tech fund, for which it hopes to raise €150 million (about $162 million). It’s pretty on-brand for Blisce’s founder, Alexandre Mars, the entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist who also started Epic, a non-profit that finances organizations that reduce childhood inequality. Read More
Accel raises $650M to back early-stage startups: Accel has raised a boatload of money to put into startups from seed to Series A stages across the U.K., Europe and Israel. It’s a huge vote of confidence in Europe’s tech scene, which has often suffered from lack of funding since the heydays of 2021. Read More
Reviewing Apple’s new iPads: Misguided iPad ad aside, Apple is going big on its tablet products: the new Pro M4 and Air M2. Hardware editor Brian Heater has a detailed review of Apple’s newest tablets, and he says: While the Air is kind of worth the price, the Pro M4’s price tag is verging on territory that may be better served by a Macbook Pro instead. Read More
OpenAI wants to invest more in startups: The OpenAI Startup Fund has raised an additional $5 million for its special purpose vehicle dedicated to investing in startups: The OpenAI Startup Fund SPV III, LP. The Startup Fund has backed at least 16 other startups, according to PitchBook. Read More
Maad logistics in Africa: As you might imagine, logistics is a nightmare in middle- and lower-income countries around the planet because the infrastructure often isn't up to the mark. Maad, a B2B e-commerce startup from Senegal, has just raised $2.3 million to help mom and pop stores source fast-moving consumer goods from suppliers in Africa’s Francophone region. Ventures Platform led the round. Read More
VC for GenZ: Terry Burns, a former GV partner, is launching her own VC firm called Type Capital with which she wants to support Gen Z founders. The firm will also invest in digital consumer companies, developer tools and AI at the seed stage so it can get in early. Read More
Managing the frontlines: With more than two-thirds of the U.S. workforce in frontline jobs, there’s clearly room to help companies manage all that headcount.U.K.-based Sona clearly sees an opportunity for its workforce management platform, and it just raised $27.5 million to expand Stateside. The startup helps companies manage everything from scheduling nurses and soliciting feedback on customer service reps to filling out timesheets for retail workers. Read More
