Large funding rounds to U.S.-based startups slowed a bit this week, though biotech, semiconductor and fintech startups still landed big deals.
news.crunchbase.com/venture/bigges…

While many sectors have seen less investment recently, cannabis dealmaking declines started earlier and have been particularly steep. Funding to the space peaked about 5 years ago, per Crunchbase data. Since then it’s been up and down, though mostly down.
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The reported layoffs at Stability AI, which has raised some $173M from investors, are just the latest signs of trouble at the London-based unicorn startup.
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The venture pullback that started in 2022 hit the former darling sector of the private market, Web3, hard. Could that be changing? Q1 of this year marked the first increase Web3 venture funding has seen since Q4 2021.
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Military veterans bring a wealth of skills and expertise to the startup ecosystem, but the journey to venture capitalist isn’t without obstacles. Guest author Ikram Mansori of VetsInTech offers thoughts on how to get more veterans involved in venture.
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Companies that last raised funding in a bubblier investment climate often report rounds that are smaller than prior ones, our analysis shows. Is that a bearish or bullish indicator, and what does it tell us about the state of startup funding today?
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Nearly half of all startups report difficulties finding qualified talent, and recruitment can be time-consuming and complex. Fintech entrepreneur AlexAxelrod offers some key considerations entrepreneurs should keep in mind when building a quality team.
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Microsoft announced a $1.5B strategic investment in United Arab Emirates-based artificial intelligence firm G42 — the biggest new round to go to an AI startup this year.
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Cybersecurity startups raised nearly $2.7B in 154 deals in Q1, Crunchbase data shows. That marks a strong rebound from a dismal Q4 and almost reaches year-ago levels again.
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In early-stage fundraising, the allure of the SAFE agreement seems like a no-brainer. But the plot thickens: The seductive simplicity of those agreements can sometimes lead to complications. Itay Sagie shares the potential pitfalls to watch out for.
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In the crop of 11 new companies to join The Crunchbase Unicorn Board in March 2024, a surprise sector again took the lead: cryptocurrency and Web3.
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At this point, it’s fair to say the big, nine-figure round is back. This week, there are eight $100 million-plus rounds, including some massive raises. It seems investors are not afraid to write the big check right now for the right startup.
news.crunchbase.com/venture/bigges…

Funding to startups in Latin America has come down precipitously since the 2021 peak, but Q1 investment in Colombia’s startups more than tripled from the prior quarter to hit $188M, largely due to several big rounds.
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With 9 deals, General Catalyst took the top spot on our March list of most-active U.S. startup investors. Several big-name firms followed only one or two deals behind.
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Startup funding in Q1 was subdued, with investors globally spending just $66B, with Crunchbase data showing the most-active investors are financing, on average, smaller sums than was the case several years ago.
news.crunchbase.com/venture/most-a…

Q1 2024 funding to European startups was up slightly from Q4 2023, Crunchbase data shows, but also slightly lower than quarterly averages. An interesting finding: European early-stage funding again outpaced late-stage funding.
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VCs have the power to determine the fate of founders and should use that power to create a community that’s bigger than a firm, company or capital, writes Semyon Dukach, founding partner of One Way Ventures, a VC firm that backs immigrant startup founders.
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Santa Clara-based Collaborative Robotics became the latest robotics startup to raise a massive nine-figure round, locking up $100M in a Series B led by General Catalyst.
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Companies focused on familiar foods made with novel ingredients have raised billions in funding with investors backing startups making everything from egg- and dairy-like proteins to reduced carb and sugar versions of popular breakfast cereals.
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High-quality diligence has returned, and it is both art and a science, writes guest columnist Nicolas Sauvage of TDK Ventures, who offers a look from both sides of the funding process.
news.crunchbase.com/venture/vc-due…