Issue #39September 29, 202615 links

Fireworks AI raises $1.5B Series D

Fireworks AI raised a $1.5B Series D for its cloud for building, tuning and scaling open models, which it says powers production workloads at Uber, DoorDash, Notion and Cursor. Tekever raised a $580.0M Series D led by UC Investments and Baillie Gifford at a $6.4B valuation for its defence drones.

Interesting

sunilsadasivan.com

First Principles Thinking

On first principles thinking, learning to work with agents, and setting experience aside long enough to see a problem clearly.

First Principles Mental Models

Dev Tools

odyssey.systems

Odyssey

Odyssey is an AI lab pioneering general world models: causal, multimodal systems that learn to understand and simulate the world.

World Models

stripe.dev

Meet Stripe's Knowledge AI Platform

Stripe's Knowledge AI Platform is our versatile AI agent platform built to handle diverse non-coding knowledge work, from quick queries to complex, multi-day projects. By connecting employees to over 1,000 internal tools and skills, it enables secure, enterprise-scale productivity across the organization.

Stripe Documentation

flaviocopes.com

A deep dive into pstack

pstack turns Cursor into a rigorous engineering workflow with playbooks, specialist skills, multi-model review, and runtime verification.

Autonomous Orgs Loops

Cool Company Raises

$75.0M

BigHat Biosciences raises a $75.0M Series C round

BigHat’s mission is to improve human health by making it far easier to design advanced, next-generation antibody therapeutics. Our AI-enabled experimental platform integrates a high-speed characterization or “wet” lab with machine learning technologies to speed the antibody engineering process. When applied, these design capabilities have the potential to drive the development of new generations of safer and more effective treatments for patients suffering from today’s most challenging diseases.

Biotechnology $50M+

YC F26

OpEra launches at YC (Fall 2026)

Automated operations research (OR) lab

Logistics Manufacturing Supply-Chain YC Operations AI+1 more

$85.0M

Go.AI raises a $85.0M Series A round

Go.AI is a provider of an on-premises, examiner-ready AI infrastructure platform designed for regulated industries. The company enables institutions to deploy AI securely and compliantly within their existing systems. Their offerings include the Go1, an AI hardware and software solution, along with the Go.OS software operating system. Go.AI currently processes over 12.5 million queries daily across various sectors.

Software Artificial-Intelligence Machine-Learning $50M+

$75.0M

Solcoa Industries raises a $75.0M round

Solcoa Industries is a rare earth metals producer based in Alameda, CA. Founded in 2025, the company develops halide-free chemistries, engineers processes, and builds and operates its own modular reactors. Solcoa's innovative processes are designed to produce zero harmful emissions including toxic fluoride gases. The company currently produces samarium and neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metal and is constructing a new plant in Nevada.

Manufacturing Biotechnology $50M+

$1.5B

Fireworks AI raises a $1.5B Series D round

Fireworks is the fastest way to build, tune, and scale AI on open models. Ship production-ready AI in seconds on our globally distributed cloud infrastructure, optimized for your use case. Fireworks powers production workloads at companies like Uber, Doordash, Notion, and Cursor—delivering 15× faster speed, 4× lower latency, and 4× more concurrency than closed models.

Software Artificial-Intelligence Information-Technology-Services $100M+

$400.0M

Island raises a $400.0M round

What if the enterprise had complete control over the browser? What would it mean for security, for productivity, for work itself? Introducing Island, the Enterprise Browser - the ideal enterprise workplace, where work flows freely while remaining fundamentally secure. With the core needs of the enterprise naturally embedded in the browser itself, Island gives organizations complete control, visibility, and governance over the last mile, while delivering the same smooth Chromium-based browser experience users expect. Led by experienced leaders in enterprise security and browser technology and backed by leading venture funds -- Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital, Cyberstarts and Stripes Capital -- Island is redefining the future of work for some of the largest, most respected enterprises in the world.

Evolution Equity Partners $100M+

$6.7M

Dextr AI raises a $6.7M Seed round

Dextr AI is a hospitality-focused AI startup that develops and deploys AI agents for hotels, resorts, and spas. The platform handles voice AI, guest management, back-office operations, staff management, sales, and marketing. The company operates across the US and global hospitality markets, including India.

Artificial-Intelligence Hospitality Machine-Learning Foundation Capital Elevation Capital $1M+

$580.0M

Tekever raises a $580.0M Series D round

Tekever is a Portuguese-British maker of AI-powered unmanned aerial systems for defence and security surveillance, battle-tested in Ukraine and selected by the UK Ministry of Defence for the British Army's CORVUS surveillance programme. The first close of its $580M Series D, led by UC Investments and Baillie Gifford, values the company at $6.4B; funds go to global expansion, industrial capacity, R&D and acquisitions.

Defense Drones AI UC Investments Baillie Gifford Merlyn Advisors+2 more

YC F26

Pendulum Robotics launches at YC (Fall 2026)

Quick-turn, purpose-built motors & actuators for all

Hard-Tech Robotics Drones YC Manufacturing Electronics+1 more

YC F26

Elimentary launches at YC (Fall 2026)

Agents that run middle/back-office operations for Private Capital

Finops Enterprise Fintech YC

$8.0M

American Supercritical raises a $8.0M Pre-Seed round

American Supercritical is focused on advancing technology to commercialize supercritical CO2. The company aims to innovate the energy sector by improving efficiency in power generation. Their goal is to make the traditional simple cycle gas turbine obsolete. Through their technology, they seek to provide cleaner and more effective energy solutions.

Energy Oil-And-Gas Renewable-Energy $1M+

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