Issue #42October 2, 202611 links

Varda raises $251.0M Series D for orbital processing

Varda Space Industries raised a $251.0M Series D to build reentry capsules and in-orbit pharmaceutical processing. General Intuition raised $220.0M to train models on games instead of text, and Quartermaster raised a $140.0M Series B for SmartMast, its distributed maritime sensing network.

Cool Company Raises

$220.0M

General Intuition raises a $220.0M round

General Intuition is a research and technology company building machines that learn, reason, and adapt through interaction—just as humans do. While most foundation models are trained on words, General Intuition focuses on developing intelligence grounded in perception, anticipation, and improvisation within dynamic environments. By using games as the ultimate testbed for ingenuity and problem-solving, the company is pioneering a new path toward truly general, embodied intelligence.

Information-Technology General Catalyst Khosla Ventures Point72 776 Atreides+2 more

$22.0M

OuterSignal raises a $22.0M Series A round

OuterSignal is an agentic customer intelligence platform that helps brands understand their customers on a personal level, allowing for 1:1 personalization in marketing. Launched in January, the company has rapidly grown to support thousands of consumer businesses and facilitate hundreds of millions of orders. By leveraging public context, OuterSignal transforms customer interactions to enhance retention, acquisition, and conversion. The platform is designed to empower brands to deliver tailored experiences to consumers.

Software Advertising E-Commerce Nik Sharma James Beshara Sahil Bhaiwala+26 more

$251.0M

Varda Space Industries raises a $251.0M Series D round

Varda Space Industries is making reentry as common as launch. We are building the infrastructure for a thriving orbital economy and enabling foundational science, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical hypersonic reentry capsules.

Other Manufacturing Information-Technology Also Capital Giant Step 8090 Industries+8 more

$7.3M

Beltic raises a $7.3M Seed round

Beltic is a company focused on building agent verification infrastructure to empower businesses to confidently do business with agents. Their Know Your Agent (KYA) platform ensures trust in AI agents by providing verification and authorization infrastructure. With a mission to support the agentic economy, Beltic addresses the need for reliable identity and trust systems as transactions become increasingly autonomous. Led by experts in identity, payments, and data, Beltic is positioned to redefine the standards for agent verification.

Software Collide Capital Oxford Seed Fund Restive Ventures Norwest Venture Partners $1M+

$15.0M

Proximal raises a $15.0M round

Proximal is an AI coding data startup based in New York City. Founded in 2025, the company develops an advanced AI infrastructure platform that automates the post-training feedback loop across complex operational domains. It specializes in converting unstructured real-world data into rigorous evaluation sandboxes to expose model reasoning flaws for optimization. Proximal aims to expand its reach into various verticals, including drug discovery and software refactoring.

Software Artificial-Intelligence Machine-Learning Erik Bernhardsson Kevin Weil Liam Fedus+5 more

$50.0M

Fortem Technologies raises a $50.0M Series B round

Fortem Technologies is the leader in airspace awareness, security, and defense for detecting and defeating dangerous drones. Through an advanced, end to end system of distributed radar, AI at the Edge, deep sensor integration, and autonomous drone capture, Fortem monitors and defends the world’s venues, infrastructures, cities, and regions. The same system is accelerating the safety of the world’s airspace for urban air mobility.

Manufacturing Security Aerospace Unusual Machines Lockheed Martin $50M+

YC F26

Hundred launches at YC (Fall 2026)

100% automated inspection for consumer electronics parts

Hard-Tech Hardware Machine-Learning YC Computer-Vision Industrial+1 more

YC F26

Dydema launches at YC (Fall 2026)

The model company for neurotech.

Neurotechnology Neuroinformatics AI YC B2B

YC F26

OpenSEO launches at YC (Fall 2026)

Open source alternative to Semrush and Ahrefs

Open-Source Marketing SEO YC B2B

$140.0M

Quartermaster raises a $140.0M Series B round

Quartermaster is an Arlington, Virginia-based startup that is developing a maritime sensing solution called SmartMast. This technology consists of advanced sensors that provide real-time maritime data, creating a distributed sensing network designed to improve safety and efficiency in maritime operations. The company aims to address the vulnerabilities of existing maritime identification systems while facilitating various applications in marine autonomy and data collection.

Public-Safety Stifel Overmatch Ventures First Round Capital Quiet Capital Steel Atlas+5 more

$7.0M

RemoteThreat raises a $7.0M Seed round

RemoteThreat is an AI-enabled offensive cyber operations platform company founded by security veterans Chris Thompson and Shawn Jones. The company's O/C/O Platform is a fully integrated, end-to-end commercial solution designed for enterprise red teams, U.S. government mission teams, and vetted defense partners. The platform combines eight connected systems including mission planning, command-and-control infrastructure, implants, and AI-assisted operations while maintaining human control over mission decisions. RemoteThreat's team includes operators, researchers, and engineers with experience from IBM X-Force, Mandiant, SpecterOps, Microsoft, and government organizations.

Information-Technology Software Artificial-Intelligence $1M+Cyber-Security

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