Cradle Fund and Kapital DX have partnered to enhance funding for Malaysian startups, aiming to tackle gaps highlighted by the SUPER 2021-2030 roadmap. This collaboration will leverage the KLDX platform for improved Series A and beyond funding, integrating into the MYStartup platform and promoting long-term growth opportunities.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has unveiled Build Your Legacy Ventures, a VC fund focusing on early-stage startups in sports, entertainment, and tech. The fund offers funding, mentorship, and strategic support, already investing in ventures like a women's 3-on-3 basketball league and an online candy brand.

Lighthouse, a London-based travel tech firm, has secured $370 million in Series C funding, reaching unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation. This round, led by KKR, will boost Lighthouse's AI and data capabilities and support global expansion.

The Move Energy Fund has secured a €35 million investment from the European Investment Fund, boosting its total commitments to over €100 million. This investment highlights the EIF's focus on supporting sustainable energy solutions and decarbonisation efforts across Europe.

IIT Bombay's SINE is launching a Rs 100-crore venture capital fund to boost deep tech startups in vital national sectors. This move aims to expand support from 245 to over 1,000 startups in the next decade, highlighting SINE's pivotal role in India's startup growth.

CoreNest Capital invests in Texture Capital to develop SoloTex, a new platform for trading tokenized real-world assets. This partnership aims to revolutionize capital markets using blockchain technology.

Lighthouse, formerly OTA Insight, has secured $370 million in Series C funding, underscoring significant growth in hospitality tech investments. With nearly all industry leaders eyeing tech expansion, AI and analytics are set to revolutionize operations and guest experiences.

Blue Bear Capital has closed its $160 million Fund III to invest in machine intelligence for energy and climate solutions, expanding its focus to include data centers and climate adaptation tech. Key investors include Rockefeller Brothers Fund and UBS, with investments already made in ChargerHelp! and other startups, reflecting a strategy to support sustainable infrastructure and climate industries.

European venture capital is rebounding, driven by increased pre-seed and seed-stage investments, with 2024 median deal values surpassing 2023, aided by easing inflation. SaaS and fintech sectors lead growth, with notable late-stage valuations such as DataSnipper's €908 million, highlighting robust market recovery.

AI companies are experiencing a boom with soaring valuations as giants like Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft invest heavily in AI to enhance growth and innovation. OpenAI and Anthropic lead in significant funding rounds, while new players like Poolside and xAI emerge with billion-dollar valuations.

Ag Biotech funding surged by 30% to over $390 million, capturing 31% of global agrifoodtech investments, according to AgFunder. India leads APAC with $2 billion, largely from Zepto, amid a total regional growth of 38%.

NFX launches Longevity FAST to fund startups aiming to extend human lifespan beyond 160 years, targeting hardcore longevity breakthroughs. With fast-track funding and mentorship, this initiative supports transformative ideas over incremental biotech advances.

The median venture capital deal size for enterprise fintech rose to $5.3 million YTD, up 22.9% from last year, with the sector capturing 58.5% of total fintech deal value. Q3 saw a drop in overall deals but an increase in average deal size, with significant investments in the CFO stack, financial services infrastructure, and wealthtech.

Qiming Venture Partners is transitioning leadership as it plans to launch a US-dollar fund in 2025, targeting $800 million to $1 billion. Nisa Leung and Duane Kuang will gradually step back to advisory roles, while Alex Zhou steps up as managing partner, focusing on frontier technologies.

At the 2024 Slush event, Maki.vc unveiled its third fund of 100 million euros aimed at deep tech startups, primarily in the Nordic region. This fund underscores the area's reputation for tech innovation and public support, with backing from high-profile industry leaders.

October 2024 saw private equity and venture capital investments rise 4% year-over-year to $4.7 billion, despite a notable 50% drop in startup funding. High inflation and market volatility have prompted a shift towards investment in established companies, offering lower risk and quicker exit opportunities.

Europe's potential for trillion-dollar tech firms is growing, says Wise's co-founder, amid advances in the sector and shifting EU legislation. Despite trailing the US in AI funding, Europe outpaces China and sees rising deep tech investments, although regulatory concerns persist.

Locad secures $9 million in Pre-Series B funding to expand its digital logistics services into the UAE and Saudi Arabia by late 2024. Dario La Torre, with experience from Alibaba and Jumia, will lead the GCC expansion.

Cyera, a cybersecurity firm specializing in data protection across various environments, has raised $300 million in a Series D funding round, boosting its valuation to $3 billion. The company, which recently acquired Trail Security, plans to expand its workforce by 200 employees as it continues to enhance its AI-driven platform used by major clients like AT&T and DocuSign.