Weekly TOP Startup / VC news of August 14, 2025

In 2010, a Grammy-winning artist passed on investing $200K in an emerging real estate disruptor. That stake could be worth $100+ million today.

One year later, another real estate disruptor, Zillow, went public. This time, everyday investors had regrets, missing pre-IPO gains.

Now, a new real estate innovator, Pacaso – founded by a former Zillow exec – is disrupting a $1.3T market. And unlike the others, you can invest in Pacaso as a private company.

Pacaso’s co-ownership model has generated $1B+ in luxury home sales and service fees, earned $110M+ in gross profits to date, and received backing from the same VCs behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Graas AI secured $9 million in funding. Tin Men Capital led the round. This capital fuels Agent Foundry. It is a groundbreaking AI platform. It deploys autonomous agents. These agents transform e-commerce operations. They solve core challenges. Customer acquisition costs are optimized. Pricing strategies improve. Inventory management strengthens. Margins are protected. Graas AI empowers digital brands. It shifts retail towards full automation. This redefines market efficiency across India and Southeast Asia.

Truemeds, a leading e-pharmacy, secured $85 million in Series C funding. Accel and Peak XV Partners led the investment. This significant capital injection accelerates its mission. The company targets India's vast non-metro regions. It delivers affordable, generic medicines. Truemeds specializes in chronic care, saving patients 50-70%. Funds will triple national reach. They will establish 50 fulfillment centers. A new Bengaluru tech hub will open. AI-driven personalized patient journeys are planned. Diagnostics services will expand. The company prioritizes value over rapid delivery. It strengthens its market position. This move ensures wider access to crucial medications for millions.

Ultraviolette, a pioneering Indian electric vehicle startup, has successfully secured $21 million in a strategic funding round. Japanese venture firm TDK Ventures spearheaded the investment. Existing backers like Zoho Corporation also participated. This capital injection propels Ultraviolette's ambitious growth plans. The company aims to significantly expand its retail footprint. It targets 100 cities across India. Global market expansion, particularly in Europe, is also a priority. Funds will accelerate product portfolio development. This includes advanced electric motorcycles and innovative scooters. Manufacturing capabilities will scale. Research into cutting-edge battery platforms and intelligent vehicle systems gains momentum. The investment solidifies Ultraviolette's position. It drives its vision for future-ready, globally relevant electric mobility solutions. The EV sector's rapid growth underpins this significant financial boost.

Speciale Invest, an Indian deeptech venture capital firm, closed its Fund III at Rs 600 crore ($72.5 million), exceeding its Rs 500 crore target. This oversubscribed fund will back 18-20 early-stage deeptech startups. Investments focus on sovereign tech and globally scalable intellectual property from India. Key sectors include artificial intelligence, spacetech, climatetech, quantum systems, and advanced manufacturing. The firm commits 50% for follow-on investments. This move highlights India's growing importance in global advanced technology development and its robust venture capital ecosystem. It signals a strategic shift towards indigenous innovation and global market readiness. India emerges as a deeptech powerhouse.

HYLENR, a clean energy startup, has closed a $3 million Pre-Series A funding round. It commercializes patented Low-Energy Nuclear Reaction (LENR) systems. These systems promise scalable, carbon-free heat. Valour Capital and Chhattisgarh Investments Limited co-led the round. The capital enables a transition from pilot projects to a full market launch. HYLENR's technology offers a safe, efficient alternative to traditional fossil fuels. It targets both industrial and domestic thermal energy needs. This funding marks a pivotal step in the global energy transition. HYLENR aims to transform energy generation worldwide.

Cava’s shares plummeted after lowering its annual sales forecast. Same-store growth severely missed projections. Economic pressures and flat customer traffic are key factors. Despite setbacks, Cava maintains profit targets and boosts expansion plans. An investment in automation underscores a focus on future efficiency. The fast-casual market faces a reckoning.

Energy Vault, a leader in grid-scale energy storage, pivots its core strategy. The company now embraces an "Own & Operate" model. This significant shift empowers Energy Vault to build, manage, and control its own energy storage assets. A new subsidiary, Asset Vault, spearheads this initiative. It recently secured $300 million in preferred equity. This funding targets accelerated deployment of 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage capacity. The move positions Energy Vault to capture recurring revenue streams. It enhances grid stability and supports massive growth in renewable energy adoption. It also addresses the soaring power demands from AI and data centers.

Indian beauty brand Renee Cosmetics secures $30 million in Series C funding. Playbook Partners led the significant round. The investment boosts the company's valuation to $200 million. This capital infusion empowers Renee's aggressive expansion plans. Funds will fuel product portfolio growth and omnichannel presence. The brand targets Tier I and Tier II cities. Technology investment and brand-building initiatives are also key. Renee Cosmetics, founded in 2020, tripled its sales in 18 months. It boasts over 200 product SKUs. The company aims for an ambitious ₹1,000 crore annual revenue run rate. This strategic move solidifies Renee's position in India's competitive beauty market. It enhances its D2C and marketplace performance.

Artbio, a pioneering radiopharmaceutical firm, locked in $132 million Series B funding. This investment drives AB001, its innovative alpha radioligand therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, toward Phase II clinical trials. Funds also strengthen Artbio's proprietary AlphaDirect isotope production technology and expand its vital global supply chain. The company aims to revolutionize cancer care with targeted, potent treatments, ensuring reliable access to lead-212 isotopes. Key investors include Sofinnova and B Capital, validating Artbio's market position.

Capacity, a St. Louis AI leader, secured $92M in new funding. This includes $50M from Chicago Atlantic and a $42.6M Series D round. The investment fuels product innovation, operational expansion, and strategic growth initiatives. Capacity acquired Call Criteria and Verbio Technologies, enhancing its voice AI, QA automation, and speech analytics capabilities. Serving over 20,000 companies, the platform boosts efficiency, reduces costs, and improves customer satisfaction. Capacity now reports profitability with $60M ARR, reinforcing its market leadership in AI-powered support solutions for Contact Centers and enterprise automation.

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