Weekly TOP Startup / VC news of August 21, 2025

The top companies target big markets. Like Nvidia growing ~200% in 2024 on AI’s $214B tailwind. That’s why the same VCs behind Uber and Venmo also backed Pacaso. Created by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech transforms a $1.3 trillion market. With $110M+ in gross profit to date, Pacaso just 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.}

Darwinbox, a premier HR tech unicorn, secured $40 million from Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan via its Teachers' Venture Growth arm. This significant capital injection accelerates its ambitious North American expansion plans and enhances its cutting-edge AI capabilities. The SaaS powerhouse, maintaining a $1 billion valuation, continues its strong global ascent. It delivers an AI-first human capital management platform to over 1,000 enterprises across 130 countries. This strategic investment underscores Darwinbox's market leadership and its commitment to redefining enterprise HR solutions worldwide, leveraging innovative technology for unprecedented growth and efficiency.

Infinity Loop, an AI-native contract intelligence platform, raised $5 million in seed funding. This capital accelerates its market expansion. The platform revolutionizes enterprise contract management. It uses advanced machine learning to analyze third-party agreements at scale. The system identifies weak terms and provides precise negotiation strategies. It replaces outdated manual audits and costly consulting. Procurement and finance teams gain critical visibility and control. Users achieve substantial annual savings, often over 12%. One customer saved $19.5 million in five months. This innovation meets growing enterprise demand. It aligns with top chief procurement officer priorities for spend reduction. The platform delivers measurable financial outcomes, transforming contracts into strategic assets. It pushes AI-driven efficiency to the forefront of enterprise finance.

Cohere landed $500M funding, reaching a $6.8B valuation. This fuels its enterprise AI expansion. The AI firm tackles a competitive LLM market. Key executives joined: Joelle Pineau, CAIO, from Meta's FAIR. Francois Chadwick, CTO, from Uber. Pineau prioritizes the North AI productivity platform. Chadwick's hire suggests future IPO preparations. Cohere projects $200M in revenue. It recently acquired AI firm Ottogrid. Funds target agentic AI advancement and market share growth. Cohere solidifies its standing in the surging AI landscape. It deploys capital for product innovation and strategic talent. Its Command models and North platform enhance business efficiency. The company aims for aggressive growth and market leadership in enterprise AI.

Estonian MedTech innovator Better Medicine secures €1 million in new funding. This investment propels its AI-driven kidney cancer detection tool across Europe. It prepares for critical U.S. market entry. The company’s CE-certified BMVision Kidney platform offers a major leap in diagnostic efficiency. It tackles severe radiologist shortages. It enhances early cancer detection rates. The technology promises significant time savings for medical professionals. This funding builds on prior grants, totaling nearly €6 million. Better Medicine leads the charge in AI-powered medical imaging. It aims to transform oncology diagnostics worldwide. This advancement improves patient outcomes and reduces healthcare system burdens. It is a pivotal step in modern medicine.

Plancraft, a Hamburg-based SaaS firm, recently secured €38 million in Series B funding. This investment propels its mission: transforming Europe’s construction sector through advanced AI. The industry faces immense pressure. A severe workforce shortage looms. Bureaucracy burdens small businesses. Climate change mandates urgent retrofits. Plancraft offers a powerful solution. Its platform digitizes administrative tasks. It aims for full AI automation.

Citizen Health secures $30M Series A, reaching $44M total. This patient-powered platform transforms rare disease care. It integrates AI, community support, and health data. Patients gain control over complex conditions. Funds will expand operations, accelerate R&D, and launch a powerful AI Advocate. The goal: personalized, proactive healthcare. This innovation tackles challenges for millions globally lacking treatment, aligning with FDA calls for progress in rare disease.

IVIX secured $60M Series B funding. This investment boosts its AI platform. It helps governments combat global financial crime. IVIX targets a $20 trillion shadow economy. The platform uses public data. It exposes hidden illicit activities. This critical funding fuels research and development. It expands AI solution adoption worldwide. IVIX empowers authorities. It identifies billions in hidden assets. The company enhances national security. It strengthens economic integrity against evolving threats.

Automotive fintech Bumper closed an $11 million Series B extension funding round. The investment, led by Autotech Ventures, will propel Bumper's expansion across Europe. It will also bolster new B2B product offerings for car dealerships and OEMs. Bumper specializes in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions for unexpected vehicle repair costs, allowing drivers interest-free payment options. The company is now broadening its scope, moving beyond consumer BNPL into a comprehensive payment and software platform for the automotive retail sector. This strategic shift includes recent acquisitions and the launch of Bumper Pro, a suite of tools designed to enhance dealer operations. Bumper aims for €1 billion in Gross Merchandise Volume by 2025, solidifying its market leadership in automotive financing and digital solutions.

HLTHi launches a dual healthcare initiative, reshaping U.S. telehealth. Its nationwide virtual urgent care now offers 24/7 access to licensed MD/DOs for only $10 per visit. Patients connect swiftly, typically under 30 minutes, for common ailments. E-orders for labs via Quest Diagnostics and imaging are included. Simultaneously, HLTHi secures $5 million in pivotal seed funding. This capital fuels aggressive expansion, targeting 197 million Americans lacking adequate insurance coverage. HLTHi's model emphasizes physician-only care, transparent cash-pay pricing—from the $10 urgent care to $50 concierge visits with subscription options—and proprietary AI technology. The company projects substantial growth, aiming to provide accessible, high-quality online medical attention and disrupt traditional healthcare paradigms. This strategic move positions HLTHi as a significant player in the evolving digital health landscape.

Accenture finalized its largest cybersecurity acquisition, purchasing Australian firm CyberCX for $650 million. This strategic move addresses escalating global cyber threats and Australia's recent spate of massive data breaches, including Optus, Medibank, and Qantas, which compromised millions of customer records. The deal highlights intense demand for advanced digital security services worldwide. It significantly enhances Accenture's defensive capabilities and market footprint. CyberCX brings deep local expertise and a robust operational network. This acquisition solidifies Accenture's position as a dominant force in enterprise security solutions. It signals a critical industry response to an ever-evolving threat landscape, driving consolidation and innovation in global cybersecurity markets. The future of digital defense hangs in the balance.

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