Weekly TOP Startup / VC news of October 16, 2025

Most companies chase one or two ways to make money. Surf Lakes has at least seven.

At the heart of it all is their patented 360° wave tech that creates 2,000 surfable rides per hour for beginners and pros alike. That single breakthrough unlocks multiple revenue streams: licensing fees, royalties, memberships, day passes, media, coaching, food, retail, and direct park operations. Another key aspect of this technology is it creates 1/2 mile of beachside property development opportunity, which can provide exponential value to each project.

It’s why surfing legends Tom Curren and Mark “Occy” Occhilupo are proud and vocal ambassadors of Surf Lakes.

Actor Chris Hemsworth even said this after his Surf Lakes experience: “What an incredible setup! Really thankful I got to test this out…an awesome day.”

Surf tourism is a $65B global industry, yet fewer than 1% of people can access real waves. Surf Lakes makes it possible anywhere, turning cities into surf destinations.

They’ve already sold nine licenses worldwide, and the expansion is coming. Invest in Surf Lakes by 10/30 at 11:59 PM PT.

Invest In Surf Lakes

_{This is a paid advertisement for Surf Lakes’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.surflakes.com}

BlockDAG dominates the crypto landscape. Its presale rockets past $420 million, fueled by a landmark BWT Alpine Formula 1® Team partnership. This positions BDAG as a prime investment, offering unmatched liquidity through 20 exchange listings. Other digital assets, like Cardano, Shiba Inu, and XRP, face slower growth, market resistance, or inherent limitations. BlockDAG’s hybrid DAG-PoW model and global visibility redefine crypto's future, attracting millions and setting new industry standards. Its rapid ascent marks a definitive shift in blockchain innovation and mainstream adoption. Investors seek proven growth; BlockDAG delivers it.

NYSE owner Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) makes a substantial $2 billion strategic investment in Polymarket, a leading crypto-based prediction market platform. The deal, valuing Polymarket at $8 billion, marks ICE's aggressive entry into event-driven data distribution and tokenization initiatives. This partnership aims to deliver Polymarket's real-time sentiment data to a global institutional audience, integrating decentralized finance insights with traditional market infrastructure. It underscores the growing importance of prediction markets, which have seen massive volume, particularly during major events like the 2024 US election. Despite past regulatory challenges for Polymarket, this collaboration signals a significant shift towards mainstream acceptance and institutional engagement with innovative financial technologies. It leverages Polymarket's unique forecasting capabilities and ICE's vast market reach.

Indian startup Airbound secured $8.65M to transform last-mile delivery. Their unique carbon-fiber, eVTOL drones aim for radical cost reduction, delivering goods for just 1 cent. A pilot program with Narayana Health is already transporting medical supplies. Airbound plans massive scaling, targeting 1 million daily deliveries by mid-2027, expanding into e-commerce and quick delivery. This technology could redefine global logistics, making autonomous, ultra-affordable transport a reality, especially in challenging regions, while navigating regulatory pathways.

Indian wealth management platform Dezerv closed a Rs 350 crore ($40M) in a powerful Series C funding round. PremjiInvest and Accel co-led this significant investment. Existing backers Elevation Capital and Z47 reinforced their commitment. This fresh capital targets elevating client experiences, deepening technology infrastructure, and broadening diverse investment solutions. Managing over Rs 14,000 crore in client assets, Dezerv is rapidly transforming into a full-stack financial partner for families. The infusion underscores soaring investor confidence in India's dynamic digital wealth market and Dezerv's explosive growth. Total funding now exceeds Rs 850 crore, positioning Dezerv as a key industry player.

Rusk Media secured $12 million in Series B funding, led by IvyCap Ventures. This infusion fuels aggressive global expansion plans. The digital entertainment giant targets US, European, and EMEA markets. New intellectual property development remains a core strategy. Rusk Media specializes in Gen Z and millennial content. It leverages advanced AI technology for production efficiency and wider audience reach. The significant capital boost underscores investor confidence in Rusk Media's innovative content model and its potential to dominate the evolving digital entertainment landscape worldwide. This move marks a pivotal moment for the company's international ambitions.

Energy Robotics, an AI software platform, raised $13.5 million in Series A funding. This investment accelerates its autonomous robot and drone inspection solutions for critical infrastructure. The platform enhances worker safety, cuts operating costs by up to 40%, and tackles workforce shortages. It delivers crucial inspections across oil and gas, chemical, industrial, and utility sectors. Energy Robotics completed over one million inspections globally. Its hardware-agnostic system integrates AI analytics, LLM-driven control, real-world data, and evergreen digital twins. This funding scales vital operational resilience, efficiency, and climate impact across critical assets.

Ewake, a Paris-based artificial intelligence firm, secured €2 million in pre-seed funding led by Connect Ventures. This strategic investment fuels Ewake's mission to revolutionize software reliability. The company offers an innovative AI "teammate" that seamlessly integrates into production environments. It empowers engineering teams, granting developers enhanced autonomy. This AI-driven solution proactively identifies issues, investigates complex incidents, and actively prevents system downtime. Funds will accelerate the development of additional AI agents and expand Ewake's expert team in Paris. The startup aims to address the estimated $400 billion global gap in software reliability, ushering in an era of more stable, efficient software delivery. This agentic AI approach promises transformative impact for tech operations and developer productivity across industries.

Intangles, a pioneering predictive AI platform for the automotive sector, successfully closed a $30 million Series B funding round. Avataar Venture Partners spearheaded this investment, joined by Baring India Private Equity and Cactus Partners. The substantial capital injection directly supports Intangles' ambitious global expansion of its advanced AI systems. Its flagship Inroute platform offers unprecedented foresight, predicting vehicle failures up to a month in advance with approximately 95% accuracy. This transformative technology promises massive cost savings and enhanced profitability for global fleet operators and OEMs. It significantly improves operational efficiency and bolsters ESG initiatives across North America, Europe, and Asian markets. This strategic investment marks a pivotal moment for intelligent fleet management.

QuoteWell, an Austin-based wholesale insurance brokerage, just secured an additional $12 million in funding, bringing its total capital to $32 million. The investment propels its AI-driven platform and expands its footprint in commercial insurance, targeting hard-to-place risks like construction and energy. This move signals a significant push to modernize a traditionally complex sector. New Enterprise Associates led the round, backing QuoteWell's innovative approach to fusing technology with human expertise. This substantial capital infusion will accelerate product development, enhance market reach, and solidify QuoteWell's position as a leader in insurtech innovation.

Baselane, a leading financial platform for real estate investors, announced $34.4 million in new funding. This includes a $20M Series B and a $14.4M Series A. Total capital raised now exceeds $44 million. The investment fuels significant market expansion and product innovation. Baselane also unveiled 'Baselane Smart,' an AI-powered automation suite. It provides landlords with unprecedented control and efficiency. Features include automated transaction tagging, receipt matching, and smart fund transfers. The platform integrates banking, bookkeeping, rent collection, and tax reporting. It serves over 50,000 real estate investors, streamlining complex financial management and enhancing operational insights for a growing segment of tech-savvy property owners nationwide. This marks a major step in property technology evolution.

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