Top News | Netradyne raises $90M: California-based Netradyne, known for its AI-enabled dashcams that enhance driver safety and reduce accidents by 50%, has raised $90 million in a Series D round led by Point72 Private Investments. With over 18 billion miles of data collected, the startup plans to expand into Ireland and Japan, while advancing its generative AI tools and autonomous driving models. Serving fleets across industries like retail and construction, Netradyne expects profitability within a year after 65% growth in the past 12 months. Insight Partners hits $90B AUM with new funds: Insight Partners, has raised $12.5 billion for its latest flagship and Opportunity funds, pushing its assets under management to $90 billion. The firm isn’t backing down from competition, co-leading Databricks’ $10 billion round and logging $8 billion in 2024 exits, including big wins like Recorded Future (Mastercard, $2.65B). With a focus on buyouts and portfolio reinvestments, Insight is positioning itself for another year of dominance in venture capital eToro eyes $5B IPO in 2025: Trading platform eToro is reportedly gearing up for a U.S. IPO in 2025, targeting a valuation of over $5 billion. The fintech, which enables trading in stocks, ETFs, and crypto, previously abandoned a $10.4 billion SPAC deal in 2022 but raised $250 million at a $3.5 billion valuation in 2023. Founded in 2007, eToro could list in New York as early as Q2 2025, signaling renewed momentum in fintech IPOs, alongside companies like Chime.
| TWiST500 | Corinne here. Today, I’m adding an early-stage fintech company targeting credit growth and financial literacy for students to the TWiST500. Like a traditional debit card, Fizz generates the majority of its revenue through interchange fees paid by the merchant’s payment processor. It differentiates itself from traditional credit cards on the market with daily automatic balance payoffs and an emphasis on early financial education. | They officially launched in early 2023 and have since expanded their services to students at over 300 colleges and universities, including all Ivy League schools and every top 25 school. In June 2024, Fizz raised a $14.4M seed round, led by Kleiner Perkins, with other prominent investors like Y Combinator and New Era Ventures joining the cap table. Since this funding, Fizz has focused on aggressive marketing strategies, including social media campaigns and on-campus events, to connect with and grow its Gen Z audience. | By combining credit-building features with financial education, Fizz is carving out a unique position in the fintech space. While still early in its journey, I think this is a company to watch as the fintech industry evolves in the next few years. | Got a company you think belongs in the TWiST500? Let me know: corinne@launch.co! | —Corinne |
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| Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist | This Week in Startups | E2072: Jason and Alex interview Aarush Selvan, lead PM at Google Gemini Deep Research, and discuss what's going on with the application and their groundbreaking work. They also take a moment to cover TikTok’s precarious future and geopolitical implications. Plus, the episode features demos of Synthesia's AI video tools and highlights from Jason’s Japan skiing adventure. | E2071: Alex opens the show and dives into Mark Zuckerberg's Joe Rogan interview, OpenAI's economic pitch, and the pending IPO of India’s Groww. Alex interviews two of our TWiST500 members: James Cadwallader (Profound) and Martin Rehak (Resistant AI), who discuss their companies' innovative approaches to SEO and fraud detection. The episode also covers the Biden administration's AI diffusion plan and shifts in the global tech landscape. | E2070: Jason shares highlights from his recent trip to Japan before tackling pressing issues like the LA wildfire crisis, federal aid challenges, and the potential for lawsuits against California over damages. The conversation shifts to the economic impact of inflation, the latest job report, and how automation and AI are transforming the labor market. Plus, they cover TikTok’s Supreme Court case and highlight wildfire relief efforts through the LA Fire Department Wildfire Fund. | TWiST Partner Offers | LinkedIn Ads: To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Gusto: Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://www.gusto.com/twist Fitbod: Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST.
| Founder University | Applications are open for Founder University Cohort 10, a 12-week remote pre-accelerator program tailored towards navigating early-startup practices, building an MVP, and growing traction. Submit your application at Founder University— Cohort 10 will kick off Spring 2025! | | The TWiST500 newsletter is the new, updated, and improved TWiST Ticker. |
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