On TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Index Ventures partner Shardul Shah discussed how surging concern over AI safety and rogue agents is driving cybersecurity stocks up and pulling large capital into startups building security for AI-native systems, citing nine-figure funding rounds for companies like Instinct and Simile. Shah, who backed cloud security firm Wiz through six funding rounds before its $32 billion acquisition by Google, said periodic, human-in-the-loop security models are struggling to keep pace with AI-driven threats.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-23
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that founders often mistake low customer acquisition cost for campaign success, when in fact a cheap first sale doesn't guarantee a customer understood the offer or will stick around. Metrics like CAC typically ignore refunds, support burden, discounts and fees, which can make seemingly efficient campaigns unprofitable over time. The piece recommends grouping customers by campaign and calculating true post-sale value before scaling ad spend.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-22
A fintech founder recounts how, in 2022, her savings and investment app showed strong growth metrics even as investor interest cooled and fundraising slowed. She argues that traditional growth dashboards can mask underlying fragility, and outlines five key indicators—including payback period and customer retention—that better reveal whether a business can withstand financial pressure.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-18
Bending Spoons has signed a definitive agreement to acquire collaboration software maker Miro at an enterprise value of $1.355 billion, translating to an equity value of roughly $1.79 billion once Miro's net cash is factored in. Some Miro shareholders will reinvest $295 million of their payout into newly issued Bending Spoons stock, and the all-cash deal still requires regulatory and other customary approvals.
investors.bendingspoons.com
· 2026-09-10
Analog Devices has agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor in an all-cash deal valued at $1.35 billion. The acquisition is aimed at broadening ADI's reach into fast-growing markets, including data-center infrastructure and defense applications.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-09
An Entrepreneur opinion piece argues that most chief executives mismanage their company's search engine presence, viewing it as a static reputation gauge rather than an active revenue source. The author notes that page one of search results functions as an informal vetting tool for prospects, investors and job candidates before any direct contact occurs. Citing data showing 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, the piece calls for continuous, deliberate management of digital search visibility.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-07
Security researchers have identified a scam operation dubbed 'Phantom Deal' that targets large enterprises by impersonating merger and acquisition activity. The attackers conduct deep research into target companies before approaching midlevel employees with fabricated deal scenarios designed to authorize large financial transfers.
darkreading.com
· 2026-09-03
Nvidia has agreed to acquire Hugging Face, the widely used open AI model distribution platform, for $12.93 billion. Hugging Face will keep its brand and remain open to third-party models, clouds, and hardware, according to Nvidia.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-03
Nvidia has agreed to buy open-source AI platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, confirming earlier reports of the deal. Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue told CNBC he personally reached out to Nvidia's Jensen Huang over the summer, saying talks moved quickly once initiated. Huang said the platform will remain open to the broader AI ecosystem while gaining more scale and infrastructure support.
cnbc.com
· 2026-09-03
ButterflyMX founder argues that as AI automates routine execution, companies should prioritize hiring people who can design and improve workflows rather than just perform tasks. He says traditional hiring focused on whether someone could do a job, but AI's ability to scale execution now makes builders who can refine processes and teach AI quality standards more valuable.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-08-31
Eli Lilly has struck a cash deal worth as much as $2.875 billion to acquire Merida Biosciences, a biotechnology company. The acquisition is aimed at strengthening Lilly's immunology drug pipeline.
wsj.com
· 2026-08-31
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