Mecka AI, a startup that pays people to record themselves performing everyday tasks to generate motion data for training humanoid robots, is close to finalizing a new funding round led by Sequoia Capital valuing the company at roughly $500 million. The deal comes just three months after Mecka raised $60 million in a round led by Framework Ventures, though the exact size of the new round remains unknown and terms could still change.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-11
Cymphony, a New York- and Tel Aviv-based startup, raised a $25 million Series A co-led by Sequoia Capital and SMBC Fin Atlas Beyond Fund, pushing its valuation above $100 million after a previously undisclosed Sequoia seed round. The company builds a 'workforce graph' that gives security teams visibility into which employees, AI agents, and other non-human identities can access sensitive systems and data.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-09
After Sequoia Capital chairman Doug Leone recounted undergoing a root canal without Novocaine to prove his toughness before a meeting, the American Association of Endodontists pushed back publicly. The group, representing over 8,000 specialists, stressed that patients should never endure severe pain during the procedure and should ask for more anesthetic if needed.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-08
Sequoia Capital chairman Doug Leone, worth an estimated $11.7 billion, told his dentist to perform a root canal without novocaine so he wouldn't miss a scheduled meeting. He described gritting through the drilling by comparing it to a soldier's battlefield injuries, then went straight to his meeting before changing his sweat-drenched shirt.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-03
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