Author: nripn

(Bloomberg) — OpenAI struck a deal to raise $6.6 billion in new funding, giving the artificial intelligence company a $157 billion valuation and bolstering its efforts to build leading generative AI technology in the world.Most read on BloombergThe round was led by Thrive Capital, the venture capital firm led by Josh Kushner, which invested $1.3 billion. Microsoft Corp., OpenAI’s largest backer, has invested about $750 million, on top of the $13 billion already invested in the startup, according to a person familiar with the matter. Other investors included Khosla Ventures, Fidelity Management & Research Co. and Nvidia Corp., the chipmaker…

South African fintech startup LittleFish, which enables banks to better serve SMEs, has raised an undisclosed amount from TLcom Capital and Flourish Ventures to help it scale. Co-founded in 2021 by Brandon Roberts and Miod Davith Kahwa, Little fish aims to address the financial services gap for SMEs in Africa through a comprehensive digital platform that enables banks to better serve SMEs. By partnering with financial institutions, the startup offers a range of services, streamlining financial operations, offering digital payment processing and facilitating access to credit. The partnership model allows banks to retain their SME customers while offering a more…

Unlock Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, editor-in-chief of the FT, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Character.ai is looking to rebound after Google poached its founders in a $2.7 billion deal by focusing on improving its consumer products rather than creating AI models, as concern grows that big tech will crush competition from rival start-ups.Dominic Perella, the company’s new interim chief executive, told the Financial Times that the San Francisco-based company to start up had largely abandoned the race to create large language models in the face of better-funded competitors such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Amazon and Google.Instead, three-year-old Character.ai…

BASIC Home Loan, a pioneering mortgage delivery startup, has successfully raised $10.6 million (approximately INR 87.5 crores) in its Series B funding round, led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII). This round also saw participation from notable investors including CE-Ventures, Gruhas, LetsVenture, 100 Unicorns and Venture Catalysts, as well as existing investor Ashish Kacholia.Use of fundingThe newly acquired funds will be allocated to:Market expansion: Strengthen its presence in different cities.Loan portfolio development: Build a strong portfolio to cater to a wide range of borrowers.Technological improvement: Improve technological capabilities to streamline operations.About the BASIC home loanFounded in 2020 by Atul Monga and…

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the financial landscape, AI-powered wealth management tools are becoming essential, especially for younger generations facing the great wealth transfer – the baby boomers’ trillion-dollar transfer to younger generations over the next 20 years.We asked CJ Follinirecognized expert in asset management and millennial wealth management and an adjunct professor at NYU with over 30 years of experience in finance. He is also the investment director of NOYACK Alternative investments, managing over $1 billion in assets under management with diverse asset management experience. Noyack Wealth Club, Follini’s nonprofit foundation, has spent the last two and a…

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week, we look at Human Interest’s journey to an IPO, fintech’s new unicorn, a host of new fundraising rounds, and much more. To receive a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories in your inbox every Tuesday at 8 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The big story 401k provider focused on SMBs Human interest announced last week a funding round of 267 million dollarsthus paving the way for a listing on the public market. No timetable was given. CFO Tripp Faix told TechCrunch: “We are looking to become a public company when the time…

Reuters reported On Thursday, Google parent Alphabet is exploring the possibility of buying Boston-based HubSpot, a CRM and marketing automation company with a market cap of more than $33 billion – a figure that continues to grow. climb according to these reports. If such a transaction were to go through, the cost would likely be quite substantial, implying a significant premium to current value. The company should be motivated to sell and become part of the search giant. It’s worth noting that the two companies already have a relationship – a partnership to use Google ads to drive sales in…

Healthcare Finance NewsVA Collaborates for Innovation in AIThe Dayton VA Medical Center, in collaboration with MIT and Harvard, has developed an integrated algorithm called Sybil for lung detection…. 19 hours ago

London remains a hot spot for fintech jobs, facing strong competition from Amsterdam, Paris and Geneva. The fintech market is heavily candidate-driven, with top talent typically receiving two to four job offers.It is according to Harrington Starr, a recruitment company specializing in financial technology, which has studied the trends of the current job market.Harrington Starr’s 2024/25 Salary Survey provides analysis of the current jobs market, highlighting both challenges and opportunities. The London, Belfast and New York-based recruitment firm offers in-depth analysis of salary trends, hiring practices, and market dynamics amid economic recovery.In the investigation, Toby Babb, CEO and co-founder, notes…

SUMMARY The company elevated its head of data and analytics, Neha Shivran, to co-founder as well as chief data and growth officer. Shivran joined the company as Head of Data Science in 2019 Founded by Krishnan Vishwanathan and Ranvir Singh in 2015, RING enables consumers to obtain credit to make purchases at digital outlets (online and offline). Fintech startup RING (formerly Kissht) has elevated its head of data and analytics, Neha Shivran, to co-founder as well as chief data and growth officer. Shivran took advantage of his publication on LinkedIn to make this announcement. “I’m happy to announce that I’m…