33 VC Jobs & The UK Says NOT YET to Revolut

Spotify is bringing its video podcasts to Netflix starting next year, marking a major expansion of its content distribution strategy. The partnership will let viewers stream popular video podcasts directly on Netflix, blending Spotify’s creator ecosystem with Netflix’s global reach. The move aims to boost visibility for podcast creators and position Spotify more deeply within the streaming entertainment space. Read More → TechCrunch

Walmart is integrating shopping into ChatGPT, letting users browse and buy products directly through the chat interface. The partnership turns ChatGPT into a conversational storefront, extending Walmart+ perks like free shipping to in-chat purchases. After OpenAI’s partnership with Shopify, this continued expansion turns ChatGPT into a super powered Google. Read More → WSJ

The UK is delaying approval for Revolut’s full banking license over concerns that the fintech’s risk-management infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with its rapid global expansion. Regulators want Revolut to strengthen its controls before it’s allowed to take on greater liabilities and offer lending services domestically. Read More → Reuters

Google will invest $15 billion over the next five years to build a massive AI infrastructure hub in Visakhapatnam, India. The project will include a 1-gigawatt data center campus, upgraded connectivity (including a subsea cable gateway), and integration with AI platforms and models. It’s Google’s largest investment in India to date, aiming to bolster local compute capacity and support AI innovation across the region.
Read More → TechCrunch

🇦🇪 MENA startups, it’s time to wake up: cybersecurity is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s the baseline you're judged on. Investors and regulators are demanding real proof, not just hollow claims. The “fake-it-til-you-make-it,” copycats-and-hacks culture won’t fly when your network is flat, your logs last a week, and your security relies on hope. Either build real defenses now, or be prepared to lose customers, capital, and credibility. Read More → Wamda

🇺🇸 FleetWorks just raised $17 million to supercharge its AI-powered marketplace that matches truckers with cargo faster and smarter. In just six months, it’s grown to over 10,000 carriers and dozens of brokers. The fresh cash will go toward scaling operations, refining AI dispatch tools, and expanding reach across the U.S. Will they succumb to the same demise as Convoy? Or have they cracked digital trucking? Only time will tell. Read More → Techcrunch

🇫🇮 Oura, the Finnish health-tech company behind the Oura Ring smart wearable, has just raised more than $900 million led by Fidelity in a new funding round, pushing its valuation to approximately $11 billion. The capital will be used to accelerate AI and product innovation, expand global distribution, and build out new health features. Read More → Tech.eu

🇺🇸 Goldman Sachs is making a bold, game-changing move: it’s acquiring Industry Ventures for up to $965 million, signaling Wall Street’s full pivot into the private markets. The deal brings a powerhouse in venture secondaries and hybrid funds into Goldman’s fold, expanding its alternatives arm and reshaping how capital flows in the startup world. For entrepreneurs and investors alike, it’s a stark message: the traditional VC playbook is evolving, and if you’re not structuring for liquidity and depth, you risk being left behind. Read More → PE Insights

🇺🇸 Reflection AI just closed a staggering $2 billion round, catapulting its valuation to $8 billion and positioning itself as America’s open frontier AI lab aimed at taking on DeepSeek. The startup, founded by ex-DeepMind researchers, plans to release massive models trained on trillions of tokens, open up model weights, and build a scalable commercial model aligned with open intelligence. It’s a bold signal: the frontier of AI is no longer the domain of Big Tech alone. Read More → Reuters