Anthropic delays IPO marketing, NVIDIA buys Hugging Face - AI Funding Brief #81

September 08, 2026 - AI Funding Brief
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Palo Alto Networks acquired AI help desk startup Console in a deal reportedly valued at $500 million, while ServiceNow bought Israeli AI startup Sweep for a reported value in the hundreds of millions. Adobe also acquired Indian marketing automation startup Rilo, and Anthropic is reportedly nearing a $15 billion credit facility as it prepares for a possible IPO.

Jaipur Robotics, $46 million in Series A funding for Light, and a reported new round valuing AI training data company AfterQuery at $3.2 billion. Moonshot, developer of the Kimi model, has reportedly filed confidentially for a Hong Kong IPO targeting about $3 billion.
Cherubic Ventures closes $68.88 million Fund VI for AI-native startups
Cherubic Ventures closes its sixth fund at $68.88 million, bringing assets under management above $500 million. The fund will back early stage AI-native companies in sectors including healthcare and robotics. Read more
Bank of England Governor Warns G20 About AI Economic Risks
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey tells G20 finance ministers that concentrated investment in AI companies and elevated valuations could contribute to a market correction. He also calls for stronger cybersecurity protections and responsible AI deployment. Read more
TrustedRouter Raises $1.25 Million for AI Model Routing
TrustedRouter raises $1.25 million in seed funding from investors including Sam Lessin and Bill Tai. The company provides a platform for routing requests among AI models, with privacy and deployment flexibility as core features. Read more
Clipto Raises $15 Million at $250 Million Valuation
Clipto, a San Francisco startup, raises $15 million at a $250 million valuation. Its AI tools index and search video, audio, images and documents, and the company reports more than 30 million users and $15 million in annual recurring revenue. Read more
Nscale Secures $3 Billion for AI Infrastructure in Texas and North Carolina
Nscale secures about $3 billion in financing for AI infrastructure projects in Ward County, Texas, and Madison County, North Carolina. The funding supports an AI campus, colocation capacity, GPU infrastructure and networking. Read more
Details Emerge on Smack Technologies' $61 Million Funding for Military AI Device
Smack Technologies raised $61 million in a Series B round to develop Alpha, a wrist worn device designed for military use. The funding supports the company's work on tactical AI tools for national security. Read more
ALKU Acquires rockITdata to Expand AI and Healthcare IT Services
ALKU, a specialized staffing firm, acquires technology consulting firm rockITdata. The deal expands ALKU's AI, data analytics and healthcare IT services for enterprise and public sector clients. Read more
Wandercraft Seeks €100 Million Funding Round Backed by Renault
Wandercraft, a French robotics company backed by Renault, seeks about €100 million in funding, with Goldman Sachs supporting the round. The deal could value the maker of humanoid robots and exoskeletons at roughly €750 million, while Renault plans to deploy 350 robots in its factories by the end of 2027. Read more
HiddenLayer Raises $100M Series B for AI Security
HiddenLayer raises $100 million in Series B funding led by Delta-v Capital to expand its enterprise AI security platform. The company plans to develop runtime protections for AI agents and security tools for AI coding agents. Read more
Keystone Acquires Zero Gravitas for Executive AI Education
Keystone acquires Zero Gravitas, an AI executive education company serving Fortune 500 leaders. The deal adds Zero Gravitas to Keystone's AI Navigator offering, with founder Karim Lakhani joining as Chief Innovation Advisor. Read more
MulticoreWare Acquires Simulus Automation for Semiconductor and AI Infrastructure
MulticoreWare acquires semiconductor design and verification specialist Simulus Automation. The deal adds hardware design and verification capabilities to support silicon development, AI infrastructure and heterogeneous computing. Read more
SciBase approves SEK 57.5 million rights issue for US commercialisation
SciBase Holding AB approves a rights issue of up to SEK 57.5 million, backed by subscription commitments and proposed guarantees. The proceeds will primarily support US commercialisation of its Nevisense dermatology platform, with subscriptions open from 15 to 29 September 2026. Read more
Palo Alto Networks reportedly pays $500 million for Console
Palo Alto Networks reportedly acquired AI help desk automation startup Console for $500 million in cash and stock, according to sources cited by TechCrunch. The company plans to integrate Console into its Cortex security platform. Read more
Superluminal Medicines raises $60M for rare obesity drug trial
Superluminal Medicines raised $60 million in an oversubscribed Series B to fund a Phase 1 trial of its treatment for rare genetic and hypothalamic obesity, planned by the end of 2026. The financing will also support its drug pipeline and AI based GPCR discovery platform. Read more
Guardio Reaches $1.1 Billion Valuation in $40 Million Funding Round
Guardio, a Tel Aviv consumer cybersecurity company, raises $40 million at a $1.1 billion valuation. The company will use the funding to improve tools that detect phishing, scams and other threats enabled by AI. Read more
Xpect Solutions Acquires Amivero to Expand Federal AI Capabilities
Xpect Solutions acquired Amivero, combining their AI, automation, digital identity, cybersecurity, data and software development services. The combined company employs more than 450 people and serves US federal law enforcement and national security agencies. Read more
Docusign raises fiscal 2027 guidance as IAM reaches 15.1% of ARR
Docusign reported second quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $875.7 million, up 9% from a year earlier, and increased its full year revenue, ARR growth and IAM guidance. IAM represented 15.1% of total ARR as of July 31, 2026, as the company introduced Iris powered AI agent tools and additional integrations. Read more
Moonshot files confidentially for Hong Kong IPO seeking $3 billion
Moonshot, the Beijing based developer of the Kimi large language model, confidentially files for a Hong Kong initial public offering that could raise about $3 billion. Its reported $50 billion funding round valuation, along with the offering size, may change based on approvals and market conditions. Read more
Adobe acquires Indian AI startup Rilo
Adobe acquires Rilo, an Indian startup that develops AI agents for marketing and go to market tasks. Financial terms for the acquisition were not disclosed. Read more
Cheche Group reports first half 2026 results amid restructuring
Cheche Group reports first half 2026 revenue fell 34.4% to RMB885.0 million as it shifted toward higher margin segments, while gross margin increased to 6.5%. The company recorded a RMB44.1 million net loss, introduced AI products for new energy vehicle insurance, and lowered its full year revenue forecast. Read more
Anthropic nears $15bn credit facility ahead of IPO
Anthropic is reportedly close to increasing its revolving credit facility to $15 billion, exceeding its earlier $10 billion target. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are leading the financing and may also lead the company’s planned IPO. Read more
XDOF in talks for Series B at about $1.2B valuation
XDOF, a robotics data startup, is reportedly in late stage talks to raise a Series B led by 8VC at a valuation of about $1.2 billion. The company provides teleoperation and human movement data for AI and robotics training, and reports annualized revenue approaching $50 million. Read more
ServiceNow acquires Israeli AI startup Sweep
ServiceNow acquires Israeli AI startup Sweep in a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Sweep provides agentic tools for go to market operations across ServiceNow, Salesforce and HubSpot. Read more
Swiss Jaipur Robotics raises €4.3 million for India expansion
Jaipur Robotics raises €4.3 million in a seed round co-led by EquityPitcher Ventures and High-Tech Gründerfonds. The Swiss company will fund product development, hiring, international sales and expansion in India for its computer vision systems used in waste-to-energy plants. Read more
Cato raises €6 million for Italian tender software
Cato, a Milan based AI company, raises €6 million in a round led by Keen Venture Partners, bringing total funding to €7.6 million. Its software tracks Italian public tenders and helps companies identify requirements and prepare bids. Read more
iPronics raises $125 million for AI data center optical networking
iPronics raises $125 million in a Series B round co led by Maverick Silicon and Light Street Capital, with NVIDIA among participating investors. The company will use the funding to expand production and deployments of its ONE optical networking platform, and open an office in Santa Clara. Read more
Zeit AI raises €5M for AI data engineering platform
Zeit AI raises €5 million to expand ZeitMind, an AI agent that automates data engineering tasks for Europe’s mid market. The company plans to hire engineers and supports connections to ERP, CRM and more than 600 other systems through German data centres. Read more
Veridue raises $4 million for renewable energy due diligence AI
Veridue raised $4 million in pre seed funding to expand its AI platform for due diligence on renewable energy and data centre deals. The round was led by Episode 1 Ventures, with several other investors participating. Read more
Atira raises $17.5 million for industrial sales AI platform
Atira raises $17.5 million across seed and pre seed funding to automate sales engineering for industrial companies. Its AI agents handle quotation requests, technical documentation and pricing across existing business systems, while routing unanswered questions to human experts. Read more
Enovis Makes Binding Offer to Acquire eCential Robotics
Enovis Corporation makes a binding offer to acquire surgical robotics developer eCential Robotics. The proposed deal would add the FDA cleared Op.n platform for spine surgery to Enovis' ASTRA portfolio, subject to regulatory approvals and an expected fourth quarter 2026 closing. Read more
Medtronic Invests Up to $80 Million in Pi-Cardia
Medtronic invests up to $80 million in Pi-Cardia and becomes the exclusive global distributor for its ShortCut device, used in valve in valve TAVR procedures. The agreement also gives Medtronic an option to acquire Pi-Cardia. Read more
Light Raises $46 Million to Expand Embedded Electricity Services
Light, an Austin based power company, raises $46 million in Series A funding led by Matrix. The company provides a platform for businesses to offer electricity services while Light manages compliance and customer support. Read more
Insilico Medicine Joins HKEX Tech 100 Index
Insilico Medicine will join the HKEX Tech 100 Index on September 14, following trading close on September 11. The AI drug discovery company reported $106 million in first half 2026 revenue and said its drug candidate Rentosertib has entered Phase III trials. Read more
AfterQuery reportedly reaches $3.2B valuation
AfterQuery, a San Francisco AI training data startup, reportedly raised funding at a $3.2 billion valuation, up from $300 million in April. The company works with professionals to train AI models and lists Nvidia, Legora, and Motif Technologies as customers. Read more
London-based AI Score raises $5.4M for AI governance platform
AI Score, a London-based AI governance company, raises $5.4 million in seed funding led by Fuel Ventures. The company will develop tools for organisations to monitor and control generative and agentic AI use. Read more
OpenAI Receives $5.5 Billion in SB Energy Warrants
OpenAI received warrants valued at about $5.5 billion in power infrastructure firm SB Energy, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report comes as SB Energy considers an IPO and receives investment from Nvidia and SoftBank Group. Read more
New Constructs Warns on $1.2 Trillion in AI Infrastructure Spending
New Constructs projects that five major cloud operators will spend $1.2 trillion on AI infrastructure by 2027. Its report says investors should assess whether companies can generate economic profit from AI services, rather than focusing only on infrastructure capacity. Read more
Tyfone Acquires ATTUNE for AI Powered Digital Banking
Tyfone acquires ATTUNE to add account opening, loan origination and customer engagement tools to its digital banking platform. The combined offering is intended for community financial institutions seeking to consolidate these operations. Read more
Empirik Launches With $21 Million to Predict Tech Outages
Empirik, a startup incubated by Sequoia Capital, launches as an independent company with $21 million in seed funding. The company tracks infrastructure changes to help engineering teams identify potential system outages before they occur. Read more
LeanTaaS Acquires Aidin for AI Patient Flow Management
LeanTaaS acquires care transition platform Aidin to combine hospital capacity management with post acute care coordination. Aidin supports more than 200 hospitals and coordinates over two million referrals each year. Read more
Tradr ETFs Files Long and Short Anthropic ETFs Ahead of IPO
Tradr ETFs filed with the SEC for leveraged long and inverse short funds tied to Anthropic shares. The proposed ETFs would begin trading shortly after Anthropic's IPO. Read more
Wonderful Raises $550 Million at $5 Billion Valuation
Israeli Dutch AI startup Wonderful raises $550 million in a funding round led by Insight Partners, valuing the company at $5 billion. The company develops AI systems for customer support and business process automation. Read more
NVIDIA confirms $12.93 billion Hugging Face acquisition
NVIDIA confirms its agreement to acquire Hugging Face for $12.93 billion. Hugging Face will retain its brand and remain open to models, cloud services and accelerators from other providers. Read more
Blue Voice raises $6M for AI police policy guidance
Blue Voice raises $6 million to expand its AI platform, which gives police officers real time access to department specific laws and protocols. The company says the tool is used by agencies in 25 US states. Read more
Norbert Health Raises $14 Million for AI Robotic Nursing Assistants
Norbert Health raises $14 million in Series A funding, led by William A. Marino of Cardinal Group, to develop AI powered robotic assistants for nurses. The robots capture vital signs, conduct assessments and document patient interactions in healthcare settings. Read more
Anthropic to Release IPO Prospectus After Labor Day
Anthropic will publicly release its IPO prospectus after Labor Day, advancing its plans for a public listing. The disclosure follows the company's confidential IPO filing in June 2026. Read more
Salute to Acquire T5 Operations for AI and Cloud Data Centers
Salute announces a definitive agreement to acquire T5 Operations, expanding its facility management and operations services for AI, high performance computing and cloud data centers. The deal broadens Salute's operational footprint for hyperscalers and other major data center operators. Read more
SLB acquires Kelvion for $4.1 billion to expand data center business
SLB will acquire thermal management provider Kelvion for $4.1 billion, including cash and assumed debt. The deal expands SLB's data center infrastructure business as AI investment increases demand for cooling systems. Read more
BUUU Group to acquire 60% of Brightray Science for AI data centers
BUUU Group agrees to acquire a 60% stake in modular data center provider Brightray Science, which will become a consolidated subsidiary. The company also signs financing agreements that could raise more than US$60 million, subject to closing conditions, warrant exercises and regulatory approvals. Read more
Fambot Raises $3.5 Million for AI Family Assistant
Fambot raises $3.5 million in pre-seed funding to develop an AI powered assistant for family task and responsibility management. The product is positioned as a "chief of staff" for households. Read more
Tripo AI raises 3 billion yuan for generative 3D technology
Tripo AI secured about 3 billion yuan across its Series B and Series B+ funding rounds, led by MPCi. The company will use the capital to develop 3D native foundation models and infrastructure following the release of Tripo P2.0. Read more
AIR raises $50 million for AI agent tool security
AIR raises $50 million to build a platform for vetting the skills and add-ons used by AI agents. The company serves more than 20 customers, mainly in regulated industries. Read more
Shein Lists in Hong Kong as AI and Robotics Fuel China IPOs
Shein plans to raise $1.7 billion through a Hong Kong listing as Chinese public offerings gain momentum. Investor interest in artificial intelligence, chips and robotics has also supported strong debuts for CXMT and Unitree. Read more
Mech-Mind Robotics Lists on Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Mech-Mind Robotics listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 1, 2026, becoming the first embodied intelligence company to do so. The robotics components provider debuted with a market capitalization of HK$12.71 billion. Read more
Happiest Minds and ITC Infotech merge for AI focused services
Happiest Minds Technologies and ITC Infotech plan to merge, creating a technology services company with more than 19,000 employees and over 800 customers in 30 countries. The share swap transaction requires regulatory approval, and the combined company targets $1 billion in revenue by fiscal year 2028. Read more
Palo Alto Networks Acquires Console for AI Security Operations
Palo Alto Networks acquires Console, an AI native security operations platform. The company plans to incorporate its capabilities into Cortex to support faster threat analysis and response. Read more
Aranya raises $11M for AI inference infrastructure
Aranya raises $11 million across seed and pre-seed rounds to develop its multicluster operating system for AI workloads. The company says the platform can turn bare metal hardware into production-ready clusters within 48 hours and plans to expand its team. Read more
Aitan Raises $41 Million for Robotic Defense Systems
Aitan raises $41 million in a round co led by Deep33 and Dell Technologies Capital. The funding will support development and international expansion of its edge AI robotic defense systems for allied nations. Read more
S&P Global Completes datacenterHawk Acquisition
S&P Global completes its acquisition of datacenterHawk, a provider of data center and infrastructure market intelligence. The company will combine datacenterHawk's data with S&P Global Energy's insights to expand analysis of AI infrastructure markets. Read more
Medly AI raises $8 million for AI tutoring expansion
Medly AI, a UK exam preparation startup, raises $8 million in seed funding led by Felix Capital. The company will use the funding to develop its AI tutor, grow its user community and expand internationally. Read more
Plan A Technologies Acquires AI Tool for Technical M&A Due Diligence
Plan A Technologies acquires a proprietary AI assessment tool to support technical due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. The company says the tool will help investors assess complex technology environments and identify transaction risks and opportunities. Read more
Konko AI Raises $6 Million for Healthcare Platform in Latin America
Konko AI raises $6 million in a round led by Hi Ventures, with participation from LifeX Ventures and SquareOne Capital. The company will use the funding to develop its AI healthcare platform, which has handled more than 2 million patient interactions across 90 Latin American institutions. Read more
Lyte Raises $165M Series C at $1.6B Valuation
Lyte, a Sunnyvale physical AI company, raises $165 million in a Series C led by Maverick Silicon, valuing it at $1.6 billion. The funding will support production of its custom silicon and LyteVision perception platform, along with expansion into robotics and industrial deployments. Read more
Anthropic delays IPO marketing to mid October
Anthropic is expected to file its IPO prospectus in late September and begin marketing the offering no earlier than mid October. Investors have discussed a valuation of up to $2 trillion as the company finalizes a $15 billion revolving credit facility. Read more
Thyme Care Raises More Than $125 Million for AI Oncology Expansion
Thyme Care raises more than $125 million in Series E funding led by Morgan Health, with participation from Humana, CVS Health Ventures, and other investors. The company plans to expand its AI driven cancer care services and create Thyme Companies to develop additional cancer care businesses. Read more
Airbility Raises KRW 6.5 Billion for AI Counter Drone Systems
Airbility raises KRW 6.5 billion in Series A funding led by Sazze Partners to commercialize high speed electric VTOL counter drone systems. The company plans to expand production and launch several interceptor models by 2027. Read more
CollPlant Completes LightSolver Acquisition for Photonic Computing
CollPlant Biotechnologies completes its acquisition of Israeli deep tech company LightSolver, expanding into photonic and high performance computing. The company issued shares and pre funded warrants, and invested $5 million to support LightSolver's laser based computing platform and commercialization. Read more
Flex to acquire EPC Power for $4.4 billion
Flex agrees to acquire EPC Power for $4.4 billion, pending regulatory approval and other closing conditions. The deal adds power conversion technology for AI data centers and grid applications to Flex's Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment, which the company plans to spin off in 2027. Read more
Accel reportedly discusses $1B Thinking Machines funding round
Accel is reportedly in talks to lead a $1 billion funding round for Thinking Machines, the AI lab founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. The round could value the company at $40 billion or more, following its prior $2 billion raise. Read more
Atoms reportedly discusses robotaxi technology with Uber
Atoms, founded by Travis Kalanick, is reportedly expanding its autonomous vehicle work through hiring and acquisitions. The company has discussed potential robotaxi technology use with investor Uber and acquired autonomous mining firm Pronto. Read more
Outline raises $3 million for AI financial planning agents
Outline, a Paris startup, raises $3 million in seed funding led by Founders Future to develop AI agents for financial planning and analysis. The company says its tools are used by 10 paying customers as alternatives to spreadsheet based forecasting. Read more

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