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The official channel of V3V Ventures. We share updates on our investments, portfolio companies, and fund activities. Buy Ads: @bobbyADS (this is our only account).
🔺 Google pushes back against federal supervision of its payment arm
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it would place Google’s payment division under federal supervision, prompting Google to file a lawsuit to block this action. The supervision would subject Google to inspections similar to those conducted on major banks for potential legal violations. The CFPB recently finalized regulations extending its oversight to payment and digital wallet services, citing consumer complaints about Google’s handling of "allegedly erroneous transactions" and insufficient fraud prevention measures.
Google's lawsuit contends that the CFPB's concerns are based on a limited number of unsubstantiated complaints regarding Google Pay, which was discontinued as a standalone app in the U.S. earlier this year. A Google spokesperson described the CFPB's actions as government overreach, asserting that the peer-to-peer payment service posed no risks. Additionally, there is speculation that the CFPB's decision could be reversed under a future Trump administration, which is set to take office in January.
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🔺 Paytm sells PayPay stake to SoftBank for $279.2 million
Paytm has agreed to sell its stake in the Japanese payments firm PayPay to SoftBank for $279.2 million, part of its strategy to divest non-core assets following a difficult regulatory period earlier this year. This stake, acquired six years ago, comes after Paytm's restructuring efforts, which included selling its entertainment ticketing unit to Zomato for $246 million in August.
The sale will increase Paytm's cash reserves to $1.46 billion as it seeks to regain market share in India's competitive payments landscape, especially after regulatory restrictions in January led to a loss of customers. Since June, Paytm's shares have nearly tripled after the payments regulator allowed the company to resume customer additions to its UPI service. Paytm reported its first quarterly profit in September, largely due to asset sales.
In a statement, Paytm expressed gratitude to SoftBank and the PayPay team for their partnership in Japan, indicating a commitment to supporting PayPay's technology and product innovations moving forward. This deal also marks the conclusion of Paytm's relationship with SoftBank, which had previously divested its remaining shares in June after being an early investor through its Vision Fund.
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🚨 Uber and WeRide launch robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi
Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide have launched a commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, marking Uber's first international autonomous vehicle offering. This partnership is part of Uber's broader strategy to collaborate with various autonomous vehicle firms. Despite these initiatives, investors remain cautious about Uber's ability to compete with technology developers like Waymo and Tesla, particularly after Uber's stock fell nearly 10% following Waymo's announcement of a robotaxi service in Miami.
The initial rollout in Abu Dhabi will be limited, with specific routes between Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, and Zayed International Airport. Each vehicle will have a human safety operator initially, with plans for a fully driverless launch in 2025. Uber and WeRide will collaborate with local Tawasul Transport for fleet operations.
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⚡️ Time4 is a new Daphni-backed fund dedicated to French entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds
France's startup ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past decade, fueled by public support and private investment. However, most venture-backed startups are concentrated in Paris, with founders predominantly from a few elite universities. To address this imbalance, venture capital firm Daphni has launched Time4, a €100 million fund aimed at investing in diverse French founders from rural areas and underrepresented backgrounds.
Fundraising for Time4 began in September, driven by the belief that there is untapped economic potential among these entrepreneurs. Daphni has partnered with HEC Paris and two nonprofits, Les Déterminés and Live for Good, to provide more hands-on support and mentorship. The fund plans to invest in around 100 projects, offering larger initial investments to help founders who may lack financial backing.
Time4 also aims to inspire individuals from various backgrounds to pursue ambitious entrepreneurial goals. It will consider funding entrepreneurs from modest socioeconomic backgrounds, remote areas, jobseekers, individuals with disabilities, and those with unconventional career paths. The fund is committed to supporting projects that enhance social ties and improve access to essential services.
While Time4 has identified nearly 800 potential projects, it will not begin funding until mid-next year, targeting its first closing for that time. The initiative has been presented at Bpifrance’s Quartier Général event, coinciding with efforts by Bpifrance and other organizations to boost entrepreneurship in underserved neighborhoods. French Tech Tremplin, which supports underrepresented entrepreneurs, has recently appointed Paul Lê, whose successful grocery delivery startup La Belle Vie serves as an example of the potential for future successes in the French startup landscape.
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🔻 Vodafone and Three’s $19B merger cleared by UK regulators — with conditions
The UK's antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has approved the merger of Vodafone and Three, two of the country's four major mobile network operators. While the CMA initially had concerns that the merger could lead to higher prices and reduced investment, it has now approved the deal with certain conditions.
These include the combined company investing billions to build a 5G network across the UK and capping certain mobile tariffs for three years. The CMA's decision is notable for allowing a '4-3' merger in the mobile sector without requiring significant structural changes, demonstrating a degree of pragmatism in the belief that consumers will ultimately benefit from the increased competition between three well-resourced operators in the UK market.
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✅ Climate VCs are cautiously optimistic about a second Trump term — here’s why
While Trump has been critical of renewable energy and climate change policies, some of his proposed policies, such as deregulation and increased oil and gas extraction, could actually benefit certain climate tech industries like geothermal and nuclear power.
Investors are cautiously optimistic that the climate tech sector will continue to grow despite the change in administration, as these technologies are driven by long-term trends rather than short-term political cycles. Some climate tech companies, particularly those reliant on government subsidies or tax credits, may face challenges under a less climate-friendly administration.
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👀 US says Chinese hackers are still lurking in American phone networks
U.S. government officials revealed that the China-backed hacking group known as Salt Typhoon remains embedded in the networks of major American phone and internet providers, weeks after the hacking campaign was first disclosed. The affected telecom companies are still working to remove the hackers, whose goals are unclear.
It's suspected the hackers may be trying to spy on U.S. officials and senior Americans, including presidential candidates, as well as access wiretap systems that could identify Chinese individuals under U.S. surveillance. The U.S. government has provided guidance to telecom networks on how to strengthen their defenses against these China-backed hackers.
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📈 Asian chip stocks mostly rise, shrugging off new U.S. semiconductor export curbs on China
The export restrictions, announced in October 2022, aim to limit China's access to advanced computing chips that can be used for military purposes. However, the impact on Asian chip stocks was not as severe as expected, with many of them shrugging off the new US regulations.
This suggests that the semiconductor industry in Asia may be able to weather the effects of the US export controls on China, at least in the short term. While the long-term implications remain uncertain, the initial market reaction indicates that the Asian chip sector has some resilience in the face of these geopolitical and trade tensions between the US and China.
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🚨 Ads might be coming to ChatGPT — despite Sam Altman not being a Fan
Advertisements are being introduced on ChatGPT, despite OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's previous reluctance towards ads. Although Altman has voiced concerns about the potential negative effects of advertising on user experience, OpenAI hasn't dismissed the idea of incorporating ads into the chatbot in the future.
OpenAI is exploring various monetization strategies, including a subscription model, to ensure ChatGPT's sustainability and profitability. However, it emphasizes the ongoing debate within the AI community regarding the best monetization approaches for large language models and the potential risks associated with introducing ads into these technologies.
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💼 Elon Musk files injunction against OpenAI and Microsoft
Elon Musk’s legal battle with OpenAI heats up as his attorneys file an injunction accusing the AI giant, its leaders, and Microsoft of anticompetitive practices.
The motion seeks to pause OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit model, claiming irreparable harm to Musk’s rival AI venture, xAI.
OpenAI’s response? “Utterly without merit.” The court drama continues.
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🟢 Zomato secures $1B to fuel quick-commerce dominance
Zomato has raised $1B in its first big funding round since going public, with backing from major Indian mutual funds like Motilal Oswal and ICICI Prudential. The move positions Blinkit to lead India’s fast-growing quick-commerce market.
😁 We wonder if they deliver that street food from TikTok compilations
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💭 Building the future of AI agents – /dev/agents scores $56M seed round
AI startup /dev/agents, founded by ex-Google leaders, raised $56M at a $500M valuation to create an “Android for AI.” Their goal? A cloud-based operating system enabling AI agents to collaborate seamlessly on complex tasks.
Backed by tech heavyweights like Index Ventures, CapitalG, and OpenAI's Andrej Karpathy, their first product is expected next year, poised to revolutionize how we interact with AI. Looking forward to it.
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🎤 4 must-ask questions for founders in VC meetings
Make your VC meetings more impactful by asking these four key questions:
➖ Feedback on your pitch deck – Get immediate insights to refine your message.
➖ Requests for introductions – Leverage investor networks while interest is fresh.
➖ Resources and opinions – Tap into industry knowledge and market trends.
➖ How you can help them – Build reciprocal relationships and enhance your reputation.
These questions turn pitches into collaborative discussions, leaving a lasting impression.
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💎 How many rounds to become a unicorn?
For Spire, 18 funding rounds don’t seem that impressive when you learn the company was founded... on March 2, 1857. On the bright side, they deliver natural gas, so slow and steady wins the race.
Also interesting is the comparison between OpenAI and Anthropic, the latter only needed one round when OpenAI needed as many as 7.
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😄 a16z-backed Toka wants to help US agencies hack into security cameras and other IoT devices
U.S. government agencies often conduct legal hacking, such as the FBI wiretapping or the NSA monitoring emails. Recently, there’s been increased interest in hacking Internet of Things (IoT) devices, like security cameras. Toka, an Israeli startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz, specializes in this area and gained attention for its claims about accessing and deleting security camera footage.
Toka is currently hiring for positions aimed at expanding its business within the U.S. government, including a "Client Director USA" and a customer success engineer for federal law enforcement. The company emphasizes that it only sells to military, homeland security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies that comply with local laws.
The trend of hacking IoT devices is becoming common in defense and intelligence, with Israel recognized for its intelligence-gathering capabilities. Toka has raised $37.5 million since its founding in 2018 and has aimed to distance itself from negative associations with Israeli spyware firms by committing to work only with governments that have good records on civil liberties and corruption.
Toka's international sales are closely monitored, and while it has attended conferences in the UAE, it claims not to have clients there. The company has a review process for its client countries, assisted by external legal and financial experts.
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🫶 Fly Ventures sets its eyes on technical founders with a fresh €80M fund
Fly Ventures, a Berlin-based venture capital firm focused on seed-stage European startups in enterprise and deep tech, has launched its third fund, raising €80 million. This new fund follows a €53 million fund raised in 2020 and was reportedly oversubscribed, reflecting the firm's commitment to maintaining a boutique investment approach.
Founded by Gabriel Matuschka and Fredrik Bergenlid, Fly Ventures targets technical founders and invests between €1-4 million in initial funding rounds of €2-10 million. The firm operates with an equal-GP model among four partners located in Berlin, London, Paris, and Zurich. Matuschka noted the importance of covering key tech hubs, particularly as Paris has recently accelerated in technical advancements.
AI has represented approximately 45% of Fly's investments, with vertical applications and industrial tech accounting for 35%, and dev tools/infrastructure for 20%. The firm's portfolio includes startups like Inato, Salv, and GitGuardian, along with Wayve, which recently raised $1.05 billion for autonomous driving technology. Additionally, Fly Ventures has invested in Zurich-based Lakera and UK-based Orbital Materials, focusing on enterprise security and materials science, respectively.
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🛡 Cleerly raises $106M from Insight Partners for AI heart health early detection
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., yet many individuals who suffer heart attacks are unaware of their underlying conditions. Cleerly, a cardiovascular imaging startup founded by cardiologist James Min in 2017, aims to address this by using AI software to analyze CT scans and detect early-stage coronary artery disease, akin to cancer screenings. The company is conducting a large clinical trial to show that its screening method can identify heart conditions more accurately than traditional approaches like blood pressure and cholesterol tests.
Recently, Cleerly raised $106 million in a Series C extension round, adding to a previous $223 million raised within two years, attracting significant investor interest due to its growth potential. While the company awaits full FDA clearance for general heart screening, its algorithms are already approved for diagnosing symptomatic patients, and Medicare has approved coverage for its plaque analysis test.
Cleerly's AI-driven analysis is less invasive than traditional methods, and its software has been commercially available for four years, boasting over 100% annual growth. With recognition from health insurers and Medicare for its diagnostic method, Cleerly is well-positioned for continued growth. However, it faces competition from other companies like HeartFlow and Elucid, all aiming to screen a broader population for heart disease.
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Happy to announce that, together with KuCoin Ventures and other great VCs, we’re backing U2U Network. Wishing them a successful TGE—here are the details:
📅 TGE date: 10 AM (UTC), December 10, 2024
📍 Exchanges:
- KuCoin
- Gate.io
- MEXC
More exchange announcements coming soon!
💡 Token Breakdown:
- Ethereum: 1,000,000,000 $U2U
- U2U Mainnet: 9,000,000,000 $U2U
U2U is leading innovation in hardware and blockchain. Looking forward to their journey ahead!
🔥 AWS pledges $100M in cloud credits to help education organizations build learning tools
Amazon's has a new $100 million Education Equity Initiative, which aims to provide nonprofit organizations with cloud computing resources to build digital learning tools for underserved communities. The initiative is a departure from Amazon's previous focus on directly training teachers and students, as the company now recognizes that local organizations are best positioned to impact underserved learners.
The plan is to support hundreds of nonprofits over the next five years and help them build tools for teaching coding and computer skills. This will include providing hands-on assistance in building and scaling the applications developed by these organizations. Early partners in the program include Rocket Learning in India and Code .org, which is developing an AI teaching assistant to help teachers who are new to computer science education.
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🚨 Brian Singerman to take a step back from Founders Fund
Longtime Founders Fund partner Brian Singerman announced on X that he would be taking a step back. He will be transitioning from partner to partner emeritus to get a better “work-life balance,” although he will continue to serve as an “investor and strategic advisor” for the firm.
Singerman has been at Founders Fund for over 16 years. In his goodbye post, he wrote that he was attracted to the firm, which was launched by Peter Thiel in 2005, because it was considering a “literal moonshot” investment in SpaceX. Singerman went on to invest in companies like fintech Affirm, and health insurance company Oscar Health, both of which went public.
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🚨 ServiceTitan’s IPO keeps getting weirder
ServiceTitan, a cloud business software provider, recently filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the SEC, disclosing a price range of $52 to $57 per share. The company plans to use a significant portion of the IPO proceeds, around $311 million, to buy back all of its nonconvertible preferred stock from its investors, Saturn FD Holdings, LP, and Coatue Tactical Solutions PS. This move is intended to clean up the company's capital structure before going public.
However, ServiceTitan's IPO may be complicated by a previously agreed-upon "compounding IPO ratchet structure" with its Series H investors, which could result in the company needing to grant those investors additional shares if the IPO price falls below their original investment price of $84.57 per share.
Despite the potential complexities, the company plans to use any remaining IPO proceeds as working capital for its business operations. Analysts believe the company may ultimately price and trade its shares higher than the initial range, potentially in the high $60s or low $70s, as investment banks typically aim for an "IPO pop" to create positive headlines and excitement for the offering.
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🚨 FTC fines online retailer Goat $2M over deceptive ‘Instant’ and ‘Next Day’ orders
According to the FTC, GOAT misled consumers by advertising instant or next-day deliveries without disclosing the actual shipping times, which were often much longer. The FTC alleged that GOAT's practices violated the FTC Act's prohibition on deceptive acts or practices.
As part of the settlement, GOAT is required to clearly disclose delivery times, refund consumers affected by the deceptive practices, and implement a compliance program to prevent future violations. The case highlights the FTC's focus on ensuring online retailers provide accurate and transparent information to consumers about their products and services.
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🚨 Revenue from sales of mobile phone ringtones
Despite the significant decline, the market is still active. In the U.S., the leading four ringtone apps—Garage Ringtones, RingTune, Ringtones: for iPhone, and Zedge—collectively achieve 60 million annual downloads and generate $21 million in subscription revenue. The average user age for these apps has risen to 31-37, compared to 14-20 in 2007.
Ringtones remain popular in South Asia as well, with 93% of Google searches for “download ringtone” originating from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
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❓ Costanoa Ventures – AI's vertical revolution is here
Costanoa Ventures is riding high on AI’s evolution, seeing big potential in verticals once deemed too niche. From fish farming to first responders, they’re betting that AI-native companies can revolutionize entire industries, offering tailored solutions for unique problems.
There is definitely a future for such startups, as AI definitely needs to be given practical applications as soon as possible.
🔥 M-KOPA's fintech growth for $400M in ARR
M-KOPA, an African fintech with a massive 30,000-strong sales force, is on track to hit a $400 million annual revenue rate by the end of 2024. Offering affordable, pay-as-you-go smartphones and other products, it’s turning the tides of financial inclusion for underbanked Africans.
With its unique business model and expanding reach, M-KOPA is proving that there’s big money in serving everyday earners in emerging markets.
💵 Pathway secures $10M to advance "Live AI" for real-time learning systems
Pathway has raised $10M in seed funding, led by TQ Ventures, to develop AI systems capable of real-time updates and memory retention. Competing with Cohere and Writer in the emerging "Live AI" field, Pathway’s tools feed live data into enterprise AI platforms for up-to-date decision-making.
Already impressing clients like NATO and La Poste, Pathway’s quirky origin story involves coffee, Chicago sunshine, and a "eureka" moment during a nerdy debate. AI that thinks on its feet? We're here for it.
🌐 Anduril execs cash big checks
Defense startup Anduril, valued at $14 billion, pays its top executives millions in cash and stock, with some earning over $19M in a year. CEO Brian Schimpf, COO Matt Grimm, and co-founder Palmer Luckey lead the pack. Much of the compensation includes multi-year equity grants, showing how the startup lures top talent from tech giants like Microsoft and Tesla.
Yeah, the pay is really good. So let's leave it here just in case: https://www.anduril.com/careers/
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💲How’s Telegram doing financially?
Telegram’s leaked financials for the first half of 2024 offer some fascinating insights, especially with debt repayments looming. Let’s break it down:
➖ Revenue: $525M – a whopping 190% increase from H1 2023. But here’s the catch: $225M came from a single deal allowing Toncoin to be the exclusive currency for small business ads. That deal? Terminated in October. It's probably the next step to something bigger.
➖ Ads and Premium: Advertising brought in $120M (double last year), and premium subscriptions soared to $119M, a 4x growth.
Telegram even hit profitability, netting $335M in H1 2024 (compare that to a $173M loss in 2023). Some of this went to buy back bonds in September, but here’s the twist:
➖Toncoin Sales: Telegram sold $348M worth of Toncoin – outperforming both ads and subscriptions combined. They’re sitting on $1.3B in digital assets, largely benefiting from Toncoin’s rising value earlier this year.
President-elect Donald Trump is considering appointing an advisor to lead efforts in AI policy, as well as the government’s use of the technology, Axios reports.
The official likely won’t be Elon Musk, who has become an influential figure on Trump’s transition team, but Musk will likely play a major role in shaping AI policy as well.
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