Kestra, a French open-source platform specializing in orchestration for data, AI, infrastructure, and business workflows, has announced a $25 million Series A funding round led by RTP Global. The company has achieved remarkable growth, increasing its enterprise revenue by 25 times over the past 18 months and successfully executing more than 2 billion workflows in 2025 alone. This latest investment brings Kestra's total funding to $36 million as it continues to expand its presence in the orchestration space.
On March 31, Oracle employees in the US, India, Canada, and Mexico received unexpected termination notifications from Oracle Leadership. Estimates from TD Cowen suggest that up to 30,000 people, representing about 18% of Oracle's 162,000-strong workforce, will be affected. The move aims to free $8-10 billion to invest in expanding Oracle's AI infrastructure. Oracle has yet to confirm the exact number of job cuts.
ALSO, a Palo Alto-based small electric vehicle manufacturer, has secured $200 million in a Series C funding round led by Greenoaks. DoorDash joined the investment and entered a multi-year commercial partnership to deploy ALSO's purpose-built autonomous vehicles for last-mile deliveries. DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang will join ALSO's board as an observer. Founded as a spinout from Rivian in 2025, ALSO is poised to expand its presence in the autonomous delivery market.
Nickel-hydrogen batteries, a trusted power source for decades in space applications like the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope, are now headed for terrestrial use thanks to EnerVenue. This California-based startup recently secured $300 million to bring this advanced battery technology from orbit to everyday energy solutions on Earth.
In the early hours of Tuesday, Apple’s AI-powered feature, known as Apple Intelligence, unexpectedly appeared on iPhones across mainland China. This tool, which Apple has been working to introduce for nearly two years, briefly became visible in users’ settings menus before disappearing just as suddenly without any official announcement. This incident raises concerns about potential regulatory repercussions in a strict market environment.
Uber has announced its plan to acquire Blacklane, a global chauffeur service founded in Berlin and supported by Sixt and Mercedes-Benz. Although financial details have not been disclosed, the deal is expected to finalize by the end of 2026. This move comes shortly after Uber introduced its Uber Elite chauffeur offering, signaling the company’s strengthened focus on serving corporate and executive travel markets. The acquisition is set to enhance Uber’s position in the luxury and business travel sector.
Berlin-based Midas, a platform known for tokenising institutional investment strategies, has raised $50 million in a Series A round. Having facilitated over $1.7 billion in asset issuance and gaining EU regulatory approval to serve retail investors, Midas plans to use the funds to introduce Midas Staked Liquidity. This new liquidity layer aims to make instant redemptions a standard feature for on-chain investment products, addressing one of the key challenges in tokenised finance.
ScaleOps, a startup with roots in New York and Israel and founded by a former Run:ai engineer and professional triathlete, has experienced rapid growth exceeding 350% annually. The company has attracted notable clients including Adobe, Wiz, DocuSign, and Salesforce. Recently, ScaleOps closed a $130 million Series C funding round, valuing the company at over $800 million, with Insight Partners leading the investment.
The surge in investment toward artificial intelligence marks one of the most significant capital shifts in recent technology history, with global venture capital funding surpassing $258 billion in 2025, making up 61% of global investments. Yet, despite this influx of capital, there remains a pressing concern among investors and business leaders regarding the measurable financial returns and the substantive impact AI developments are delivering across sectors.
This week’s investment highlights reveal a fascinating range of sectors including semiconductor technology, satellite logistics, defense technology, and unique innovations like carob-based chocolate. What unites these diverse ventures is a clear investor focus on foundational infrastructure — from chip interconnects and satellite transfer mechanisms to the essential support systems behind AI advancements.
