Slash Financial Raises $100M Series C at $1.4B Valuation for AI Banking Platform

• American Express acquired Hyper, an AI startup specializing in automating expense categorization, compliance, and reporting. • Hyper's agent-based technology supports multistep workflows with minimal human input, targeting corporate finance teams. • The deal bolsters AmEx's commercial services amid surging demand for AI in financial operations.

• OpenAI has agreed to spend more than $20 billion over the next three years on Cerebras-powered server capacity, marking a significant infrastructure investment for the AI company. • The arrangement could also grant OpenAI warrants for a minority stake in Cerebras, with the commitment roughly double the size of OpenAI's previously reported chipmaker agreement. • This massive compute deal reflects intensifying competition in AI infrastructure as companies race to secure specialized chip capacity for training and deploying large language models.

• Fortra announced the launch of its new Defense and Intelligence Unit (DIU) on April 16, 2026, from Minneapolis to deliver integrated cyber solutions to defense and national security organizations worldwide. • The unit focuses on cross-domain cyber innovation, AI-powered capabilities, and mission expertise for critical infrastructure and allied nations. • This development strengthens US cybersecurity posture amid rising global threats to defense sectors.

• Anthropic announced a new frontier AI model on April 16, 2026, capable of advanced performance that sent shockwaves through the tech industry. • Investors reacted negatively, resuming an AI-driven slump in software stocks as the model's capabilities raised concerns over market dynamics. • The release highlights ongoing US AI breakthroughs and their immediate impact on Wall Street valuations.

• China's government investigation into Meta Platforms' acquisition of Manus has created uncertainty among Chinese AI startup founders seeking exit opportunities. • The probe has disrupted what was previously considered a popular exit pathway for Chinese AI startups, casting a shadow over international investment and acquisition strategies. • The regulatory scrutiny reflects China's heightened focus on controlling technology transfers and foreign acquisitions of strategic Chinese tech assets.

• NTT Research unveiled SaltGrain, a new data security suite designed to break the traditional all-or-nothing file-access model and enhance privacy protection. • The platform addresses existing cybersecurity gaps by enabling granular access control through advanced attribute-based encryption technology. • SaltGrain represents a significant advancement in data protection capabilities, offering enterprises more sophisticated control over sensitive information access and sharing.

• Cal.com co-founder Peer Richelsen stated on April 15, 2026, in San Francisco that AI has upended open source security, forcing commercial apps to close code for data protection. • Anthropic's Mythos model in early April demonstrated breaching secure systems like OpenBSD, exposing open source vulnerabilities. • Third-party experts like Hex Security CEO Huzaifa Ahmad note open source apps are 5-10 times easier to exploit than closed source.

• Procure.ai raised $13 million in funding to develop AI-native procurement planning tools for modern businesses, signaling investor focus on vertical AI in 2026. • The investment reflects growing interest in specialized AI solutions over general models, amid recent vertical AI funding surges. • This funding enables expansion of procurement optimization features for enterprises facing supply chain complexities.

• Israeli startup Capsule Security launched on April 15, 2026, with $7 million in funding to secure AI agents at runtime, founded by Naor Paz and Lidan Hazout. • The platform monitors AI agent actions in real time, enforces guardrails during the runtime gap between prompt and execution to prevent manipulation or data exfiltration. • Capsule disclosed two zero-day vulnerabilities in major agent platforms, highlighting risks in current AI security infrastructure.

• NTT Research in Sunnyvale, California, launched Scale Academy on April 15, 2026, an incubator led by SVP Bennett Indart to commercialize lab technologies from NTT divisions. • The first product, SaltGrain, is a zero-trust data security suite using attribute-based encryption (ABE) developed by NTT's Cryptography lab director Dr. Amit Sahai and Dr. Brent Waters. • Scale Academy aims to accelerate breakthrough products for market, focusing on quantum-safe security amid rising threats.

• Andreessen Horowitz has successfully closed a $15 billion fund dedicated to artificial intelligence startups, representing one of the largest venture capital commitments to the AI sector. • The fund targets investment opportunities across healthcare, enterprise software, and robotics sectors, focusing on companies leveraging generative AI technologies. • The massive capital commitment reflects continued investor confidence in AI-driven innovation despite broader market dynamics and demonstrates venture capital's long-term commitment to the generative AI space.