Tech Startups

• On July 13, 2026, the tech industry is facing a convergence of AI hardware advancements, new model releases, and increased regulatory pressure. • Meta has officially moved its custom silicon into production, while OpenAI has launched its latest model family following intense government scrutiny. • These developments signal a shift toward vertical integration in AI hardware and a tightening relationship between frontier AI labs and global regulators.

• Tencent has officially released Hy3, a 295-billion-parameter AI model, following a preview launch in April. • The model is being released under the Apache 2.0 license, positioning it as a competitor to other leading Chinese models like GLM-5.1 and GLM-5.2. • This move strengthens China's open-model ecosystem, allowing developers and startups to build AI products without relying on closed U.S. systems.

• Dutch security startup Dawnguard extended its pre-seed funding round by $3.3 million to develop an AI-driven platform that harmonizes security and engineering. • Germany's Quantum Systems raised $1.2 billion to build autonomous systems for European militaries, addressing critical concerns regarding the continent's technological and defense sovereignty. • The weekly wrap also highlights updates from several other tech firms, including chip developers Etched and OXMIQ, as well as Together AI and 8090.

• India's net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has experienced a sharp decline, crashing from $28 billion to just $1 billion over a two-year period. • This downturn occurs despite gross FDI inflows reaching a record high of $94.5 billion in FY26, indicating a significant gap between incoming and outgoing capital. • The trend is concerning as it suggests that while new investments are entering the country, a larger volume of capital is being repatriated or withdrawn by foreign investors.

• On July 3, 2026, major AI players announced strategic shifts, including OpenAI offering an equity stake to the US government. • Meta is expanding its business model by preparing to rent out its own AI compute resources to third parties. • Google's data centers have caused a record 37% surge in electricity consumption, highlighting the growing environmental and infrastructure strain of AI.

• Conduct CEO JP Haas announced that the AI operating system startup has successfully raised $60 million in Series A funding. • The weekly "STACKUP" wrap also highlights recent developments and milestones from other tech startups, including Odyssey, NewCore, and Verse. • These funding rounds signal continued investor interest in AI infrastructure and specialized operating systems despite a volatile venture capital market.

• NinjaOne President and Co-Founder Chris Matarese discussed the company's recent $400 million Series C funding extension. • The IT management platform is focusing its growth strategy on advancing patch management and integrating artificial intelligence into its services. • The funding highlights NinjaOne's scaling efforts and its strategic approach to selecting financial partners to sustain long-term growth.