Grab to Buy Most of Atome for $1.49 Billion to Spur Lending Push
THE SO WHAT
Grab spending $1.49 billion for control of Atome is a clear signal: super-apps in Southeast Asia see credit and BNPL as the next growth engine. If you operate in this region, expect tighter integration between ride-hailing, commerce, and lending—and more competition for consumer credit attention.
READ THE SOURCE
MORE FROM THE WIRE
Startups & VentureJack & Jill raises $40M to put an AI agent on both sides of the hiring table
$40M for Jack & Jill’s two-sided hiring agents is a bet that recruiters and candidates will both accept AI as the primary interface for screening and negotiation. If you run talent acquisition, assume your funnel will increasingly be mediated by agents—your differentiation shifts to proprietary signals, assessment design, and how your own stack plugs into these intermediaries.
Startups & VentureGoldman, Templeton, Fidelity Said to Plan Buying Into NSE IPO
Global asset managers lining up as anchor investors for the NSE IPO underscores how central India’s capital markets have become to global allocation. If you’re building fintech or trading infrastructure, treat NSE connectivity and India-specific compliance as first-class product requirements, not edge cases.
Startups & VentureThe top 10 investors across DACH & CEE
Capital in DACH & CEE is concentrating around a small set of repeat lead investors—if you’re operating there, your fundraising odds are increasingly path-dependent on getting in front of this short list early. Map which of these funds actually lead vs. follow and tune your process accordingly.
Startups & VentureExclusive: Lovable, Supercell, Langdock founders back Zero in $10.3m seed round
$10.3M at seed with founders from Lovable, Supercell, and Langdock on the cap table says the bar for “AI-native” product teams is rising—distribution and category insight matter as much as model tricks. If you’re competing in the same wedge, assume you’re up against operator-grade GTM from day one.