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Startups & Venture·August 12, 2026·1 min read

Why deeptech founders are dictating term sheets in 2026 — and how you can secure a fair deal

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Deeptech founders dictating terms means capital is chasing scarce, hard IP while software multiples compress. If you’re building in atoms — chips, energy, materials — you have more leverage than you think; if you’re a fund, expect to compete on non-price terms like industrial partners, regulatory help, and patient timelines.

Startups & Venture

Stockholm-based AI coding startup Lovable raised $400M at a $13.3B valuation, up from $6.6B in December 2025, becoming one of Europe's most valuable startups

A $13.3B valuation for an AI coding startup doubles in ~8 months — that’s public-market pricing for a tool that directly threatens parts of the SaaS and dev-tools stack. If you sell to developers, assume your users will have Lovable-class assistance and ask whether your product is a feature inside that workflow or something they still need to buy separately.

Startups & Venture

Briter: Africa-focused startups raised $3.3B in H1 2026, up 73% YoY, driven by Zipline's $950M raise; US- and UAE-incorporated entities raised half the capital

A $3.3B H1 with 73% YoY growth — half of it into US- and UAE-incorporated entities — shows African markets are attracting capital while corporate domiciles remain offshore. Founders building for Africa should separate go-to-market geography from legal and capital structure, and investors need to decide where they’re actually comfortable holding jurisdiction risk.