VCs still love robots

Plus, $105M for autonomous vehicles November 8, 2023 Hi, {NAME}. Perhaps in some distant, dystopian future, the robots will rule over humanity. But in the meantime, how about a robot that can pick the dirty socks up from the floor or lend a hand with those dishes in the sink? Such visions of [helpful AI counterparts continue to draw funding to the robotics sector]( including a larger recent raise for a company that says its AI-enabled robot is capable of vacuuming and mopping on demand, detecting messes and skirting clutter. 🤖 [The robots are still rising, albeit with less funding]( Relatively speaking, robotics remains a popular sector for venture dealmaking, [Crunchbase data shows](. While total funding is lower, the percentage of venture capital going to startups in the space hasn’t changed much since the peak, with investors backing concepts that include grocery e-commerce automation and a robot vacuum that doesn’t require you to first remove toys, clutter and other obstacles from the floor. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [2023 Robotics Funding]( 🚗 [Autonomous vehicle startup May Mobility locks up another $105M]( Just a couple weeks after [Cruise]( announcement it will suspend its self-driving taxi program rocked the autonomous vehicle industry, another startup has raised big money from some big-name investors. 📉 [Quantitative benchmarking: A competitive edge for entrepreneurs]( Why should entrepreneurs move from qualitative and focus on quantitative benchmarking? Startup adviser [Itay Sagie]( delves into three critical pain points startup founders might face when conducting competitive analysis and benchmarking. 💰 [Funding may be slow, but these investors got busy]( Startup investment continues to be spotty, with October [dipping below the already-subdued monthly averages]( we’ve seen this year. But some investors are picking up the pace a bit. We look at the 10 most active U.S. startup investors last month. 🥣 [5 food startup trends investors are salivating for right now]( VCs continue to invest in startups reinventing the things we eat and drink in new ways, from new-and-improved versions of things we already enjoy — coffee, breakfast cereal, fine whiskey — to avant-garde new concepts like seafood alternatives made from microbial fermentation. [Crunchbase ROI Calculator]( [See the number of new accounts Crunchbase can add to your funnel with our advanced prospecting ROI calculator powered by Crunchbase data.]( [Calculate]( Recent Investments [Clearwater Analytics]( [$350M]( / [Post-IPO Equity]( Clearwater Analytics offers a solution that automates the investment lifecycle, offering portfolio planning, performance reporting and more. Categories: Accounting • Analytics • Data Integration • InsurTech Founders: [David Boren]( [Douglas Bates]( [Michael Boren]( [Princeton NuEnergy]( [$16M]( / [Series A]( Princeton NuEnergy is a clean-tech startup focused on direct recycling technology for lithium-ion batteries. Categories: Advanced Materials • Battery • CleanTech • Recycling Founders: [Bruce Koel]( [Chao Yan]( [Xiaofang Yang]( [Yiguang Ju]( Investors: [Wistron Corporation]( (Lead), [Greenland Technologies Holding]( [GS Futures]( [+ 4 more]( [Primer]( [Unknown]( / [Corporate Round]( Primer provides unified global payment and commerce infrastructure, enhancing ecosystem visibility. Categories: E-Commerce • FinTech • Mobile Payments • Payments • Software Founders: [Gabriel Le Roux]( [Paul Anthony]( Investors: [Tencent]( (Lead) More Fundings Company Amount / Round Lead Investor [Corebridge Financial]( $1.0B / [Post-IPO Secondary]( - [Refurbed]( 54M EUR / [Series C]( [C4 Ventures]( [Smodin]( $36M / [Venture Round]( - [All Recent Funding Activity]( Recent Acquisitions [Guidehouse]( Pending acquisition by [Bain Capital Private Equity]( for $5.3B More Acquisitions Company Acquired By Amount [Playmaker Capital]( [Better Collective]( 176M EUR [All Recent Acquisition Activity]( Upcoming Tech Events [FP&A Summit London 2023]( November 22 - 23, 2023 You'll network with like-minded finance experts to benchmark your processes, rejuvenate your strategies and accelerate your career growth. Accelerator Deadlines Date Accelerator Location Nov 8, 2023 [Numeri Ventures]( Unknown Nov 10, 2023 [SHRMLabs]( Alexandria [More Upcoming Deadlines]( Don’t see your event? Reach out to us at events@crunchbase.com. #{Rails.configuration.daily.cb_url} Discover innovative companies and the people behind them. [Follow Us on Crunchbase]( [View Jobs on LinkedIn]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Like Us on Facebook]( 564 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94104 © 2023 Crunchbase Inc. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Unsubscribe]( from Crunchbase Daily.