Neura Robotics raises $55M round, says customers have placed $450M in orders

Today’s top story is about Neura Robotics. Its strategy to deliver more robots puts it in a class of very few, and that helps in the funding department, too. The company picked up $55 million to ramp up in the area of cognitive robotics. Read more.

It’s also the moment (some of) you have been waiting for: Unity’s Apple Vision Pro game development tool opens in beta. Find out how you can join in.

Meanwhile, Netflix is following up on the removal of its basic subscription plan in Canada by getting rid of its basic tier in both the U.S. and the U.K. See how this might affect you.

Staying overseas for a moment, the United Kingdom’s competition authority plans to give a green light to Broadcom’s $69 billion VMware acquisition. The deal is now one step closer.

And large language models need some love, too, which is where Unstructured comes in. It raised $25 million to continue developing its tools to prep enterprise data for LLMs. Read more.

More top reads

TechCrunch Disrupt is coming quickly! Here’s your look at the agenda for the brand-new Hardware Stage. Like what you see? There’s still time to get your ticket. And a chance to meet me!

“I tried to buy a post on TechCrunch.com”: Find out what happens when Haje interacts with scammers who can promise a post on TechCrunch.

Wearing WhatsApp: Meanwhile, WhatsApp launches a stand-alone smartwatch app for Wear OS.

Taking a bite out of the competition: Move over OpenAI and Google, Apple is testing a ChatGPT-like AI chatbot.

Seeing how this new funding fits: Korean fashion platform Musinsa bags a $190 million Series C, led by KKR, at a $2.7 billion valuation.

Hey, what’s that in the background?: Google is experimenting with AI-generated backgrounds on Meet.

Speaking of AI: FedML raises $11.5 million to combine MLOps tools with a decentralized AI computer network.

More layoffs: Reliance-backed Dunzo, an Indian hyperlocal delivery startup, defers staff pay amid a search for funding.

Playing it SAFE: Eight VCs say they are still bullish on SAFE rounds, but it’s not 2021 anymore. (TC+)

It only takes a drop: Intel Capital and Khosla Ventures led a $27 million investment into SiPhox Health’s at-home blood-testing tech.

Give it space: Satellite imagery company Umbra is a Silicon Valley outsider — they prefer it that way.

If you enjoy learning new languages: Preply, the language app known for its live tutors, closes out a Series C at $120 million and doubles down on AI.

Beats users will want to hear this: After five years, Beats Studio 3’s replacement is finally here.

Get in sync with your customers: Hightouch, which helps companies sync customer data across systems, lands $38 million.

Protect what’s yours: Nigeria’s MyCover.ai takes in new funding to scale its open insurance API platform.

SAP gets into a spending mode: The consulting giant invested in generative AI startups Anthropic, Cohere and Aleph Alpha.

Is there such thing as a “crypto summer”?: If so, we might be seeing it with the way valuations are going. Case in point: The team behind crypto privacy protocol Manta Network is now valued at $500 million.

Wild blue yonder: Big Sky Capital debuts its $20 million fund to invest in enterprise SaaS startups.

Way more for your Wednesday:

TikTok is where young LGBTQ people of color feel the safest online

As Egnyte continues to grow steadily, an IPO seems like the inevitable conclusion (TC+)

Microsoft, Activision give themselves three more months to close their mega-merger

As growth becomes more elusive, a new set of software product benchmarks emerges (TC+)

Former NHTSA head blasts Cruise’s ‘Humans are terrible drivers’ ad

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Fintech valuations have fallen. Where do they go from here?

Investors were hungry for fintech startups like Stripe three years ago, but a closer look at the secondary market shows that valuations have plummeted, report Mary Ann Azevedo and Rebecca Szkutak.

“Other people who are hanging on to their valuation are probably going to take longer to hit the bottom and find their way back up and have momentum,” said Greg Martin, co-founder and managing director at Rainmaker Securities.

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