Crunchbase

In an interview with Crunchbase News, Jacobsohn discusses where he still sees openings in the crowded market for finance software, how far companies should trust AI with accounting work, why HR startups may be better off attacking the secondary products of large platforms, and why he tests a CEO's sales ability before investing.

Guest author Alberto Onetti, chairman of Mind the Bridge, shares how South Korea’s rise to the world’s eighth-largest national innovation ecosystem shows how sustained government investment, startup programs, regulatory reforms and deep-tech policies can transform an economy over time.

A total of 29 companies joined The Crunchbase Unicorn Board in August, adding around $63 billion in value to the board. More than a third of the companies to join last month were under 3 years old, underscoring how quickly some of today's best-funded startups are reaching multibillion-dollar valuations.

Iman Abuzeid, co-founder and CEO of Incredible Health. (Courtesy photo) An M.D. who chose not to practice A mismatch in healthcare hiring

AI itself is no longer a durable differentiator, argues guest author SC Moatti of Mighty Capital, who says he strongest startup moats are counter-positioning and network economies.

It was a monster week for U.S. startup funding, with four companies each raising $1 billion or more. Elon Musk 's tunnel-drilling company The Boring Co. led with a $3 billion Series D, followed by AI coding startup Cognition at $2 billion. Joining them near the top was fleet management software provider Motive , which landed $1.3 billion, while reusable rocket developer Stoke Space raised another $1 billion.

We ranked August’s most active startup investors across several categories, including lead backers, prolific venture dealmakers, highest spenders and seed investors, which were once again dominated by familiar names.

The standard four-year founder vesting schedule can leave departed founders with large equity stakes, complicating financing and control, and prompting costly litigation aimed at reclaiming shares. Guest author David Siegel, a partner at Grellas Shah LLP, shares ways startups can reduce these risks.

Startups across sales, marketing and customer management have raised $7.5 billion so far this year, according to Crunchbase data. The largest rounds span everything from advertising and customer data to sales software, e-commerce and customer support — reflecting just how many companies are still trying to build a better way to market and sell.

AI startups are reaching massive valuations and liquidity events so quickly that young founders and employees often acquire life-changing wealth before they are prepared to manage it. Ron Honig of From-Honig Family Office, advises that the company's financial plans should remain flexible, balancing long-term security with future opportunities.