Heatseeker AI Raises $1.5M to Disrupt Market Research with Real-Time Insights

Australian startup Heatseeker AI has secured $1.5M in US-led pre-seed funding to scale its behavioral research platform. With clients like Medibank, Tyro, and Bain, the platform captures real-time customer behavior. Led by ex-Cisco innovator Kate O’Keeffe, the team runs product in Australia and sales from the US—mirroring Atlassian and Canva’s global playbook.

Read more on:Innovationaus

Perplexity Unveils ‘Perplexity Labs’ to Expand Beyond Search with AI-Powered Productivity Tools

Perplexity has launched Perplexity Labs for Pro subscribers, enabling users to create reports, dashboards, web apps, and more using AI. Available on web and mobile, Labs boosts functionality with tools like code execution and data visualization. The move strengthens Perplexity’s enterprise appeal, aligning with reports of a potential $1B raise at an $18B valuation.

Read more on:TechCrunch

Snabbit Secures $19M to Accelerate Quick Service Expansion

Mumbai-based Snabbit has raised $19M in a Series B round led by Lightspeed, bringing its 2024 total to $24.5M. The quick service startup, now active in 10 micro-markets, plans to expand to 200+ in 9 months. Founder Aayush Agarwal cites strong traction in Mumbai and Bengaluru as the driver behind this aggressive growth push.

Read more on:YourStory

NVIDIA Smashes Expectations with $44.1B Q1 Revenue, Despite China Chip Setback

NVIDIA kicked off fiscal 2026 with a record-breaking $44.1 billion in Q1 revenue, up 69% year-over-year, led by explosive demand in its data center business—which alone contributed $39.1 billion, or 88% of total sales. Even as U.S. export curbs hit shipments of its H20 AI chips to China, NVIDIA still pulled in $4.6 billion from those chips before the licensing kicked in.

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Horizon3.ai Raises $73M+ Toward $100M Goal Amid Rapid Growth

Cybersecurity startup Horizon3.ai has secured over $73M toward a $100M raise, reportedly valuing it near $750M. Backed by NEA, the AI-powered threat detection firm boasts $30M ARR and 101% YoY growth. Following its FedRAMP approval, Horizon3.ai continues expanding in federal and enterprise sectors, mirroring NEA’s recent Veza investment and riding rising demand for automated cyber defense.

Read more on:TechCrunch

WordPress Forms Dedicated AI Team to Drive Open Innovation

WordPress has launched a new AI Team to lead and unify artificial intelligence development across its ecosystem. The team aims to accelerate innovation through plugin-first experimentation, ensure responsible integration, and uphold WordPress values. Backed by contributors from Automattic, Google, and 10up, this move positions WordPress to shape AI in an open, community-driven way.

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Meta Reshapes AI Teams to Boost Product Rollout Amid Intense Competition

Meta is restructuring its AI division into two focused teams—AI Products and AGI Foundations—to speed up innovation. While no layoffs occurred, leadership shifts aim to boost efficiency. This move comes amid rising competition from OpenAI, Google, and ByteDance, as well as recent talent losses to rivals like Mistral.

Read more on:Axios

Claude Launches Voice Mode for Hands-Free AI Conversations

Claude’s mobile app now features Voice Mode, allowing users to speak and listen to AI responses. Rolling out in English, it offers voice customization, real-time transcription, and Google Workspace integration for paid users. Ideal for multitasking, brainstorming, and planning, Voice Mode supports seamless switching between text and voice while maintaining chat context.

Read more on:Anthropic

Google’s ‘Flow’—an AI Filmmaking Tool Powered by Veo 3, Imagen, and Gemini

Google unveiled Flow, an AI filmmaking tool built for creatives using Veo 3, Imagen, and Gemini. Flow enables intuitive storytelling with cinematic video generation, scene consistency, and camera controls. Available via Google AI Pro and Ultra plans, it empowers creators like Dave Clark, Junie Lau, and Henry Daubrez to push boundaries in visual storytelling through collaborative innovation.

Read more on: Google Blog

Elon Musk’s Grok AI Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Use in Federal Agencies

Elon Musk’s DOGE team is reportedly deploying a customized version of Grok, his AI chatbot, within U.S. government departments. Sources claim it’s being used to analyze federal data, raising concerns over potential legal and ethical violations. Experts warn this could risk data privacy, trigger conflicts of interest, and give Musk’s xAI unfair access to sensitive government systems.

Read more on: The Hindu

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