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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - North America, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌎️
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📰 Important News
- eMurmur won FDA clearance for Heart AI, enabling murmur detection and hemodynamic insights across digital stethoscopes and software in US/EU.
- OP Labs launchedOP Enterprise, blockchain infra with flexible tiers so businesses deploy secure, scalable networks and monetize them.
- Cardless powered Avelo Airlines’s World Elite Mastercard launch, bringing embedded digital-first card tech, faster approvals, and AI-personalized rewards.
- Dhango and FNBO have partnered to deliver fast, scalable embedded payment solutions for SaaS platforms.
- Solo launched Solo Studio, a self-serve platform empowering home energy contractors with full control over various home energy solutions.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Waabi secured a record $750 million Series C to advance its Physical AI platform and expand into the robotaxi market.
- Redwood Materials raised $425 million in Series E funding to expand its energy storage solutions for AI data centers and industrial sites.
- Ricursive Intelligence closed a $300 million Series A at a $4 billion valuation, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.
- Cellares attracted $257 million Series D funding from BlackRock and Eclipse to expand its global automated cell therapy manufacturing facilities.
- AI customer experience platform Decagon raised a $250 million Series D funding round led by Coatue Management and Index Ventures.
💰️ IPO and M&A Watch
- Sword Health acquired Kaia Health for $285 million to bolster its AI-driven musculoskeletal care in the US and enter the German market.
- Liftoff Mobile has launched the roadshow for its proposed IPO, planning to offer 25.4 million common shares at $26.00-$30.00 each.
- Mitsubishi Electric acquired OT/IoT security leader Nozomi Networks, ensuring independent operation for continued global growth.
- Wellfound acquired Hirefly an agentic recruiting startup to add AI driven outbound sourcing and inbound application review.
- Cleanlab got acquired by Handshake AI, merging its AI research and data-centric technologies with Handshake's talent network.
🏦 About Investors
- Voyager Ventures closed a $275 million Fund II raising total AUM to $475 million to back early stage climate and industrial tech startups across NA & EU.
- Epidarex Capital closed its $145 million Fund IV to back early stage life science startups across the UK and US focused on healthcare innovation.
- Calian Group launched a $73 million Calian Ventures initiative to accelerate Canadian defence tech SMBs and strengthen C5ISRT innovation.
- Incept Labs launched with $50 million via Titan Holdings and Alpha School to build sovereign AI models for national education systems and curricula.
- Sierra Ventures appointed Shomik Ghosh as Partner to strengthen early stage enterprise and applied AI investing and founder support.
🚀 Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
Waabi
Founded in 2021 in Toronto, Waabi is building a next-generation autonomous driving company around a simulation-first Physical AI platform. Led by founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun, the company develops a single AI system that powers both autonomous trucks and robotaxis, trained inside its high-fidelity Waabi World simulator. In 2026, Waabi raised a record $750 million Series C, co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, with strategic backing from Uber. The capital accelerates commercial autonomous trucking and an exclusive robotaxi rollout with Uber, positioning Waabi as a core technology player shaping scalable, safe autonomy across global transportation.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Voyager Ventures
Founded in 2021, Voyager Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on rebuilding the foundations of the global economy through climate and industrial innovation. Led by co-founders and General Partners Sarah Sclarsic and Sierra Peterson, the firm invests across North America and Europe in energy, advanced manufacturing, critical materials, and physical AI. In 2026, Voyager closed a $275 million Fund II, lifting assets under management to $475 million, and quickly began deploying capital into startups such as ENAPI, Leeta Materials, and Electroflow Technologies. With a thesis centered on replacing brittle legacy systems with higher-performing technologies, Voyager positions itself as a long-term partner backing resilience, decarbonization, and durable economic growth.
🤑 Opportunities Expiring Soon
DMZ Innisfil Business Accelerator
- 📢 Organizer: Town of Innisfil
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-Series A, Series A
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 4, 2026
Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge 2026
- 📢 Organizer: University of San Diego
- 🗂️ Category: Funding, Competition/Challenge, Award/Prize
- 🪜 Target Stages: Seed, Revenue-generating
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 6, 2026
Fast-track To Impact Programme
- 📢 Organizer: ProVeg International
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Agriculture & Food
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 8, 2026
Entrepreneur First (EF) Spring 2026 - The Global Talent Investor
- 📢 Organizer: Entrepreneur First
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Ideation, Pre-seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 8, 2026
Opus University of Saskatchewan Startup Incubator
- 📢 Organizer: University of Saskatchewan
- 🗂️ Category: Incubator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Ideation, Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 9, 2026
xG-Incubator
- 📢 Organizer: xG-Incubator
- 🗂️ Category: Incubator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Connectivity & Networks, DeepTech
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 9, 2026
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