Top Startup and Tech Funding News – July 17, 2025

It’s Thursday, July 17, 2025, and the summer funding streak isn’t slowing down. Today’s deals offer a clear signal: investors are writing big checks for platforms that simplify software development, rewire financial systems, and push the limits of AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.

From scrappy fintech experiments to billion-dollar AI unicorns, today’s rounds highlight how fast the landscape is evolving. Lovable pulled in a monster $200 million Series A to make vibe coding mainstream, while Substack and Boulevard pushed deeper into creator monetization and self-care SaaS. Meanwhile, Kun is quietly building a stablecoin empire across emerging markets, and GeologicAI is using machine learning to map the next lithium boom.

Funding Highlights

Lovable became Europe’s newest unicorn with a $200M raise. Substack broke the $1.1B valuation mark with its latest round. Quantum startup BQP raised fresh seed money to simulate the future, and cybersecurity newcomer Empirical emerged from stealth with a $12M bet on AI-driven threat intelligence. Oh Norman!, backed by Kaley Cuoco, is bringing Hollywood flair to the pet wellness boom, and Blockskye is rewriting the rules of corporate travel using blockchain.

Investor Activity

Accel, Bond, Andreessen Horowitz, and Blue Earth Capital led the way, while angels from Slack, Mars Petcare, and even United Airlines chipped in. Deep-tech and vertical SaaS were hot themes, but fintech and proptech also made a strong showing. And from Canada to India, startups in energy, insurance, and manufacturing proved there’s no summer slowdown for smart capital.

Whether it’s rewriting code, reimagining rent payments, or refueling the grid, today’s startup slate is a reminder that the future isn’t waiting. It’s getting built—and getting funded.

Here’s the full breakdown of today’s startup and tech funding news activity.

Lovable Raises $200M in Series A Funding for AI Software-Building Platform

Lovable, a Stockholm-based AI startup that lets users build full-stack software by chatting with an AI, has closed a staggering $200 million Series A round that values the young company at about $1.8 billion. Co-founded by Anton Osika and Fabian Hedin, Lovable’s platform enables non-technical creators to describe an app idea and instantly receive a working backend with integrations, dramatically simplifying software development.

The massive funding, led by a top global venture Accel, will help Lovable expand its operations and continue developing its AI-driven software builder, which has attracted over 2.3 million users since launching in late 2024. With this infusion, the company plans to accelerate growth and reinforce its position as one of Europe’s newest unicorns in the AI space.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Lovable

• Investors: Accel (lead), Creandum, 20VC, Visionaries Club, and notable angels, including Slack’s Stewart Butterfield

• Amount Raised: $200 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Substack Raises $100M in Series C Funding at $1.1B Valuation for Newsletter Platform

Substack’s co-founders, from left, Hamish McKenzie, Chris Best, and Jairaj Sethi in their San Francisco office in 2022. (Credit: Lauren Segal for The New York Times)

Substack, the San Francisco-based newsletter platform, raised $100 million in a Series C round led by venture firms Bond, a technology investment firm, and The Chernin Group, valuing the company at about $1.1 billion.

Other notable backers include Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports Group; venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz; and fashion executive Jens Grede, co-founder of the shapewear brand Skims.

The funding comes as Substack’s paid subscription base has grown to over 5 million, reflecting strong demand from writers and creators seeking to monetize their content directly with audiences.

The fresh capital will fuel product development and expansion of Substack’s platform, which enables independent journalists and creators to publish newsletters, podcasts, and other content and build subscription businesses. With total funding now at $200 million since its 2017 launch, Substack is doubling down on features (like its reader app) that help audiences connect more deeply with creators outside traditional social media channels.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Substack

• Investors: Bond and The Chernin Group (co-leads); Andreessen Horowitz; Rich Paul; Jens Grede

• Amount Raised: $100 million

• Total Raised: $200 million

• Funding Stage: Series C

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Boulevard Raises $80M in Series D Funding to Boost AI-Powered Self-Care Platform

Boulevard, a Los Angeles-based provider of client experience software for self-care businesses, secured $80 million in Series D funding to accelerate its growth in the beauty and wellness industry. Founded in 2016 by Matt Danna and Sean Stavropoulos, Boulevard’s platform helps salons, spas, and medspas manage appointments, payments, and personalized marketing, including an AI-driven Precision Scheduling engine that optimizes bookings.

The new round nearly doubles Boulevard’s valuation to roughly $800 million, up from its last raise in 2022, underscoring the company’s rapid expansion (over 500% revenue growth in three years). The Series D cash will be used to deliver more enterprise features, invest in AI R&D for smarter scheduling and client personalization, and scale into additional self-care verticals, further cementing Boulevard’s leadership in this niche of vertical SaaS.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Boulevard

• Investors: JMI Equity (lead); Index Ventures; VMG Partners

• Amount Raised: $80 million

• Total Raised: ~$188 million

• Funding Stage: Series D

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Kun Raises Series A, Bringing Total Funding to $50M to Expand Stablecoin Network

Kun, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin payment and embedded finance platform, completed its Series A financing round, bringing its total funding to over $50 million since the company’s inception 20 months ago. The new capital will enable Kun to continue building out a global infrastructure for cross-border stablecoin payments and financial services, with a focus on powering international expansion for businesses in emerging markets.

Led by founder and CEO Louis Liu, Kun operates a compliance-focused platform (with licenses in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Europe) that provides B2B stablecoin payment solutions, asset management, on/off-ramps, and card issuing. The Series A backing from both existing and new investors positions Kun to further grow in regions like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, as it aims to offer secure, efficient crypto-enabled financial services worldwide.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Kun

• Investors: BAI Capital, GSR Ventures, Eternium Global (among others)

• Amount Raised: Not disclosed (total funding exceeds $50 million)

• Total Raised: >$50 million

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

GeologicAI Mines $44M Series B Funding to Accelerate Critical Mineral Discovery

GeologicAI, a Calgary-based mining technology company, has raised $44 million in a Series B round to speed up the discovery and development of critical minerals using artificial intelligence. GeologicAI’s platform combines advanced sensors with machine learning to scan and analyze drilling cores in real time, giving mining companies unprecedented insights that can dramatically improve exploration efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

The funding was led by an impact investor and joined by two of the world’s largest mining firms, underscoring the sector’s interest in tech solutions for the global minerals supply crunch. GeologicAI will use the capital to scale its operations globally, enhance its proprietary AI and sensor technology, and deepen its presence in key mining regions, as demand for minerals like lithium, copper, and rare earths soars with the clean energy and data center boom.

Funding Details:

• Startup: GeologicAI

• Investors: Blue Earth Capital (lead); BHP Ventures; Rio Tinto; Breakthrough Energy Ventures

• Amount Raised: $44 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

GigaIO Raises $21M in Series B Funding for Scalable AI Infrastructure

GigaIO, a Carlsbad, CA-based developer of cutting-edge computing hardware for AI, raised $21 million in the first tranche of its Series B funding to ramp up production and innovation. GigaIO provides a scalable infrastructure platform designed for AI inference workloads, including its energy-efficient SuperNODE system and Gryf, a portable AI supercomputer in a suitcase form factor for edge deployments.

The fresh capital infusion, led by a Sacramento-based venture firm, will allow GigaIO to scale manufacturing of these flagship products and accelerate R&D on its proprietary FabreX technology — an ultra-low-latency interconnect that links GPUs and other components for near-linear performance scaling. With this funding, the company plans a second closing of the Series B in the coming months and aims to meet growing demand for AI compute solutions that can be dynamically composed and deployed from the data center to the edge.

Funding Details:

• Startup: GigaIO

• Investors: Impact Venture Capital (lead); CerraCap Ventures; G Vision Capital; Mark IV Capital; SourceCode Cerberus

• Amount Raised: $21 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Series B (first tranche)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Ja Mining Raises $17M in Funding to Expand Global Cloud Mining Platform

Ja Mining, a London-based blockchain infrastructure startup, has raised $17 million in a new funding round to fuel the growth of its global cloud mining platform. The company specializes in providing secure, efficient, and eco-friendly cryptocurrency mining services through a cloud-based model powered by renewable energy.

With this fresh capital, Ja Mining plans to broaden its operations across North America, Europe, and Asia, enabling more users worldwide to participate in crypto mining without managing physical hardware. The funding will accelerate the expansion of Ja Mining’s automated and AI-integrated mining infrastructure, which simplifies the digital asset mining process while emphasizing sustainability. (The investors in this round were not publicly disclosed.)

Funding Details:

• Startup: Ja Mining

• Investors: Not disclosed

• Amount Raised: $17 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (Private funding round)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

One Biosciences Secures €15M Series A Funding for AI-Driven Oncology Platform

One Biosciences, a Paris-based precision oncology company, secured €15 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-driven platform for single-cell tumor analysis. Founded in 2020 out of research at the Curie Institute, One Biosciences has developed a technology called OneMap that profiles individual cells within a patient’s tumor to inform better treatment decisions, drug development, and clinical trials.

The Series A round was co-led by international biotech investors and will allow the company to accelerate clinical development of OneMap and scale strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech firms. By generating high-resolution “maps” of tumor cell behavior, One Biosciences aims to enable more personalized cancer therapies. This financing brings the startup’s total funding to over €20 million, including prior seed support, positioning One Biosciences to expand its team and prepare its solution for broader use in oncology research and care.

Funding Details:

• Startup: One Biosciences

• Investors: Redmile Group; Blast (co-leads); Sofinnova Partners; Kima Ventures; (others including Galion.exe, Invus, Adamed Technology, Polytechnique Ventures)

• Amount Raised: €15 million (approx. $16.5 million)

• Total Raised: €20+ million

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Blockskye Closes $15.8M Funding to Revolutionize Corporate Travel with Blockchain

Blockskye, a Boston-based travel technology startup, has closed a $15.8 million funding round to scale its blockchain-powered platform for corporate travel management. Blockskye’s infrastructure enables direct connections between companies and travel providers (like airlines and hotels), real-time reconciliation of transactions, and automated payment and expense flows, using a blockchain ledger to eliminate intermediaries.

The $15.8 million investment was led by a blockchain-focused venture firm and joined by strategic backers including a major airline’s venture arm, reflecting confidence in Blockskye’s approach to modernizing the $1.4 trillion corporate travel market. With a total of $33 million raised to date, Blockskye will use the new funds to launch additional payment products, expand into international markets, and grow its team of technology and travel industry experts. The company already counts enterprise clients such as PwC, Diageo, and TripAdvisor, and plans to further automate booking, payment, and expense reporting through its flagship blockchain platforms BMAX and B360.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Blockskye

• Investors: Blockchange (lead); United Airlines Ventures; Lightspeed Faction; Lasagna; Litquidity Ventures; Longbrook Ventures; KSV Global; TFJ Capital

• Amount Raised: $15.8 million

• Total Raised: $33 million

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (Private funding round)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Empirical Security Raises $12M Seed Funding to Boost AI Cyber Defense

Empirical Security, a Chicago-based cybersecurity startup, emerged from stealth with a $12 million seed funding round to advance its AI-powered threat intelligence platform. The company builds custom machine learning models that help organizations make data-driven security decisions by rapidly fine-tuning AI on each client’s internal data alongside global threat data.

The seed financing, led by Costanoa Ventures, will support Empirical Security in expanding its engineering team and product development as it brings on its first customers. Notably, the company also announced that Kenna Security co-founder Ed Bellis has joined as CEO, reuniting with Empirical’s co-founders Michael Roytman and Jay Jacobs. Armed with fresh capital and leadership, Empirical Security plans to scale its “dual-model” system, which uses both global attack data and local enterprise data to tailor defenses, so that security teams can more effectively anticipate and counter cyber threats.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Empirical Security

• Investors: Costanoa Ventures (lead); DNX Ventures; Sixty Degree Capital; HPA; plus security industry veterans (e.g., Jonathan Cran, Wade Baker, Gerhard Eschelbeck)

• Amount Raised: $12 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

AWAKE Chocolate Receives $6M in Funding to Energize Caffeinated Confectionery

AWAKE Chocolate, a Mississauga, Ontario-based maker of caffeinated chocolate snacks, has closed an $8 million CAD (approximately USD 6 million) investment round to fuel its next phase of growth. The round was led by Btomorrow Ventures (the venture arm of British American Tobacco), contributing $5 million CAD, with an additional $3 million CAD from BDC Capital, reflecting investor confidence in AWAKE’s niche of energy-boosting treats.

Founded in 2012 by Canadians Adam Deremo, Matt Schnarr, and Dan Tzotzis, AWAKE offers a range of chocolate bites and bars infused with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, targeted at consumers seeking an alternative pick-me-up. The company will use the new funding to drive key initiatives for long-term expansion and brand leadership, building on its momentum in the North American market. With this investment, AWAKE Chocolate’s total funding to date reaches about $15.5 million CAD.

Funding Details:

• Startup: AWAKE Chocolate

• Investors: Btomorrow Ventures (BAT) – $5M CAD; BDC Capital – $3M CAD

• Amount Raised: $8 million CAD

• Total Raised: $15.5 million CAD

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (Growth investment)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

BQP Lands $5M Seed Funding to Advance Quantum Simulation Platform

BQP (BosonQ Psi), a Syracuse, NY, and Bangalore-based quantum software startup, raised a $5 million seed round to expand its quantum-accelerated simulation platform for mission-critical engineering applications. The oversubscribed seed round, led by Monta Vista Capital, brings BQP’s total funding to $6.6 million and will help the company scale its operations and product development.

BQP’s platform leverages quantum computing techniques to power high-fidelity digital twins and simulations for industries like aerospace, defense, semiconductors, and energy, enabling faster and more efficient design decisions.

Founded by Abhishek Chopra, BQP operates with a dual-use model (commercial and defense) and maintains a tech hub in India alongside its New York headquarters. The new funding — which includes backing from New York state’s venture arm and several deep-tech funds — will support BQP in recruiting talent, accelerating its software roadmap, and deploying pilot projects that demonstrate the advantages of quantum-driven simulations in real-world engineering challenges.

Funding Details:

• Startup: BQP (BosonQ Psi)

• Investors: Monta Vista Capital (lead); Empire State Dev. New York Ventures; Arc Ventures; Armory Square Ventures; (others include Emergent Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Arka Labs, etc.)

• Amount Raised: $5 million

• Total Raised: $6.6 million

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Receive Raises $4M in Seed Funding to Democratize Small Business Revenue Access

Receive, a New York City-based fintech startup, emerged from stealth with $4 million in seed funding to launch its “earned revenue access” platform for small businesses. Founded by fintech veteran Ariel Blum, Receive allows small and mid-sized businesses to access cash they’ve already earned, such as pending customer payments, on demand and without incurring debt or interest.

The $4 million round, led by NGVP, brings Receive’s total funding to $7.1 million and also includes additional debt financing and backing from firms like Insight Partners and Clocktower Ventures.

With the new capital, Receive is rolling out its platform through partnerships (including one with Titanium Payments to offer a Boost Business Mastercard that turns sales receivables into immediate spending power). The funds will help Receive accelerate product development and scale its model of giving businesses greater control over cash flow via flexible, tech-enabled revenue advances.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Receive

• Investors: NGVP (lead); Blank Ventures; Verissimo Ventures; Insight Partners; Corner Ventures; Clocktower Technology Ventures

• Amount Raised: $4 million

• Total Raised: $7.1 million

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Kilsar Secures $3.7M Seed Funding for AI Maintenance Training Platform

Kilsar, a Virginia Beach, VA-based software startup, raised $3.7 million in seed funding to grow its AI-powered platform for capturing “tribal knowledge” and improving maintenance training. Led by CEO Brendan Lawlor, Kilsar has developed Orion, a real-time AI assistant that replaces static equipment manuals with a searchable, continuously updated knowledge base for technicians and engineers. The $3.7 million seed round was co-led by Lightbank and Cotulla Capital, with participation from Techstars and Scalewolf, and will be used to expand Kilsar’s engineering and deployment teams.

With Orion, Kilsar aims to help both defense and commercial maintenance organizations reduce troubleshooting time and operate with greater precision by integrating legacy machine data, experienced workers’ know-how, and new AI insights. The fresh funding will also support a new strategic partnership Kilsar announced with the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, as the company accelerates adoption of its smart maintenance training solutions.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Kilsar

• Investors: Lightbank (lead); Cotulla Capital (lead); Techstars; Scalewolf

• Amount Raised: $3.7 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Occupi Raises $3.1M Seed Funding to Modernize Housing Payments

Occupi, a Birmingham, Alabama-based fintech company focused on property management, raised $3.105 million in seed funding to expand its payment and screening solutions for the housing industry. The round was led by Fenway Summer and Assurant Ventures, with participation from Halcyon Venture Partners and the Sorenson Impact Foundation. Occupi’s platform offers property managers an AI-driven system to handle rent payments and tenant screening, supporting over 20 payment methods (including digital wallets) and integrating directly into landlords’ ledgers.

The startup specializes in serving affordable housing and student housing markets, aiming to streamline transactions in multi-family, single-family, and manufactured home communities.

With the new capital, Occupi plans to accelerate growth through strategic hiring — especially of payment and proptech engineers — and to scale its platform across the U.S. The company is also developing specialized features for housing assistance programs, in partnership with organizations like the Alabama Power Foundation, to better support renters in subsidized housing.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Occupi

• Investors: Fenway Summer (lead); Assurant Ventures (lead); Halcyon Venture Partners; Sorenson Impact Foundation

• Amount Raised: $3.105 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Oh Norman! Fetches $2.08M Funding for Celebrity-Backed Pet Wellness Brand

Oh Norman!, a New York-based pet wellness startup co-founded by actress Kaley Cuoco and entrepreneur Katie Hunt, has raised approximately $2.08 million in its latest funding round, bringing the brand’s total funding to over $5 million. Investors in the round include Brown University and Mars Petcare’s Leap Venture Studio, alongside early-stage firms like Golden Seeds and Incuvate, as well as the co-founders themselves.

The fresh funds will support Oh Norman!’s mission to develop healthy, well-designed products for pets and their owners, expanding the company’s operations and product line. With a six-member, all-female leadership team (featuring veterans from brands like Warby Parker, BarkBox, and Wild One), Oh Norman! is positioning itself for growth in the booming pet care market. The company’s focus is on delivering high-quality, stylish pet essentials that improve the lives of animals and their pet parents, a vision that this new funding will help propel.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Oh Norman!

• Investors: Brown University; Mars Petcare Leap Venture Studio; Golden Seeds; Incuvate/NQV8; 1731 MGMT; (co-founders Kaley Cuoco & Katie Hunt also participated)

• Amount Raised: $2.08 million

• Total Raised: $5+ million

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (Early-stage round)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Bonsai Receives $1.8M Funding to Grow Marketing Intelligence Platform

Bonsai, a Chicago-based startup providing a first-party marketing intelligence platform, received a $1.8 million investment to expand its operations and product development. The funding comes from a group of venture firms, including Mairs & Power Venture Capital, TAWANI Ventures, Bridge Venture Fund, Chicago Early, and Service Provider Capital, along with angels Daren Cotter and Sheetal Jain.

Led by CEO Matt Butler, Bonsai’s platform consolidates a suite of advanced marketing analytics tools — from multi-touch attribution and marketing mix modeling to automated ad buying and audience insights — into one seamless dashboard. By integrating data across over 80 sources without requiring any tracking pixels or custom code, Bonsai gives brands a unified view of their marketing performance and the ability to algorithmically optimize for profitable growth. With this new capital, Bonsai plans to accelerate feature development and scale its customer base, enabling more companies to accurately measure and automate their marketing ROI.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Bonsai

• Investors: Mairs & Power VC; TAWANI Ventures; Bridge Venture Fund; Chicago Early; Service Provider Capital; (angel investors Daren Cotter & Sheetal Jain)

• Amount Raised: $1.8 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (Early investment)

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Loro Raises $1.1M Seed Funding to Streamline Specialty Insurance

Loro, a Dover, CO-based insurtech startup specializing in specialty insurance distribution, raised $1.1 million in seed funding to enhance its no-code platform for insurance professionals. The seed round was led by Markd, an insurance-focused venture fund, with participation from a network of angel investors in the insurance industry. Loro’s platform allows carriers, managing general agents (MGAs), brokers, and agents to collaborate on a unified, cloud-based system for selling and managing niche insurance products.

By providing full control over underwriting, multi-level distribution channels, and real-time data access in one interface, Loro aims to modernize how specialty insurance is sold and managed. The newly raised funds will be used to accelerate Loro’s product roadmap, grow its global team, and invest in connectivity features that help disparate insurance partners work together more efficiently. Founded and led by CEO Peter Tilbrook, Loro offers its software with a freemium model (free up to a certain volume of premiums), lowering the barrier for insurance startups and established players alike to adopt the technology.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Loro

• Investors: Markd (lead); various insurance industry angels

• Amount Raised: $1.1 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Amperon Gets Strategic Investment to Fuel AI Energy Forecasting

Amperon, a Houston-based provider of AI-powered energy forecasting and grid analytics, received a strategic investment from Acario, the corporate venture arm of Tokyo Gas Co., as it continues to expand globally. While the exact funding amount was not disclosed, this strategic backing is aimed at supporting Amperon’s customer growth and product initiatives across North America, Europe, and other regions.

Co-founded by CEO Sean Kelly, Amperon uses machine learning and real-time data (like weather and electricity usage patterns) to produce highly accurate power demand forecasts, helping utility companies and energy retailers manage the grid more efficiently. Since expanding to markets in the UK, France, Germany, and Spain last year, Amperon has seen rapid uptake of its forecasting platform. The new investment from Acario will further accelerate Amperon’s international expansion and continuous innovation in its energy analytics, as the company solidifies its position as a critical technology partner for the power industry’s transition to smarter, cleaner grids.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Amperon

• Investors: Acario (Tokyo Gas Co.’s venture arm)

• Amount Raised: Not disclosed (Strategic corporate investment)

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Strategic Investment

• Funding Date: July 17, 2025

Funding Summary Table: