StepStoneVC

#Polysense closed an oversubscribed $10.7M Seed round as they look to reduce food waste with their AI-powered quality control platform. StepStone platform manager @FelixCapital led the latest round, which will support expansion of Polysense's product across more stages of the food production process, enabling manufacturers to automate a wider range of quality control, reduce waste and improve production efficiency across manufacturing lines. Learn more: bit.ly/3TnVBew

.@mercury raised $200M in a Series D round. Backed by StepStone platform managers, @a16z and @CRV, the company provides digital banking and financial tools built for startups and growing businesses. The funding will support continued product development and expansion. Read more: thesaasnews.com/news/mercury-r…

StepStone platform manager @a16z participated in a $25M in a Series B funding round for #Fleek, a startup building the software plumbing behind the global secondhand clothing trade. The secondhand market is growing at more than double the rate of traditional retail, but much of the marketplace data is inaccessible due to a largely manual supply chain. To unlock and implement that data, Fleek has created a platform that can identify, categorize, grade, and merchandize garments, and a B2B marketplace connecting wholesale secondhand clothing suppliers with retailers and resellers worldwide. Continue reading: bit.ly/4vSDuMj

#Lantern raised $7M in seed funding led by StepStone platform managers @PrimaryVC and @pearvc to scale its AI-powered demand forecasting platform. The company helps distributors make purchasing decisions using machine learning to determine what to buy, how much, and when. The funding will support hiring and continued development of its recommendation models. Keep reading here: bit.ly/4h1TwPh

.@Proximafusion has raised $468 M in a financing round, marking the largest fusion investment in Europe to date. The Munich-based company is developing stellarator technology to support commercial fusion power plants. Backed in part by @lightspeedvp, a StepStone platform manager, the round brings its valuation to $2.7B. Read more: eu-startups.com/2026/07/larges……

#Pensive has raised $6.8 million in seed funding round led by #Mayfield, a StepStone platform manager. The company builds an AI-powered grading platform designed to help instructors reduce workload and improve student learning outcomes in higher education. The funding will support product expansion and further development of personalized learning capabilities. Learn more: thesaasnews.com/news/pensive-r…

#TJMLabs announced that they've closed a $75M Series B, bringing their total funding to $100M across multiple funding rounds and is now live in more than 450 pharmacies. The company was backed by StepStone platform manager @arthurventures and completed two acquisitions as it expands its pharmacy AI platform. TJM Labs automates operational workflows such as prescription intake, refills, and patient communication across pharmacy systems. Read more: einpresswire.com/article/923670…

.@Brekfuz raised $525K in a funding round backed in part by @pearvc, a StepStone platform manager. The company is building an AI-native coordination platform that makes organizational knowledge searchable across tools like Slack, email, and GitHub. Its software maps ownership, responsibilities, and expertise to streamline workflows and reduce reliance on manual updates. Continue reading: incubees.com/ai-native-coor…

.@Ninjacart raised $6M in the first tranche of a multi-stage funding round led by @Accel, a StepStone platform manager, and backed by Walmart. The agritech company operates a full-stack supply chain connecting farmers with retailers and commerce platforms. Learn more: inc42.com/buzz/ninjacart…

.@Airwallex has raised $320M in a Series H round, bringing its valuation to $11B. The company provides a global payments and financial platform for businesses operating across borders. Backed by @HaunVentures, a StepStone platform manager, the funding will support continued expansion into AI-driven financial software and new markets. Read more: incubees.com/airwallex-rais…

Congrats to STEPVC portfolio company @Etched who has emerged with $800M in funding and a working AI inference chip. The company is building hardware optimized specifically for running AI models and is now validating rack-scale systems with customers. Etched also reports more than $1B in customer contracts, pointing to early demand for inference-focused infrastructure. Continue reading: datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/infere…

#Pie raised $19.5M in a Series A funding led by @lightspeedvp, to expand its AI-powered growth platform for small businesses. The company helps merchants improve visibility across AI search, maps, and local discovery channels. Its tools aim to drive new customer acquisition and streamline engagement. Read more: finsmes.com/2026/06/pie-ra…

#EyeSecurity has raised €60M in a Series C round backed by @BessemerVP, a StepStone platform manager. The company offers a cybersecurity platform that combines threat detection, incident response, and cyber insurance for European organizations. The funding will support further expansion across Europe and continued development of its AI-driven capabilities. Learn more: techzine.eu/news/security/…

.@mirendil raised $200M in seed funding at a $1B valuation to develop self-improving AI systems for scientific research. The round was led by @a16z, a StepStone platform manager. The company is focused on automating AI research workflows to accelerate model development and discovery. Read more: finsmes.com/2026/06/mirend…

.@covaldev has raised $28M in a Series A round with participation from StepStone platform manager, @Base10Partners. The company provides a simulation and evaluation platform designed to help enterprises test and monitor voice and chat AI agents. The new funding will support product development and expansion as organizations look to deploy AI systems more reliably. Read more: svdaily.com/2026/06/29/cov…

.@hellotohera has raised $27M in Series A funding with participation from @Accel, a StepStone platform manager, to expand its AI-powered senior care coordination platform. The company combines AI with human care coordinators to help families navigate non-clinical aspects of caregiving, from scheduling to insurance. The funding will support continued platform development and U.S. expansion. Continue reading: thesaasnews.com/news/hera-rais…

.@sailresearchco raised $80M in Seed and Series A funding to build infrastructure for long-horizon AI agents. StepStone platform manager, @Redpoint, participating in the round. The company is developing a platform designed to support autonomous AI systems running complex tasks over extended periods. Learn more: pulse2.com/sail-research-…

Singapore-based #BeeX raised US$7.7M in a Series A round led by @monkshillvc, a StepStone platform manager, with participation from Seeds Capital. The company develops autonomous underwater drones used for subsea inspections across energy, infrastructure, and defense applications. Its technology aims to reduce costs and limit reliance on human divers and large support vessels. Learn more: businesstimes.com.sg/startups-tech/…

#RQBio raised $115 million in a Series A round led by #FrazierLifeSciences, a StepStone platform manager, to advance its influenza prevention program. The company is developing long-acting antibody therapies to provide season-long protection. The funding will support clinical development of RQB01 for high-risk and immunocompromised populations. Read more: pulse2.com/rq-bio-raises-…

It's been incredible being a part of the @Etched journey - congrats to the team!