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Radiant Nuclear raises $300M for its semi-sized 1 MW reactor Dec 17, 2025

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Radiant Nuclear is developing a small modular reactor to replace diesel generators. The startup previously raised $165 million in May.

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Nuclear startup Last Energy raises $100M for its steel-encased micro reactor Dec 17, 2025

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Last Energy will use the funds to build its 5 megawatt pilot reactor in Texas, which it hopes to turn on next year.

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VCs discuss why most consumer AI startups still lack staying power; plus, Whole Foods to install smart food waste bins from Mill Dec 16, 2025

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The next consumer tech revolution may require an introduction of a new personal device.

Plus, the food waste startup founded by Nest alumnus Matt Rogers also received an investment from Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund.

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Mirelo raises $41M from Index and a16z to solve AI video’s silent problem; First Voyage raises $2.5M for its AI companion that helps you build habits Dec 16, 2025

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Mirelo, a German startup that is building AI to add synced sound effects to videos, has raised a $41 million seed round led by Index Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz.

Also, First Voyage has raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round from a16z speedrun, SignalFire, True Global, and other investors.

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Thea Energy previews Helios, its pixel-inspired fusion power plant Dec 15, 2025

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Thea Energy says that its planar-coil fusion power plant could be cheaper and easier to build thanks to AI-powered control software.

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Eclipse Energy’s microbes can turn idle oil wells into hydrogen factories; plus, India’s Spinny lines up funding to acquire GoMechanic Dec 15, 2025

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The biotech startup is betting that owners of abandoned oil wells will use the tech to squeeze energy out of their wells.

Also, Spinny is set to be valued at about $1.8 billion post-money in its latest funding round.

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Harness hits $5.5B valuation with $240M raise to automate AI’s ‘after-code’ gap Dec 12, 2025

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Goldman Sachs has led Harness's Series E round, with participation from IVP, Menlo Ventures, and Unusual Ventures. The new valuation is a 49% jump from its $3.7 billion valuation in a $230 million round in April 2022. With this funding, the startup has raised $570 million of equity to date.

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Interest in Spoor’s bird-monitoring AI software is soaring Dec 12, 2025

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Spoor's computer vision software can help wind farms, and other industries, track bird populations and migration patterns.

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On Me raises $6M to shake up the gift card industry; plus, Port raises $100M at $800M valuation to take on Spotify’s Backstage Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

On Me raises $6 million for its digital gift card platform that lets users purchase cards categorized by interests rather than being restricted to specific retailers.

Also, Port offers a proprietary alternative to Spotify's popular devtool catalog Backstage, but with a valuable addition: it can be used to manage AI agents, too.

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AI startup Tavus founder says users talk to its AI Santa ‘for hours’ per day; Oboe raises $16 million from a16z for its AI-powered course generation platform Dec 11, 2025

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Tavus has launched a new experience where you can chat with an AI Santa that asks personal questions and remembers your interests.

Oboe has raised $16 million in funding for its learning app. The company now lets users generate unlimited courses for free.

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