business
business at Beyond Market Intelligence is a file of 99 stories. The newest of them: “Thrive Holdings secures $2 billion to bring AI deeper into enterprise workflows”, “Uber moves on from Serve as their business paths diverge”, and “Navigate the AI era with the roadmap to building an enduring company.”. Thrive Holdings has raised $2 billion at a $12 billion valuation, with backing from SoftBank, D1 Capital Partners, and Alitmeter Capital. Uber's decision to sell its entire stake in Serve marks a telling shift between two companies that once moved in lockstep. Acme AI is the next-generation, AI-powered spreadsheet platform built to replace Excel and redefine how analysts, data scientists, and enterprise teams work… The list below is every business story on Beyond Market Intelligence, newest first.
Thrive Holdings secures $2 billion to bring AI deeper into enterprise workflows
Thrive Holdings has raised $2 billion at a $12 billion valuation, with backing from SoftBank, D1 Capital Partners, and Alitmeter Capital. That's a serious vote of confidence for bringing AI into the enterprise. We see the appeal: AI can make complex data work feel less like a burden and more like a conversation. It's a smart, grounded bet on productivity. For a deeper look at how AI shapes our expectations, our piece on verifying AI's understanding offers a practical starting point.
Uber moves on from Serve as their business paths diverge
Uber's decision to sell its entire stake in Serve marks a telling shift between two companies that once moved in lockstep. The divestiture surfaces as their business priorities diverge, a reminder that even strong partnerships can outgrow their original alignment. It's a practical move, not a dramatic one. When strategy drifts, cutting ties early often beats forcing a fit. For context on how similar dynamics play out elsewhere, our piece on Anthropic exploring Akamai's cloud offers a useful parallel.
Navigate the AI era with the roadmap to building an enduring company.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is built around one question: How do you build an enduring company in the AI era? That focus shapes every session and every speaker, and it's the right lens for founders who want substance over hype. If you're weighing the human side of this technology, our piece on talking to an AI clone offers a thoughtful counterpoint worth exploring. For now, dig into the guide. It's your practical map to the conversations that matter.
Omilia secures $67M to expand AI-powered customer support solutions
Omilia has raised $67 million in a Series B round, its second fundraise since 2020, and the numbers tell a compelling story. The company's annual recurring revenue has grown 10x to $60 million in that span. That kind of growth signals real momentum in customer support, where AI is moving from novelty to necessity. We're watching a platform scale with purpose, not hype.
Serial entrepreneur Nikita Bier steps back from product lead role at X
Nikita Bier is stepping down as X's head of product, a little over a year after taking what he called the "24/7 job" of overseeing the platform. His exit is a reminder that product leadership in this space demands more than a title; it asks for relentless, round-the-clock focus. For those tracking shifts in tech leadership, our piece on Automattic's recent board reorganization offers a useful parallel. Change is rarely sudden, but it is always telling.
Eight startups emerge ready to transform data management
The Startup Battlefield team has made its call, and eight Australia-based startups are stepping into the spotlight. This is where practical innovation meets real-world grit, and we are here for it. If you feel constrained by traditional data tools, exploring how these founders are reshaping workflows is a smart move. For deeper context on the tech landscape they are entering, our guide on unlocking AI's enterprise potential offers a solid foundation. These pitches are worth your attention, so dig in.
Secure your spot at TechCrunch Disrupt with an extra $100 off this week
If you've been waiting for the right moment to grab your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass, this is it. Starting today, you can take an additional $100 off your founder, investor, or attendee ticket, stacking neatly on top of our current discounted pricing. It's a straightforward bonus, and it's only available this week. Pair that with insights from voices like Wahlberg and Lee on investing, and you have a clear reason to move now. Explore the offer while it's here.
Airtable's new chapter begins with a strategic $1.28 billion acquisition
Airtable's journey from an $11 billion valuation to a $1.28 billion acquisition is a striking one. Bending Spoons is known for acquiring products with strong foundations and refining them for efficiency. This move suggests a belief that Airtable's core remains solid, even if the market's enthusiasm has cooled. It is a pragmatic bet on a tool that still defines a category. For users, the focus will likely shift toward integration and polish. If you are following the broader infrastructure story, our piece on Nscale's $3.
A Decade Inside Airbnb: Lessons from Building Its Data Foundation
Ten years after joining Airbnb in early 2016, one insider steps away with a notebook full of reflections. The timing matters: the hyper-growth years are still vivid, and so are the lessons on building a semantic layer that made data work at scale. What stands out is how deliberately Airbnb treated its unique culture, not as a perk, but as infrastructure. For anyone wrestling with data's role in their own organization, this is a candid look at what actually happens behind the scenes.
How a frontier learning experiment meets reality in Malaysia
Reports say Malaysia is shutting down Balaji Srinivasan's Network School, a "frontier community for techno-optimists." It is a bold experiment, and the news raises real questions about how far governments will go when education moves outside traditional walls. The pushback is not surprising, but the idea behind it still has merit. For those watching how technology reshapes work and learning, this is a story worth following closely. Our coverage of AI-native companies shows similar tensions, where rapid growth often outpaces the rules.
Ellis AI emerges from stealth with $10M for private credit intelligence
Ryan Williams knows private credit managers don't need another dashboard; they need a workflow that keeps up with their decisions. That's why Ellis AI's $10 million seed round matters. It's a focused bet on using AI to handle the heavy lifting, letting managers spend more energy on strategy and less on manual data wrangling. We've been thinking about how AI changes professional trust, and this feels like a practical step forward.
Explore how AI is reshaping business tools beyond the hype.
The AI hype isn't just noise; it's reshaping how we talk about data work. We see it in the rush of tech IPOs and the scramble to label every tool "intelligent." But hype without scrutiny is just noise. The real question isn't whether AI is transformative, but how we verify what it actually understands. Our related piece, "Verify Your AI's Understanding: A Simple Check for Tax Season," digs into that tension. Explore the promise, sure, but keep your questions sharper than the marketing.
Microsoft signals its own AI future beyond partner models
Microsoft is openly stepping into the ring with OpenAI and Anthropic, pitching its own homegrown AI models and a Mythos competitor to Wall Street on Wednesday. It's a bold signal that the company intends to keep growing on its own terms. That kind of confidence is worth watching, especially as users weigh which tools truly serve them. If you're questioning how much to trust this AI push, our piece on talking to an AI clone offers a thoughtful counterpoint worth exploring.
Six Principles for Smarter Data Science Beyond the Hype
Harvard Business School Online cuts through the noise with a grounded take on data science and AI. The real insight? It's not about the flashiest algorithm. Clear business goals, trustworthy data, and simple models still carry the day. Careful validation and honest cost assessments keep projects realistic, while human judgment remains the anchor. We appreciate that focus on fundamentals over hype. It is a refreshing, practical counterweight to the constant chase for novelty.
X resolves advertising dispute with World Federation of Advertisers
Elon Musk's X has ended its multiyear legal fight with the World Federation of Advertisers, a dispute rooted in what the platform called a "systematic illegal boycott" following Musk's $44 billion takeover. The settlement closes a contentious chapter, but the underlying tension between platforms and advertisers isn't going anywhere. It's a reminder that where ad dollars flow, leverage follows. For a deeper look at how these dynamics shift, our piece on Meta reversing course on ads for the Musk documentary offers useful context.
eBay pays $56 million to settle intimidation campaign against newsletter critics
The Steiners spent years under siege for the simple act of publishing a newsletter eBay executives disliked. Now, a $56M settlement closes that chapter, though the message it sends about corporate intimidation lingers. It's a sobering reminder that power unchecked can turn petty. For those tracking how digital platforms police their critics, our coverage of AI agent swarms exploring online data offers a fitting parallel. The settlement is a win, but the damage to trust takes longer to repair.
Fish Audio secures $52M to expand AI voice models for millions of users
Eight million users in under a year, with $21 million in recurring revenue, tells a clear story: Fish Audio is building something people actually want. The $52M seed round backs a pragmatic bet that open-source and hosted AI voice models can serve both creators and enterprises without the usual friction. That traction is earned, not hype. For anyone tired of clunky voice pipelines, this is a signal worth exploring.
Corgi's third funding round in eight weeks signals a new pace for AI startups.
Corgi just closed its third funding round in eight weeks, this time at a staggering $4 billion valuation. Even in an AI market where back-to-back raises are becoming routine, that pace turns heads. It signals real momentum, not just hype. We see this as a clear sign that investors are betting big on AI-native tools to reshape how we work. For anyone exploring this shift, our piece on questioning AI's limits offers a useful counterpoint.
Discover the story behind building the world's biggest startup conference.
The volunteer team behind TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 doesn't just watch the action; they help build it. This is your backstage pass to the startup conference where major deals and bold ideas take shape. You will see firsthand how a global event of this scale comes together. If you are following the money fueling new ventures, our coverage of Nscale's recent funding round offers useful context. Explore this role to get closer to the founders and the future they are building.
Anthropic's staggering growth reveals a different kind of AI advantage
Matt Murphy says he has never seen growth like this in 25 years of investing, not in the internet wave, not in mobile, not in the first cloud boom. Anthropic's leap to a $47 billion revenue run rate by May, up from $9 billion in 2025, is staggering. The real lesson? It's not the model. It's the execution around it. For a deeper look at how AI is reshaping expectations, our piece on verifying AI's understanding offers a timely contrast.
Einride charges forward with $38M acquisition to scale electric trucking
Einride's $38 million acquisition marks its first move as a publicly traded company, and it's a smart one. By expanding its EV-charging ecosystem, the company is tackling the infrastructure gap that often stalls electric trucking at scale. That's where the real work happens. This isn't just about adding chargers; it's about building the backbone for a cleaner freight network. For context on how AI is reshaping logistics and infrastructure, our piece on AI-Native Companies Drive $5.75B Investment Surge offers a useful parallel.
AI's reach expands across Japan's tech landscape after Huang's visit
Jensen Huang didn't just visit Tokyo; he left with agreements that touch nearly every corner of Japan's tech ecosystem. That's not a casual stopover, it's a statement about where AI-native tools are heading. For spreadsheet users feeling the limits of static rows and manual formulas, this signals momentum worth watching. The deals point to deeper integration, not hype. If you're curious how AI reshapes everyday workflows, our piece on verifying AI's understanding offers a practical starting point.
AI wealth flows outward, whether by design or by demand
Neil Rimer, the Index Ventures co-founder, sees the AI boom's massive wealth heading for a redistribution, whether the industry likes it or not. That is a sharp, sobering prediction from someone who has backed winners before. He is not warning about a crash; he is pointing to a social and political pressure that will not stay buried. If you want to question how this technology reshapes our judgment, our piece on talking to an AI clone offers a fitting companion to that uncomfortable truth.
A new chapter for digital payments as Stripe eyes PayPal acquisition.
Stripe and Advent are reportedly circling PayPal with a $53.4 billion offer, a move that would merge two of digital payments' most recognizable names. If it goes through, this isn't just a big check; it's a bet on reshaping how money moves online. We're watching closely because consolidation at this scale tends to ripple far beyond the boardroom. For those tracking the broader infrastructure play, our piece on Anthropic's Akamai cloud commitment offers useful context on where the sector's priorities are heading.