VC funding dries in May; Fertility treatment with compassion
Investors are now focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) startups, and unfortunately India has few credible companies in this segment.
Hello,
Days after a massive fundraise and a near-trillion dollar valuation, AI major Anthropic has submitted a confidential S-1 prospectus to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering.
In doing so, the Claude AI maker has taken the lead over rival OpenAI in the race to become a publicly traded company.
Meanwhile, Google's parent company Alphabet plans to raise $80 billion to support its expanding AI infrastructure efforts.
Speaking of AI, hackers reportedly discovered an absurdly simple way to bypass Meta AI support assistant to steal Instagram accounts: by simply asking the AI bot for access while using a fake VPN location. The hackers, according to media reports, not only stole celebrity accounts but also sold them for thousands of dollars in the grey market. The incident reveals security issues related to deploying AI agents.
Lastly, even as large parts of India swelter in extreme heat, things are expected to get worse. The World Meteorological Organization said a new phase of the El Niño weather pattern is likely to strengthen over the rest of 2026, driving more extreme weather around the world.
A strong El Niño could weaken the Indian monsoon and bring dry conditions in parts of Africa while increasing rainfall in the southern US, BBC reports.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- VC funding dries in May
- Fertility treatment with compassion
Here’s your trivia for today: What videogame's original series featured the fictional cities Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas?
Venture capital
A near absence of high-value transactions coupled with few deals has resulted in a 55% decline in venture capital (VC) funding in the Indian startup ecosystem in May year-on-year. Rapido’s $240 million fundraise was the only big-ticket transaction last month.
Crunch:
- The total funding for May 2026 was at $651 million from 76 deals, about half of what startups raised in May 2025 when the amount was $1,450 million, according to YourStory Research.
- Investors are now focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) startups, and unfortunately India has few credible companies in this segment.
- Also, the macroeconomic environment is not conducive enough for increased inflow of capital into Indian startups.
Inspiration
Fertility treatment with compassion
Veena Reddy’s personal experience with fertility treatment left her acutely aware that the journey is as emotional as it is medical.
Supported by fertility expert Dr Brian Levine, Reddy began thinking about how they could build a fertility clinic that combines world-class medical expertise with a patient experience that feels supportive, transparent, and human.
Key takeaways:
- With Dr Levine as Founding Medical Advisor, Reddy has established Oval Fertility as a next-generation fertility care clinic in Hyderabad, integrating advanced reproductive technologies and AI-enabled fertility solutions.
- Reddy reveals that the hardest part in the fertility journey is uncertainty, the waiting for appointments, results, updates, and milestones.
- While technology can create better conditions and support clinical decision-making, it cannot eliminate the unpredictability of human reproduction, Dr Brian says.
News & updates
- Data privacy: As social media platforms face growing scrutiny about child health and safety, Meta is expanding its content settings for teen accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger globally to ensure age-appropriate experiences for younger users.
- Private equity: Blackstone has raised $13.1 billion for its latest Asia private equity fund, marking its largest PE fundraise in the region.
What videogame's original series featured the fictional cities Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas?
Answer: Grand Theft Auto
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