Startups

The Information team’s approach to covering up-and-coming companies focuses on previously unreported news of funding, plus the impact on the surrounding tech and finance ecosystems. Our newsroom produces The Information 50, an annual list of promising startups.

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Art: Clark Miller
The Big Read

Secretive ZaiNar Exits Shadows, Targets $5 Billion in Deals for GPS Alternative

By Jemima McEvoy · May 1, 2026 9:02am PDT · 2 comments
A couple of weeks ago, Daniel Jacker, CEO and co-founder of ZaiNar, made me an alluring offer: Would I like to see the first-ever public demonstration of the technology his startup had spent nine years laboriously developing in anonymity? He described it as the most accurate location-tracking tech on the planet, capable of pinpointing an object’... A couple of weeks ago, Daniel Jacker, CEO and co-founder of ZaiNar, made me an alluring offer:...

Moonshot AI and Other Chinese Firms Weigh Corporate Overhaul in Wake of Meta-Manus Deal Reversal

By Jing Yang and Juro Osawa · May 1, 2026 6:00am PDT
Chinese tech startups such as Moonshot AI and DeepRoute.ai are considering changing their corporate structures—in which they’re technically based overseas—in favor of incorporating in China. That shift follows signals from China’s securities regulator that it is less likely to approve initial public offerings by local companies... Chinese tech startups such as Moonshot AI and DeepRoute.ai are considering changing their...
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Dealmaker

Founders Fund Takes a Bigger Bite of Anduril

By Julia Hornstein · Apr 30, 2026 4:31pm PDT
Two months ago, my colleagues broke the news of Anduril’s latest funding round, slated to value the company at $60 billion. Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital are leading the roughly $4 billion investment, according to a source with direct knowledge of the fundraising efforts. But another investor stands out for the size of its check. ... Two months ago, my colleagues broke the news of Anduril’s latest funding round, slated to value...
Wayve, May Mobility, Einride and Nuro self-driving vehicles. Photos: Wayve, May Mobility, Nuro, Einride, Getty. Art: Shane Burke
Startups to Watch

Nine Self-Driving Startups Chasing Waymo’s Lead

By Alex Perry · May 8, 2025 10:30am PDT · 5 comments
For years, self-driving cars were a feature of the sci-fi future. But Waymo’s leap from testing to ferrying paying customers in four cities has made robotaxis a reality. That’s set off a race among newcomers and industry stalwarts to expand new businesses that support autonomous vehicles. Below we provide exclusive details on nine startups worth... For years, self-driving cars were a feature of the sci-fi future. But Waymo’s leap from testing...
Skild AI robots. Photo by Skild AI
Startups to Watch

9 Robotics Startups to Watch

By Rocket Drew · Dec 27, 2024 6:00am PST · 4 comments
To train artificial intelligence–powered robots to pick a book off a shelf a decade ago, researchers had to direct the robots to perform the task roughly 500 times before the robots learned to imitate the motion, recalls Brad Porter, founder and CEO of Collaborative Robotics, which is developing robots to work in hospitals and warehouses.... To train artificial intelligence–powered robots to pick a book off a shelf a decade ago,...
Image by Clark Miller and Midjourney.
Startups to Watch

Eight Startups Challenging Nvidia in AI Chips

By Kevin McLaughlin, Anissa Gardizy, Jon Victor and Aaron Holmes · Aug 24, 2023 6:00am PDT · 1 comment
Nvidia dominates the market for graphics processing units used to train artificial intelligence models, although rivals like AMD and Intel are trying to catch up. Now some scrappy startups are entering the fray with alternative designs for AI chips they claim work better and more efficiently than Nvidia’s GPUs. Other startups are targeting... Nvidia dominates the market for graphics processing units used to train artificial intelligence...