Raising the Dead with AI

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Six bullets of updates

1. 👕 Fashion alert, "Shein for India”! Early investor in Flipkart and Myntra, Accel, is gearing up for a new venture in the competitive Indian fashion e-commerce landscape.

2. 💰 EMEA quantum startups out-raised North American counterparts in 2023, bagging $781m.

3. 🤑 Metal has launched an AI assistant for financial services, promising to speed up due diligence work with its savvy chatbot.

4. 💵 SMOK Ventures secures its second fund at $25M, ready to back early-stage startups in Central and Eastern Europe.

5. 🏠 Co-living marketplace PadSplit surpasses 10k units, saving users an average of $332 per month amid the US housing crisis.

6. 🚧 Breaking barriers in entrepreneurship isn't just about funding, it's about building your network and leveraging social capital.

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Raising the Dead with AI

Icelandic startup Overtune is making headlines for its controversial use of AI technology. The company, known for its audio creation platform, recently resurrected the late comedian Hemmi Gunn via a comedy music video, triggering public backlash and ethical debates. While Overtune has welcomed the controversy as good PR, the incident has highlighted the need for regulation around AI usage, particularly in recreating deceased personalities.

Moreover, Overtune's technology can generate convincing synthetic audio versions of public figures, raising concerns about potential misuse in creating deepfakes. With global elections scheduled for 2024 where over four billion people are expected to vote, the stakes are high. AI safety researcher Remmelt Ellen suggests AI companies enabling deepfake creation should bear partial liability for harmful misuses.

This incident underscores how startups, regardless of their size, can wield significant societal impact through their innovations. Tech companies must strike a balance between pushing boundaries and respecting ethical considerations. As AI continues to progress, the need for comprehensive regulation and potential self-regulation grows more urgent.

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Startup Events and Deadlines

1. Pitch Deck Design | February 13, 2024 | Online

2. SaaSiest Sweden | February 22 | Sweden

3. SaaS Open | March 3, 2024 | Austin

4. World Summit AI Americas | April 24, 2024, Montreal

5. TechCrunch Early Stage | April 25, 2024 | Boston

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These companies just raised money

1. 🍴Inspiring story! Owner.com secures $33 million in Series B funding to enhance online guest experiences for small and independent restaurants.

2. 🎮 Mountaintop Studios secures $30 million for its upcoming untitled tactical FPS debut, attracting support from notable creators and celebrity investors.

3. 👨‍💻 Nile raises $11.6 million in seed funding aiming to revolutionize SaaS data systems.

4. 🔐 Aim Security secures $10 million, launching a GenAI security platform to protect generative AI applications from potential attacks.

5. 🖥️ StreamAlive, announces $1.58 million in pre-seed funding for enhancing interaction in livestreams, virtual meetings, and in-person events.

6. ✏️ Studio Roro raised $1.6 million, focusing on creative play and specializing in the development of a 3D digital dollhouse game.

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Frontline Workers: The Last Frontier for SaaS?

White-collar workers have long embraced the wonders of software, but the next big opportunity in the industry might center around the 2.7 billion frontline workers lacking regular tech access. Facebook stumbled upon this untapped market in 2016, leading to the success of their SaaS venture, Workplace. Despite initial concerns about constraints, the pandemic-driven 'do-more-with-less' mindset among frontline workers has proven otherwise, with growing connectivity needs benefiting employee engagement and productivity.

However, challenges persist. A recent Microsoft report revealed that 51% of non-management employees feel undervalued, and 57% desire more support for physical and mental well-being. Despite the evident importance of frontline workers, technology investment and public discourse remain skewed. CEO John Waldmann sees a vast opportunity for software entrepreneurs to become the Microsoft or Salesforce for frontline workers.

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Quiet Quitting and Startups: a Paradox - Millennials Decoded

In the dynamic world of startups, success often hinges on passionate dedication. But what happens when team members silently disengage, effectively "quiet quitting"? Don’t forget to suscribe!