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Six bullets of updates

1. 🔥 India's $1.15B fund to boost tech startups, eyeing 8% growth; unicorns are thriving with over $100B in a decade!

2. 🧠 OpenAI launches ChatGPT deep research aid; o3 model scores 26.6% on a rigorous academic test.

3. ⚖️ Samsung chief Jay Y. Lee acquitted of all charges in 2015 merger case; prosecutors may appeal.

4. 🚧 Young engineers, aged 19-24, linked to Musk, play key roles in federal infrastructure control.

5. 💰 Venture debt lenders may trigger fire sales for startups as $53.3B was issued in 2024, a 10-year high.

6. 📢 Social media’s not a sales driver! Solo Stove gained 60k followers but saw no boost. Treat profiles as sales pages.

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Silent but powerful: why everyone wants to know Liang Wenfeng

DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng received a hero’s welcome in his hometown of Guangdong after his company’s breakthrough in AI research. At 40, the billionaire hedge fund founder is now even more admired for proving that strong AI models can be built with fewer and less-powerful Nvidia chips—a major win for China, where access to top-tier chips is restricted. Locals recall him as a bright student passionate about math and comics, proud to see him make a global impact.

Despite his growing influence, Wenfeng remains private, likely to avoid government scrutiny that has troubled high-profile Chinese CEOs like Jack Ma. As his innovations reshape AI, he seems intent on staying out of the spotlight while driving progress from behind the scenes.

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Startup Events and Deadlines

1. Entrepreneur First Bangalore - Core | Deadline: Feb 11 | India

2. Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator | Deadline: Feb 11 | NYC

3. Techstars New York City Accelerator | Deadline: Feb 11 | NYC

4. Y Combinator | Deadline: Feb 11 | Silicon Valley

5. EdTech | Deadline: Feb 11 | France

6. Crash Course in Financial Modeling | Feb 13 | online

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First rule of startups: Don't run out of money!

Learn how to master startup budgeting with the Slidebean Financial Team. We work with both bootstrapped and venture-backed startups, and we’ve helped hundreds of companies sort their financials as they prepare to pitch investors.

Our team helps you understand your budget, runway, future revenue, and how much you need to raise.

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Who’s cashing In? 2025’s most anticipated IPOs

Tech is optimistic about a surge in IPOs in 2025, fueled by a pro-business administration and strong early market signals. The success of ServiceTitan’s 2024 IPO set the stage, particularly for fintech, and now companies across industries—crypto, AI, defense, and consumer goods—are lining up to go public. Among the latest filings are eToro, aiming for a $5B valuation, and defense startups Voyager Technologies and Karman Holdings, valued up to $3B. Fintech giants Chime and Klarna are also preparing for long-anticipated IPOs, while AI chipmaker Cerebras and stablecoin provider Circle hope for a regulatory tailwind.

Some companies have been trying for years. Shein, after U.S. scrutiny, is now exploring a U.K. IPO, while General Atlantic and Oyo have remained in limbo since 2023. The confidential filing process allows flexibility, but market conditions and political factors will ultimately decide which of these IPOs make it across the finish line.

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The ONE thing Investors look for in Startups

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