🕶️ Geoff Ralston’s new rule

Nine bullets of updates

1. 🤖 Some users find ChatGPT's new habit of using names “creepy” — OpenAI hasn’t commented on this unsettling shift.

2. ⚡ Tackle AI's energy crunch — join a startup challenge to combat AI-driven electricity demand, projected to quadruple by 2030.

3. 🌫️ Paebbl opens its first demo plant in Rotterdam to transform CO₂ into dust, aiming to market 1M tons by 2030.

4. 📺 Netflix revamps AI-driven search to improve discovery and boost value—Q1 revenue up 12.5%!

5. 💻 OpenAI eyes Windsurf for a $3B acquisition as AI coding booms—Cursor's $200M ARR may explain why talks with Anysphere fizzled.

6. 🧠 Hence AI unveils an AI-powered risk advisor, offering insights at $1,500/year—far cheaper than traditional consultants.

7. 🌍 Occidental acquires Holocene, its second carbon capture startup, eyeing CO₂ reduction at $100/ton.

8. 💳 Ramp, an expense management startup, is vying for a $25M U.S. gov contract under the $700B SmartPay program.

9. 🔫 The UK Army tests RapidDestroyer, a microwave weapon zapping drone swarms at £0.10 per shot.

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Geoff Ralston’s AI safety net: no killer robots, please

Geoff Ralston, former Y Combinator president and startup whisperer, is making a comeback with a not-so-subtle message: AI can be powerful and safe. His new venture, the Safe Artificial Intelligence Fund (SAIF — yes, pun intended), is cutting $100K checks via SAFEs to startups laser-focused on AI safety, security, and responsible deployment. From tools that benchmark AI safety to those that stop disinformation and keep corporate secrets under wraps, Ralston’s definition of “safe AI” is broad but intentional. And unlike some of today’s defense-obsessed founders, he’s drawing a hard line: no backing autonomous weapons or bioweapon-enabling tech — unless it’s something to stop them.

While the VC world stampedes toward AI like it's a gold rush, Ralston’s playing the long game, betting that “safety-first” will be more than a niche. His YC alumni status doesn’t hurt either — he’s offering mentorship, help with YC applications, and connections to his deep-pocketed network. The exact size of SAIF remains a mystery (he’s keeping the LP tea to himself), but Ralston is clearly carving out his own lane in the noisy AI investment space. If you’re building smart tech that doesn’t accidentally start a war, Geoff might just write you a check.

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The Pitch Deck that Shaped All Pitch Decks

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These companies just raised money

1. 🏦 Banorte fully acquires RappiCard for $50M, securing a 15-year exclusive partnership in financial services.

2. 💸 Mexican fintech Toku raises $48M in a Series A extension to grow across Latin America and double revenue.

3. 🚀 Theseus, a defense-tech startup, raises $4.3M after a viral tweet and joins Y Combinator's Spring 2024 cohort.

4. 🚗💰 Brazilian fintech Altis secures $2.6M to scale lending, aiming to originate $10.3M in credit by 2025.

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OpenAI’s $500B Stargate eyes Europe

The Stargate project — a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank — may expand beyond the U.S., with potential sites in the U.K., Germany, and France, according to Financial Times. While still focused on raising its initial $100B (with SoftBank expected to contribute heavily), the project is exploring international opportunities as global demand for AI data centers grows. Originally launched with a pro-America message, Stargate's scope may now go global.

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Startup Events and Deadlines

1. Crash Course in Startup Fundraising | April 23 | Online

2. Crash Course in Financial Modeling | April 24 | Online

3. Startup Grind Conference 2025 | April 19-30 | USA

4. Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator | Deadline: April 28 | USA

5. Startup Battlefield 200 | Deadline: June 9 | Global

6. Entrepreneur First London - Summer | Deadline: July 1 | UK

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