Naveen Rao, former head of AI at Databricks, has closed a $475 million seed financing for his new venture Unconventional AI, valuing the company at $4.5 billion. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Ventures, with Lux Capital and DCVC also participating. Rao’s aim is to build an energy‑efficient computer for artificial intelligence, a goal he describes as “as efficient as biology.” The funding represents the first installment toward a potential $1 billion total raise. Rao’s prior successes include MosaicML, acquired by Databricks for $1.3 billion, and Nervana Systems, acquired by Intel for more than $400 million. Read more →

Clipbook, an artificial‑intelligence platform that tracks media coverage for companies, announced a $3 million seed round led by Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures, and Carpenter Capital. Founder Adam Joseph launched the company in 2023, grew it to $1 million in annual recurring revenue, and then sent a one‑page cold‑email pitch to a shortlist of media investors that included Cuban. After a rigorous Q&A, Cuban asked Joseph to produce a research report for his CostPlus Drugs venture, which impressed him and led to the investment. The round closed in early 2025, and Clipbook now serves about 200 customers, including Weber Shandwick and Boston Consulting Group. Read more →