Runway raises $100M, WordPress launches paid subscriptions

The Information sources: Runway, an AI platform building a suite of generative AI tools for video, raised $100M at a $1.5B valuation; Google participated in the round - Link

Amazon is implementing AI in 12 warehouses to detect damaged items, claiming that AI is 3x more effective than a human at identifying damaged items - Link

Cortex, a startup building a developer portal for internal engineering teams, raised a $35M Series B led by IVP; revenue grew 400% y/y, and customers include TripAdvisor, Grammarly, and SoFi - Link

WordPress.com will now compete with Substack and other paid newsletter platforms, as it now supports paid subscriptions and premium content; WordPress powers 43% of the web - Link

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Looking Glass Co-Founder and CEO Shawn Frayne joins Jason to demo their new hologram assistant (1:03) before breaking down the unique use cases for Looking Glass’s technology and Shawn’s perspective on the pace of AI (10:24). - Link

GetYourGuide, a Berlin-based startup operating a marketplace for travel experiences, raised $194M in funding, consisting of an $85M Series F and a revolving credit facility of $109M, valued at $2B - Link

Pixxel, a hyperspectral imagery startup that takes images from space using a spectrometer, raised a $36M Series B led by Google - Link

BeReal, a social app startup with 20M DAUs, is testing a chat feature to boost engagement; initially being tested in Ireland, the feature also includes options for private photo sharing - Link

Some customers of Apple’s new high-yield savings account, which it launched in partnership with Goldman Sachs, are having trouble withdrawing funds - Link

This Week in Startups

E1753: How generative AI is enabling hologram assistants with Looking Glass CEO Shawn Frayne

E1752: Breaking down Bard with Google’s Jack Krawczyk

E1751: Understanding the UAE startup opportunity with Brad Gerstner and Ibrahim Ajami

E1750: ChatGPT vs Hollywood writers and the WGA strike with Lon Harris

E1749: Text-to-UI demo with Galileo AI Co-founder Arnaud Benard + How to design loved products

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