BizStarts, in partnership with the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, is offering a free summer camp called "First Launch" for children ages 11-14 from disadvantaged areas in Milwaukee. This program aims to equip young entrepreneurs with essential skills, providing them with the tools to navigate life challenges. 

**The camp will be held from July 8-11 at three different locations:**

* **Chuchos Red Tacos/Farmhouse Paint and Sip**
* **The Lubar Entrepreneurship Center at UWM**
* **The newly opened Diverse Dining Market**

**First Launch focuses on teaching essential entrepreneurship skills through fun and engaging activities, including:**

* Finding solutions to everyday problems
* Developing social skills
* Recovering from difficult situations

The camp will also feature a field trip to the Edessa School of Fashion. Lessons will be taught by Milwaukee entrepreneurs and graduates of the BizStarts Institute boot camp.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- BizStarts, in partnership with the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, announced Friday "First Launch," a free summer camp for children ages 11-14 from disadvantaged areas in Milwaukee.

Free Entrepreneurship Summer Camp for Milwaukee Kids: BizStarts' "First Launch"

### Kintsugi's Journey in Sales Tax Compliance  
Kintsugi, a **Silicon Valley-based startup**, is transforming how businesses handle sales tax compliance. Recently, they raised **$18 million** in funding led by Vertex, a global indirect tax technology provider. This funding is poised to help **small and medium businesses** leverage Kintsugi's **AI capabilities** for tax calculations and filings.  
  
### The Need for Tax Automation  
With the rise of **e-commerce** and **cross-border trade**, tax regulations have become increasingly complex. Kintsugi's software integrates with popular platforms like **Shopify, Stripe, and Quickbooks**, providing a comprehensive overview of revenue and enabling instant tax calculations.  
  
### Vision and Goals  
Pujun Bhatnagar, co-founder and CEO, likens their mission to what **Uber** did for taxis and **Stripe** for payments, aiming to simplify compliance across **171 countries**. Founded in **2023**, Kintsugi sees the **2018 Supreme Court ruling** as a pivotal moment for the industry, allowing states to mandate online sellers to collect sales tax.  
  
### Competitive Advantage  
Kintsugi claims to operate at **half the cost of Avalara**, allowing users to determine their sales tax liability in just **seven clicks and three minutes**. The startup offers free sales tax calculations, charging only for tax filing, and provides an option for **auto-remit** to automate the filing process.  
  
### Growth and Future Plans  
After generating **$3 million in annual revenue** last year, Kintsugi aims to exceed **$10 million by 2025**. They boast a **0.1% churn rate** with a customer base of **2,400** businesses, ranging from startups to those generating up to **$500 million** in revenue.  
  
### Partnership and Valuation  
Vertex's investment includes a **$15 million minority stake** in Kintsugi and a commitment to invest an additional **$10-$12 million** this year for AI integrations. This funding has boosted Kintsugi's valuation to **$150 million**, nearly doubling from its previous **$80 million** valuation.  
  
### Global Expansion  
With **profit margins exceeding 93%** and a workforce of 95, Kintsugi is expanding beyond North America into **South America, Africa,** and **Asia**. Currently, **45%** of their customers are SaaS companies, processing **5.5 million transactions** worth **$7.7 billion**.  
![Kintsugi Valuation](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/kintsugi-valuation.jpg)
*Image Credits: Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch*

Kintsugi, a Silicon Valley-based startup that helps companies offload and automate their sales tax compliance, has raised $18 million in new funding led

Kintsugi: The AI Startup Revolutionizing Sales Tax Compliance with a $150 Million Valuation

## VCI Global’s Fintech Triumph: Credilab's $1 Million Boost from Dubai

**VCI Global**'s fintech arm **Credilab** has successfully secured a **$1 million strategic investment** from **Triple Helix Capital**, based in Dubai. This digital lending platform is making waves in **Malaysia**, focusing on providing **same-day loans** to underserved sectors including microfinance and SMEs.

### Impressive Growth Metrics
The company's performance has been nothing short of remarkable:
- **Revenue**: $0.7 million in H1 2024, marking a **116% year-over-year growth**.
- **Non-Performing Loan (NPL) Rate**: Nearly zero, showcasing effective risk management.
- **Loan Book Value**: $13.3 million as of June 2024, reflecting a **67% increase**.

### Streamlined Lending Process
Credilab's platform streamlines the lending journey, ensuring regulatory compliance while enhancing customer experience. The recent investment will facilitate:
- **Expansion of the platform**
- **Broader financial product offerings**
- **Market entry strategies**

Credilab is on a mission to establish itself as a **category-defining leader** in the global fintech arena, leveraging innovative technology to enhance financial inclusion.

### Future Outlook
With the backing of Triple Helix, Credilab is poised for aggressive growth, aiming to unlock further capital and broaden its market reach. This strategic investment underscores the potential of Credilab to become a significant player in the fintech landscape of Southeast Asia and beyond.

Dubai's Triple Helix invests $1M in VCI Global's fintech arm showing 116% revenue growth. Discover how this digital lender is disrupting SEA finance. See growth metrics.

How VCI Global's Credilab is Revolutionizing Fintech in Southeast Asia with $1M Investment

### Rogo's AI Revolution

An **AI start-up**, Rogo, has successfully raised **$50 million** in a funding round led by **Thrive Capital**, propelling its valuation from **$80 million** to an impressive **$350 million**. This funding comes just **seven months** after a previous round of **$18.5 million**.  

### The Vision Behind Rogo

Founded by **Gabriel Stengel**, a former analyst at Lazard, Rogo aims to automate repetitive tasks typically handled by **junior investment bankers**. Stengel envisions an AI tool that not only supports senior bankers but also significantly reduces the **grunt work** junior bankers face. He stated, “I thought, hey, you could make a real AI analyst for Wall Street.”  

### Capabilities of Rogo

Rogo is designed to swiftly analyze a company's market position and competitors, as well as perform basic valuation comparisons. It has already been deployed at prestigious firms like **Moelis**, **Nomura**, **Tiger Global**, and **GTCR**.  

### Competitive Landscape

The financial industry is in a **technology arms race**, with firms like **JPMorgan Chase** developing their own **large language models**. Start-ups like **Mosaic** are also emerging, providing tools to calculate deal returns rapidly.  

### The Future of Analysts

With Rogo, tasks that once took analysts days can now be completed in minutes. This shift raises questions about the future of the analyst role, as one junior banker suggested that the nature of the job will evolve beyond just modeling. Rogo's team believes they can train their models to provide insights comparable to those of senior bankers.  

### Industry Perspectives

The banking community is divided on AI's impact. Some believe it will lead to fewer entry-level positions, while others argue it will enable banks to pursue more deals, thus increasing the need for personnel. Stengel asserts that banks leveraging AI will outperform competitors, generating more revenue per employee and necessitating more bankers.  

Rogo is positioning itself to be at the forefront of this evolution, challenging traditional banking roles through innovative AI solutions.

Rogo, founded by an ex-Lazard analyst, has raised $50mn for chatbot to do banking grunt work

Meet Rogo: The AI Chatbot Disrupting Investment Banking with $50 Million Backing

## Invest Nest: A Launchpad for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

**REXBURG** — Invest Nest is quickly becoming a cornerstone for young innovators in Rexburg. This program provides students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges and gain access to local mentors. On Wednesday night, the Round 3 winner will walk away with **$5,000** to launch or grow their venture and earn a chance to compete in Utah for an even bigger prize: **$20,000**.

![Madison High School Junior Casey Sunderland pitches a landscape business to judges.](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.eastidahonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/InvestNest01.jpg)

Business ideas ranged from **AI tools for dyslexic readers** to **lawn care companies** and **new clothing brands**, all created by Madison High School students in this year's Invest Nest competition.

Jennifer Barzee, a business teacher at Madison High School, initiated the program last year by organizing a competition similar to the TV show **Shark Tank**. This year, the competition has grown even larger after Justin Ellingford introduced her to the Invest Nest program, which originated in Utah.

> “I have a technical advisory committee, and last year they suggested that a contest like this would raise awareness among students,” Barzee explained. “It was the number one idea, and we just ran with it.”

The competition started with the **Elevator Pitch**, where 28 students presented their ideas to successful local entrepreneurs who volunteered their time to mentor and judge. Students then refined their pitches over several weeks before delivering a polished **two- to three-minute business pitch**. The top 10 were invited to compete in Wednesday night’s public Round 3 event.

![Madison High School Sophomore James Patton pitches an athletic clothing line business to judges.](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.eastidahonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/InvestNest02.jpg)

Mack Wible, owner of Textile Graphix and a program mentor, was impressed by the creativity and drive of the students. 

> “I had three students reach out to me — two girls and a boy — and they all had great, great ideas,” Wible said. “It was cool to meet these kids and see that there are still some smart ones out there.”

Many students, like **Colton Munns**, are already operating real businesses. Munns runs **Young Buck Lawn Care** and aims to double last year’s **$15,000 revenue** and expand to a second crew this summer.

![Madison High School Junior Katrina Isaacson pitches a cleaning product to judges.](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.eastidahonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/InvestNest03.jpg)

For others, Invest Nest offers a chance to test ideas and learn through experience. One student pitched a digital platform designed to help dyslexic children read aloud and improve their pronunciation through interactive stories.

A notable aspect of this year’s Invest Nest was the strong participation from young women entrepreneurs, with approximately half of the participants being girls — a positive shift in a traditionally male-dominated field.

> “It’s been awesome to see that kind of participation,” Wible noted. “The girls I worked with came prepared, had thought through their business models, and really knew what they were talking about.”

Andrew Rail, co-founder of Assist Care and a lead event sponsor, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the rising generation of diverse entrepreneurs.

> “These students are stepping outside of their comfort zones, and that’s not something you see a lot these days,” Rail said.

![Senior Tanner Wasden and Junior Logan Nelson explain a window washing business to judges.](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.eastidahonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/InvestNest04.jpg)

Wible emphasized that the real value of Invest Nest transcends the prize money. 

> “It provokes creativity,” Wible said, “and helps them realize there are so many ways to make money — through products, services, innovations.”

Barzee is passionate about motivating students to pursue their dreams and showing them the support available for their ideas.

The third round of Invest Nest will be held Wednesday night at the Madison Performing Arts Center, starting with a meet-and-greet and followed by student presentations. The event is open to the public, allowing audience members to vote for their favorite pitch, which will be factored into the final decision.

REXBURG — Invest Nest is quickly becoming a cornerstone for young innovators in Rexburg. It gives students the chance to pitch business ideas to a panel of judges and access local mentors. On Wednesday night, the Round 3 winner will walk away with $5,000 to launch or grow their venture and earn a shot at […]

Young Innovators Shine: Madison High Students Compete for $5,000 Business Prize

### **The Rise of Cluely**  
AI cheating startup **Cluely** has taken the internet by storm with its audacious claim of offering an **"undetectable"** in-browser window that allows users to **"cheat on everything"** from job interviews to exams.  

### **The Response from Competitors**  
In retaliation, several startups are stepping up to combat Cluely’s rising popularity. **Validia**, based in San Francisco, recently launched a free product called **“Truely,”** which sounds an alarm if it detects the use of Cluely. Another contender, **Proctaroo** from Rhode Island, also claims it can identify Cluely users during its sessions. CEO **Adrian Aamodt** criticized Cluely’s business model, labeling it as **“unethical.”**  

### **Cluely's Countermeasures**  
**Chungin “Roy” Lee**, co-founder and CEO of Cluely, dismissed the effectiveness of these anti-cheating tools, likening them to unsuccessful cheating crackdowns in the gaming industry. He also hinted at Cluely's potential expansion into **hardware**, suggesting products like **smart glasses** or even **brain chips** to evade detection by anti-cheating software.  

### **Changes in Messaging**  
Faced with scrutiny, Cluely has modified its marketing strategies, removing explicit references to cheating on exams and job interviews from its website. Now, it promotes its utility for **sales calls** and **meetings** instead. Lee emphasized that Cluely aims to **"redefine"** its messaging to tap into the largest markets for AI use.  

### **The Future of AI in Cheating**  
Lee foresees a future where AI is utilized to its fullest potential, focusing on large, impactful markets before expanding further.  

![Cluely AI Cheating App](https://techcrunch.com/image-link)

AI cheating startup Cluely went viral last week with bold claims that its hidden in-browser window is "undetectable" and can be used to "cheat on

Unmasking Cluely: The AI Cheating App and the Startups Battling It

### CaaStle's Legal Woes
CaaStle, the troubled **fashion startup**, is now entangled in **two lawsuits** amid serious allegations of **financial misconduct** against its founder, Christine Hunsicke. The company's board has publicly accused her of mismanagement, leading to these legal battles.

### Lawsuits from Partners and Suppliers
As reported by **Axios**, CaaStle is being sued by:
- **P180**: This entity, created to invest in companies utilizing CaaStle's technology, claims that CaaStle **misled** them about its financial health, leading to substantial losses. The lawsuit states that CaaStle fraudulently induced P180 to raise capital under false pretenses, resulting in over **$58 million** in damages.
- **EXP Topco**: An apparel company alleging that CaaStle breached a **settlement agreement** by failing to pay fines related to copyright infringement.

### Rumors of Class-Action Lawsuit
In addition, there are rumors of a potential **class-action lawsuit** against an investment firm involved with CaaStle, although details remain scarce.

### Financial Troubles and Bankruptcy Exploration
CaaStle is reportedly exploring **bankruptcy** options and has secured **$2.7 million** in financing to assist in this process. To date, the company has raised over **$530 million**, with its last funding round occurring in **2019**.

### Employee Perspectives
Former employees have expressed that they were not surprised by the financial troubles, noting a lack of transparency regarding the company's financial status. One anonymous source remarked, “I think everyone laughed it off and was like, ‘Oh, we probably don’t make any money.”

### The Larger Context
If these allegations prove true, this could be one of the largest **startup fraud cases** in recent history, reminiscent of other high-profile cases in the industry. CaaStle's situation serves as a cautionary tale for **investors** and **entrepreneurs** alike.

CaaStle, the embattled fashion startup whose board of directors accused its founder, Christine Hunsicke, of financial misconduct, is starting to face

CaaStle Faces Legal Turmoil: Two New Lawsuits Uncover Allegations of Fraud and Financial Misconduct

![Dan Roark, CEO of Gestalt](https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/dan-gestalt-2-2048x1367-1-630x421.jpg)

Gestalt Diagnostics, a **healthcare startup** based in Spokane, Washington, has successfully **raised $7.5 million** to enhance its **AI tools for digital pathology** analysis. This funding aims to improve **cancer detection** and facilitate real-time collaboration between healthcare providers and pathologists, leading to **faster diagnoses**.

The investment will bolster efforts to expand customer outreach, enhance AI capabilities, and pursue **FDA clearance** for its innovative technology. As cancer rates climb and the number of pathologists declines, the need for effective digital analysis technology is more critical than ever.

Dan Roark, CEO of Gestalt, stated, “We’ve already streamlined how pathologists navigate fragmented systems by creating **PathFlow**, a unified platform for viewing pathology cases digitally and collaborating with leading experts in real-time without the need to ship specimens. Now, we’ll accelerate innovation and scale our reach to meet the growing demands of modern pathology.”

Established in 2017, Gestalt employs a diverse workforce across the country and internationally, with its headquarters in Spokane, which hosts **57 biotech companies** according to a recent report by Life Science Washington.

This **Series A funding round** was led by notable investors including Cowles Ventures, TVF Funds, Inland Imaging Investments, KickStart Funds, and angel investors from the Pacific Northwest. With a total of **$13.9 million raised** to date, Gestalt is part of a thriving **biotech sector** in Washington, which has seen substantial investments of **$646.17 million** across 14 deals in the first quarter of the year.

Spokane's Gestalt Diagnostics lands $7.5M in funding to enhance its AI tools for digital pathology, aiming to improve cancer diagnoses.

Free Entrepreneurship Summer Camp for Milwaukee Kids: BizStarts' "First Launch"

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Kintsugi: The AI Startup Revolutionizing Sales Tax Compliance with a $150 Million Valuation

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Meet Rogo: The AI Chatbot Disrupting Investment Banking with $50 Million Backing

Young Innovators Shine: Madison High Students Compete for $5,000 Business Prize

Unmasking Cluely: The AI Cheating App and the Startups Battling It

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Other Latest News

Kintsugi: The AI Startup Revolutionizing Sales Tax Compliance with a $150 Million Valuation

How VCI Global's Credilab is Revolutionizing Fintech in Southeast Asia with $1M Investment

Meet Rogo: The AI Chatbot Disrupting Investment Banking with $50 Million Backing

Young Innovators Shine: Madison High Students Compete for $5,000 Business Prize

Unmasking Cluely: The AI Cheating App and the Startups Battling It

CaaStle Faces Legal Turmoil: Two New Lawsuits Uncover Allegations of Fraud and Financial Misconduct

Spokane's Gestalt Diagnostics Secures $7.5M to Revolutionize AI in Cancer Detection