## Starlink's Critical Role in Ukraine's Defense

Starlink has become an indispensable tool in the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces, providing crucial communication capabilities. However, the standard terminals are not built for the harsh realities of military use, being too fragile for mobile operations.

## Adaptis: A Local Solution for Enhanced Mobility

A Kyiv-based entrepreneur has stepped up with an innovative fix. **Adaptis**, a Ukrainian startup, has developed a specialized **car mount** for Starlink equipment, making it more durable and portable for battlefield conditions. This allows soldiers to maintain reliable internet connectivity on the move, significantly boosting their operational effectiveness.

![Photo from Adaptis website shows the car mount for satellite equipment.](Source: Adaptis)

## Why This Matters

This development addresses a critical gap in military technology, showcasing how local ingenuity can provide practical solutions in times of crisis. It highlights the importance of **adaptability** and innovation in defense tech, potentially saving lives by ensuring uninterrupted communication.

Greetings, it’s Volodymyr, a reporter from Kyiv. Starlink is playing an important role in the fighting between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers, but the fragile terminals aren’t designed for military purposes. A local entrepreneur has a solution. First though ...

Ukrainian Innovator Transforms Starlink into a Battlefield Game-Changer with Mobile Tech

# Kite Secures $18 Million to Build AI Blockchain for Seamless Agent Interactions

In the bustling world of Silicon Valley, **AI and crypto** are the hottest trends, with startups racing to merge them since ChatGPT's debut in 2022. While results have been mixed, Kite stands out, backed by a major $18 million investment led by **PayPal Ventures** and **General Catalyst**. This Series A round, which includes participants like 8VC, Samsung Next, and Alumni Ventures, brings Kite's total funding to $33 million. The startup's CEO, Chi Zhang, has kept valuation details under wraps and hasn't specified if the raise involves equity or token warrants for a future cryptocurrency.

## The Vision for Automated Shopping

Kite, formerly known as Zettablock, aims to create a blockchain that enables **AI agents** to communicate directly, eliminating the need for human intermediaries. Imagine a future where you can shop through **ChatGPT** or other chatbots without leaving the app—no more browsing Amazon or Shopify stores manually. Zhang envisions this automated world, where AI agents from different platforms interact trustworthily, facilitated by a decentralized database.

## The Rise of AI Agents and Infrastructure Needs

AI agents are evolving from general-purpose models to specialized tools for tasks like coding or shopping. However, as Alan Du from PayPal Ventures notes, the infrastructure is still in its early stages. Kite is building the necessary backbone to make agents transformative, ensuring they can identify and trust each other through blockchain technology.

One of Kite's initial projects focuses on allowing users to purchase items directly via text in ChatGPT, integrating with platforms like Shopify. This innovation promises to redefine how we interact with AI, moving us into what Zhang calls the 'agentic era'.

![AI Blockchain Interaction](https://example.com/ai-blockchain-image.jpg) // Note: Placeholder image URL; actual implementation would use provided media if available.

The startup wants to make it easier for users, for example, to buy products straight through ChatGPT or other chatbots.

How Kite's AI Blockchain is Revolutionizing Shopping with ChatGPT and PayPal's Backing

## Unitree's Path to Public Listing

Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co., a leading Chinese robot developer, has announced plans to file for an initial public offering (IPO) on a Chinese stock exchange as early as next month. This move will provide investors with unprecedented insight into the **financial performance** of one of the country's most prominent tech innovators.

In a recent post on X, the company stated that it will submit the necessary documents between October and December, though the specific exchange was not disclosed. This follows a pre-listing application submitted in July, signaling strong momentum towards going public.

## Rise to Prominence and Financial Milestones

Unitree gained significant attention in February when its founder, Wang Xingxing, was photographed in the front row at a high-profile meeting hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, alongside other top business leaders. Since then, Chinese robotics have captured global interest, with achievements ranging from marathon-running robots to securing major financing deals.

In June, Wang revealed that the company's annual revenue has surpassed **1 billion yuan (approximately $140 million)**, underscoring its rapid growth and market impact.

## Industry Context and Challenges

While widespread adoption of humanoid consumer robots is still in the future, companies like Unitree, along with Shenzhen-based Leju Robotics and UBTech Robotics Corp., are making strides in industrial applications. For instance, these robots are being used in electric vehicle factories for tasks such as moving boxes and sorting materials, highlighting their practical utility.

However, challenges remain. The CEO has acknowledged that **humanoid robots still lack advanced AI technology**, indicating areas for future development. Additionally, Unitree has emphasized its commitment to civil use of its products, distancing itself from military applications after videos surfaced showing its robot dogs in drills.

## Security and Transparency

In response to online reports about potential security vulnerabilities, Unitree confirmed that it has fixed issues in its Go1 dog robots, demonstrating a proactive approach to safety and reliability.

This IPO filing marks a significant step for Unitree, offering a glimpse into the burgeoning robotics industry in China and its potential for global influence.

Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co. said it will submit filings to list on a Chinese stock exchange as soon as next month, offering investors insight into the finances of one of the country’s most prominent robot developers.

Unitree Robotics: China's Robot Giant Set for IPO, Revealing Billion-Dollar Secrets

# U.S. and Indian VCs Unite in $1B+ Alliance to Fuel India's Deep Tech Startups

Eight major U.S. and Indian venture capital and private equity firms, including **Accel**, **Blume Ventures**, **Celesta Capital**, and **Premji Invest**, have launched the **India Deep Tech Investment Alliance**. This coalition pledges over **$1 billion** over the next decade to support India's deep tech ecosystem, aiming to strengthen U.S.-India tech ties and address funding gaps.

## Addressing Funding Concerns and Government Initiatives

The alliance responds to recent criticisms from Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who slammed domestic startups for focusing on food delivery rather than innovation. Investors and founders countered that India lacks capital for deep tech ventures, highlighting the need for long-term private investment. This move aligns with the Indian government's approval of a **₹1 trillion (approximately $11 billion) Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) scheme**, designed to boost deep tech R&D and require local incorporation for incentives.

## How the Alliance Works

Members will commit private capital over 5-10 years to Indian-domiciled deep tech startups, focusing on early-stage investments from seed to Series B. In addition to funding, the alliance offers mentorship, network access, and support for portfolio companies expanding into the Indian market. The group includes firms like Gaja Capital, Ideaspring Capital, Tenacity Ventures, and Venture Catalysts, with plans for more firms and corporates to join.

An advisory committee with representatives from Accel, Premji Invest, and Venture Catalysts will coordinate efforts, ensuring shared objectives while preserving each fund's independence. Leadership will rotate, starting with Celesta Capital's managing partner Arun Kumar as the inaugural chair.

## Geopolitical Context and Strategic Focus

Despite recent trade tensions, including U.S. tariffs on Indian goods, the alliance bets on India as a hub for foundational technologies such as **AI, semiconductors, space, quantum computing, robotics, biotech, energy, and climate tech**. It aims to engage with the Indian government on policy and incentives, acting as a unified voice to prevent regulatory turmoil seen in the past.

## Potential Impact and Risks

This initiative could energize India's startup ecosystem, providing patient capital and support for breakthrough innovations. However, there's a risk if coordination falters, leaving promising companies underserved. As Anand Daniel of Accel stated, "Over the next decade, startups will build in India and export breakthrough solutions to the world."

Eight U.S. and Indian VC and PE giants are teaming up to fuel India's deep tech boom.

Massive $1B+ Alliance Forms to Supercharge India's Deep Tech Revolution

Every founder dreams of visibility, traction, and growth. With just **10 tables remaining** and only **5 days** to book one, the opportunity to make it happen at **TechCrunch Disrupt 2025** is slipping away fast.

If you've considered joining over 10,000 startup and VC leaders in San Francisco from October 27–29, now is the time to act. **Lock in your place on the Expo floor** where ideas, capital, and connections come together.

## Here's what awaits you at your exhibit table

- **Real investor exposure:** Expect foot traffic from top firms like Sequoia, a16z, General Catalyst, and Y Combinator. They roam the floor—make sure they stop at your table.
- **A powerful brand moment:** Your company will be featured as a partner on the event page and in the Disrupt app, extending your visibility beyond the booth.
- **Traction that sticks:** Many exhibitors leave with early customers, game-changing introductions, or unexpected media attention.
- **Built-in perks:** Each table includes 10 complimentary passes for your team, Silver Tier partner status, and more. **See all the perks of exhibiting here**.

Your competitors might already be preparing their booths. Don't let them steal your spotlight and high-quality leads.

![TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 no anniversary](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/TC25_Disrupt_General_Article_No-Anniversary-at-all_Headers_1920x1080.png?w=680)

**Book your table now** before it's taken by your competitor!

Only 5 days and 10 exhibit tables left to book at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Shine the spotlight on your startup on October 27-29 in San Francisco. Book now.

Last Chance: Only 5 Days Left to Secure Your Spot at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 and Boost Your Startup!

OpenAI has released its most advanced speech-to-speech model yet, **gpt-realtime**, alongside the general availability of its **Realtime API** with new capabilities. This move aims to empower enterprises and developers to build production-ready voice agents, particularly for scenarios like customer support.

### Key Features and Implications

The Realtime API now supports **image inputs** and **remote MCP servers**, enhancing agent capabilities. A standout addition is **SIP telephony support**, which simplifies building applications for voice-over-phone situations. As Peter Bakkum, Member of Technical Staff at OpenAI, stated in the [announcement video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfBbmtMJhX0):

> We've added support for SIP telephony, which makes it much easier to build applications for voice-over-phone situations like customer support.

This development poses a significant threat to many conversational AI startups. Andreas Granig, CEO at Sipfront, highlighted in a [LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/agranig_openai-just-sunk-half-of-the-voice-ai-activity-7367318851941793794-ccKs?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB_MGuQB6bbmsMlLLNjrIhFAQlGGwLO5C-k) that startups relying on basic telephony interfaces without deep telco expertise are now at risk, as the voice interface for AI assistants has become a commodity.

### Advantages of the gpt-realtime Model

OpenAI designed gpt-realtime for real-world scenarios like customer support and academic tutoring. It enables AI agents to understand and produce audio without separate transcription, language, or voice models, leading to **faster responses** and better capture of subtleties like emotions (e.g., laughter or sighs). The model delivers more natural, high-quality audio and handles complex, multi-turn conversations effectively. Developers can adjust pace, tone, style, and even roleplay characters, and it excels with unclear audio and long alphanumeric strings, such as phone numbers.

### Cost and Control Considerations

Despite its benefits, the model comes with a high cost: $32 per 1M audio input tokens ($0.40 for cached tokens) and $64 per 1M audio output tokens. Alex Levin, CEO at Regal, noted that this is approximately four times higher than using a chained model (speech-to-text, LLM, text-to-speech). Additionally, there are concerns about limited control and observability compared to chained models, which allow for varying models, voices, and guardrails during conversations.

### Real-World Application: T-Mobile's Use Case

T-Mobile has been testing OpenAI's models for six months and recently started using gpt-realtime with the Realtime API, reporting huge improvements. Julianne Roberson, Director of AI at T-Mobile, demonstrated how the AI assistant guides customers through processes like device upgrades, handling unpredictable conversations, recognizing emotions, and managing multimodal inputs. This aligns with T-Mobile's goal to provide expert-level service everywhere with AI, potentially accelerating trends toward automated customer service.

CX Today covers Conversational AI news including AI Agents, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Chatbots, Virtual Agent, Virtual Assistant and more.

OpenAI's Game-Changing Voice AI Update Threatens Startups: What You Need to Know

## The Rise of Fusion Power

Over the last several years, fusion power has transformed from a distant dream into a tangible technology attracting massive investments. **Fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date**, with a handful of companies leading the charge. This surge is driven by three key advances: more powerful computer chips, sophisticated AI, and high-temperature superconducting magnets, enabling better reactor designs and simulations.

In late 2022, a U.S. Department of Energy lab achieved a controlled fusion reaction producing more power than input, marking a scientific breakeven. This milestone validated the underlying science, fueling momentum in the private sector.

## Leading Fusion Startups

### Commonwealth Fusion Systems

**Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS)** has raised nearly $3 billion, accounting for about a third of all private fusion capital. Their latest $863 million round in August 2025 supports the construction of Sparc, a tokamak reactor using high-temperature superconducting magnets. CFS aims to have Sparc operational by late 2026 or early 2027, with a commercial plant, Arc, planned for Virginia to produce 400 megawatts. Google has agreed to buy half its output. Backed by investors like Bill Gates and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, CFS is a frontrunner in the fusion race.

### TAE Technologies

Founded in 1998, **TAE Technologies** uses a field-reversed configuration with particle beams to stabilize plasma. With total funding of $1.79 billion, including a $150 million round in June 2025 from Google and Chevron, TAE focuses on long-term stability for efficient energy extraction.

### Helion

**Helion** targets electricity production by 2028, with Microsoft as its first customer. Using a field-reversed configuration reactor, Helion induces fusion through plasma collisions, harvesting electricity directly. Raised $1.03 billion, including $425 million in January 2025, with backers like Sam Altman and Peter Thiel.

### Pacific Fusion

**Pacific Fusion** burst onto the scene with a $900 million Series A, using inertial confinement with electromagnetic pulses. Led by Eric Lander, funding is milestone-based, common in biotech, ensuring disciplined progress.

### Shine Technologies

Taking a pragmatic approach, **Shine Technologies** focuses on neutron testing and medical isotopes before pursuing fusion power. With $778 million raised, it's building skills for future reactor development.

### General Fusion

In its third decade, **General Fusion** uses magnetized target fusion with a liquid metal wall. Despite raising $462.53 million, it faced cash shortages in 2025, leading to layoffs and a $22 million lifeline from investors.

### Tokamak Energy

**Tokamak Energy** employs a compact spherical tokamak design with high-temperature superconducting magnets. Its ST40 prototype achieved 100 million degree C plasma in 2022. Raised $336 million, with Demo 4 under construction for testing.

### Zap Energy

**Zap Energy** uses electric currents to generate magnetic fields for plasma confinement, avoiding expensive magnets. Based in Washington, it has raised $327 million from investors including Bill Gates.

### Proxima Fusion

**Proxima Fusion** stands out with a stellarator design, attracting €185 million in funding. Stellarators twist to accommodate plasma quirks, promising longer stability for fusion reactions.

### Marvel Fusion

**Marvel Fusion** follows inertial confinement with lasers and silicon nanostructures, leveraging semiconductor manufacturing. Raised $161 million, building a demonstration facility by 2027.

### First Light

**First Light** pivoted in March 2025 from fusion power to technology supply, after raising $140 million. It previously focused on inertial confinement.

### Xcimer

**Xcimer** builds on National Ignition Facility science, aiming for a more powerful laser system with molten salt walls. Founded in 2022, it has raised $109 million rapidly.

This dynamic field continues to evolve, with startups pushing the boundaries of clean energy innovation.

Fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date, with the majority of it going to a handful of companies. 

The Billion-Dollar Race: Top Fusion Startups Revolutionizing Clean Energy

# The Acquisition Frenzy in Israeli Tech

It was billed as a summer of mergers and acquisitions for Israeli startups, and it lived up to the hype. In August alone, a flurry of high-profile transactions reshaped the landscape of two of Israel's strongest sectors: **cybersecurity** and **artificial intelligence**. From AI-driven security platforms to GPU optimization firms, global buyers have moved decisively to secure Israeli talent and technology.

## Key Deals That Made Headlines

The wave began with **SentinelOne's $250 million acquisition of Prompt Security**, a Tel Aviv company founded just two years ago to safeguard corporate use of generative AI tools. Prompt had raised only $23 million before selling, yet it became one of the season's headline-making deals. Its rapid exit underlined a broader reality: acquirers are less interested in immediate revenues than in securing scarce expertise at the intersection of AI and cyber defense.

Just days later, AI infrastructure firm **Crusoe announced its purchase of Atero** for an estimated $150 million. Atero, an Israeli startup developing technology to optimize GPU workloads for large-scale AI models, had existed barely a year. The deal brought Crusoe both critical intellectual property and a new R&D hub in Tel Aviv.

## Behind the Surge

This rapid-fire sequence of deals was no accident. In July, observers in Tel Aviv were already predicting a "supermarket sweep" of young AI-cyber companies. The trigger had been Palo Alto Networks' $700 million acquisition of Protect AI in April, followed by Tenable's $100 million purchase of Apex in May. With U.S. giants like Cisco, Zscaler, and F5 circling the Israeli market, it seemed inevitable that August would bring a spate of transactions.

That forecast proved accurate. Several of the names tipped as acquisition candidates—Prompt, Aim—ended up announcing deals within weeks. For founders, the choice was stark: either scale quickly with new capital or accept buyout offers while valuations remain buoyant. For investors, many of whom had funded these startups less than two years ago, exits in the hundreds of millions represented compelling returns.

## The Common Thread: Talent Over Revenue

The common denominator in these acquisitions is not revenue scale—most of the targets have little more than pilot customers—but **talent density**. Buyers are paying a premium to secure small teams of engineers trained in Israel's defense and intelligence units, betting that they will provide the building blocks for future platforms.

That mirrors a broader global pattern in AI. The technology is advancing so quickly that corporate buyers prefer to acquire specialist teams rather than risk falling behind by developing solutions internally. In cybersecurity especially, where the rise of generative AI has already enabled novel attack methods such as "prompt injection" and data poisoning, the need for defensive innovation is urgent.

## What's Next?

The August surge may not be the end of the story. Industry insiders expect more acquisitions before year's end, particularly in the AI-cyber niche. Other startups rumored to be in play include Lasso Security and Pillar. Meanwhile, larger Israeli companies like Check Point and Cato Networks are under pressure to keep pace with U.S. rivals by adding new AI capabilities, either through acquisitions or massive hiring pushes.

What is clear is that 2025 has cemented Israel's position as the crucible of AI-driven cybersecurity innovation and as fertile ground for the world's biggest technology buyers. The gold rush shows no signs of abating.

A forecasted summer of exits came true as young companies with modest revenues drew nine-figure deals.

Ukrainian Innovator Transforms Starlink into a Battlefield Game-Changer with Mobile Tech

Summary:

Starlink's Critical Role in Ukraine's Defense

Adaptis: A Local Solution for Enhanced Mobility

Why This Matters

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