Paula Stokes Blog | AI, Startup Trends & Tech Insights

A business built around increasingly customized ready-to-eat meals has netted Middle Eastern startup Calo a sizeable funding injection as it looks to expand both what it can offer its time-strapped customers and where it delivers its growing range of just-heat-to-eat dishes. The meal delivery market in the Middle East will hit $11.2 billion by 2030, according to a report from MarkNtel Advisors published last year. Food aggregators such as Careem, Deliveroo, and Talabat have built big businesses by banking on the habits of busy professionals ordering food in rather than making meals themselves — fueled in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic. Riyadh-based Calo differentiates itself by offering customized meal subscriptions for specialized segments like weight loss, high protein intake, or balanced meals — targeting customers who care what they are eating, not merely when their food will arrive. The startup plans to further lean into meal customization to cater to more personalized segmen...

SoftBank said the co-CEO of Vision Fund, Rajeev Misra, will soon step down from his leadership roles at the firm’s flagship technology investment vehicles, marking the departure of one of the Japanese group’s most prominent dealmakers. The company said on Tuesday that Misra, who helped steer the $100 billion Vision Fund through both its explosive rise and subsequent challenges, will relinquish his positions as co-head of SoftBank Investment Advisers and SoftBank Global Advisers. Alex Clavel will assume sole leadership as chief executive of both units. The move comes after Misra withdrew from his executive positions at SoftBank Group in August 2022, when he stepped back from his roles as corporate officer and executive vice president of the parent company. The former Deutsche Bank executive launched One Investment Management, a $6.8 billion fund backed by Abu Dhabi, in 2022. Misra will no longer have an official role at SoftBank, the company said. During his ten-year tenure at SoftBank,...

  Altos Ventures, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has backed the likes of Roblox, Coupang, PandaDoc, and Quizlet, has secured $500 million for its latest fund, according to SEC filings. The firm has been around for almost three decades and this is its largest fund to date. Altos Ventures declined to comment on the filing or the new fund. The multistage VC firm manages over 15 funds across three vehicles, according to PitchBook. They include Altos Ventures and Altos Hybrid funds, which invest in U.S. and global companies, as well as Altos Korea Opportunity Fund, which targets startups in South Korea. Altos Ventures has more than $7 billion in assets under management. Altos Ventures specializes in enterprise and consumer software sectors, with a strong focus on SaaS, consumer and mobile. The firm prides itself on being the “first institutional investor in high-growth, founder-led companies.” The new fund is notable because it’s a signal that well-established firms are co...