SaaS
Aug 11, 2026
AI-Native vs. AI-Sprinkle: The Difference Is 3x
Strattam Capital's Bob Morse argues that giving engineers AI tools without redesigning how they work — "AI-sprinkle" — caps productivity gains at 30%. His portfolio company HireRoad proves the alternative: by going truly AI-native, a new CEO rebuilt a legacy product in 15 weeks instead of 18 months, with a smaller team.
AI
SaaS
Strategy
Aug 5, 2026
conmeet Raises €6M for an AI Construction OS
German construction tech startup conmeet has closed an oversubscribed €6M seed round to expand its AI-powered platform for mid-sized trades and construction businesses. Co-led by Reimann Investors Venture Capital and Smedvig Ventures, the funding will drive DACH expansion and deepen the platform's autonomous workflow capabilities.
Startups
Construction Tech
AI
Aug 5, 2026
Bending Spoons Buys Airtable for $1.28B, Down From $11B
Italian software acquirer Bending Spoons is buying Airtable for $1.28 billion, a fraction of the no-code database platform's 2021 peak valuation of $11 billion. The deal marks one of the starkest examples of post-boom SaaS valuation compression. Here's what it means for the no-code market and the broader software landscape.
Mergers And Acquisitions
SaaS
Startups
Jul 31, 2026
5 New German Startups to Watch: evems and More
A fresh wave of startups is entering the German startup scene. Here's a closer look at five new ventures — evems, CENSE, Mirel, Vambiant, and AIceFlow — and what they're building.
Startups
AI
Germany
Jul 31, 2026
Inforcer Raises $50M Series C for MSP AI Security
UK-based Inforcer has closed a $50 million Series C led by Insight Partners to expand its unified Microsoft security and AI management platform for managed service providers. The round comes as SMB-focused MSPs face mounting pressure from AI-enhanced cyber threats and growing demand for Microsoft 365 governance. Existing backers Meritech Capital and Dawn Capital also participated.
Cybersecurity
AI
Funding
Jul 30, 2026
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: AI Stage on SaaS, Agents
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is bringing back its dedicated AI Stage, presented by Google for Startups, to address some of the most pressing questions facing builders and investors right now — from the collapse of traditional SaaS models to the emerging security vulnerabilities in autonomous AI agents.
AI
SaaS
Startups
Jul 23, 2026
Monday.com Cuts 630 Jobs in Pivot to AI Work Platform
Monday.com is laying off approximately 630 employees — 20% of its workforce — as the work management platform restructures around its AI ambitions. The company says the cuts are designed to support a leaner operating model focused on its AI Work Platform.
AI
SaaS
Layoffs
Jul 20, 2026
Lakestar Closes €300M Fund; Salesforce Buys Contentful
European VC Lakestar has closed a dedicated €300 million DefenseTech fund, while CMS startup Contentful has reportedly been acquired by Salesforce for $1.55 billion. Plus: Delivery Hero's era ends as it heads to Uber.
Venture Capital
Mergers & Acquisitions
Defense Tech
Jul 15, 2026
Deal Monitor: Ardian, Apryse, VisualLogix Make Buys
A busy week in European tech M&A sees private equity giant Ardian take over German nursing HR platform Pflegia, Apryse expand its document tech empire with Smallpdf's PDF Tools, and Insight Partners-backed VisualLogix absorb software roll-up refyne. Two fresh funding rounds round out the week.
M&A
Private Equity
HR Tech
Jul 14, 2026
German Funding Roundup: Project Q, Skalar, MAIA Raise
A busy week in the German startup ecosystem sees five notable deals close, spanning defense tech, tax automation, AI, and a major acquisition in the professional networking space. Here's what moved in the latest DealMonitor.
Funding
Defense Tech
AI
Jul 2, 2026
Bending Spoons Surges 40% on IPO Day, Defies SaaS Slump
Italian software company Bending Spoons made a dramatic stock market debut, jumping 40% on its first day of trading. The company has built its empire by acquiring and AI-powering legacy tech brands like Evernote, Vimeo, and Eventbrite. Its strong debut bucks a broader downturn in SaaS valuations.
AI
Bending Spoons
Eventbrite
Jun 26, 2026
Notion Pulls the Plug on Mail as AI Agents Take Over
Notion is shutting down its email client as users increasingly delegate inbox management to AI agents. The move signals a broader industry shift away from traditional email interfaces toward autonomous, agent-driven workflows.
Notion
AI Agents
Jun 25, 2026
Rippling's Parker Conrad Wants to Show AI's Employee ROI
Rippling CEO Parker Conrad is turning his HR and payroll platform into an AI spend auditor, helping companies identify which employees are generating real value from AI subscriptions — and which are burning budget on glorified calendar summaries.
Rippling
AI Spend
Enterprise AI