Top News | Cybersecurity rounds are hot this summer: In quick succession, two cybersecurity startups with roots in Israel have raised new capital. Terra Security (AI-powered pen testing) secured $30 million in a round led by Felicis, while Remedio (device security testing) raised $65 million. Cybersecurity startups from the small nation have an illustrious history, including breakout TWiST500 companies like Cyera, which recently raised $540 million at a $6 billion valuation. (Our most recent chat with Cyera can be found here.) OpenAI Codex: The American AI giant announced GPT-5-Codex today — a version of its GPT-5 model “further optimized for agentic coding” — for the company’s software development suite. Codex CLI (command line interface) and a web version launched earlier this year. Per OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, GPT-5-Codex is already on pace to become the majority-used model inside of Codex after a single day. Nvidia gives CoreWeave a gift: In a boost to a company it previously backed, Nvidia agreement to purchase all of CoreWeave’s unused data center capacity through April 13, 2032. Pegged at a value of $6.3 billion, Nvidia just backstopped any potential overbuilding concerns at CoreWeave. We’ll learn more when the agreement is fully spelled out in CoreWeave’s next quarterly filing, but for now, investors of the neocloud are feasting, with shares up around 7% on the news.
| YC Startups: Summer 2025 | The newest Launch Accelerator class just kicked off (LA35, full company list here). But while the new Launch cohort cooks, it’s a great time to take a peek at the latest companies from Y Combinator’s most recent class, its Summer 2025 batch. | This week we’re looking at three standout graduates per day. In this first edition of our, we’re looking at mcp-use, Idler, and SigmanticAI: | mcp-use: This startup is building open-source developer tools to help software builders create AI agents with MCP backends. MCP refers to Anthropic’s model context protocol, a system that helps AI tools ingest information that they need to accomplish their work. I am a firm believer in the commercial open-source startup model — mcp-use has more than 7,000 Github stars — and in the return possibilities in building the infrastructure other companies will need to convert their AI dreams into reality. Idler: A bit stealthy thus far, Idler claims to be building “the platform to produce reinforcement learning environments on-demand, at scale.” Why does that matter? Reinforcement learning (RL) is becoming a key lever to continue improving AI models. Mercor made the same case while announcing that it has scaled to $500 million in revenue after flying mostly under the radar as well. SigmanticAI: What if you took the vibe behind a developer tool like Cursor, but instead of using it to generate new code, focused on the complexities of creating a new chip? Per my understanding of the chip design process, Sigmantic doesn’t get you from a natural language prompt to a newly taped-out semiconductor. But it takes on a lot of the heavy lifting that occurs during the initial steps of the process. I think more custom silicon is the way of the future after chatting with Etched and Positron, so Sigmantic has me excited.
| Three more tomorrow! Stay tuned — Alex | A message from AWS Activate | AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. As you build and scale your business, Activate Credits* grow with you to support your changing needs. Apply to AWS Activate today and receive up to $100,000 in credits. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits | *All AWS Activate Credits are in USD and subject to the AWS Promotional Credit Terms & Conditions. | This Week in Startups | E2177: On a Friday TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon look back at some of the highlights of the 2025 All-In Summit, including a high-energy presentation from Palantir CEO Alex Karp, an intense back-and-forth between Tucker Carlson and Mark Cuban, and Elon Musk taking attendees inside the process of fine-tuning Tesla’s Optimus bots. PLUS why schools are blocking social media apps, Zoox robotaxis head to the Vegas Strip, the FTC’s investigation of social chatbots and MUCH MORE. | E2176: Alex returns for inside looks at two more up-and-coming TWiST 500 companies. First up, he talks with Kendrick Nguyen of Valor-backed Republic about making private markets more accessible to retail investors. Then it’s a chat with another Valor-backed founder, Mitesh Agrawal of Positron, about building custom chips for powering efficient, high-speed AI apps and queries. These are deep-dives into the mindsets of two fascinating founders that you won’t find anywhere else! | E2175 : Alex digs into the real-world rollout of AI agents: Paid.ai’s Manny Medina explains agent economics and value-based pricing. Then, iTruckr’s Camilo Ramirez shows agents booking loads and coordinating drivers. Lastly, Tenax’s Elise Myrans demos computer vision + drones that score a single home’s wildfire/flood risk for smarter underwriting. The show wraps with live office-hours on winning enterprise pilots without getting stuck in PoC purgatory. | TWiST Partner Offers | Squarespace: Turn your idea into a beautiful website! Go to http://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. Public: You take investing seriously. Public does too. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn an industry-leading 4.1% APY on your cash with no fees or minimums. Learn more at public.com/twist.
| Angel University is Back! | Jason and Mike Savino are hosting our next virtual Angel University workshop on Tuesday, October 7. Jason will share proven strategies he’s used to invest $200M+ in over 500 startups. Whether you’re new to angel investing or looking to sharpen your skills, this is your chance to learn directly from one of the most active angel investors in the world. Register now at angel.university! | Founder U is Coming to the MENA Region! | Our 12-week pre-accelerator—designed to help early-stage founders build and grow—kicks off this fall in Saudi Arabia. The first cohort launches in Riyadh on November 3rd, followed by in-person and virtual sessions throughout the program. Founders in MENA: this is your chance to turn your idea into a business and get world-class insights on building a successful startup. Apply today: https://mena.founder.university/ | SF Live-Work Space Now Available | Need a flexible living and working environment in San Francisco? This thoughtfully designed loft-style residence at 787 Bryant St., the heart of the vibrant SOMA district and the city’s creative hub, is now available for rent or purchase. Check the listing for more details. | The TWiST500 newsletter is the new, updated, and improved TWiST Ticker. |
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