🪩 The $15M Party That Got Shut Down by Cops (and Funded Anyway)
Inside/VC Weekly #23
Good morning, or whatever time it is in startup land.
Didn’t have time to read 14 funding memos and 27 launch tweets? Good. I did.
These are the 5 most important things:🍾 Cluely raises $15M after throwing SF’s most infamous non-party
📉 Tesla halts production as demand tanks
❤️ Tinder launches Double Date (Social dating?)
🚁 Archer Aviation raises $850M to scale eVTOL production
🧱 Wix acquires Base44 for $80M to push into AI app-building
Weekly Spotlight:
🍾 Cluely raises $15M after throwing SF’s most infamous non-party
San Francisco’s wildest startup just raised a $15M Series A — one day after throwing the most legendary party that never happened. Cluely, best known for its “undetectable” AI cheat tool, teased a YC afterparty in a meme-heavy tweet to 100,000+ followers.
The result: 2,000 people showed up, blocked traffic, and got the whole thing shut down by police. Cluely’s CEO shouted “our aura is too strong” as cops dispersed the crowd. The drinks? Still untouched.
The startup, led by 21-year-old Roy Lee, claims it’s now profitable after only 18 (!) days (1M ARR) and moving beyond interview hacks to more legit AI productivity tools. But the vibe (memes, mischief, moral panic) hasn’t changed.
This could be the next WeWork. Only faster. And maybe weirder.
🎬 Tip from the editor: If you haven’t seen it, you should absolutely watch the WeWork series. → WeCrashed on AppleTVInside/VC Shorts
🚀 Startup Shorts:
📱 Klarna launches mobile plan — because, why not?
Buy now, pay later, and now, also call! Klarna just launched its own mobile plan in the U.S., offering unlimited 5G, calls, and texts for $40 per month. Everything is managed in the app. The service runs on the AT&T network and is powered by the Gigs white-label platform.
Germany and the UK are next. Think N26 with a SIM card. There are no contracts, activation fees, or nonsense.
But let's be real—the real value here isn't telecom. It’s data. By combining financial profiles and mobile usage, Klarna could build the most granular consumer insight machine outside of Google.
📉 Tesla halts production as demand tanks
Tesla has a growing problem and it's not the software. It’s something called demand (…and someone called Elon).
Unsold Model Ys and Cybertrucks are piling up so fast, the company is now renting extra parking space. The Texas Gigafactory, built to produce 250,000 Cybertrucks a year, hasn’t even cleared 50,000 units.
The Cybertruck was pitched as a revolution but it’s quickly becoming Tesla’s priciest misfire. Even longtime fans are losing interest, likely due to the growing gap between price and build quality.
Oh, and then there’s Musk. His political meltdown is tanking the brand faster than any earnings miss.
🕶️ Meta and Oakley are cooking up smart glasses for the Strava crowd
Meta’s next smart glasses are on the way, this time in partnership with Oakley. Launch is set for June 20 — unusually early, likely to preempt Google’s new XR push.
The design looks sportier than the Ray-Bans, with leaks pointing to a wraparound visor frame and a centered camera. No display in the lens, but bike-friendly features are expected.
Still more lifestyle than AR, but very much in line with Meta’s plan to make tech look like gear, not gadgets.
As a German with a soft spot for cycling, running and afterparties, I kind of need these…
The research behind this database was supported by synaptic.com. They've built some really cool software if you're done with the usual copy-paste VC tools.
❤️ Tinder launches Double Date (Social dating?)
Tinder just rolled out “Double Date” in Germany and a few other markets. The feature lets you and a friend team up to swipe on duos and (hopefully) match with another pair. Group chats open automatically after a single match.
The idea isn’t new, but it fits Tinder’s Gen Z playbook: more social, less pressure, more vibes. During testing, 90% of users were under 29, and match rates were higher than in solo mode. → read more here.
Tinder says women were more likely to like profiles when swiping as a team. Group chats also saw more messages – though with four people, that’s basic math.
Not sure about romance, but it’s definitely a good excuse to turn awkward first dates into group hangs. And if nothing else: it’s a great way to drag your best friend into your questionable decisions.
🥩 Fun fact: Lab-grown meat is outpacing farming
A new study shows cultured meat tech is improving faster than traditional agriculture. Bioreactors (the machines behind lab meat) double their capacity every 3.6 years. Since 2013, they've been getting 20% better every year.
For comparison: conventional ag takes 4–5 years to make the same kind of progress.
And the price? That $330K lab burger from 2013 now costs less than $10!! Commercial rollouts of nuggets and patties are just around the corner. I bet you didn’t know this…
💸 Fundraising Shorts:
🇪🇺 Helsing raises €600M for AI defense tech at €12B valuation
The Munich-based defense startup secured €600M in a Series D led by Daniel Ek’s Prima Materia. Other backers include some small players like Accel, Lightspeed, Saab and MSD Partners.
The round follows recent conflict-driven urgency across Europe. Helsing’s AI now flies combat maneuvers solo and is being integrated into fighter jets and drone systems. So far the company has raised €1.4B and just acquired aircraft maker Grob to boost production.
🚁 Archer Aviation raises $850M to scale eVTOL production
The US-based air taxi maker pulled in $850M through a public stock offering. The new funds will go toward building out commercial infrastructure for its electric vertical takeoff aircraft.
Archer plans to use the capital to accelerate rollout and manufacturing of its Midnight model, with launches expected in multiple US cities over the next 24 months. → Here’s how to fail your air taxi company, if you would love to.
🏗️ Realyze Ventures launches €50M fund for climate-tech in construction
Cologne-based Realyze Ventures announced a €50M first close to back European startups in real estate, construction and skilled trades. LPs include Art-Invest, Goldbeck, Zech and a major EU bank.
The team focuses on tech that boosts decarbonisation and efficiency, with hands-on pilots and deep industry access as core value props.
🧱 Wix acquires Base44 for $80M to push into AI app-building
Oh and I nearly forgot the weekly vibe coding news: Wix is buying Israeli no-code startup Base44 for $80M just six months after launch. Founder Maor Shlomo built it post-reserve duty as a side project. No outside funding, six employees, 100K+ users.
Base44 lets users build apps via simple prompts and has already signed deals with eToro and Similarweb. The brand and team will stay intact inside Wix, with big plans to scale vibe coding globally.
🧑💻 Career Corner: Hot VC Internships (US + EU)Internships
🇩🇪 eCapital Entrepreneurial Partners - Venture Capital Intern (Münster) ➤ Job desc.
🇩🇪 Heliad - Investment Team Fellow (Frankfurt) ➤ Job desc.
🇩🇪 Henkel - Intern Venture Capital (Dusseldorf) ➤ Job desc.
🇫🇷 Groupe ADSN - VC Analyst Intern (Paris) ➤ Job desc.
🇩🇪 xdeck - Ventures Associate Intern (Cologne) ➤ Job desc.
🇩🇪 coparion - Visiting Analyst (Cologne) ➤ Job desc
🇺🇸 Pegasus Angel Accelerator - Venture Fellow (Remote) ➤ Job desc
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Cheers 🥂