Wiz acquired by Google for $32 billion

This week saw a surprising number of high-value startup acquisitions. One of the most notable deals was cloud security startup Wiz. After rejecting a $23 billion offer from Google last year, Wiz agreed to a record $32 billion cash buyout. This deal will benefit many investors, especially Israel-based VC Cyberstarts, which will see a 200 times return on its early investment. SoftBank Group also made a big move by agreeing to buy chip startup Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion. This all-cash transaction is expected to finalize in the second half of 2025. Additionally, German company Munich Re is set to acquire insurtech startup Next Insurance for $2.6 billion. In other news, Nvidia acquired synthetic data startup Gretel for a price exceeding $320 million. Former Bolt CEO is launching a new e-commerce startup called Spangle AI, which will create custom landing pages for shoppers. Meanwhile, a key DeepMind scientist left to start Generalist AI, focusing on developing general-purpose robots. On the legal front, logistics company Flexport is suing two former employees for allegedly stealing documents to create a competing startup called Freightmate AI. In another lawsuit, HR tech company Rippling accused competitor Deel of employing a spy, which Deel denies. Funding rounds this week suggested strong investor confidence. Swedish startup Evroc raised $55 million to build a secure cloud in Europe. Spanish HR company Factorial secured $120 million in a nondilutive loan. Meanwhile, Graphite raised $52 million for its AI-powered code review platform, and GrubMarket raised $50 million to enhance its technology with AI. Lastly, Y Combinator announced a leadership change as former CEO Michael Seibel shifts to a less operational role, becoming a "partner emeritus."