Dealroom.co

a16z: AI Gives International Founders an Edge

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) says international founders now hold an advantage in the current AI-driven cycle. Gabriel Vasquez and Angela Strange lead the firm’s Borderless Founder network to support immigrant and international founders; Vasquez says 44% of investments in the Apps Fund One and Two have an international founder. a16z reports increased international enterprise buying, improved ability for non-U.S. startups to sign major customers, and is investing significant travel to pursue global dealflow. The firm cites talent clusters, European academic spinouts, and examples such as ElevenLabs (in which Poland took a stake) as evidence of shifting dynamics.

King’s Cross Becomes a Global AI Hub

King’s Cross in London has transformed into a major global AI cluster since DeepMind moved there in 2016. The area—often called the “Knowledge Quarter”—hosts firms including OpenAI, Anthropic, Synthesia and others, and has attracted startups, VCs and academic institutions. According to Dealroom and Knight Frank data cited in the article, roughly 3,600 AI startups in London have driven significant fundraising and office leasing activity (over $12.1B raised and more than 1 million square feet leased since June). Rising rents, near-zero vacancy and concerns about AI model access (Anthropic shutting off Mythos and Fable) have prompted conversations about local compute and AI sovereignty. Investors and founders quoted say the cluster improves access to talent, capital and infrastructure but raises questions about building durable domestic AI capabilities.

Abu Dhabi’s MGX closes $49B AI fund

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund MGX has closed a $49 billion fund to invest in AI companies, making it one of the largest dedicated AI investment vehicles ever. The fund closed above an initial $45 billion target and was raised from institutional and private investors across the Gulf, North America, Asia and Europe. MGX has already backed 14 companies and has been a significant investor in major AI firms — co-leading Anthropic’s $30 billion raise and participating in its $65 billion Series H, co-leading OpenAI’s $122 billion raise, and taking part in xAI’s $20 billion round prior to that firm’s merger with SpaceX. MGX said it will invest across the AI technology stack including semiconductors, infrastructure and enabling platforms, and is expanding AI infrastructure projects such as an AI campus in France in partnership with Bpifrance and Mistral.