Forerunner vs M13

Town Raises $108M Series B, Achieves Unicorn Status

San Francisco-based AI assistant startup Town announced a $108 million Series B funding round co-led by Forerunner Ventures and Menlo Ventures, securing a unicorn valuation just four months after its public launch. The company, founded by former Plaid CTO Jean-Denis Greze, provides AI assistants called Townies that connect to email, calendars, and work systems, enabling them to collaborate internally and externally. Town has raised at least $160 million to date, including a $55 million Series A in June. The new funding will support the rollout of a shared workflow that automatically updates employees' Townies with business information. Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Serena Ventures, and First Round Capital also participated. The company reports reaching millions in annual recurring revenue within weeks of launch.

• Town raised $108 million in a Series B round co-led by Forerunner Ventures and Menlo Ventures.
• The round values Town at unicorn status (over $1 billion), four months after public launch.
• Town has raised at least $160 million to date, including a $55 million Series A in June.

Oura Launches IPO, Targets $14.1B Valuation

Oura, the Finnish-American smart ring maker, has postponed its Nasdaq IPO despite strong demand, citing market uncertainty and a desire for optimal timing. The company had planned to offer 50 million shares at $40–$44 each to raise up to $2.2 billion, with a valuation around $14 billion. CEO Tom Hale noted they have the luxury to choose the timing for an exceptional outcome. Financially, Oura remains robust: $1.21 billion revenue in the first nine months (up 74% year-over-year), driven by hardware sales and growing subscriptions, with 5.7 million paying members and a slim profit of $61 million. Competition includes Samsung's Galaxy Ring, Ultrahuman, and Whoop; Oura differentiates via software and AI features. Risks include patent disputes, reliance on contract manufacturers, and customer concentration. The postponement adds to market jitters from Fed rate hikes, geopolitical tensions, and AI stock volatility, with Anthropic's expected mega-IPO looming.

• Oura postponed its Nasdaq IPO due to market uncertainty despite strong demand.
• The IPO aimed to sell 50 million shares at $40–$44 each, raising up to $2.2 billion, valuing Oura at ~$14 billion.
• Revenue for the first nine months was $1.21 billion (up 74% YoY), with 5.7 million paying members and a slim profit of $61 million.

Speakers Join Machine Earning AI Summit in San Francisco

Newcomer announced that investors Kirsten Green (Forerunner Ventures), Katie Haun (Haun Ventures) and Ilan Zerbib (Sapiom) have been added to the speaker lineup for the inaugural Machine Earning AI Summit, a one-day, invite-only event on Sept. 29 in San Francisco. The article lists additional speakers, ticket prices, and sponsors (Airwallex, Lead Bank, Exa, Nebius, OnePay), and provides links to apply and the summit website.

• The Machine Earning AI Summit will take place on Sept. 29 in San Francisco.
• New speakers announced: Kirsten Green (founder & managing partner, Forerunner Ventures), Katie Haun (founder & CEO, Haun Ventures), and Ilan Zerbib (founder & CEO, Sapiom).
• Other listed speakers include Omer Ismail (founder & CEO, OnePay), Jackie Reses (founder & CEO, Lead Bank), Jack Zhang (founder & CEO, Airwallex), and Max Rhodes (founder & CEO, Faire).

What Is Agentic Identity? Meet Baselayer, the Identity Infrastructure for AI Agents

M13 announces fundraising for Baselayer, an identity infrastructure for AI agents, with a dedicated article published on September 22, 2026.

Investors Are Betting on AI Agents That Shop for You

Venture capitalists are increasingly funding startups building AI agents that can shop on behalf of consumers and handle payments. The article maps the emerging market for "agentic commerce," covering personal assistants like Instinct and Town, shopping search tools like Daydream, payment infrastructure startups like Catena Labs and Basis Theory, and marketing tech such as Profound. Major platforms are also moving: OpenAI and Stripe launched the Agentic Commerce Protocol, Google operates the Agent Payments Protocol, and Visa and Mastercard introduced Trusted Agent Protocol and Agent Pay. However, the space faces trust and fraud challenges, illustrated by Phia's cookie-stuffing scandal and an Instinct agent error that cost a user around $300. Investor interest remains strong, with millions raised across the sector, even as enterprise adoption lags due to compliance and security concerns.

• Adobe Analytics reported that 41% of respondents used AI for online shopping in June 2026.
• OpenAI and Stripe launched the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), while Google operates the Agent Payments Protocol.
• Profound raised $96 million in Series C funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.