Climate Investor Energize Raises $430 Million for New VC Fund
The climate tech investment firm Energize Capital has raised $430 million for a new fund targeting early-stage startups working on projects like new batteries and software for the electric grid.
The funding will bring the Chicago-based firm's total assets under management to more than $1.8 billion, Energize announced Tuesday. While much of the venture capital and startup world has recently struggled with funding shortfalls, there's been intense interest in how to build out enough energy — ideally, sustainable energy — to power a new wave of artificial intelligence technology.
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Business Wire
24 minutes ago
- Business Wire
The AI Collective Launches Globally to Mobilize Next Generation of AI Innovators and Stewards
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The world's largest grassroots AI community today formally detailed its global rebrand as The AI Collective, its official incorporation as a non-profit organization, and the launch of three foundational initiatives to cultivate a collaborative ecosystem for the responsible stewardship of AI. Formerly The GenAI Collective, the organization boasts 70,000+ members across 25+ global chapters and partners including AWS, Meta, Anthropic, Roam, and Product Hunt. AI's future depends not just on faster models—but on rebuilding trust, fostering global collaboration, and aligning progress with human values. Share This announcement builds on initial excitement sparked by a social media reveal on Monday, June 3rd ( and coincides with flagship launch events currently underway in San Francisco, New York City, and across its global chapters ( As the race to develop artificial intelligence accelerates daily, fueled by intense competition and unprecedented investment, the essential work of aligning these powerful systems with human values and societal trust is often dangerously sidelined. The AI Collective is responding directly to this critical gap, positioning itself as the essential human counterpoint in the age of acceleration by building a global community to steward AI, informing decision-makers, and supporting mission-aligned entrepreneurs. "The ground is shifting beneath us. AI's exponential progress brings immense possibility, but also profound questions about our future, our work, and our very identity – and the institutions we rely on weren't built for this velocity," said Chappy Asel, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The AI Collective. 'Trust is the invisible thread holding society together, and right now, that thread is fraying under the strain of misaligned incentives and rapid, uncoordinated change. We believe that in an era of exponential transformation, our greatest strength lies in each other – in creating trusted, in-person spaces to make sense of this moment, ask the deeper questions, and collaboratively shape a future where AI genuinely enhances human flourishing, not just surpasses human capability,' Asel said. The AI Collective believes that without deliberate intervention focused on trust, openness, and participation, AI's trajectory risks leaving humanity behind. Recognizing that managing this requires bridging the widening gap between technological progress and societal adaptation, the organization is launching three foundational initiatives designed to rebuild trust through action and participation: Expanding Global Community & Events: Rebuilding Trust Through In-Person Connection. The AI Collective will rehumanize innovation by launching 100 chapters across six continents by end of year. Each chapter will fuse its community's unique vision with global shared values of openness and inclusivity, curating salons, hackathons, demo nights, mentorship circles, and cross‑disciplinary mashups to deepen trust and collaboration. Their network will converge at Singularity Fest this November 2025 in San Francisco for a multi‑day, decentralized celebration attracting 10,000 pioneers across domains for hands‑on labs, purpose‑driven keynotes, thematic tracks, and community‑led activations, ensuring AI's next leaps keep humanity firmly at the center. Informing Decision-Makers: Bridging the Gap Between Frontier Insight and Responsible Governance. To counter the risks of institutional blind spots and lagging policy, The AI Collective Institute, the organization's participatory research arm, connects frontier technologists directly with policymakers, industry leaders, and the public. It translates ground-truth insights from the AI ecosystem into practical guidance through open research, equipping frontline leaders to foster responsible innovation and navigate future shock effectively. Supporting Mission-Aligned Innovation: Actively Incentivizing Human-Centric AI Development. In pursuit of a values-aligned AI ecosystem driven by the community's unique trust and insight, Collective Investments acts as a dedicated founder-investor matchmaking program under the non-profit umbrella. It identifies and supports promising founders building trustworthy, beneficial AI, connecting them with values-aligned capital allocators (VCs, grants, angels) and providing crucial support to ensure the AI future being built reflects the principles of human flourishing and responsible progress. The AI Collective is celebrating this evolution with its ongoing flagship events and global chapter celebrations. The organization invites builders, thinkers, policymakers, investors, and pioneers worldwide to join the conversation and contribute to shaping a future where technology serves all of humanity. Read the organization's foundational perspective, " Trust in the Age of Acceleration," learn more and join the community at: and follow the journey @_ai_collective on social platforms. ABOUT THE AI COLLECTIVE The AI Collective (formerly The GenAI Collective) is the world's largest non-profit, grassroots community dedicated to empowering the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI's future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing. Founded in 2023, the AI Collective has rapidly grown into a global force: 70,000+ members: Comprising leading founders, researchers, investors, and multidisciplinary operators from OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Databricks, Cohere, and more. 200+ AI startups launched or showcased at demo nights, connecting directly with investors and clients; participating companies subsequently raised $72M+ in funding. 25+ active chapters with 200+ events hosted, located in major tech hubs globally including New York City, London, Paris, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Bengaluru and more. 40+ leading partners, including Amazon, Anthropic, Andreessen Horowitz, Meta, Github, TedAI, Product Hunt, Roam, Linux Foundation, and top academic institutions. A dedicated global team of 100+ volunteer organizers committed to building authentic, impactful community experiences. Through its focus on in-person connection, participatory research via The AI Collective Institute, and support for mission-aligned innovation via Collective Investments, the organization serves as a vital hub for sense-making, collaboration, and responsible stewardship in the age of artificial intelligence.
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
On a Search for an Old E.V., Jay Leno's Car Obsession Came Up Clutch
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. As an energy reporter on the Business desk of The New York Times, I often cover the transition to electrify the world around us, including automobiles and heating and cooling systems. But until I spoke with the historian at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, I did not know that electric cars rattled down city streets as far back as the mid-1890s. A century ago, roughly a third of taxi drivers in New York City shuttled passengers around in electric cars. I set out to write an article about these cars, and a time before lawmakers gave deference to the oil industry by offering numerous tax breaks, paving the way for gasoline-powered vehicles. But finding an original E.V. that I could ride in proved difficult. Most of them sit in museums and personal collections. Enter the comedian — and car collector — Jay Leno. My editor suggested I reach out to Mr. Leno after learning about his 1909 Baker Electric, housed in his famous garage. Mr. Leno's team gave an enthusiastic 'Yes' in reply. When I arrived at his warehouse garage in Burbank, Calif., in April, Mr. Leno had his Baker Electric charged and ready to hit the streets. The 116-year-old car, which had been refurbished, looked like it had just rolled off the showroom floor. Still, the wooden high-top body, 36-inch rubber wheels and Victorian-style upholstery whispered the car's age. It was basically a carriage with batteries, enabling drivers to free horses from their bits and harnesses. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Bloomberg
26 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Firms' Less ‘Catastrophic' Outlook Kept Canada Rates on Hold
Businesses believing that the worst-case tariff scenarios were less likely to become reality helped convince Bank of Canada policymakers to stay on the sidelines this month. That's according to Deputy Governor Sharon Kozicki in a speech the day after officials held their key interest rate steady at 2.75% for a second straight meeting. In her prepared remarks, Kozicki highlighted how on-the-ground discussions and surveys supplemented traditional data sets, giving policymakers a more comprehensive picture of the economy when deliberating rate decisions.
