Latest news with #IndexVentures
Vogue
21 hours ago
- Business
- Vogue
Is Daydream's AI Platform the Answer to Fashion's Discovery Problem?
Become a Vogue Business Member to receive unlimited access to Member-only reporting and insights, our Beauty and TikTok Trend Trackers, Member-only newsletters and exclusive event invitations. The Daydream team has a refrain that's guided the AI shopping platform's user experience since it began building: 'Say more.' Looking for a red dress? Say more. Is it for a wedding? A work conference? Where will you wear it, and what time of year? Do you like a low-cut or a high neck? Cocktail length or gown? Be as specific as possible, and as you circle in on what you're really looking for, Daydream's artificial intelligence-powered, chat-based shopping agent will generate relevant results. This 'say more' style of shopping is what Daydream believes will change the way we find what we want to buy. Julie Bornstein, Daydream CEO and founder, has been in the business of search for 25 years, including those spent at Nordstrom in its early e-commerce days, then Stitch Fix, Sephora and her first startup, The Yes, which was sold to Pinterest in 2022 before being subsequently shut down by the social platform. The Yes was a sort of predecessor to Daydream, Bornstein concedes, but large language modelling and AI technology has come so far since she launched that company in 2020 that the user experiences are completely different, she says. Last year, Bornstein raised $50 million to build Daydream, co-led by investors Forerunner Ventures and Index Ventures, with a founding team including chief brands officer Lisa Yamner Green, chief product officer Dan Cary and chief strategy officer Richard Kim. Today, Daydream is going live with a beta version at that Bornstein says is ready to start providing product recommendations using its generative AI shopping tool. An app will come later this summer. Users answer a set of questions to create their 'style passport', such as what brands they like and what sizes they wear, among other shopping proclivities. Then, they can start chatting. Daydream's AI interface will be familiar to anyone who's experimented with ChatGPT, but its overall feel is more e-commerce retailer-meets-Tumblr feed. As you tell the AI what you're looking for, Daydream will pull matching results from its 8,500 brands (some listed directly, others through retailers) and more than two million products, across womenswear, menswear and accessories, with launch partners including Net-a-Porter, Alo Yoga, Loveshackfancy, Markarian, Khaite, Emilia Wickstead, Mytheresa, Cult Mia, Mejuri, Uniqlo and Dôen.
TechCrunch
18-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
5 days left to save up to $210 on your TC All Stage pass
5 days until prices rise! Are you ready to scale or stall? Time's ticking. Ticket prices for TechCrunch All Stage go up after June 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Founders save $210, and investors save $200. Register here to fuel your growth with a discount. Join 1,000 founders and investors on July 15 at Boston's SoWa Power Station for the founder summit built for traction, scale, and next-level growth. Whether you're scaling your startup or sourcing your next big investment, this is where momentum starts. Why attend TC All Stage? TC All Stage is your launchpad. From early traction to breakout scale, this one-day summit delivers founder-first content and unmatched networking. Expect: Tactical breakouts and deep-dive roundtables led by scaling experts Real investor feedback and practical scaling strategies 1:1 founder-investor networking Small-group curated meetings to inspire and educate A live pitch showdown you won't want to miss Two stages built for startup launch and scale strategies Foundation Stage (Early-Stage) Build from zero to traction with insights on pitching, MVPs, TAM, and more. Scale Stage (Series A+) Tactics for going from growth to IPO-readiness, raising Series C, and scaling sustainably. Small-group roundtables. Real conversations and answers. Dive into topics like: Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW The 2025 VC playbook Building at the inception stage Breakthrough or burnout: Getting unstuck as a founder Winning Capital in a Competitive Market: How to Fund Your AI-Native Startup How Tech is Leveling The Playing Field So Anyone Can Be an Investor, Not Just the Wealthy Explore the full agenda Meet the investors and operators leading the sessions These are the voices shaping startup growth. Explore the full TC All Stage speaker lineup. Fuel your next move with limited-time ticket savings Get the traction, tactics, and connections to level up. Register here and save up to $210 on your TC All Stage pass before June 22, 11:59 p.m. PT. We'll see you in Boston!
TechCrunch
17-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Unlock scaling growth at TC All Stage, and get $210 off for 6 more days
T-minus 6 days until TechCrunch All Stage ticket prices rise. From now until June 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT, founders save $210 and investors save $200 on passes. Are you ready to push your startup to the next level? Or are you an investor looking to back the next big breakthrough? Join TC All Stage on July 15 at SoWa Power Station in Boston for the founder summit built for traction and breakout growth. Give your startup a competitive edge. Secure your pass now and save up to $210. Why attend TC All Stage From early traction to long-term scale, TC All Stage equips founders with the insights, strategies, and connections needed to grow fast. Expect tactical breakouts, deep-dive roundtables, and game-changing networking, all designed to fuel your startup journey. Breakouts built for every growth stage From breakout insights to founder roundtables, here's a quick look at what to expect at TC All Stage. See the full agenda and all the speakers leading the charge. Foundation Stage: For early-stage founders Get real advice from top investors and operators on what it really takes to launch, pitch, and gain early traction. Topics include: Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW How VCs actually evaluate pre-seed startups AI MVPs: When to build smart, when to pause TAM vs. reality: How breakout companies redefine markets Building pitch decks that close checks Scale Stage: For Series A+ leaders This full-day growth track delivers advanced tactics for: Building high-growth companies that last Raising a Series C and beyond Getting IPO-ready & hitting $10M+ ARR Deep-dive roundtables, real answers Join small-group, expert-led roundtables to trade tactics, share challenges, and find real solutions to your biggest growth hurdles. Visit the TC All Stage agenda page to see the full lineup of roundtables. Some session topics include: How to Successfully Build at the Inception Stage The 2025 VC Playbook: Where the Smart Money Is Going Next Breakthrough or Burnout: Why Founders Get Stuck (and How to Fix It) Meet the VCs and scaling experts leading the breakouts and roundtables Get a glimpse of the VCs and growth leaders behind the sessions. Explore the full speaker lineup on the event site. Image Credits:Haje Kamps Founder + investor networking that moves the needle Meet 1:1 or in small groups with founders and investors ready to build and scale. Make connections that could lead to your next round, partnership, or turning point. Go beyond the summit Extend your experience during 'TC All Stage Week' — explore Side Events across Boston that keep the conversations and momentum going. Live pitch showdown The live event, So You Think You Can Pitch, gives you front-row access to startup pitches and VC feedback. Learn what makes a pitch land — and how to refine yours to win funding. Save your seat before rates rise Whether you're scaling your startup or sourcing your next investment, TC All Stage is built to accelerate your goals. Save up to $210 before June 23. These early rates won't come back. Lock in your pass now.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thread AI secures $20m to enhance AI workflows
Thread AI, a US-based composable AI infrastructure provider, has raised $20m in its Series A funding round. With the funding, the company aims to transform enterprise AI workflows using its core platform, Lemma. The round was led by Greycroft, with participation from Index Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Plug-and-Play, Meritech Capital, and Homebrew. Founded by former Palantir executives Angela McNeal and Mayada Gonimah, Thread AI offers enterprises the capability to design, deploy, and scale AI-powered workflows. The Lemma platform distinguishes itself from traditional RPA, ETL, or workflow engines by allowing rapid prototyping and deployment of event-driven, distributed AI workflows and agents. Lemma supports unlimited AI models, APIs, and applications within a single platform that is built with enterprise-grade security. This approach accelerates deployment, reduces operational burdens, and simplifies infrastructure while maintaining governance, observability, and seamless AI model upgrades. With these capabilities, Thread AI provides enterprises with the flexibility needed to adapt to the rapidly changing AI ecosystem. It also enhances cross-functionality, enabling organisations to unlock the full potential of AI across their operations. Thread AI emerged from stealth in October 2024, announcing the launch of Lemma and securing $6m in seed funding. Thread AI co-founder and CEO Angela McNeal said: 'Companies today face a frustrating dilemma when implementing AI, either settle for rigid, pre-built applications that force them to fit their business logic into a predefined structure, or invest heavily in talent, infrastructure, and engineering resources to build custom AI workflows from scratch. 'Thread AI offers a flexible platform that lets organizations build AI workflows suited to their operations—without compromising scalability or security.' "Thread AI secures $20m to enhance AI workflows" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Herald Scotland
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Former Skyscanner chief raises $25m for Edinburgh start-up
Ross McNairn, a former head of product at Edinburgh-based Skyscanner, has secured the backing from Index Ventures to scale Wordsmith AI, an artificial intelligence tool that is rapidly gaining traction within in-house legal departments. The Edinburgh-based company, which counts Trustpilot, Deliveroo, Multiverse, and Docplanner among its growing customer base, is planning to open offices in London and New York later this year. Its growth comes as AI technology is transforming processes across the legal sector. Mr McNairn, chief executive and co-founder of Wordsmith, said: 'For the first time, AI infrastructure can be embedded across companies, with fleets of agents that you can train to support every corporate function - cutting deal cycles, answering queries, and processing complex workflows. Our Legal Enablement Platform is like air traffic control for GCs and in-house teams, helping them guide teams to the right decisions faster.' Read more: Mr McNairn launched Wordsmith after being involved in the development of three unicorns – companies that achieve a valuation of $1 billion. As well as Skyscanner, which was sold by founders, including chief executive Gareth Williams, to Ctrip of China for £1.4bn in 2016, Mr McNair helped to scale TravelPerk and letgo to that status. It is understood that Wordsmith achieved a valuation of $100m faster than any other Scottish start-up, underlining the potential of the Scottish technology sector. Mr McNairn, a lawyer turned engineer who has previously secured backing for Wordsmith from Scottish Enterprise, added: 'While we are the fastest-ever Scottish start-up to reach a valuation of over $100m, what's more important is that we're scaling a technology company from a base in Scotland that will in itself help to build an AI ecosystem here.' Hannah Seal, partner at Index Ventures, said: 'AI is revolutionising the legal profession, and Wordsmith is leading that charge. They are not just building a co-pilot, they are creating the foundational infrastructure for how entire organisations interact with legal. This is about reshaping enterprise operations, not just supporting legal teams. We are excited to back Ross and the Wordsmith team as they define a new category at the intersection of law, technology, and AI.' Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, said: 'Private investment is an essential building block of a strong and growing economy – and fundamental to ensuring businesses can grow and succeed. Scottish companies bucked the UK trend last year by attracting more than £700m of investment – up by a fifth on 2023 - and it is fantastic news that Wordsmith AI, a Techscaler member, has secured its $25m Series A funding round in such a short space of time. 'There can, must and will be many more success stories like this. From the Techscaler programme and our wider pipeline of support for entrepreneurs, to continuing to position Scotland as an investment destination, the Scottish Government will continue to help our start-up companies grow and prosper.'
