Dear hustlers, founders, operators and visionaries,
A new website is going viral on the internet which scores how likely it is that your business will be killed by a Claude Skill. For those among you who didn’t get the scores you hoped for: Whiskey prices are at an all time low. Sometimes the best strategy is just to put the head in the sand. Follow the Gradient and stay tuned.
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Your talk track for this week’s cocktail party
Mistral doubles down on Europe with $830m data centre push
Mistral AI has reportedly secured $830m in debt to build a Paris-area data centre powered by Nvidia chips, targeting a 2026 launch. The move follows a $1.4bn Sweden expansion and signals an aggressive bid for European AI sovereignty. With €2.8bn raised, Mistral is racing to meet surging demand for local, customizable AI infrastructure.
Uber nears mega-deal with Berlin's Blacklane
Uber is close to acquiring Blacklane, Berlin's premium chauffeur service, in a deal valued in the high hundreds of millions. Founded in 2011 by Jens Wohltorf, Blacklane operates in 40+ countries. Investors include Mercedes, Carsten Maschmeyer, B2ventures, and Sixt.
Isar Aerospace raises €250m at €2bn as it prepares second launch
Munich-based Isar Aerospace is raising €250m at a €2bn valuation ahead of its second rocket launch from Norway. The first flight last March lasted 30 seconds before an unexpected valve issue. European governments are actively seeking alternatives to US launch providers, and the company has raised over €400m total. A successful flight would make Spectrum the first rocket to reach orbit from European soil.
What do you meme?
Food for thought
A long grind
The average venture-backed company now takes 4.9 years from incorporation to Series B, and the timeline keeps stretching. The closed IPO market and expansion of private capital mean many scaleups that would have gone public are staying private. Even in startups that ultimately don't work out, founders are tied up for years. How many founders will ask themselves: is it worth it?
