What Cisco’s $28B deal tells us about cyber + AI

Plus, Colorado startup funding falls of a cliff September 22, 2023 Hi, {NAME}. Yesterday, [Cisco Systems]( said it is dropping $28 billion to buy data and security giant [Splunk]( marking by far the largest enterprise software deal of the year. Despite the massive price tag, the deal probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise to those who’ve been following the trends closely — we’ve already seen a lot of [money going to the intersection of AI and cybersecurity](. Plus, we look at [what’s going on in Colorado’s startup scene]( which isn’t scaling the heights it once was. 🔐 [Cisco’s Splunk deal highlights growing interest in cyber + AI]( [Cisco]( $28 billion offer to buy [Splunk]( is the largest enterprise software deal this year, beating [Silver Lake]( $12.5 billion deal to take [Qualtrics]( private in March. It also tops off what has been weeks of investor interest in the role AI will play in cybersecurity and vice versa. [We look at other large deals at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity and what that tells us about the market](. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Funding To VC-Backed AI Cybersecurity Startups]( ⛰️ [What’s not high in Colorado? Funding]( Not that long ago, Colorado was drawing thousands of techies from the big startup hubs, especially those happy to trade coastal life for snowy peaks and slightly more affordable housing. [Venture funding followed](. But an analysis of [Crunchbase]( data shows that Colorado’s venture funding levels have fallen 60% since last year amid general population stagnation in the Centennial State. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Colorado Startup Funding]( 📝 [Edtech catches a ride on AI funding bandwagon]( Even though [edtech funding has plunged]( startups in the sector that include an AI element have raised hundreds of millions of venture dollars in the past couple of years. Using [Crunchbase]( data, we look at the funded companies that add artificial intelligence to their platforms in an effort to help educators stay ahead of the curve. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Edtech- And AI-Related Funded Companies]( 📉 [Why startups are buying fewer startups]( This year is on pace to be one of the slowest ever for VC-backed startups buying other similarly backed startups, [Crunchbase data shows](. So far in 2023, startups have consummated just over 200 such transactions, putting this year on pace for the lowest number of deals since 2017 and just below 2018 and 2020 numbers. We look at [what’s driving the slowdown]( — and what startups would need to see to start opening their pocketbooks again. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Startups Buying Startups]( Recent Investments [University of Michigan]( [$18M]( / [Grant]( The University of Michigan is a public research university that offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. Categories: E-Learning • Education • Higher Education • Universities Founders: [Gabriel Richard]( Investors: [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]( (Lead) [Procore]( [$4.1M]( / [Post-IPO Secondary]( Procore is a cloud-based construction management software company. Categories: Construction • Internet • SaaS • Software Founders: [Craig Tooey]( [Opendoor]( [$2.0M]( / [Post-IPO Secondary]( Opendoor is a real estate technology company that simplifies the process of buying and selling homes. Categories: Marketplace • Property Development • Property Management • Real Estate Founders: [Eric Wu]( [Ian Wong]( [JD Ross]( [Keith Rabois]( More Fundings Company Amount / Round Lead Investor [Curve]( 58M GBP / [Series C]( - [bolttech]( $50M / [Series B]( [LeapFrog Investments]( [EloElo]( 1.8B INR / [Series B]( [Courtside Ventures]( [Alpha3D]( $2.0M / [Seed Round]( [Sebastien Borget]( [All Recent Funding Activity]( Recent Acquisitions [Asian Institute of Urology and Nephrology]( Pending acquisition by [Asia Healthcare Holdings(AHH)]( for 6.0B INR More Acquisitions Company Acquired By Amount [Routejade]( [Enovix]( $23M [All Recent Acquisition Activity]( Upcoming Tech Events [Blockchain Economy Summit London]( January 1 - 1, 2024 Blockchain Economy Summit is a blockchain conference network bringing together the key players of the crypto industry. Accelerator Deadlines Date Accelerator Location Sep 22, 2023 [Hello Tomorrow]( Paris Sep 30, 2023 [Carbon13]( Cambridge [More Upcoming Deadlines]( Don’t see your event? Reach out to us at events@crunchbase.com. #{Rails.configuration.daily.cb_url} Discover innovative companies and the people behind them. [Follow Us on Crunchbase]( [View Jobs on LinkedIn]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Like Us on Facebook]( 564 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94104 © 2023 Crunchbase Inc. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Unsubscribe]( from Crunchbase Daily.