Joyce Shen’s picks: musings and readings in AI/ML, January 19, 2026

📣  Announcements!

Together Expedition’s startup bootcamp (aka Basecamp) has announced and completed the selection of its first cohort! Companies in the cohort focus on real-estate, agent security, health, and education.

I will be a guest for Sapient Advisor’s Office Hour to discuss building and investing in AI.  See you there this Tuesday at noon ET. Sign up below.

https://www.linkedin.com/events/7405326529783685122/ 

UC Berkeley Skydeck new cohort application is open! As an advisor for Skydeck, I can say a lot of great things about this in-person accelerator program!  Sign up to the info sessions below.

https://luma.com/BSDappinfo 

📌 Musings and Readings

“The AI healthcare gold rush is here” (Link)

“AI spending to hit $2.53 trillion in 2026, $3.33 trillion in 2027” (Link)

“Can A.I. Generate New Ideas?” (Link)

“Mathematical exploration and discovery at scale” (Paper, long paper!)

“EU invests over €307 million into artificial intelligence and related technologies” (Link)

“McKinsey challenges graduates to master AI tools as it shifts hiring hunt toward liberal arts majors” (Link)

“NVIDIA and Lilly Announce Co-Innovation AI Lab to Reinvent Drug Discovery in the Age of AI”  (Link)

👏 Deals

Unusual, a CA-based company offering a brand perception and influence platform, has raised $3.6m in funding.

Presto, a CA-based AI company transforming restaurant operations by automating drive-thru and front-of-house workflows with voice AI, has raised $10m in funding.

Spangle AI, a Seattle, WA-based company transforming online retail with autonomous AI agents that deliver personalized, real-time shopping journeys, has raised $15M in Series A funding.

BrightHeart, a Paris-based health tech company developing a FDA-cleared software that assists clinicians with real-time prenatal ultrasound, has raised €11m in Series A funding.

Ventaris Surgical, a CA–based medical device company developing next-generation ureteroscopic systems to improve kidney stone removal, has raised $30m in Series A funding.

Neuramint, a Denver, CO-based company providing a Web3 AI platform for building autonomous agents that streamline complex blockchain operations, has raised $5m in seed funding.

Cloudforce, an MD-based company offering AI-powered solutions to help businesses modernize and optimize Microsoft Cloud, has raised $5m in seed funding.

OutSee, a Cambridge, UK-based company focused on predictive genomics to identify disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets, has raised £2.5M in seed funding.

Allos, an Oxford, UK-based company focused on optimizing complex drug development and reformulation, has raised $5m in seed funding.

Bricks.sh, a Milan, Italy-based startup offering an AI-powered platform that automates the creation of internal administration tools by connecting to databases and APIs without coding, has raised €1.6m in pre-seed funding.

MeetCaria, a NYC-based company providing a B2B recruitment platform that automates sourcing, outreach, interviewing, and candidate evaluation, has raised $1m in pre-seed funding.

RISA Labs, a CA–based AI healthtech company providing an AI-powered operating system that automates administrative and clinical workflows in oncology care, has raised $11.1m in Series A funding.

Musical AI, an Ottawa, Canada-based music tech company offering a rights management, licensing, and attribution platform for generative music companies, has raised $4.5m in funding.

Olelo AI, a Honolulu, HI-based company developing a sales intelligence platform that uses AI to analyze customer calls,identify missed opportunities, and optimize follow-ups, has raised $1m in funding.

Pinch AI, a CA–based company offering an AI-driven post-purchase platform that helps e-commerce retailers prevent return fraud, reward loyal customers, and optimize returns, has raised $5m in funding.

Veera, a Singapore-based company developing a crypto-powered financial services platform, including a crypto wallet, has raised a total of $10m in pre-seed and seed funding.