Granola's jump to a $1.5B valuation shows note-taking winners are those that convert transcripts into operational systems, not summaries.

New Enterprise Associates led Qualified Health’s $125M Series B for enterprise healthcare AI, part of a broad 2026 AI push spanning Twelve Labs and Corca.

Mirage's financing for Captions reflects demand for production-grade AI video workflows in marketing and creator operations.

Littlebird's raise highlights a new software layer that captures work context continuously and turns it into queryable memory.

Chicago's 2026 VC scene is quietly reactivating around industrial AI, B2B fintech, and healthcare — anchored by Pritzker, Hyde Park, and MATH Venture Partners.

First Round Capital saw portfolio momentum as K2 Space became a unicorn, Merlin Labs went public, and Cocoon was acquired by TriNet.