Wayve is in talks to raise $2 billion, potentially valuing the UK self-driving startup at $8 billion. Intel spins out RealSense in a $50 million deal with Nvidia to power the next wave of AI robots.
And OpenAI partners with Broadcom on a multi-billion-dollar, 10-gigawatt chip deal as it races toward a 250-gigawatt AI infrastructure vision.
Meanwhile, Gladys raises £1.5 million to fix the UK’s broken home care system with AI. Jack Fertility launches Snip Check™, the UK’s first at-home vasectomy test.
Vodafone suffers major nationwide outage, affecting 50,000+ users. And Google reveals 59% of UK SMEs are shelving AI ideas due to lack of time, despite a potential £198 billion productivity boost.
Let’s dive in…
DRIVING THE CONVERSATION TODAY
UK fines 4chan under Online Safety Act
The UK has issued its first enforcement penalty under the Online Safety Act, fining U.S. forum 4chan £20,000 for failing to provide risk assessments on how it handles illegal content.
Regulator Ofcom said 4chan ignored two formal requests and warned that non-compliant platforms will face escalating consequences.
The fine increases by £100 per day until 4chan complies and could lead to a UK block if ignored. Technology Minister Liz Kendall called it a clear warning to platforms.
Meanwhile, 4chan and Kiwi Farms have sued in the U.S., claiming the law violates free speech.
Several file-sharing sites have already restricted UK access or removed harmful content in response to Ofcom’s crackdown.
Wayve eyes $2B funding at $8B valuation
London-based self-driving startup Wayve is in advanced talks with Microsoft and SoftBank to raise up to $2 billion, which could value the company at around $8 billion, per the Financial Times.
The move follows Nvidia’s $500 million letter of intent in September and last year’s $1 billion SoftBank-led round.
Founded in 2017, Wayve operates in the UK and U.S. and is expanding into Germany and Japan.
It also received backing from Uber in 2024. The company uses end-to-end AI to enable autonomous driving in complex urban environments, without relying on HD maps or lidar.
OpenAI teams with Broadcom for 10GW AI chips
OpenAI has struck a multi-billion-dollar partnership with Broadcom to develop custom AI chips and systems for its global infrastructure.
The deal covers 10 gigawatts of compute capacity, with deployment starting in H2 2026 and completion by 2029.
This brings OpenAI’s total Stargate Project commitments to 20.5 gigawatts, including:
- Nvidia: 10 GW ($100B investment)
- AMD: 6 GW
- Oracle: 4.5 GW
CEO Sam Altman has outlined a 250-gigawatt vision over eight years, more than 100x current capacity, but that would cost an estimated $10 trillion, far exceeding projected $13 billion 2025 revenue.
The Broadcom collaboration, underway for 18 months, sees OpenAI design systems while Broadcom deploys accelerator racks.
Intel spins out RealSense with Nvidia backing
Intel has spun out its RealSense depth-sensing division as an independent company in a $50 million Series A, co-backed by Nvidia.
Led by CEO Nadav Orbach, RealSense will focus on AI, robotics, biometrics, and computer vision.
Its cameras are already used in 60% of autonomous mobile robots and 80% of humanoids worldwide.
The company is integrating its tech with Nvidia’s Jetson Thor, Isaac Sim, and Holoscan to accelerate humanoid and edge AI development.
With 3,000+ customers and 80+ patents, RealSense aims to power the $200 billion robotics market expected by 2031.
FUNDING FLASH
Gladys raises £1.5M to reinvent home care
AI-powered home care startup Gladys has secured £1.5 million in seed funding, led by Cornerstone VC, to tackle the UK’s care crisis.
Founded by Georgina Robinson and Alex Sorisi, the platform uses AI to match families with local carers, handle scheduling, payments, and compliance, cutting out agency markups.
Carers earn up to 65% more than through traditional providers, while families pay less.
Operating across a 20,000 km service area, Gladys delivers tens of thousands of care hours and plans UK-wide scale by 2026, positioning itself as a tech-driven alternative to Cera, Elder, and SuperCarers.
Jack Fertility launches at-home vasectomy test
Oxford startup Jack Fertility has raised over £500,000 in pre-seed funding, led by Fuel Ventures, to transform male reproductive health.
Its flagship product, Snip Check™, is the UK’s first portable vasectomy test kit, allowing men to confirm success from home via a mail-in sample viable for five days.
Paired with a mobile app for results and support, the kit tackles stigma and inconvenience.
With new capital, Jack Fertility will launch Snip Check™ and develop a comprehensive semen analysis kit, aiming to make sperm testing as routine as blood pressure checks.
British Business Bank boosts direct investment
The British Business Bank has invested over £250 million directly into 33 high-growth UK tech and life science firms, more than half of them university spinouts. These companies have collectively raised over £2 billion.
The Bank has raised its per-company investment limit from £15 million to £60 million and is preparing to launch the British Growth Partnership, channeling institutional capital from partners like Aegon UK, NatWest Cushon, and London CIV into UK scaleups.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT
Vodafone hit by major UK network outage
Vodafone is working to resolve a nationwide outage affecting broadband, 4G, and 5G services, with over 50,000 users reporting issues via Downdetector.
The company confirmed 2G voice calls remain operational and said engineers are working to restore services “as soon as possible.”
BDUK to join DSIT in November
Building Digital UK (BDUK), the agency behind Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network, will be integrated into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on 1 November 2025.
The move aims to accelerate digital infrastructure delivery. The UK has already met early targets: 85% gigabit broadband and 95% 4G coverage.
The government now aims for 99% gigabit-capable coverage by 2032, backed by £1.9 billion in funding. Existing contracts are unaffected.
Google: UK SMEs stuck in AI adoption gap
New Google research reveals 59% of UK SME owners have paused “game-changing” AI ideas due to lack of time, even though 64% believe innovation could significantly boost revenue.
While 86% are familiar with AI, only 31% use AI tools, and just 19% apply them to decision-making. Google estimates AI could unlock £198 billion in value, equivalent to one extra workday per week.
To help, Google, NatWest, and the Department for Business and Trade have launched the “AI Works for Business” tour, visiting cities nationwide to offer practical guidance.
