A new, low-energy nano device for AI 💡
May 1, 2026
Kaley Ubellacker
Happy Wednesday! If you’re new here, welcome to Necessary Nuggets, your one-stop pre-seed shop. We deliver updates from Necessary Ventures and helpful tidbits on our little corner of the world. Every edition is also on our blog.
What's Happenings at Necessary Ventures:
Zócalo Health raised a $15 million Series A led by EO Ventures, bringing the total raised to date to $22.75 million.
Good Reads 📖
For the rushed reader …
Total capital at the seed stage is growing, but more than half of 2025’s dollars went to rounds over $10 million.
Public markets Public markets are beginning to reopen for climate tech, but only for a narrow slice of the category.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed a new nanoelectronic device that could dramatically cut AI’s energy consumption.
For the less rushed reader …
It's not a want; it's a seed
Want to raise the next round of funding? Think bigger. Total capital at the seed stage is growing, but more than half of 2025’s dollars went to rounds over $10 million. A small number of outsized deals is skewing the market as smaller rounds and overall deal counts decline. The seed stage is experiencing an ever widening gap as a result. Repeat founders in top hubs like the Bay Area and New York are raising massive seed rounds that increasingly resemble old Series As, while newer founders face a tougher path to getting funded at all. AI is accelerating the shift, with investors willing to write bigger checks for companies chasing larger outcomes, but concentrating capital among fewer players. Small checks are out, and large seeds are taking root.
IPO-pening doors
The market is warming up, but only for a select climate. Public markets are beginning to reopen for climate tech, but only for a narrow slice of the category. There’s been plenty of action recently in climate tech: nuclear startup X-energy just raised $1B in its IPO debut, and geothermal startup Fervo Energy filed to go public. The shift is largely driven by surging electricity demand from AI and data centers, which has made scalable power solutions more attractive. However, the momentum is uneven. Capital is concentrating around infrastructure-heavy, late-stage companies, while earlier-stage and non-energy climate startups face tighter funding conditions. The result is a K-shaped market, where only a small group of climate tech winners gain access to public capital and liquidity. Can’t get around the mountain of energy demands? Then climate.
Neuron to something
Current affairs just got exciting. Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed a new nanoelectronic device that could dramatically cut AI’s energy consumption. Inspired by the human brain, the device completely rethinks how computing hardware works. Instead of relying on traditional chips that shuttle data between memory and processors, the team built a highly stable, ultra-low-power memristor using modified hafnium oxide that combines both functions, like how neurons process information. The device operates at currents up to a million times lower than conventional designs while supporting hundreds of stable states. It even demonstrated learning behaviors like neural plasticity, pointing toward more adaptive, efficient AI systems. Who needs horsepower when you have brainpower?
Market Stirrings 🚩
Here's what the week looked like in pre-seed:
$19.3M
14
Data aggregated from proprietary research and Crunchbase; valuation estimate based on 10-20% ownership stake.
GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF IT
Looking at March 2026 data, mid-sized rounds between $500K and $1M comprised a majority 51.8% of all funding activity. This was a significant increase compared to previous years, where sub-$500K once dominated. The appetite for larger deals is also tightening, as rounds exceeding $1M shrunk to their lowest share in five years.
climatetech
Bubble Robotics - New meaning for deep tech.
Bubble Robotics raised $5 million from Asterion Ventures, Episode 1, and Norrsken Evolve. Bubble Robotics is building a fleet of autonomous underwater robots that operate continuously at sea to collect data for offshore energy..
AI
Sinai.ai - A novel approach.
Sinai raised $1.5 million led by Disruptech Ventures and KAUST Innovation Fund. Sinai is creating an AI reading platform that turns traditional books into interactive experiences where users can engage with content.
AI
Maxed - Balancing the bots.
Maxed raised $850k led by Focal VC. Maxed is building an AI operating system for CPA firms that replaces fragmented accounting software with a unified platform.
JOBORTUNITIES
| VP of Finance | - Copper:
Rethinking the induction stove and making kitchen electrification more accessible than ever. Picture a fossil-free future, without sacrificing aesthetics.
| Full Stack Software Engineer | - OneImaging:
Envisioning the future of transportation beyond cars and into the realm of personal electric vehicles. Its first product, P1, is the ultimate tool for city navigation.
Outro🚪
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Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
