Upward Raises $8M, Partners with Mastercard to Supercharge Embedded Fintech

Upward, a rising fintech infrastructure platform, just got a major boost. The company announced an $8 million Series Seed+ round, co-led by Dundee Venture Capital and Breakwater Ventures Fund, with participation from Techstars, Altari Ventures, Cascade Seed Fund, and Outside Ventures. The new funding, combined with a strategic partnership with Mastercard, positions Upward to accelerate how businesses launch and scale digital financial products—from credit cards to banking and payment solutions.

Upward Raises $8M, Partners with Mastercard to Supercharge Embedded Fintech

AI Is Dominating VC Funding—But at What Cost? SVB’s Report Warns of Rising Burn Rates Amid Innovation Boom

AI startups are soaking up venture capital like sponges—but they’re burning through it just as fast. That’s the key takeaway from Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) latest State of the Markets report, a twice-yearly pulse-check on the innovation economy that digs deep into funding trends, IPOs, and the evolving dynamics of venture-backed tech.

AI Is Dominating VC Funding—But at What Cost? SVB’s Report Warns of Rising Burn Rates Amid Innovation Boom