VCs, Nvidia, Fusion and a CEO Return Mark Tech’s Unlikely Moves

When Craig Shapiro, founder of Collaborative Fund, stepped into a D.C. United boardroom last week, he wasn’t there to negotiate a player contract. He was there to buy a slice of the club and its stadium, a move he frames as a live showcase for the fund’s portfolio startups.

Collaborative Fund’s stake in the MLS franchise marks the latest in a series of venture‑capital forays into professional sports, a space traditionally dominated by private equity and billionaire owners. The deal, announced in a brief TechCrunch note, signals that VCs see a branding laboratory in stadiums, not just a ticket‑sale business.

VC Money Meets Pro Sports

Collaborative Fund isn’t the first venture shop to dip a toe into the sports world, but it is the first to publicly tie the purchase to startup exposure. Shapiro told reporters the stadium’s digital signage and fan‑engagement platforms will become test beds for the fund’s early‑stage companies. The arrangement could give startups real‑world data that is otherwise hard to acquire.

The move sits alongside a broader trend where venture capitalists chase high‑visibility assets. Earlier this year, Thrive Capital’s partners took minority stakes in several pro‑sports teams, betting that the fan‑base will translate into a ready‑made audience for tech products. Critics argue the model is unproven; fans care about wins, not app installs. The true test will be whether any portfolio startup can demonstrably lift a team’s revenue or fan loyalty.

Nvidia’s 70% Growth Forecast

Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang told investors the chipmaker will grow revenue by 70 % next year. The claim arrived in a quarterly earnings call that emphasized the company’s “finger in every pie” – from AI inference to data‑center GPUs.

Huang insisted the growth isn’t a circular boost from one product feeding another; each segment, he said, is expanding on its own merit. The forecast is bold given the macro‑economic headwinds that have slowed other semiconductor makers. Analysts flagged the projection as aggressive, noting that Nvidia’s recent surge in AI‑related sales could plateau if competition catches up.

If the target holds, Nvidia’s market cap could breach the $1 trillion mark, reshaping the competitive dynamics with rivals like AMD and Intel. The company’s pricing power will be under scrutiny, especially as customers weigh performance against rising chip costs.

German Comeback: Furo’s $4 Million Raise

Three 28‑year‑old founders of energy startup Furo packed their laptops into a flight from Silicon Valley to Germany and walked out with a $4 million seed round. The money came mainly from U.S. investors who were impressed by the team’s decision to relocate.

Furo’s technology focuses on modular energy storage that can be deployed in remote micro‑grids. By moving back to Germany, the founders tapped into the country’s strong engineering talent pool and favorable regulatory environment for renewables. The funding round, reported by TechCrunch, underscores that geography is no longer a barrier for venture capital – investors will follow promising teams wherever they set up shop.

The founders say the relocation also opened doors to European pilot projects that were out of reach from California. If those pilots succeed, Furo could secure follow‑on rounds that dwarf the initial $4 million, positioning the startup as a cross‑continental player in the decarbonization market.

Proxima Fusion’s €140 Million HTS Tape Plant

Proxima Fusion announced a €140 million (about $162.6 million) investment to build a factory that will produce high‑temperature superconducting (HTS) tape. The tape is a critical component for the startup’s fusion‑reactor design, and the supply chain is currently dominated by Asian manufacturers.

By constructing the plant in Europe, Proxima aims to secure a domestic source of HTS tape and reduce reliance on imports that can be subject to geopolitical risk. The move also promises to create a new industrial cluster around advanced materials, a sector the EU has earmarked for strategic investment.

Critics point out that the venture is capital‑intensive and that commercial fusion remains years away. Nonetheless, the factory could serve other customers in the emerging quantum‑computing and medical‑imaging markets that also need HTS wire, potentially broadening the plant’s revenue base.

Automattic’s CEO Drama and Return

Two days after being placed on a paid leave of absence, Matt Mullenweg announced his reinstatement as CEO of Automattic via a Slack message that TechCrunch saw. The brief note referenced a board vote that had installed CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO, a move Mullenweg described as a “conspiracy” by the board.

The internal clash spilled into public view after 404 Media reported the Slack exchange. An Automattic spokesperson confirmed Mullenweg’s return but declined to detail the board’s reasoning. The episode highlights governance challenges in founder‑led tech companies where the line between board oversight and founder control can blur.

Mullenweg’s comeback may reassure investors who value continuity, but the episode could also prompt a reevaluation of board composition at other high‑growth firms. Stakeholders will watch how Automattic’s board addresses the underlying conflict and whether any structural changes follow.

What to Watch

The next quarter will reveal whether Collaborative Fund’s stadium experiment yields measurable startup traction. Nvidia’s earnings report in early 2025 will test the 70 % growth claim against actual sales. Furo’s first European pilot is slated for Q3, a milestone that could unlock larger funding rounds. Proxima Fusion’s plant groundbreaking is scheduled for late 2025; progress reports will indicate whether the HTS supply chain can truly diversify. Finally, Automattic’s board is expected to file a governance update with the SEC in the coming weeks, a document that may detail any policy shifts after the CEO showdown.

Each of these stories illustrates how tech capital is moving beyond silicon and software into stadiums, fusion reactors, and boardrooms. The outcomes will shape where venture money flows next and how founders navigate power structures in an increasingly interconnected ecosystem.