Rockrose Weekly #2

9th May 2025

🔍 Top 3 Signals This Week

1) Anysphere’s AI Coding Assistant ‘Cursor’ Hits $9B Valuation

Anysphere has secured $900 million in funding, propelling its AI-powered coding assistant, Cursor, to a $9 billion valuation. With annual recurring revenue reaching approximately $200 million, Cursor is now one of the fastest-growing software companies, attracting major clients like Stripe, OpenAI, and Spotify.

➤ Why it matters: This surge underscores the growing demand for AI-driven developer tools that enhance productivity. The rapid adoption of Cursor indicates a shift towards AI-integrated development environments, making it a key player in the evolving software development landscape.

Read the full article here.

2) SignalFire Raises $1 Billion to Invest in Applied AI Startups

Venture capital firm SignalFire has raised over $1 billion to back early-stage applied AI startups, increasing its assets under management to approximately $3 billion. The firm plans to invest in sectors like healthcare, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and developer tools.

➤ Why it matters: SignalFire’s substantial fundraising highlights the increasing investor confidence in applied AI technologies. Their focus on sector-specific startups indicates a strategic approach to fostering innovation in critical industries, potentially leading to transformative advancements.

Learn more here.

3) Gates Foundation will be setting up an office in Singapore

During his visit this week, Bill Gates met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, announcing plans to expand the Foundation’s presence in Singapore.

➤ Why it matters: The Gates Foundation opening an office in Singapore signals a serious commitment to Southeast Asia’s health challenges—mobilising US$100 million with Temasek’s Philanthropy Asia Alliance to address maternal health and infectious diseases. “Singapore’s leadership in innovation and philanthropy makes it an ideal hub to help scale solutions that improve lives across the region and beyond,” said Hari Menon, director for South and Southeast Asia at the Gates Foundation.

Learn more on PM Lawrence Wong’s Linkedin Post, Forbes, and Eco Business.

💡 Headhunter’s Lens

OpenAI currently has 26 open positions in Go-To-Market and Technical roles across Singapore and Tokyo, signalling that these two cities are pivotal to the company’s expansion strategy in Asia.

This move reflects not only OpenAI’s commitment to tapping into the high-demand AI market in APAC but also the growing recognition of Singapore’s strategic role in advancing AI innovation globally.

Continue reading → OpenAI establishes presence in Singapore to support international expansion

Singapore, with its rich history of technology leadership, has emerged as a leader in artificial intelligence, recognising its potential to solve some of society’s hardest problems and drive economic prosperity. We’re excited to partner with the government and the country’s thriving AI ecosystem as we expand into the APAC region. – Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI

🚀 Executive Move to Watch

Eugene Lee → CHAGEE

CHAGEE, the modern tea brand, has appointed Eugene Lee as its Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. In this newly established role, Lee will oversee brand and business growth across APAC, with a key focus on maintaining a cohesive global brand identity while adapting localisation strategies to suit diverse new markets. He will be part of the global leadership team, reporting directly to CHAGEE’s APAC CEO and global CMO. Eugene’s appointment marks a strategic move as CHAGEE accelerates its international expansion efforts.

📬 One to Forward

Is Tesla’s Board Looking to Replace Elon Musk? By Haslinda Amin from Bloomberg.

Get the scoop → https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7323606223168114688/

Or watch the interview here from 33:00