TikTok U.S. deal closes and the return of the dodo

Author

Noel Moldvai
September 18, 2025

TL;DR. TikTok’s U.S. deal is official: Oracle and a16z will control a new American version of the app with government oversight and a separate algorithm. Colossal, the biotech startup focused on species de-extinction, raises $120M after a breakthrough that brings the dodo one step closer to revival. Meanwhile, Nvidia announced a $5B stake in Intel to co-develop next-gen AI chips and challenge AMD.

TikTok US deal finalized: Oracle and a16z take control in landmark split from ByteDance

In a seismic shift, TikTok’s U.S. operations will now be 80% owned by an American-led group including Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz, and legacy investors under a finalized framework deal. The new U.S.-only app will run on U.S. infrastructure with government oversight and a separate algorithm, leaving ByteDance with only a 20% stake and no operational control.

Colossal raises $120M to bring back the dodo from extinction

Colossal Biosciences recently hit a scientific milestone that makes dodo de-extinction a real possibility: successfully growing pigeon germ cells in a lab for the first time ever. The company also added $120M in fresh funding, pushing its valuation to $10.32B, to build gene-edited chickens that could one day lay dodo eggs. Jurassic Park? Not quite, but close.

Nvidia buys $5B stake in Intel to co-develop next-gen AI chips

In a rare alliance between rivals, Nvidia has taken a $5B stake in Intel to build next-generation AI hardware. Intel will make custom processors that pair with Nvidia’s GPUs using NVLink, a faster connection tech. These new chips will power everything from data centers to PCs, intensifying the competition with AMD.

What really happens when a startup IPOs

An IPO is one of the most visible milestones in a startup's journey—but it's also one of the most complex. This guide breaks down how going public actually works, what it means for employee equity and early investors, and how secondary markets like Augment can offer liquidity even before the bell rings on Wall Street.

Cheerio! Until next week.
-Noel