Listen to today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/silk-logic-small-business-daily/id1841930957
Small Business Daily Podcast — 01/14/2026
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Voice AI startup Deepgram raises $130 million at $1.3 billion valuation
Author: Reuters | Date: January 13, 2026
Deepgram raised 130 million dollars at a 1.3 billion dollar valuation to expand internationally, ship new models and languages, and pursue acquisitions. The company also acquired OfOne to bolster restaurant use cases and says over 1,300 organizations use its API for real-time voice agents. For small teams, this signals more accessible, multilingual voice AI across customer service and sales.
WitnessAI debuts Agentic Security as enterprises deploy more autonomous AI agents
Author: Duncan Riley | Date: January 13, 2026
WitnessAI launched Agentic Security, extending its enterprise AI confidence layer to autonomous and semi-autonomous agents. It discovers agent activity, ties actions back to human initiators, and provides runtime defenses against prompt injection, data exfiltration, and unauthorized actions. As agent adoption grows, security leaders get visibility and policy enforcement built for tool-calling workflows.
Upstream partners with Škoda to strengthen connected vehicle cybersecurity
Author: Duncan Riley | Date: January 13, 2026
Upstream and Škoda announced a partnership to unify cyberthreat intelligence, risk signals, and compliance data across connected vehicles and digital services. The approach supports UNECE R155 readiness, improves collaboration between security and engineering, and streamlines audit prep. It offers a blueprint for managing growing automotive cyber risk spanning cloud, apps, charging, and supply chain.
Alibaba-backed PixVerse launches real-time AI video tool, top executive tells CNBC
Author: Evelyn Cheng | Date: January 13, 2026
PixVerse rolled out real-time, interactive AI video generation that lets users steer characters and scenes as clips render. With 16 million monthly active users and ambitions to reach 200 million registered users, the startup is chasing low-cost, high-throughput creation that could reshape social content, micro-dramas, and gaming. Faster generation and lower fees challenge Western incumbents and may widen access for creators.
Quantum software startup Haiqu raises $11M to launch hardware-aware operating system
Author: Duncan Riley | Date: January 13, 2026
Haiqu raised 11 million dollars to deliver a hardware-aware quantum OS that can run near-term applications at up to 100x lower computational cost. By optimizing circuits, shielding errors, and orchestrating workloads, the platform targets practical use cases in finance, healthcare, aviation, and life sciences. The bet is useful quantum progress now, without waiting for fully fault-tolerant machines.
Acronis launches Archival Storage to give MSPs long-term, compliant data retention
Author: Duncan Riley | Date: January 13, 2026
Acronis introduced Archival Storage for MSPs, delivering long-term, compliant cold storage with S3-compatible object storage, 11×9 durability, WORM immutability, and zero egress or API fees. Integrated billing and management simplify operations, while millisecond retrieval supports quick restores when needed. It gives MSPs predictable margins and SMB clients a clearer path to retention and audit readiness.
Sprucely.io launches AI-generated analytics dashboards professional teams can deploy in seconds
Author: Not specified | Date: January 13, 2026
Emergence Software’s Sprucely.io added AI that generates presentation-ready analytics dashboards from raw data in about 30 seconds, no code required. Teams can surface seasonality patterns, style outputs to brand, and drop charts into PowerPoint via an add-in. Available in free and paid tiers, it aims to cut the prep time that slows decisions.
Meta-backed Hupo finds growth after pivot to AI sales coaching from mental wellness
Author: Kate Park | Date: January 12, 2026
Hupo pivoted from mental wellness to AI sales coaching for regulated industries and raised a 10 million dollar Series A led by DST Global Partners. The platform delivers real-time, context-aware coaching for banks and insurers, with customers like Prudential, AXA, and HSBC and plans to expand into the U.S. It targets performance at scale where managers cannot join every conversation.
OpenAI acquires healthcare startup Torch, deal pegged at $100 million
Author: Not specified | Date: January 13, 2026
OpenAI acquired healthtech startup Torch in a roughly 100 million dollar equity deal to deepen ChatGPT Health. Torch unifies fragmented medical data from wearables, labs, and clinical records, enabling ChatGPT to interpret and contextualize personal health information. It reflects the shift from general-purpose chatbots to specialized healthcare tools.
