Slate Auto, the Bezos-backed EV startup, raised $650 million in Series C funding to develop an affordable electric pickup truck priced around $20,000. First deliveries are expected later this year.
The funding round was led by TWG Global, headed by Guggenheim Partners founder Mark Walter and financier Thomas Tull. Both investors previously backed Re:Build Manufacturing, another Bezos venture.
Slate aims to compete in the crowded EV truck market with an aggressive price point significantly below competitors like Ford's F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet's Silverado EV. The company plans to manufacture vehicles domestically.
The startup joins a wave of EV makers targeting the pickup segment, where demand remains high despite economic headwinds. Slate's sub-$25,000 positioning targets buyers typically priced out of electric vehicles.
Bezos's backing provides substantial resources for supply chain development and manufacturing infrastructure. The mid-$20,000s price target would make Slate's truck among the most affordable EVs on the market if achieved.
Reno-based AI chip startup Positron is in talks to raise approximately $750 million across two funding phases, with valuations climbing from $3.5 billion to $5 billion, according to Bloomberg sources.
AI coding platform Lovable is in talks to raise $300 million at a $13.2 billion valuation, doubling its previous valuation. Menlo Ventures is expected to lead the funding round.
Autonomous drone delivery startup Manna is establishing a U.S. operations and manufacturing facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The expansion will eventually create 1,000 jobs.