Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in the AI and tech world.Badge, a digital wallet development startup co-founded by Eric Senn, has successfully raised $17.1 million to further its operations within the rapidly evolving digital wallet space. Badge seeks to transform digital wallets into core components of mobile operating systems like iOS and Android, moving beyond their current status as mere features. The company envisions these wallets as dynamic platforms, similar to Apple's ticket interface, integrating various functions such as merchandise and food ordering. This approach offers brands a new way to engage with users directly through pre-installed wallets on smartphones, providing a more streamlined alternative to traditional apps. The recent funding round included a $13.8 million Series A led by TTV Capital, with participation from Stripe, Synchrony Ventures, and Infinity Ventures. Badge had previously secured a $3.3 million seed round with QED Investors and Infinity as participants.In other investment news, several companies across various sectors have secured funding: Vestwell raised $385 million for its savings platform. Korsana Biosciences obtained $175 million for developing neurodegenerative disease therapeutics. Heron Power secured $140 million for energy infrastructure development. Venice raised $33 million for its account security platform. Selector acquired $32 million for its AI-powered network observability platform. Kombo raised $25 million for workforce integration technology. Zero Homes obtained $16.8 million for its home improvement digital model platform. Hook raised $10 million for an AI-powered music remixing platform. Monark Markets secured $8.1 million for its private markets investing platform. Efex raised $8 million for global treasury and cross-border payments services. Copla received €6 million ($7.1 million) for financial compliance tools. Sportiq raised $6.2 million for smart basketball technology. Synchrony secured $5 million for respiratory care technology. Rizon raised $2 million in pre-seed funding for its neobank services.In the realm of private equity, Perch Energy has acquired Solstice, a community solar company, while BayPine has agreed to acquire Relation Insurance Services from Aquiline Capital Partners. Numerous funds have also reported progress: Battery Ventures raised $3.25 billion for its 15th fund targeting tech companies. JLL Partners secured $1.4 billion for its ninth fund focused on healthcare and industrials. Quantonation raised $260 million for quantum technologies.Moreover, Lead Edge Capital has promoted Zach Ullman to partner within the firm. These developments indicate ongoing investment and innovation across diverse sectors in the venture capital landscape.Shifting focus to recent legal proceedings, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently appeared in a Los Angeles court defending against claims that the company prioritizes user engagement over safety and mental health. Zuckerberg faced intense questioning regarding Meta's business practices concerning Facebook and Instagram. He refuted allegations that these platforms neglect user safety or intentionally design addictive products, emphasizing changes in Meta's approach over the years.In other tech news, Google's Gemini app has introduced AI music generation through Lyria 3, allowing users to create 30-second musical tracks based on text prompts or uploaded media. This feature has sparked mixed reactions online.Figma reported robust quarterly earnings despite concerns about AI's impact on software demand, achieving a 40% revenue growth year-over-year. Figma CEO Dylan Field reassured inv

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