Who knew M&A would be the thing we couldn’t shut up about?

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Hello, and welcome back to Equity, the podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.

This is our startup-focused, Wednesday episode, so today we’re counting down important venture rounds, and chatting our way through other startup and VC news.

Here’s what we got into:

Artisse AI’s seed round caught our eye for two big reasons: First, its selfie app is cool; and second, despite competing in a crowded space, it’s seen revenue climb rapidly. It’s gotta be doing something right. Elsewhere, Bilt Rewards is proof that fintech is still alive and kicking, and Kittl is another example of a European startup taking on a massive global market. And Bulk Exchange has raised $4.5 million, and I’m still shocked at how far Byju’s has fallen. In Venture Capital Land, General Catalyst might buy an Indian venture capital firm — further evidence of just how critical India might prove in the coming years for tech companies. Also: some former Xerox investors have their own new fund to report.

We’ll be digging into the Brex situation on Friday, so stay tuned for more about fintech soon!