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Today’s Brief

Anthropic publishes its abuse file

Energy shock squeezes voters as Russia pounds Ukraine and AI labs reveal abuse

Energy, war and technology supplied the day's main current. The same Middle East shock that lifted diesel above $6 a gallon pushed the European Central Bank back into tightening, while conflicts in Ukraine and the Arctic kept testing Western nerves.

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World · Updated 38m ago

China and the West: decoupling

China's signal of tariff cuts on $30B of non-sensitive goods adds a de-escalation track but leaves strategic controls intact, not altering the de-risking trajectory.

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AI-generated·Learn how
© LesEchos.fr
Business·2h ago

The Boring Company raises $3 billion at $23 billion valuation in UAE-led round

Elon Musk's tunneling enterprise secured $3 billion in new capital led by the United Arab Emirates, funding more than 150 kilometers of Gulf transit routes and ongoing US projects.

Series D capital and valuation

The Boring Company closed a $3 billion Series D funding round that establishes the enterprise valuation at $23 billion. The new figure represents a fourfold increase over the valuation recorded during the company's 2022 capital raise, placing its market value above several European technology firms. The completion follows financial disclosures in July indicating that the tunneling enterprise had initially explored securing up to $4 billion in private backing. The equity transaction was led by the United Arab Emirates alongside affiliated investment entities, including Shamal Holding. Other venture firms participating in the round included Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Human Capital, Vy Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Temasek, and Baron Capital.

Infrastructure expansion across the Emirates

The fresh capital will primarily finance the construction of more than 150 kilometers (93 miles) of transit tunnels across the United Arab Emirates. The initiative expands upon a preliminary agreement signed last year for the Dubai Loop infrastructure project. That initial commercial development encompasses a 6.4-kilometer (4-mile) underground corridor featuring four dedicated passenger stations connecting the Dubai International Financial Centre directly to the Dubai Mall. Company strategy focuses on constructing underground vehicle networks to bypass urban surface gridlock by moving passenger travel into multidimensional tunnel systems. The planned Emirati network marks the venture's first large-scale civil engineering deployment outside North America, representing a substantial shift from its earlier 2017 hyperloop proposals.

The Boring Company project and funding timeline
  1. 2017Musk announces concept for Washington to New York hyperloop network
  2. 2025Preliminary agreement signed for 4-mile Dubai Loop connecting DIFC and Dubai Mall
  3. 2026-07Reports emerge indicating the company seeks up to $4 billion in private capital
  4. Sep 4, 2026Investor terms requiring municipal introductions and recruitment are reported and confirmed
  5. Sep 10, 2026Company closes $3 billion Series D funding round at $23 billion valuation

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Operational networks in Nevada and Tennessee

In the United States, investment proceeds are directed toward expanding existing commercial networks in Nevada and Tennessee while funding recruitment across engineering, operations, and manufacturing units. The company currently operates subterranean routes in Las Vegas, where operational tunnels link the Las Vegas Convention Center with surrounding hotel and casino resorts along the Vegas Loop. Construction also commenced this year on the Music City Loop in Nashville, Tennessee, a project designed to span 10 miles of underground roadway. Capital from the funding round will also support continuous mechanical upgrades for the proprietary Prufrock tunnel boring machine platform. Elon Musk outlined the core operational premise behind the transportation venture.

Defeating traffic is the ultimate boss battle. Even the most powerful humans in the world cannot defeat traffic.

— Elon Musk

Investor requirements and municipal permits

The financing package includes unusual contractual covenants obligating participating investment funds to assist directly with corporate recruitment and municipal lobbying. Venture investors were instructed to provide recruitment assistance for local hiring and arrange formal introductions to public officials in municipal jurisdictions where the enterprise seeks excavation rights. The Boring Company retained the explicit legal right to repurchase shares from investors that fail to deliver viable employment candidates or establish connections with government authorities. The requirement reflects municipal permitting challenges that frequently regulate tunneling infrastructure. Musk confirmed the terms on 4 September on the social media platform X with the single word "True" after the provisions were reported.

Planned tunnel route lengths · miles
Dubai Loop
4
Nashville Music City Loop
10
UAE planned network
93
Dubai Loop
4 miles
Nashville Music City Loop
10 miles
UAE planned network
93 miles
Dubai · Las Vegas · Nashville
Elon Musk
Elon MuskDubai

8 sources

  • Musk's tunnel startup The Boring Company raises $3 billion at $23 billion valuation
    Reuters·22h ago
  • La plus petite des entreprises d'Elon Musk vaut désormais plus que Mistral
    LesEchos.fr·11h ago
  • Elon Musk's Boring Company digs up $3 billion.
    The Verge·13h ago
  • The Boring Company raises $3B in round led by UAE
    TechCrunch·13h ago
  • The Boring Company raises $3bn at a $23bn valuation, led by the UAE
    The Next Web·18h ago
  • Une levée de fonds valorise l'entreprise de tunnels de Musk à 23 milliards de dollars
    7sur7·20h ago
  • Boring Company: Musk-Tunnelbauer sammelt drei Milliarden Dollar ein
    Handelsblatt·21h ago
  • Musk's Boring Co. Raises Capital, Valuing Firm at $23 Billion
    Bloomberg Business·23h ago

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