TechCrunch Startup News How AI startups are fueling Google’s booming cloud business, also, Numeral raises $35M to automate sales tax with AI
Sep 19, 2025
Google Cloud is making waves by attracting AI startups like Lovable and Windsurf, showcasing its growing strength against AWS and Microsoft Azure. Meanwhile, Numeral has just secured $35M to advance its innovative approach to automating sales tax compliance with AI. The CEO of Numeral conceived this idea while traveling the globe, turning a personal experience into a lucrative business opportunity. It's a fascinating look at how AI is reshaping industries and empowering startups.
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AI Startups Fuel Cloud Growth
- Google Cloud is winning AI startups by becoming their default infrastructure choice.
- That early relationship bets these startups will scale into big, long-term customers.
Cloud Revenue Momentum
- Google Cloud is experiencing rapid revenue momentum driven by AI workloads and partnerships.
- The unit reported a large annual run rate and lined up billions in new revenue over the next two years.
Wide AI Adoption On Google Cloud
- Google claims broad AI lab and startup adoption, including nine of ten leading AI labs and 60% of generative AI startups.
- That market share signals strategic positioning against AWS and Azure in the AI era.