Startup and venture capital news — Wednesday, 2 September 2026: the Anthropic and OpenAI IPO race, trillion-dollar AI valuations and defence technology records. This day will go down in history as a bifurcation point for the entire technology industry. We are witnessing an unprecedented event: two leaders in generative artificial intelligence have filed confidential initial public offering applications almost simultaneously. The market is holding its breath, analysts are revising forecasts, and venture funds are registering a new reality in which a trillion-dollar valuation is no longer science fiction. At the same time, the defence-industrial complex is posting record levels of private investment, driven by rising geopolitical tensions and the active deployment of autonomous systems. We have analysed exchange data, Crunchbase reports and internal fund documents to bring you the full picture of the day. Read on to learn the details of the deals, the names of key players and forecasts for the months ahead. This material will be useful for founders, investors and anyone tracking market dynamics.