Global Startup and Venture Investment News for January 16, 2026: Record Rounds in Artificial Intelligence, Energy Technologies and Biotech, Activity of Major Venture Funds, and Key Investment Trends for Investors.
Globally, the startup and venture capital market is kicking off the year with significant news. Major investments in artificial intelligence, clean energy, and innovative infrastructure technologies are dominating the headlines. The largest funds are announcing substantial capital injections, while government programmes in Europe and the US are bolstering support for tech companies. Among the key events of the day are record funding rounds for AI startups and the launch of new strategic funds.
Key Trends
Market trends highlight a sustained interest from investors in high-tech sectors. Friday, January 16, saw the following notable occurrences within the startup ecosystem:
- AI startups continue to attract record investments. Several promising companies in the field of artificial intelligence announced large funding rounds at high valuations.
- Venture funds announce mega capital raises. Leading VC firms and specialised funds report raising billions of dollars for new investment strategies.
- Climate and energy technologies are on the rise. Investors are actively funding clean energy and climate startups, from hydrogen solutions to next-generation reactors.
- The crypto and Web3 sector is emerging from lethargy. Market consolidation and preparations for new regulatory standards are encouraging investors to engage in significant deals.
- Government support remains a significant factor. Governments in Europe and the US are expanding funding programmes and subsidies for tech startups.
Major Investments in AI Startups
The artificial intelligence sector is demonstrating unprecedented capabilities in attracting investment. Investors are focusing on companies offering practical solutions based on large models. Among the most notable deals are:
- Higgsfield (US, AI video): The startup announced an $80 million Series A extension round. Following this investment, the company is valued at over $1.3 billion. Investors include Accel, GFT Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and others. Higgsfield specialises in AI video generation, simplifying content creation for marketing and entertainment.
- Deepgram (US, AI voice): The developer of voice AI agents for businesses raised $130 million at a $1.3 billion valuation (Series C). The round was led by venture fund AVP, with participation from Tiger Global, Madrona and CIA's In-Q-Tel. Deepgram plans to use the new funds for international expansion, increasing language support, and acquisitions (notably the purchase of OfOne for restaurant technologies).
- Proxima (US, biotech/AI): The company raised $80 million in a seed round led by DCVC. Proxima is developing an AI platform for discovering new drugs, focusing on proximity-based therapies. The firm had previously indicated itself as a high-potential startup.
These and other transactions signify a growing interest among investors in AI solutions across applied fields – from biotechnology to media and customer service. The AI theme remains at the forefront of capital allocation across sectors.
Leading Funds: New Major Fundraises
Despite fluctuations in the venture capital market, major investment firms are demonstrating optimism and raising record amounts of capital. The focus is on the “super fund” practice and thematic directions:
- Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) announced the raising of over $15 billion for new funds. These include $6.75 billion for a growth fund, $1.7 billion for AI infrastructure, $1.12 billion for a fund focused on American interests (national security, residential technologies, etc.), as well as capital for Bio&Health and other strategies. In this way, a16z plans to actively support startups in AI, cryptocurrencies, and sectors critical to US technological leadership.
- Superorganism (US) – a venture fund focused on biodiversity preservation technologies, has raised $25.9 million for its debut fund. The investment goal is to fund startups developing technological solutions for nature conservation and ecology. Investors include the Cisco Foundation, AMB Holdings, and a16z partner Jeff Jordan.
- Germany – EIF German Equity: The federal ministry of economics is allocating an additional €1.6 billion (about $1.7 billion) through the European Investment Fund. These funds will go into venture and growth funds investing in German and European tech companies. The programme supports a wide range of sectors – from AI and fintech to energy and deep tech.
- Denmark – Novo Nordisk fund is allocating up to 5.5 billion DKK (approximately €736 million) for the development of the BioInnovation Institute. BII plans to increase support for startups from 20 to 40 companies each year, expanding scientific and geographical directions. This is the largest private investment commitment to European startup infrastructure in recent years.
As a result, venture and corporate investors are increasing the scale of their funds, strengthening their presence in key technological niches.
Climate, Energy, and Clean Technologies
Clean energy and climate technologies continue to attract attention from investors and large corporations alike. Key industry news includes:
- Type One Energy (US, fusion energy): The startup raised $87 million via a convertible note, bringing its total venture investment to $160 million. Type One plans to raise up to $250 million in a Series B round at a valuation of about $900 million. The company is developing a patented fusion reactor (stellarator) in collaboration with TVA to build the first 350 MW power plant.
- Hydrogen solutions: Several companies working on fuel cells and hydrogen have secured significant rounds (for example, H2 firms raised rounds in the tens of millions of dollars). Investors see the potential of hydrogen in reducing emissions for industries and transport.
- Nuclear energy and AI: Major technology companies are strengthening partnerships with nuclear startups. For instance, Meta has agreed to invest in companies Oklo and TerraPower, which are developing small modular reactors (SMR) and next-generation reactors (Natrium). As part of these deals, Meta has secured access to future power generation, which is crucial for its growing data centres and AI projects.
Investments in energy highlight the industry's transition towards clean sources. Companies creating technologies for the future of energy generation and storage are coming to the forefront among startups.
Crypto and Digital Assets
The cryptocurrency and blockchain sector is also reviving after a period of uncertainty. Investors and corporations are making significant deals:
- Coinme (US, bitcoin ATMs): Acquired by Polygon Labs in a deal exceeding $250 million (including the acquisition of the Sequence platform). The acquisition provides Polygon with access to the regulatory infrastructure and the network of cash-to-crypto exchange outlets in the US. The deal reflects the trend of consolidating crypto payment services within larger blockchain ecosystems.
- Project Eleven (US, crypto security): Raised $20 million in Series A led by Castle Island Ventures (with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Variant and others). The company is developing solutions to protect blockchains from threats posed by quantum computers, with a product launch planned for early 2026. This round is set against the backdrop of rising interest in post-quantum cryptography.
- Rain (US, blockchain fintech): Raised $250 million in Series C from ICONIQ Capital, Sapphire Ventures, and others. Rain issues corporate cards and Stablecoin products for Web3 enterprises, simplifying the management of crypto payments.
These transactions signal that following a challenging year for the crypto industry, investors are once again prepared to invest in the infrastructure of digital assets and services for the mass market.
Global Markets and Regional Trends
The new decade begins with interesting changes in key regional startup markets:
- Asia: According to analysts, the volume of investment in Asian startups for 2025 was around $67.5 billion (a decrease of 6% from 2024); however, there was a surge in the fourth quarter due to significant deals. For example, Chinese EV startup Deepal raised $874 million (Series C), Neolix secured $600 million (Series D), and Moonshot AI raised $500 million (Series C). These massive rounds significantly boosted quarterly performance.
- DayOne Data Centers (Singapore): Announced the raising of over $2 billion in Series C. The funds will be used to expand data centres in Europe (Finland) and the Asia-Pacific region (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong). This round was completed at a double premium to the previous valuation.
- Europe: Support for the startup ecosystem remains robust. A prime example is Germany with its EIF German Equity programme. Overall, European investors are focusing on deep tech and climate tech. At the beginning of January, new European accelerators and clusters for AI and biotech were announced. For instance, the BioInnovation Institute in Denmark is expanding its portfolio of supported companies through new funding.
Thus, the market shows a geographic diversity of growth drivers: in Asia, large deals in mobile technologies and AI lead, while in Europe, state-initiated incentives prevail, and in North America, large private funds and tech giants dominate.
Government Support and Infrastructure
Government programmes and partnerships between corporations and the state continue to shape the landscape of startup support:
- US: The federal government is expanding tax credits and grants for R&D, particularly in AI and semiconductors (CHIPS Act). Further investments are planned in quantum technologies and biotechnology. Major IT companies are participating in partnerships with the government to develop data centre infrastructure and energy projects.
- Europe: Beyond the aforementioned German and Danish programmes, the European Union is promoting initiatives to support technological champions (European Tech Champions Initiative). EU investment funds and national agencies are providing loans and guarantees for startups in critical sectors (AI, health, climate).
- Asia and other regions: The governmental role varies by country. For instance, Singapore and South Korea actively subsidise their startup incubators and the global expansion of companies. Several BRICS nations have initiated investment programmes for tech startups backed by government funding.
A combination of measures is stimulating the growth of new projects and reducing risks for investors. Amid overall competition for talent, governments are promoting favourable conditions for entrepreneurs to retain innovations within their countries.
Outlook and Conclusions
Summarising the week’s events, we can identify the following key conclusions:
- Venture capital continues to flow into high-tech areas. Artificial intelligence and energy are remaining in the limelight for investors, evident in large funding rounds.
- Major funds, such as a16z, as well as new thematic VC funds, are setting the bar – the scale of their fundraising reflects LP (limited partner) demand for tech assets.
- Global competition for technological leadership is stimulating collaboration between the private and public sectors. Funding programmes, tax incentives, and large corporate investment projects are strengthening the startup ecosystem worldwide.
- The market is witnessing consolidation in certain segments (crypto, data centres) while diversifying new trends (biodiversity, post-quantum cryptography). This indicates that venture investors are seeking both established technologies and nascent ideas with enormous potential.
Overall, the startup industry is showcasing a vibrant interest from investors in key sectors of the economy of the future. Experts predict that amid ongoing macroeconomic challenges, it's the technological innovations that will continue to attract the main flow of capital.
