Current Startup and Venture Capital News as of 3 February 2026: Major Funding Rounds, Investments in AI and Tech Startups, Venture Fund Activity, and Key Global Market Trends.
At the start of 2026, the global venture capital market is showing a robust recovery following a downturn in previous years. In 2025, the volume of venture investments surged dramatically, marking the return of private capital to the startup space. Major venture funds and corporations have recommenced significant investments, launched new investment programmes, and governments across various nations have increased support for innovative businesses. Last year was the most successful since 2021 in terms of total venture capital investments — this capital influx has been significantly driven by a series of mega funding rounds in the artificial intelligence sector.
Venture activity is spreading across all regions. The USA maintains its lead (especially in the AI segment), the Middle East has dramatically increased investments in tech startups, while in Asia, the decline in investments in China is offset by rapid growth in India and Southeast Asia. Overall, a new global venture boom is being observed, despite investors remaining selective and cautious regarding deals.
Below are the key events and trends that define the venture market agenda as of 3 February 2026:
- The return of mega-funds and large investors. Leading players are attracting record venture funds and ramping up investments, once again flooding the market with capital.
- Record AI mega-rounds and new "unicorns". Unprecedented investment volumes are lifting startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Revitalisation of the IPO market. Successful tech company public offerings and new applications confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits remains open.
- Diversification of industry focus. Venture capital is directed not only into AI but also into fintech, climate projects, biotechnology, defence technologies, and other promising sectors.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Major mergers and acquisitions, along with strategic investments, are reshaping the industry landscape.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite restrictions, new funds and initiatives are emerging in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, increasing investor interest in local projects.
The Return of Mega-Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
For example, SoftBank has established a new Vision Fund amounting to approximately $40 billion for investments in cutting-edge technologies, while American firm Andreessen Horowitz has secured a record $15 billion across several new funds targeting key technological areas. Sovereign funds from Middle Eastern nations have also become more active, pouring billions into tech projects and rolling out government mega-projects to foster the startup sector, effectively creating their own tech hubs.
The influx of this "big money" intensifies competition for prime deals while simultaneously instilling confidence in the market regarding the continuation of capital flow.
Record Rounds and New "Unicorns": An Investment Boom in AI
The artificial intelligence sector continues to be the main driver of the venture boom at the end of 2025 and the start of 2026, setting new records for startup funding volumes. Investors are keen to invest in AI leaders, directing colossal amounts into the most promising projects. For instance, Elon Musk's startup xAI has attracted around $30 billion in private investments (including a mega round of about $20 billion at the very beginning of 2026), while OpenAI has secured approximately $40 billion at a valuation of around $300 billion. These rounds were heavily oversubscribed — a fact that underscores the frenzy surrounding leading AI companies.
Furthermore, venture capital is not only flowing into applied AI products but also into the infrastructural solutions that support them: models, data, computing power, security, and regulatory compliance tools. Such an investment boom is giving rise to a wave of new "unicorns," although experts are warning of the risk of overheating in this segment.
The IPO Market Awakens: The "Window of Opportunity" for Listings is Open
The global market for initial public offerings (IPOs) is confidently reviving after a prolonged lull and continues to gather momentum. In Asia, Hong Kong is supporting a new wave of IPOs: in recent weeks, major tech companies have gone public, cumulatively raising multi-billion-dollar sums. This indicates that regional investors are once again ready to actively participate in public offerings. The situation is also improving in the USA and Europe: the American fintech "unicorn" Chime successfully debuted on the stock market, while in late 2025 the long-awaited IPO of payment service Stripe took place. In 2026, there are even larger market entries on the horizon: leading AI startups and Elon Musk's space company SpaceX are preparing for public offerings that could become among the largest in history. The IPO "window" remains open longer than many had anticipated, and the market as a whole appears capable of absorbing a wave of new issuances.
The revival of IPO activity encompasses a wide variety of companies and is crucial for the venture ecosystem. Successful public exits allow venture funds to realise profitable exits and direct the freed-up capital into new projects. Despite enduring caution from investors, the prolonged open "window" is prompting more startups to consider public listings as a realistic goal.
Diversification of Investments: Fintech, Climate, and Biotech on the Rise
Following the downturn of previous years, a revival is evident in several sectors. Major funding rounds are returning in fintech (not only in the USA but also in Europe and emerging markets), while the global trend towards sustainability is fuelling record investments in climate technologies, green energy, and agritech. Capital inflow into biotechnology is resuming, and in light of geopolitical challenges, there is growing interest in defence technologies — from drones and cybersecurity to dual-use robotics — backed actively by the state and major investors. This expansion of sectoral focus is making the startup ecosystem more resilient, reducing the venture market's dependency on a single dominant trend.
In January 2026, a number of new "unicorns" (startups valued over $1 billion) emerged in Europe and other regions — this signals that venture investors' appetite is returning even beyond traditional tech hubs.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Consolidation of Players
High company valuations and fierce competition for markets are pushing the startup ecosystem towards consolidation. Large mergers and acquisitions are re-emerging at the forefront, reshaping the balance of power in the industry. For instance, Google is facilitating a record deal to acquire the Israeli cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz for $32 billion — one of the largest startup purchases in history. Such mega deals demonstrate that even industry leaders are prepared to spend tens of billions to keep pace in the technological race.
The current activity in acquisitions and major venture deals reflects the maturation of the industry. Mature startups are either merging with each other or becoming targets for acquisition by corporations, while funds are getting the opportunity for long-awaited profitable exits. Consolidation enhances ecosystem efficiency, allowing companies to pool resources for accelerated growth and global expansion. In recent days, the trend towards M&A has been reaffirmed by Apple announcing the acquisition of Israeli AI startup Q.ai for approximately $1.6 billion. This deal will strengthen Apple’s position in artificial intelligence for wearable devices and confirms the commitment of technology giants to absorb innovative companies in pursuit of enhancing their products.
Russia and the CIS: The Local Market Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, the venture market in Russia and the CIS continues to grow. New funds and corporate accelerators are emerging with the involvement of banks and large companies. Development institutions (such as the Skolkovo Fund) are offering grants, tax incentives, and co-investment programmes, partially compensating for the outflow of Western capital. Local investors and funds are increasingly targeting the domestic market and partners from friendly countries in the Middle East and Asia, filling the gap left by departing players.
A notable example is the Krasnodar-based foodtech startup Qummy, which attracted approximately 440 million rubles in investments at a valuation of around 2.4 billion rubles and is aiming for an IPO in the coming years. Simultaneously, several major banks and investment firms are launching their venture funds amounting to approximately 10–12 billion rubles to support technological projects. In 2025, authorities officially allowed the return of foreign capital from "friendly" countries to invest in Russian startups, potentially opening doors for new investments. While the absolute volumes of venture capital investments in the region are still modest, they are gradually increasing. Local investors are focusing on projects in artificial intelligence, import substitution, cybersecurity, and B2B services. The regional startup ecosystem strives to leverage the global upturn to lay the groundwork for future growth, even if this requires more time and internal support.
Conclusions: Moderate Optimism and Focus on Quality Growth
By the start of 2026, sentiments in the venture industry remain cautiously optimistic. Successful IPOs and significant funding rounds indicate that the downturn has been passed and the market is on the rise once more. Nevertheless, investors are still cautious and favour startups with sustainable business models and a clear path to profitability. The robust influx of capital instils confidence in continued growth, but funds are paying special attention to diversification and risk management. The main priority has become the quality of this growth, with market participants focusing on the long-term sustainability of startups and healthy returns on investments, ensuring that the new rise does not lead to overheating. The venture market is entering a new phase of development with moderate optimism, betting on a balanced approach and sustainable innovations. Consequently, 2026 opens a wide window of opportunities for new investments in startups — primarily in teams that combine technological advantages, a clear monetisation strategy, and disciplined execution.
