Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of 3 November 2025: New Mega Funds, Record Rounds for AI Startups, M&A Deals, and the Development of Green Technologies. A Global Overview for Venture Investors.
As of November 2025, the global startup and venture investment market is demonstrating robust growth following corrections in previous years. Investors from various countries are once again active: large-scale deals are being finalised, new mega funds are being launched, and technological trends—from artificial intelligence to climate innovation—are shaping investment strategies. Tech giants and sovereign wealth funds are re-entering the venture arena, sparking a wave of M&A transactions and preparations for IPOs. There is a marked revival in the market, accompanied by cautious optimism among investors.
- Return of the Mega Funds: Leading investors are attracting record amounts of capital, establishing new funds (such as SoftBank Vision Fund III with $40 billion, and increased resources from sovereign funds) and gearing up for colossal investments.
- Record Rounds in AI: Major investments are birthing new unicorns and even decacorns—valuations of AI startups have soared to unprecedented heights. Generative AI, robotics and "applied" AI services for business are receiving significant funding.
- Revival of IPOs: Tech companies are updating their plans for public offerings. Successful listings of semiconductor and software manufacturers have restored investor confidence and created a "window of opportunity" for new placements.
- M&A Activity: Consolidation within the industry has intensified: large corporations are acquiring promising startups. Major players are leveraging acquisitions to strengthen their positions and optimise R&D costs.
- Green Technologies: Interest in climate and environmental startups is rapidly growing. Projects in clean energy, green hydrogen, waste management, and agritech are attracting increasingly significant investments.
- Regional Trends: Investments in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East are rising swiftly. Local ecosystems in the CIS are developing based on government support programmes; innovation hubs are emerging in Africa and Latin America.
Record Investments in Artificial Intelligence
Investment in artificial intelligence startups continues to shatter records. In Q3 2025, more than $100 billion was directed towards AI projects (approximately half of all venture investments). Tech leaders are demonstrating impressive results: NVIDIA's market capitalisation has surpassed $5 trillion, reflecting the demand for its AI chips. Investors are now confident that the "AI bubble" is underpinned by solid fundamentals: sales of AI-based products and services are increasing at double-digit rates annually.
- Anthropic (USA): raised around $13 billion in Series D funding with contributions from leading funds, becoming one of the most valuable AI startups in the world.
- Cruise (USA): AI data centre service closed Series E funding of $1.375 billion at a valuation exceeding $10 billion, joining the ranks of new decacorns.
- Mercor (USA): AI recruiting platform completed Series C funding of $350 million at a valuation of approximately $10 billion, showcasing rapid growth.
- Synthesia (USA): AI avatar video generation service secured $200 million (Series C) and approached a valuation of $4 billion, expanding its global presence.
- Valthos (USA): AI biosecurity startup received $30 million in a seed round (led by OpenAI Startup Fund) for protecting against AI-related threats.
Mega Rounds and New Venture Funds
The activity surrounding large funding rounds remains at a record high: deals exceeding $100 million accounted for over 60% of investment volume in Q3. Leading funds are broadening their strategies: Sequoia Capital has launched a new $950 million fund (including $200 million for seed investments), while Andreessen Horowitz has announced its fifth multi-billion dollar fund. Sovereign funds in the Gulf region are also boosting their budgets, with technology investments amounting to tens of billions of dollars. As a result, the "dry powder" (reserve capital) for startups remains at unprecedented levels, creating potential for new record-breaking deals.
Tech Giants and Corporate Investments
Major IT corporations and industrial firms are intensifying their support for startups. Meta has planned record expenditures on data centres and AI—over $70 billion in 2025—and invested $14.3 billion in Israeli AI startup Scale AI to develop its own models. Furthermore, Meta's revenue is growing at an accelerated pace (+26% in Q3), justifying such investments. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are also increasing their spending on AI infrastructure and R&D. Automotive manufacturers (GM, Toyota) are establishing venture funds to invest in startups focussed on autonomous driving and electric vehicles. This indicates that venture capital is flowing into the sector not only from traditional funds but also from the largest corporations themselves, injecting additional dynamism into the market.
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
At the same time, the activity surrounding significant M&A transactions is on the rise. For instance, American chipmakers Skyworks Solutions and Qorvo have completed a merger valued at approximately $22 billion, combining technologies for 5G and IoT. Large companies in the crypto and fintech sectors are also undertaking acquisitions: Coinbase is discussing the purchase of the infrastructure provider BVNK (~$2 billion) to expand its stablecoin services, while Mastercard plans to acquire the startup Zerohash (~$1.7 billion) to bolster its blockchain offerings. In the defence and aerospace sector, corporations are forming partnerships with startups: Northrop Grumman has teamed up with a new space project to develop satellites featuring AI systems. These transactions exemplify the intense consolidation within the industry.
- Coinbase: negotiating to acquire the stablecoin provider BVNK (~$2 billion) to expand crypto services.
- Mastercard: planning to acquire Zerohash (~$1.7 billion)—a blockchain infrastructure startup.
- Skyworks + Qorvo (USA): $22 billion for the merger of RF chip leaders for 5G/IoT.
- Northrop Grumman: partnership with a startup in space related to AI satellites.
Technological Trends and New Niches
- Robotics and Automation: Robotics startups are securing substantial rounds of funding. Apptronik (USA) raised approximately $400 million for its industrial humanoid robot "Apollo," Galaxy Bot (China) secured $154 million for household robots, while Neuralink (USA) raised $650 million for developing neurointerfaces and medical robots.
- Environmental and Biotechnologies: Climate and bio-innovation startups are attracting increasing investor interest. Israeli Stardust Solutions raised $60 million for geoengineering (sunlight reflection), British PACT secured £16 million for biomaterials (an alternative to leather), and German Hydgen raised $5 million for compact "green" hydrogen generators. Additionally, Merge Labs (USA) attracted $250 million for an ultrasound neurointerface for "mind-reading" (a startup led by Sam Altman).
- Cryptocurrencies and Fintech: Despite volatility, major projects continue to thrive. Coinbase and Mastercard (see above) exemplify the merging of crypto instruments and traditional finance. French FAKTUS and Austrian Saturn received tens of millions of euros to develop embedded payment and digital banking services.
- Space Technologies: Investment in SpaceTech is reaching new heights (~$3.5 billion in Q3 2025, Reuters). Chinese Galactic Energy secured $336 million, while Hadrian, Apex, and Hermeus closed the largest defence-related space deals in the USA. The market is maturing: a broader range of projects are being funded, not just the "star" leaders (such as SpaceX, OneWeb, etc.).
Regional Features
- USA: remains the primary venture market, particularly in AI, robotics, and biotech, due to its mature startup and fund ecosystem.
- Europe: interest in deep-tech and green startups is growing (with EU support). Germany has surpassed the UK in total investment for the first time in years.
- Asia: India and Southeast Asia are experiencing record growth in investments; China is seeing a decline due to regulations, but local initiatives are strengthening in AI development.
- Middle East: sovereign funds are doubling down on tech innovations and establishing their own hubs (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) for startups.
- Russia and CIS: despite sanctions, the venture ecosystem is slowly reviving. In the first half of 2025, Russian startups attracted $80–90 million (a 90% increase), particularly in AI, the industrial Internet of Things, and green technologies.
Looking Ahead
In summary, the global startup ecosystem is on the rise, but investment focus is concentrated on technological leaders. Capital is directed toward the most promising sectors (AI, clean energy, bio-innovation, etc.), while smaller projects are receiving selective funding. Investors maintain a moderate optimism: the market is poised for further growth; however, company valuations are being scrutinised closely. It is anticipated that large IT firms will continue to prepare for IPOs, and the wave of M&A deals will persist at a high level, providing opportunities for investors to exit their projects.
