Current Startup and Venture Capital News as of 14th November 2025: SoftBank's Bet on AI, Record Mega-Rounds, IPO Wave, Market Consolidation and Key Trends for Investors.
By mid-November 2025, the global venture capital market is demonstrating robust growth following a period of decline. Investors worldwide are once again actively funding technology startups — record deals are being closed, and the IPO plans of leading companies are back on the agenda. Major players are returning to the market with significant investments, while governments continue to strengthen support for innovation. As a result, private capital is increasingly flowing boldly into the startup ecosystem.
The rise in venture activity is observable across all regions. The United States remains the leader (especially in the artificial intelligence sector), while investment volumes in the Middle East have surged dramatically, and Germany leads Europe in the number of deals, outpacing the United Kingdom. India, Southeast Asia, and Gulf countries are attracting record amounts of capital amidst a relative downturn in activity in China. The startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS are also striving to keep pace despite external constraints. A global venture upturn is taking shape at an early stage, although investors continue to act selectively and cautiously, favouring quality business models.
Below are the key events and trends shaping the venture market as of 14th November 2025:
- The Return of Mega Funds and Large Investors. Major venture funds are raising record capital and significantly increasing their investment activity, filling the market with liquidity and stoking risk appetite.
- Record Rounds in AI and New Unicorns. Unprecedentedly large funding rounds are driving startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the AI segment, leading to the emergence of numerous new unicorns.
- Revival of the IPO Market. Successful debuts of tech companies on stock exchanges and new listing applications indicate that the long-awaited "window" for public listings is once again open.
- Diversification of Sector Focus. Venture investments are channeled not only into AI but also into numerous other fields – fintech, biotech, climate tech, defence projects, and even crypto startups.
- A Wave of Consolidation and M&A Deals. New significant mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships are reshaping the industry's landscape, creating opportunities for exits and accelerated company growth.
- Local Focus: Russia and the CIS. New funds and initiatives to develop local startup ecosystems are being launched in the region, attracting investor attention despite geopolitical restrictions.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are triumphantly returning to the venture arena, indicative of a new surge in risk appetite. The Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, experiencing a "renaissance" thanks to its focus on artificial intelligence, has reported a sharp increase in profits and is ready to channel freed-up resources into new projects. Its Vision Fund is once again raising billions for investments, while SoftBank is radically restructuring its portfolio – for instance, it sold its entire stake in Nvidia for $5.8 billion to concentrate on building its own AI empire.
Concurrently, sovereign funds from Gulf countries are increasing their presence: they are injecting vast sums into technology initiatives and developing state mega-projects, establishing powerful tech hubs in the Middle East. Dozens of new venture funds are appearing worldwide, attracting significant institutional capital into high-tech sectors. Leading firms in Silicon Valley are also sitting on record reserves of "dry powder" – hundreds of billions of dollars of uninvested capital – ready to be deployed as market confidence grows. The return of "big money" fills the startup market with liquidity, intensifies competition for prime deals, and instills optimism in the industry regarding further capital inflows.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector remains the primary driver of the current venture upturn, showing record levels of funding. Investors are eager to secure positions among AI leaders, directing colossal resources into the most promising projects. In recent months, several AI startups have attracted unprecedented rounds: for instance, Anthropic raised around $13 billion, and xAI secured approximately $10 billion, setting new market benchmarks. Another example is the startup Cursor, which raised $2.3 billion with a valuation of nearly $30 billion, making it one of the most valuable AI startups globally. Such deals, often oversubscribed due to excessive demand, highlight the fervour surrounding AI technologies.
Notably, not only end AI applications are being financed, but also the critical infrastructure supporting them. Venture capital is flowing into the "shovels and picks" for the new AI era – from chips and cloud platforms to data storage solutions. The total volume of venture investments in AI is expected to exceed $120 billion in 2025, with over half of all venture capital for the year directed towards artificial intelligence projects. The current boom has spawned a wave of new unicorns – companies valued above $1 billion. Although experts warn about the risk of market overheating, the investment appetite for AI startups remains undiminished.
The IPO Market Awakens: A New Wave of Public Listings
The global IPO market is emerging from a prolonged lull and gaining momentum. In Asia, a new series of listings in Hong Kong has spurred activity: several major tech companies successfully launched on the exchange in recent weeks, collectively attracting investments worth billions of dollars. For instance, a leading electronics firm raised approximately $5 billion in its stock offering, demonstrating that investors are once again willing to actively participate in public listings in the region.
In North America and Europe, the situation is also improving. The number of IPOs in the US in 2025 has increased by more than 60% compared to the previous year. Several high-valued startups have successfully debuted on the market: the fintech unicorn Chime saw its shares rise by 30% on the first trading day, while design platform Figma raised roughly $1.2 billion upon going public, reaching a valuation of approximately $20 billion. New high-profile listings are on the horizon – expected candidates for IPO include payment giant Stripe and other global tech firms. Even the crypto industry is attempting to take advantage of the opportunity window: fintech company Circle conducted a summer IPO with successful share growth, while cryptocurrency exchange Bullish submitted a listing application with a target assessment of around $4 billion. The return of activity in the IPO market is vital for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits allow investors to realise profits and reallocate capital to new startups.
Diversification of Investments: Not Just AI
In 2025, venture investments are covering a broader range of sectors and are no longer limited to artificial intelligence alone. Following the downturn of previous years, fintech has revived: significant funding rounds are taking place in the US, Europe, and emerging markets, boosting the growth of new digital financial services. At the same time, interest in climate and "green" technologies is increasing: projects in renewable energy, sustainable materials, and agri-tech are attracting record investments amid the global trend towards sustainability.
The appetite for biotechnology has also returned: the emergence of breakthrough developments – such as a new obesity treatment drug – attracted $600 million in a single round, highlighting renewed investor confidence in medical and biological innovations. Furthermore, increased attention to safety and the geopolitical situation has spurred investments in defence technologies – startups focused on defence and aerospace systems are once again attracting funding. Even the cryptocurrency market has partially restored trust: blockchain startups and Web3 infrastructure companies have begun to secure capital after a prolonged hiatus. The expansion of sectoral focus makes the startup ecosystem more resilient and reduces the risks of overheating in specific segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Consolidation of Players
Elevated startup valuations and fierce competition for markets are pushing the industry toward consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are once again coming to the forefront, reshaping the power balance in technology. Tech giants are ramping up strategic acquisitions in a bid to secure key innovations and teams. A notable example is Google’s agreement to acquire the Israeli cloud startup Wiz for around $32 billion, setting a record for Israel's tech sector. Such megadeals demonstrate corporations' willingness to pay a premium for leadership in promising fields.
Overall, the new wave of M&A and strategic investments indicates the maturation of the market. Mature startups are increasingly merging with one another or becoming targets for acquisition by larger players. For venture funds, this presents long-awaited exit opportunities with profits. Consolidation allows companies to scale more rapidly and strengthen their market positions, while providing investors with the chance to realise the returns on their investments after several years of waiting.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, there is a revival of startup activity in Russia and neighbouring countries. In 2025, the Russian venture market emerged from stagnation: investment volumes nearly doubled in the first half of the year compared to the previous year, although in absolute terms, it still falls short of global leaders. The announcement of new venture funds with a total volume exceeding 10 billion roubles aimed at supporting early-stage tech projects has been made. Local startups are beginning to attract significant capital: for example, the regional food tech project Qummy secured around 440 million roubles in investment with a valuation of approximately 2.4 billion roubles, indicating a willingness to invest in domestic projects.
Signals are also emerging for large companies in the region to consider IPO for their public offerings. Some corporations are exploring the possibility of floating their technology divisions, anticipating improved market conditions – for instance, the holding company VK has publicly indicated the possibility of listing shares of its IT business in the future. Moreover, authorities are taking steps to stimulate the industry: grant and accelerator programs are expanding, and in some instances, restrictions for foreign investors are loosening, gradually restoring international investors' interest in local projects. All these initiatives aim to integrate the local startup ecosystem into global trends and attract more venture investments to the region.
Cautious Optimism and Quality Growth
By mid-November 2025, moderately optimistic sentiments have solidified in the venture market. Successful IPOs and multi-billion-dollar deals reflect that the prolonged downturn is behind us; however, investors remain cautious. Funding is concentrated on startups with sustainable business models, demonstrable economics, and the potential for profitability. Significant capital inflows into AI and other sectors instil confidence in continued market growth, yet participants are keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of past "bubbles" by diversifying portfolios and tightening project selection criteria.
Thus, the venture ecosystem is entering a new cycle of development that is more mature and balanced. The return of major investors and successful exits create foundations for a new wave of innovation, yet investor discipline and prudence will shape the nature of this growth. Despite the heightened appetite for risky investments, the primary focus remains on the quality growth of startups and the long-term sustainability of the market.
