Current News on Startups and Venture Investments as of 12 February 2026: Record Rounds in AI, Growth of the Global Venture Market, M&A Deals, IPO Preparations, and Key Trends for Investors and Funds.
By mid-February 2026, the global venture capital market continues its rapid recovery after a prolonged downturn. The start of the year has been marked by impressive funding volumes: preliminary data indicate that January 2026 was one of the most productive months in the past two years in terms of investment in startups. Capital is flowing once again into the technology sector—the market is witnessing record-sized deals, and startup plans for public offerings are returning to the agenda. Major venture funds are continuing to launch mega-rounds and new funds, while governments and sovereign investors are increasing support for innovations in an effort to keep pace in the global technology race. All this is creating a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2026, although investors remain selective about projects and are adopting a more critical stance towards business models and valuations.
Mega-funds Marching On: Giant Rounds and Capital Concentration
After a period of relative quiet, so-called "mega-funds"—enormous pools of capital for investing in technology companies—have returned to the venture arena. For instance, the American firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) recently raised over $15 billion for new funds, driving its assets under management to record levels. These funds are aimed at priority sectors such as artificial intelligence, defence technologies, cryptocurrencies, biotech, and other promising areas. Sovereign funds from the Middle East and large corporations are also ramping up venture activity, with billions of dollars flowing through government programmes and corporate venture arms, creating a global influx of "big money" into the startup ecosystem.
The resurgence of activity among major players is accompanied by unprecedented capital concentration in industry leaders. Investors are inclined to invest large sums in a limited number of top projects, aiming to secure a stake in potential technological breakthroughs. The number of deals remains lower than the peak levels of 2021; however, the average size of rounds has sharply increased. More and more funding rounds are exceeding $100 million, indicating a new stage of market maturity where selected startups gain access to virtually unlimited capital.
The Boom in AI Startups and Robotics: Record Investments in "Physical" AI
The artificial intelligence sector remains the primary driver of the current venture boom, with a shift from simple software projects to "physical" AI and deep technologies. Startups in AI and robotics are attracting record rounds of funding, setting new benchmarks for the market. For example, the autonomous driving division Waymo raised approximately $16 billion in investments with the participation of a consortium of leading funds—a staggering volume that highlights the enormous capital requirements of self-driving car technologies. The AI model developer Anthropic, known for its breakthroughs in generative AI, secured around $10 billion in funding and achieved an estimated valuation of approximately $350 billion, essentially becoming one of the most valuable private companies in the world. New giants continue to emerge: SoftBank led a $1.4 billion round in the startup Skild AI, which is developing a universal "brain" for robots, valuing it at around $14 billion.
Alongside these giants, younger projects are rapidly growing. Investors are willing to fund even very recent teams if they are at the cutting edge of technology. For instance, the American AI video startup Runway attracted $315 million in its Series E round, achieving a valuation of over $5 billion just a few years after its founding. In Europe, local AI players are gaining strength: the German platform Parloa previously raised $350 million at an approximate valuation of $3 billion, while the Belgian cyber startup Aikido Security reached unicorn status in just two years. Such substantial funds directed at AI and related industries reflect the intense global race among companies and nations for leadership in this field. The lion's share of venture dollars is currently flowing into AI projects and robotics, creating new market imbalances and heightened attention to infrastructure—from manufacturing specialised chips to data centres that support computation.
Consolidation in Fintech: Major Exits and Mergers
The fintech sector is experiencing a wave of consolidation, signalling the maturation of the fintech market. Several high-profile M&A deals were announced in January 2026. For instance, American bank Capital One agreed to acquire the startup Brex (a corporate spending management platform) for $5.15 billion—this acquisition became the largest in history between a bank and a fintech company, emphasising the desire of traditional financial giants to integrate advanced fintech solutions. The European investment fund Hg acquired the American financial platform OneStream for approximately $6.4 billion, buying out shares from existing shareholders. Concurrently, Deutsche Börse is purchasing the Allfunds platform for €5.3 billion to bolster its positions in WealthTech, and US Bancorp announced the acquisition of brokerage firm BTIG for around $1 billion.
In addition to fintechs being absorbed by larger players, some startups are acting as buyers themselves, expanding their businesses through strategic acquisitions. For example, the Australian unicorn Airwallex is actively expanding in Asia and other markets, recently acquiring the Korean payment company Paynuri to enhance its presence. A clear trend is emerging: as the industry matures, successful fintech companies either come under the wing of banks and corporations or grow through the acquisition of niche players. The increased activity in the M&A market demonstrates that venture investors are willing to realise profits through sales, while strategic investors are prepared to pay for technologies that will help them maintain competitiveness.
Revival of IPOs: Startups Prepare for Public Offerings
The market for initial public offerings (IPOs) of technology companies is gradually reviving after a prolonged pause. The year 2025 surprised analysts with a noticeable increase in the number of large IPOs: in the US alone, at least 23 companies went public with valuations exceeding $1 billion (in comparison, there were only 9 such offerings the previous year), and the combined capitalisation of these debuts exceeded $125 billion. Investors are once again ready to welcome profitable and high-growth businesses to the public market, especially if the company has a strong narrative in the realm of AI or other "hot" technologies. The current market conditions are favourable for further renewal of IPO activity, and several unicorns are openly hinting at preparations for stock offerings. Among the most anticipated IPO candidates are:
- The Largest Fintech Unicorns: payment platforms Stripe, Plaid, and the UK neobank Revolut.
- Leaders in Artificial Intelligence: AI model developer OpenAI, big data platform Databricks, and Canadian AI business startup Cohere.
- Other Tech Giants: for instance, space company SpaceX, if market conditions remain favourable.
The successful debuts of these companies in 2026 could provide an additional boost to the venture market, returning significant profits to investors and confirming valuation expectations. Naturally, experts are cautioning that volatility and external factors may unexpectedly close the "IPO window." Nevertheless, current examples of a revival in public offerings bolster the belief that investors are willing to reward startups with strong growth and profitability metrics, and that the open market is once again capable of valuing technological innovations appropriately.
Defence and Cyber Startups in the Spotlight of Investors
The geopolitical tensions of recent years are directly influencing the priorities of venture investors. In the wake of the competition among powers for technological independence, significant capital is being directed towards defence and cybersecurity-related startups. The concept of American Dynamism is gaining traction in the US—investments in companies that strengthen national security and the industrial base. A portion of the capital from major funds like a16z is specifically reserved for defence and deep tech projects. Startups developing technologies for the military and government procurements are closing rounds worth hundreds of millions of dollars. One example is the California company Onebrief, which develops software for military planning: it raised around $200 million at a valuation exceeding $2 billion and even managed to acquire a profile asset to expand its capabilities.
In Europe, governments and investment funds are also actively supporting the defence and security sector. According to industry analysts, European startups in the fields of defence, security, and resilience attracted approximately $8-9 billion in investments in 2025—a record amount supported by the creation of specialised funds (for example, a joint NATO fund amounting to €1 billion). These resources have allowed numerous projects to take off: aside from the aforementioned Aikido Security in the cyber sphere, young companies focusing on satellite data analysis, supply chain monitoring, and new means for reconnaissance and infrastructure protection are emerging. The trend towards supporting "dual-use" technologies (having both commercial and defence applications) is evident everywhere. Governments in the US, Europe, Israel, and other countries are eager to invest or facilitate investments in startups capable of providing a strategic advantage in new forms of confrontation.
Regional Highlights: The US Leads, Europe and Asia Catch Up
The rise in venture activity is global, though it is unevenly distributed across regions. The US continues to be the undeniable locomotive, accounting for the lion's share of the largest funding rounds, primarily in the AI and deep technology sectors. Silicon Valley retains its status as the main hub for capital attraction, although competition for talent and deals is intensifying everywhere. In Europe, a restructuring of the landscape is taking place: continental hubs are increasing venture investments with a relative decline in the role of the UK. By 2025, Germany has overtaken the UK in terms of startup investment for the first time, indicating the strengthening positions of Berlin and other European ecosystems. European institutions and governments (such as initiatives in France, the Nordic countries, and the EU) continue to launch programmes that stimulate the emergence of local unicorns and promote AI development.
In Asia, dynamics vary. The Indian startup ecosystem has reached a new level of maturity: the first unicorns of 2026 emerged in January, and successful IPOs of technology companies were conducted on local exchanges, reflecting the scale and potential of this market. Conversely, the Chinese venture market remains relatively restrained due to ongoing regulatory pressure and a reallocation of capital towards domestic challenges. However, Chinese investors are actively investing in overseas projects in AI and semiconductors to stay aligned with global technology trends. The Middle East and North Africa are witnessing an acceleration of venture activity: funds from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are increasing financing for technology companies—both regionally and globally—supporting fintech, cloud services, AI startups, and other sectors. The startup movement is also gaining momentum in Latin America and Africa, albeit in absolute terms, these regions still lag significantly behind the rest of the world. Thus, the venture boom is encompassing all continents, making the global innovation ecosystem more balanced and interconnected.
Looking Ahead: Cautious Optimism and New Development Milestones
Despite the impressive growth in activity, investors in 2026 remain cautious, keeping in mind the lessons learned from the recent market cooldown. The return of liquidity—from billion-dollar venture funds to the revival of IPOs—creates opportunities for substantial growth, but it also intensifies competition for exceptional projects. Funds and investors are now imposing stricter requirements on startups: clear business models, economic efficiency, and understandable pathways to profitability are expected. Although company valuations are rising again (particularly in the AI segment), there is a growing focus on risk management and the long-term sustainability of portfolios.
It is highly likely that in 2026, the venture capital industry will enter a phase of more balanced development. Funding for "breakthrough" areas will continue—with a focus on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate technologies, defence, and other promising sectors. However, the influx of capital will be accompanied by more careful project selection, enhanced scrutiny of growth quality, and adherence to regulatory requirements. This cautious approach should help the market avoid overheating and lay the groundwork for sustainable innovation development in the long term.
