Latest Startup and Venture Investment News for 13 February 2026: Major AI Rounds, Growth of Trust Layer, Digital Health, Embodied AI, and Strategic Signals for Global Venture Funds.
Executive Summary: The Venture Market Doubles Down on AI Infrastructure
The startup and venture investment news for 13 February 2026 confirms a structural shift in the global venture capital market. Investors' focus is shifting from experimental AI products to infrastructure, trust layers, and scalable business models in the sectors of digital health, enterprise SaaS, and embodied AI. Venture funds and strategic investors are strengthening their positions in companies that have already demonstrated commercial viability and exhibit a sustainable unit economy.
The key themes of the day are:
- growth in large funding rounds in AI and digital health;
- strengthening of the confidential AI and governance segment;
- increased activity in Europe and Asia in deep tech and robotics;
- competition for mega-rounds to secure top talent.
USA: Major Rounds in Digital Health and Enterprise AI
The North American venture investment market remains a driver of global capital flow. Startups at the intersection of artificial intelligence and regulated industries are centre stage.
In the digital health segment, a significant Series D funding round has been recorded for a telepsychiatry startup focused on an insurance model. The capital raised exceeds $200 million, underscoring the interest of funds in AI tools designed to optimise clinical processes, triage, and automate documentation. For venture investors, this serves as a signal: healthcare is emerging as one of the most resilient verticals for scaling AI startups.
Simultaneously, the confidential AI sector is evolving, offering solutions that ensure the secure operation of models with sensitive corporate data. A Series B round in this segment demonstrates that trust layers and computation control are becoming essential elements of the enterprise stack.
Europe: Governance, Data Sovereignty, and Corporate AI Agents
The European startup market is witnessing an uptick in activity surrounding corporate AI agents and knowledge management. Venture investments are concentrating on solutions that:
- ensure regulatory compliance;
- integrate seamlessly into the infrastructure of large companies;
- support data sovereignty and local data storage.
A Series A round in a German enterprise AI startup reinforces the funds' strategy: Europe is focusing on deeply integrated B2B solutions rather than consumer AI applications. For venture funds, this presents an opportunity to build a portfolio that accounts for future compliance requirements and regulatory strengthening.
Asia: Embodied AI and Robotics as a New Growth Centre
The Asian startup market is bolstering its positions in the embodied AI and robotics segments. A Series B round in a Chinese intelligent robotics startup has surpassed the equivalent of $140 million. Investors are placing their bets on the synergy between software and hardware infrastructure.
A unique characteristic of the region is the concentration of capital in hardware-oriented companies. Venture investments are being directed towards projects where artificial intelligence is integrated into manufacturing chains, logistics, and industrial automation.
Mega-Rounds and Competition for Infrastructure AI Companies
February 2026 has been marked by a rise in mega-rounds in AI infrastructure. Companies operating in inference, computing platforms, and specialised chips are attracting hundreds of millions of dollars.
The current dynamics suggest three key trends:
- the return of significant private capital in late-stage investments;
- appreciation of valuations amidst a limited number of quality assets;
- the convergence of venture and private equity capital in the AI segment.
For funds, this signals increasing competition and the necessity for early entry into promising startups.
Deal Structure: Discipline in Early Stages
Despite the proliferation of large rounds, early-stage investments remain under pressure. Seed and Series A rounds require a solid evidential basis:
- real revenue or confirmed demand;
- controlled computing costs;
- a clear scaling strategy.
Venture investors are intensifying their due diligence regarding unit economics and costs associated with AI infrastructure. Startups that cannot demonstrate a pathway to profitability are facing stricter conditions.
Geographic Portfolio Diversification
By 2026, the global venture capital market is shaping up as a multipolar system. The USA maintains its lead in volume, Europe is strengthening its positions in B2B and deep tech, while Asia is leading in robotics and hardware solutions.
For international funds, a GEO-diversification strategy has become crucial. An optimal portfolio includes:
- AI infrastructure in the USA;
- enterprise governance solutions in Europe;
- embodied AI and hardware startups in Asia.
Risks in the 2026 Venture Investment Market
Despite the increase in venture investments, systemic risks persist:
- overheating valuations in the AI sector;
- dependency on computing power costs;
- regulatory constraints on cross-border investments.
Funds must account for potential volatility in public markets, which has a direct impact on exit strategies.
Forecast: AI as the Core Infrastructure of the Venture Market
The startup and venture investment news for 13 February 2026 confirms that artificial intelligence is transitioning from an experimental technology to the foundational infrastructure of business. The venture market is moving towards a phase of rationalisation, with capital directed towards companies capable of scaling within regulated and capital-intensive sectors.
In the coming months, we anticipate:
- further growth in investments in trust layers and data security;
- strengthening of positions in digital health;
- consolidation of infrastructure AI companies.
