Latest Startups and Venture Investment News as of 2 December 2025: Key Rounds, M&A Deals, AI Trends, Fintech, Biotech, and Climate Technologies. Global Analytics for Investors and Funds.
At the end of 2025, the global venture market is demonstrating strong growth. By the end of the third quarter, the total investment volume exceeded $97 billion (an increase of +38% compared to the previous year), reaching its highest peak since 2021. Venture deals are returning to substantial sizes: investors are once again willing to fund bold projects, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the IPO market is reviving: startups are actively going public, reinvesting capital back into the ecosystem. Investments are diversifying across sectors—from fintech and biotech to climate and space technologies.
- The return of mega funds and large investors.
- Record investments in AI and a new wave of unicorns.
- The revival of the IPO market and exit prospects.
- Sector diversification (fintech, biotech, climate, defence, etc.).
- Increased M&A deals and consolidation.
- Global expansion: venture growth in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Rebirth of interest in crypto and blockchain startups.
- Local trends: Russia and the CIS in the context of global trends.
The Return of Mega Funds and Major Players
After a period of caution, the largest investors are re-entering the technology market with new capital volumes. SoftBank has announced the launch of Vision Fund III with around $40 billion for AI and robotics projects. Similarly, venture firm Andreessen Horowitz is forming a fund of approximately $10 billion (focusing on growth companies and AI infrastructure). Sequoia Capital is preparing its early-stage funds, totalling nearly $950 million for seed and Series A startups. Sovereign funds from the Persian Gulf (Mubadala, PIF, etc.) are pouring billions into promising projects, while major technology corporations are expanding their venture divisions.
- SoftBank (Vision Fund III)—approximately $40 billion for AI and robotics;
- Andreessen Horowitz—a $10 billion fund (growth investments and AI infrastructure);
- Sequoia Capital—~$750 million for Series A + $200 million for seed funds;
- PERSIAN GULF sovereign funds—multi-billion investments in technology;
- Corporations (Google, NVIDIA, Samsung)—actively increasing their venture portfolios.
Record Investments in Artificial Intelligence and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector continues to set the tone, attracting unprecedented funding rounds. AI startups are regularly raising hundreds of millions in investments. For instance, American company Anysphere (the Cursor platform) secured $2.3 billion in a single round, leading to a valuation exceeding $29 billion. Lila Sciences (developing a "scientific super mind" for research) announced it raised $350 million for AI system development. Additionally, substantial rounds have been reported for Sesame, Hippocratic AI, OpenEvidence, and other companies.
Among the largest deals, notable mentions include:
- Anysphere (Cursor) — $2.3 billion (Series C);
- Lila Sciences — $350 million (Series A);
- Sesame (voice AI) — $250 million (Series B);
- Hippocratic AI — $126 million (Series C);
- OpenEvidence — $200 million (Series C).
Such investments propel valuations of leading AI startups to record heights, spawning a new wave of unicorn companies.
The Revival of the IPO Market and Exit Prospects
After a lull, the technology IPO market is gradually reviving. In 2025, several major companies have successfully carried out initial public offerings. For example, stablecoin issuer Circle launched shares with a market valuation of approximately $7 billion, while cryptocurrency exchange Bullish secured $1.1 billion during its IPO. Additionally, cryptocurrency exchange Gemini (a project by the Winklevoss twins) went public, raising $425 million, demonstrating investor interest in fintech and blockchain. According to insiders, OpenAI is considering an IPO as early as 2026 with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion.
Industry Diversification: Fintech, Biotech, Climate, Defence, and More
Investors are gradually broadening their focus: in addition to AI, there is growing interest in financial, biotechnology, and environmental startups. Activity is surging in the following sectors:
- FinTech (digital banks, payment solutions, BNPL, crypto payments);
- Biotech and HealthTech (biomedicine, genomics, AI platforms for research);
- Climate technologies and clean energy (green-tech, renewables);
- SpaceTech (space startups, satellite communication, scientific missions);
- Defence technologies (AI systems for security, autonomous drones, cybersecurity).
For example, the defence sector attracted record volumes: by the year's end, total investment in defence tech surpassed $7.7 billion. The leader in the US was Anduril, securing a round of $2.5 billion, while in Europe, defence startup Helsing raised $694 million for weapons software. Simultaneously, in biotechnology, AI platforms for drug development and genetic research are attracting investor attention.
Consolidation and M&A Deals
There is a growing activity of consolidation in the venture market. Funds and startups are merging to strengthen their positions. For instance, two American funds—CerraCap Ventures and Impact Venture Capital—have merged into a single platform, CerraCap Impact (CIVC), creating a global corporate support network for startups. Additionally, technology companies are increasingly acquiring each other. In the first half of 2025, the number of "startup acquires startup" deals rose by approximately 18% compared to the previous year. Notable transactions are emerging in the industry: for example, OpenAI acquired the startup Io (AI lamps for smart homes) for $6.5 billion. This enables companies to swiftly adopt new technologies and create conditions for significant investor exits.
Global Expansion: Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
Venture capital is increasingly flowing into new regions. In Asia, the market is growing rapidly: Chinese robotics startups are raising billions of yuan (for instance, Robot Era secured approximately ¥1 billion, ≈$140 million). In Southeast Asia and India, major deals are being recorded: the Thai company Roojai raised $60 million (digital insurance), while Indian SquareYards secured $35 million (real estate, with a valuation of around $900 million). In Singapore and the Philippines, deep-tech startups have secured rounds in the tens of millions of dollars.
Similarly, notable investment events are occurring in the Middle East. Saudi fintech Erad secured $125 million in a credit line, and electronics restoration platform Revibe raised $17 million. Saudi startup Mnzil (housing for builders) received $11.7 million in Series A from Founders Fund. Regional infrastructure projects attracted funding as well: Zinit (Dubai) secured $8 million, Strataphy (SA) raised $6 million, and Buildroid AI obtained $2 million. These examples demonstrate that investors are financing not only consumer services but also infrastructure solutions (housing, energy, logistics, etc.).
Renewed Interest in Crypto Startups
The blockchain sector, after a prolonged downturn, is once again attracting investor attention. Cryptocurrencies are showing growth: Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark, and ETF approval for Ethereum is expected in the US. This has reignited venture interest: Web3, DeFi, and fintech-blockchain companies are receiving new rounds at high valuations. Successful IPOs of crypto companies (Circle, Bullish, Gemini) have restored confidence in the sector. Experts believe that the influx of funds into crypto projects will continue, although these startups will operate under the close scrutiny of regulators.
A Local Perspective: Russia and the CIS
The Russian startup market remains small and conservative. According to ComNews, in the first nine months of 2025, technology companies in Russia raised approximately $125 million (a growth of +30% compared to the previous year). The main sectors of investment include IndustrialTech, Healthcare, and FinTech. AI startups comprised a leading share of investments (over $60 million, 32 deals). In the CIS (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus), early rounds of $1–5 million with the participation of government funds are predominant. State structures are attempting to compensate for the outflow: for example, "RUSNANO" plans to invest around 2.3 billion rubles in domestic startups by the end of 2025. Nonetheless, there are currently very few large foreign investors in the region.
