Global Venture Market News on 15 October 2025: Record Investments in Artificial Intelligence, Resurgence of IPOs, M&A Deals, Growth in Biotech, and New Funds. Analysis of Trends and Key Events.
By mid-October 2025, the global venture market is confidently recovering after several years of downturn. Investors are once again actively financing technology startups—transactions are taking place at record amounts, and the plans for promising companies to go public are back on the agenda. Major funds, corporations, and governments are launching new venture initiatives and directing substantial resources into innovative businesses. As a result, the overall influx of capital into the sector has dramatically increased, largely due to a series of mega funding rounds in the field of artificial intelligence.
Venture activity now spans all regions. The United States maintains a strong lead (especially in AI). In the Middle East, startup funding volumes have doubled compared to last year. Europe is experiencing a revival: for example, Germany has surpassed the UK in venture capital investments for the first time. The situation in Asia is heterogeneous: while China continues to face a relative slump, India, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf countries are demonstrating growth and attracting record capital. Startup ecosystems in the CIS countries are also striving to keep pace, despite external constraints. Overall, a new global venture boom is forming, though investors continue to approach deals selectively and cautiously.
Below is a list of the key events and trends shaping the venture market agenda as of 15 October 2025:
- The return of mega funds and large investors. Leading venture funds are accumulating unprecedented amounts of capital and ramping up investments, once again filling the market with liquidity and increasing risk appetite.
- Record rounds in AI and a new generation of "unicorns". Unusually large investments are pushing startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the artificial intelligence segment.
- Revival of the IPO market. Successful public offerings by tech companies and the resumption of listings confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits is once again open.
- Industry focus diversification. Venture capital is directed not only into AI but also into fintech, climate and environmental projects, biotechnology, defence technologies, and even crypto-startups, broadening growth horizons.
- A wave of consolidation: M&A deals and major acquisitions. New mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry landscape, creating additional opportunities for exits and accelerated company scaling.
- Global expansion of venture capital. The investment boom is extending to new regions—from the Gulf states and South Asia to Africa and Latin America—where their own tech hubs are forming.
- Local focus: Russia and CIS countries. Despite constraints, new funds and initiatives for developing local startup ecosystems are emerging in the region, increasing investor interest in local projects.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are triumphantly returning to the venture arena, signalling a renewed appetite for risk. The Japanese conglomerate SoftBank has announced the launch of the Vision Fund III, with approximately $40 billion focused on advanced technologies (primarily artificial intelligence and robotics). Sovereign funds from the Gulf states are also stepping up, pouring billions into innovative projects and developing state mega-programmes aimed at establishing their own tech hubs in the Middle East. Concurrently, dozens of new venture funds are being launched globally, attracting significant institutional capital for investments in high-tech sectors. In total, funds have accumulated record reserves of capital: over $300 billion in "dry powder" is available in the U.S. alone, ready to be deployed as confidence returns to the market. The resurgence of mega funds and large institutional investors not only intensifies the competition for the best deals but also instils confidence in the industry regarding further capital inflows.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sphere remains the main driver of the current venture upturn, demonstrating record funding volumes. Investors are eager to take positions in AI sector leaders, directing colossal amounts of money into the most promising projects. For instance, the American startup Anthropic raised around $13 billion in a Series F round (valuing the company at approximately $180 billion), while OpenAI attracted an additional $8.3 billion at an estimated valuation of around $300 billion—these deals underscore the excitement surrounding AI companies. The current investment boom has already spawned a new wave of unicorns—young companies valued at over $1 billion. Although experts warn of overheating risks, investor interest in AI projects remains unabated.
The IPO Market Awakens: The Window for Exits is Open
The global market for initial public offerings is gradually emerging from an extended lull. Successful IPOs of large tech startups indicate that the "window" for venture exits has reopened. In recent months, several unicorns have successfully debuted on the stock market, including fintech giant Chime and crypto company Circle. The stocks of these companies saw significant gains in the initial trading days, confirming strong investor demand for new tech issuers.
European markets are also sending positive signals. Swedish fintech leader Klarna went public on the New York Stock Exchange this summer with a valuation of around $15 billion, exceeding its last private round and becoming one of the most anticipated European IPOs in recent years. Several large startups (including payment service Stripe) have already filed for stock listings in the second half of the year, hoping to take advantage of the favourable market conditions. The return of activity in the IPO market is extremely important for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits enable funds to realise profits and redirect the liberated capital into new projects.
Diversification of Investments: Not Just AI
In 2025, venture investments are covering an increasingly broad range of industries, with investors' focus extending beyond just artificial intelligence. Following last year's slump, there is a resurgence in fintech: alongside successful IPOs of digital banks, significant funding rounds are attracting payment and financial platforms in the U.S., Europe, and emerging markets. There is also growing interest in climate technologies—investors are actively financing projects related to decarbonisation, renewable energy, and new materials for the "green" economy. The biotechnology sector is also coming back into the spotlight for venture funds. High interest in innovative drugs is confirmed by record deals: for example, American startup Kailera Therapeutics raised $600 million just a year after its launch (one of the largest biotech rounds of the year). Additionally, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced the acquisition of biotech firm Metsera for $4.9 billion, demonstrating major players' willingness to acquire promising developments. Against a backdrop of increased attention to security, investors are beginning to support defence technology projects more actively—from drones and cybersecurity to communication platforms for the military. Interest in the crypto industry has also begun to revive as the digital asset market stabilises. The expansion of industry focus is making the entire startup ecosystem more resilient and reducing the risk of overheating in specific segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Industry Players are Getting Bigger
High valuations of companies and fierce competition are pushing the industry toward consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are coming back to the forefront, reshaping the balance of power. For instance, Google has agreed to acquire the Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion—a record sum for the Israeli tech sector. Such mega deals demonstrate the tech giants' eagerness to secure key technologies and talent. Overall, the surge in M&A activity is providing venture investors with much-awaited profitable exits and signalling the maturation of the market.
Global Expansion of Venture Capital: New Regions and Markets
The investment boom of 2025 is breaking out of traditional tech hubs and spreading across the globe. The Middle East has become one of the epicentres of growth: Gulf countries are investing billions, supported by state funds, into developing local startup hubs. South Asia, particularly India, continues to see the emergence of new unicorns and mega rounds, attracting both local and international capital. Africa and Latin America are also displaying record growth in venture investments on the wave of economic digitalisation. This geographical diversification allows investors to discover new growth points and reduce their dependence on overheated markets in the U.S. and China.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amidst a Global Context
Against the backdrop of global recovery, Russia and neighbouring countries are attempting to catch the wave of the venture upturn. In 2025, a number of new venture funds have been announced in the region, with total capital amounting to tens of billions of rubles (with funds typically being formed at around 10–12 billion rubles) to finance early-stage tech projects. Initial results are already emerging—local startups are beginning to attract significant funding. For example, the foodtech project Qummy from Krasnodar recently secured 440 million rubles in investment. Additionally, regulators have reopened opportunities for foreign investors to invest in Russian companies.
Although the volumes of venture investments in Russia and the CIS remain modest compared to global leaders, the dynamics inspire cautious optimism. Several major companies are considering bringing their tech divisions to the stock market as market conditions improve—for instance, VK Tech is allowing for the possibility of an IPO in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the government is launching new supportive measures and corporate initiatives aimed at stimulating the local startup ecosystem and integrating it into global tech trends.
