Today's Venture Capital Pulse
Clip raises $500M to expand fintech platform
Mexican fintech Clip secured a $500 million funding round, lifting its valuation above $2.5 billion. The capital will fund the rollout of a consumer‑focused wallet and broaden its suite of financial‑services tools.
Also developing:
By the numbers: OpenAI raises $122B in private financing
EIC Scaling Club Companies Double Peer Funding Growth with 66% Increase
The EIC Scaling Club report shows its 120 deep‑tech members achieved an average funding increase of 66.6 % over the past 14‑20 months, more than double the 26 % growth of a matched control group. Since joining, the cohort has raised roughly €2.13 bn, bringing the total portfolio funding to €5.47 bn and an estimated valuation of €10‑13 bn. The top 20 scale‑ups alone generated €1.67 bn in new capital, a 152 % jump, and together the program has created 2,182 jobs and 200 strategic partnerships. The findings underscore the impact of targeted acceleration services on Europe’s deep‑tech ecosystem.
Rhoda AI Raises $450M to Build Foundational Robotics Models that Learn From Internet Videos
Palo Alto‑based Rhoda AI announced a $450 million Series A round that lifts its valuation to $1.7 billion. The startup aims to train foundational robotics models using publicly available internet videos, a method it calls Direct Video Action. By supplementing limited robot telemetry...
The AlleyWatch February 2026 New York Venture Capital Funding Report
New York City’s venture capital market posted a record February 2026, raising $2.53 billion across 76 deals—a 180.9% year‑over‑year increase and 50.6% month‑over‑month jump. The surge was driven by a handful of late‑stage mega‑rounds, which lifted the average deal size to...
Big Tech's Compute Fuels Inflated AI Startup Valuations
Public market investors: "Show me the revenue" Private market investors: "Here's $100M at a $1B valuation" The difference? Big Tech built the compute layer Private startups just need the idea layer now Barrier to entry collapsed Valuations inflated Welcome to the AI gold rush where Big Tech...
Dify Secures $30M Series Pre-A to Power Enterprise-Grade Agentic Workflows
Dify announced a $30 million Series Pre‑A round at a $180 million valuation, led by HSG with participation from GL Ventures, Alt‑Alpha Capital, 5Y Capital, Mizuho Leaguer Investment and NYX Ventures. The open‑source platform enables enterprises to design, deploy and operate production‑grade AI...
LinkedIn Message Sparked $270M Exit Journey
I just published Gleamer’s $270M Acquisition, Investing as a Radiologist, and My First Exit — It All Started with a LinkedIn message ... https://t.co/uwm9lCUsdm
UK Deftech Firm UForce With Ukrainian Roots Raises $50M at $1B Valuation
UForce, a UK‑based defence tech firm with Ukrainian origins, closed a $50 million financing round led by Lakestar and Shield Capital, pushing its valuation above $1 billion. The company develops autonomous air, sea and land systems, including marine drones, heavy‑bomber UAVs, unmanned...
FamilyOffice10x - How This Single Family Office (SFO) Invests in the Top GPs? - Slava Darkhaev, VP, Matrix Capital
In this episode, Slava Darkhaev, VP at Matrix Capital, explains how his family office evaluates and backs top venture capital general partners (GPs) and emerging managers. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, genuine competitive advantage, and deep network immersion to...
Venture Capital Firms Continue to Demonstrate Interest in Emerging Tech : Research
Venture capital firms deployed a record $33.1 billion across 874 early‑stage deals in 2025, signaling a shift toward larger, high‑conviction bets. Artificial intelligence dominated the landscape, accounting for 51.6% of Q4 activity and $14.2 billion annually, while healthtech, fintech and climate tech...
Valuing Early-Stage Life Sciences Companies: The Why, the How, and the Impact
Early‑stage life sciences firms face unique valuation challenges due to regulatory, market and scientific uncertainties. Traditional discounted cash flow models are unsuitable, so practitioners rely on risk‑adjusted NPV, market comparables, and venture‑capital exit methods. These valuations influence capital raising, stock‑based...
A Record Number of Startups Hit $1 Billion in 2025. Not One Was Founded by an All-Female Team
In 2025 the United States saw a record 124 new unicorns, yet only 20 of them—just 16 percent—had at least one female founder and none were created by an all‑female team. While venture capital to female‑led companies has risen overall, all‑female...
Lux Aeterna Raises $10 Million Ahead of 2027 Reusable Satellite Demo
Lux Aeterna, a Denver startup founded by former SpaceX engineer Brian Taylor, announced a $10 million seed round led by Konvoy, bringing its total capital to $14 million. The funding will support development of Delphi‑1, a 200 kg reusable satellite with a 30 kg...
Lux Aeterna Closes $10M Seed to Build Reusable Sats
Lux Aeterna, a Colorado‑based startup founded by former Starlink engineer Brian Taylor, closed a $10 million seed round led by Konvoy Ventures to develop its reusable satellite platform Delphi. The 200‑kg demo satellite, built with COTS parts and a NASA‑partnered heat...
AI-Focused Fund Breakout Raises $114M To Support Early-Stage Biotechs
Breakout Ventures announced the close of its third fund, raising $114 million to back AI‑driven biotech startups. The capital will be deployed to early‑stage companies, including a University of Chicago spin‑out focused on computational small‑molecule design and a stealth venture tackling...
Top VCs Grab Half of Shrinking $68B Market
“In recent months, Thrive Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners raised $34 billion, half of the money all U.S. VC funds raised last year. Overall venture fundraising sank 34% to just under $68 billion last year, according to PitchBook.”
AI Networking Startup Eridu Steps Out Of Stealth With More Than $200M In Funding
Eridu, a Saratoga‑based AI networking startup, emerged from stealth with an oversubscribed Series A that raised more than $200 million. The company claims its clean‑sheet switch architecture can cut latency, reduce data‑center power use by up to 70%, and lower capital expenditures...
Evervault Secures $25M to Scale Secure Payment Encryption
ICYMI - .@Evervault raises $25M to scale its ‘secure-by-default’ approach to payment data encryption https://t.co/69Ndf6v1yM @SiliconANGLE @Mike_Wheatley “Quite simply, dealing with this is not their core business, it’s just a distraction from the real business…” - #NextGenApps https://t.co/b0LbyzoIoh
Exclusive: Google-Backed Namma Yatri Raises Fresh Capital
Bengaluru‑based ride‑hailing platform Namma Yatri secured ₹39.75 crore (≈$4.4 million) in a pre‑Series A extension, led by Juspay founder Vimal Kumar with participation from Blume Ventures, Antler and other investors. The round follows a July 2024 $11 million raise and brings Vimal Kumar’s stake to...
Armadin Secures $189.9 Million to Counter AI-Driven Cyber Threats
Armadin announced a $189.9 million seed and Series A round, the largest combined funding ever in cybersecurity, led by Accel with participation from Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Menlo Ventures, In‑Q‑Tel, 8VC and Ballistic Ventures. The capital will accelerate its AI‑driven platform that...
Breakout Ventures Closes $114M Fund, Plans 20 Investments
Breakout Ventures announced the close of a new $114 million venture fund, its first dedicated vehicle, aimed at backing roughly 20 early‑stage companies. The capital raise underscores the firm’s confidence in high‑growth sectors such as SaaS, fintech and artificial intelligence. Breakout...
SS Innovations Raises $18.6M as Surgical Robot Nears US Market
SS Innovations announced an $18.6 million private placement to accelerate its global rollout, including a U.S. launch of the SSi Mantra surgical robot. The company filed for FDA 510(k) clearance in December, with a decision expected by mid‑2026, and aims to compete...
Alt Protein Investors Are Tired of Waiting - They Want Confidence in the Future
Investor confidence in alternative proteins has sharply declined as long development timelines clash with revenue expectations. Key plant‑based and cultivated players such as Beyond Meat face setbacks, widening the later‑stage funding gap. Corporates view the sector's supply chains as fragile,...
Invention Engine’s Four Portfolio Startups Secure $2.5 Mn
Invention Engine, a founder‑led AI and deep‑tech accelerator, announced that four of its portfolio companies have secured roughly $2.5 million in new funding. Sonic Lamb raised about $1 million to scale its India‑designed headphones and expand into automotive and pro‑audio applications. Cheerio...
Deals in Brief: Gobi Partners Backs Cortical Labs, TVS Invests in Vietnam’s Dat Bike, 11 China Deals, and More
A wave of Asian tech financing saw Cortical Labs secure an undisclosed round led by Horizon Ventures and Gobi Partners, while Vietnam’s Dat Bike received a $4 million Series B injection from Thien Viet Securities. Singapore‑based AI startups Acceler8 and Sapiens AI...
Newtrace Raises $6.3 Mn in Pre-Series A Round Led by HDFC Bank, MSIVC
Climate‑tech startup Newtrace secured $6.3 million (₹56.93 crore) in a pre‑Series A round. The financing was led by HDFC Bank and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, with participation from Peak XV Surge, Aavishkaar, and other investors. Newtrace will use the funds to scale pilot...
ZOFF Foods Raises $2 Million in Pre-Series B Round Led by JM Financial Private Equity
Raipur‑based spice brand ZOFF Foods secured $2 million in a Pre‑Series B round, led by JM Financial Private Equity’s India Growth Fund III and joined by boAt co‑founder Aman Gupta. This is the company’s second funding round, underscoring investor confidence in its growth...
LPs Crave a Vehicle to Scale Small Direct Investments
Somebody asked me what may be a “product” that LPs want right now and isn’t easily available. My quick thought: “Do you have access to hot companies so you can put $1-5m yourself (really any valuation) but then present $10-50m to...
Paris-Based Qevlar AI Raises €25.8 Million to Automate Security Operations Centre Investigations with Agentic AI
Paris‑based Qevlar AI announced a €25.8 million funding round, co‑led by Partech and Forgepoint Capital with participation from EQT Ventures. The capital will expand its agentic AI platform that autonomously investigates security alerts, delivering full‑depth analysis and actionable insights. Qevlar claims...
Yann LeCun Raises $1 Billion to Build AI That Understands the Physical World
Yann LeCun, former Meta chief AI scientist, launched Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI) with a $1 billion funding round, valuing the Paris‑based startup at $3.5 billion. AMI aims to develop AI world models that understand and reason about the physical world, offering persistent...
Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs Raises $1.03B to Build World Models
Yann LeCun’s new venture AMI Labs secured $1.03 billion in funding, valuing the startup at $3.5 billion pre‑money. The company is developing "world models"—AI systems that learn from real‑world data using the Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA). Its first commercial partner is...
Legal AI Platform Legora Valued at $5.5bn After Completing $550m Funding Round
Legal AI platform Legora closed a $550 million Series D round, lifting its valuation to $5.5 billion. The round was led by Accel and featured a slate of existing and new investors, including Salesforce Ventures and Bain Capital. Proceeds will fund an aggressive...
Founders Fund Nears $6B Close for Latest Growth Fund, Sources Say
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund is close to finalizing its fourth growth fund, Founders Fund Growth IV, with about $6 billion in commitments. Approximately $1.5 billion of the capital comes directly from the firm’s partners, reflecting strong internal backing. The fund follows a $4.6 billion...
YC's Two Smart Solutions Streamline Series A Fundraising
I love how two great optimizations for navigating the Series A process came out of YC. One is the data-driven "capital as a service" approach via Standard Capital. The other is "we will help you navigate the byzantine nuances of...
Mega Secures $11.5M Series A
Mega announced an $11.5 million Series A round to accelerate its AI‑driven growth engine for small‑and‑medium businesses. The round was led by Goodwater Capital with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Atreides, SignalFire and Kearny Jackson. Notably, WNBA stars Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey...
Findhelp Lands $250 Million in Funding
Findhelp, a social care technology platform that connects service providers across the United States, announced it has secured approximately $250 million in new capital from The Rise Funds, TPG’s multi‑sector impact‑investing arm. The financing, terms undisclosed, is expected to accelerate the...
Live Substack Chat on Defense Tech & Fundraising
going to go live on Substack with @MichelleVolz in 13 minutes at 2p ET. we'll talk big themes in defense / industrial tech, emerging vs megafunds, and her lessons from raising a new fund in this environment. @NewcomerMedia subscribers will...
Sage Raises $65M in Series C Funding
Sage Health announced the close of a $65 million Series C round, spearheaded by Goldman Sachs. The financing also includes continued participation from existing backers IVP and Goldcrest. The capital injection is earmarked for scaling Sage's digital health platform and accelerating product...
NVIDIA Leverages Cash to Dominate Entire AI Ecosystem
.@nvidia participated in @nscale_cloud 's $2B Series C at a $14.6B valuation, led by Aker ASA and 8090 Industries. @DellTech, @Lenovo, Nokia, Citadel, Jane Street, and Point72 also came in. That is a significant number for a company founded in...
Janet Bannister’s Staircase Ventures Closes $50-Million Second Fund
Staircase Ventures announced the close of its second fund at CAD 50 million, surpassing the original CAD 40 million target despite a challenging Canadian VC environment. More than 80% of limited partners from the first fund returned, joined by new institutional investors such as...
Read the Pitch Decks of 16 Startups Looking to Disrupt Dating Apps and Social Networking that Have Raised Millions
Business Insider released pitch decks from 16 social and dating startups that have raised from pre‑seed to Series A, collectively securing over $150 million. The companies span IRL event platforms, AI‑driven matchmaking, professional networking, and social‑shopping, with notable rounds such as $22 million...
The Former Coal Miner in the Middle of the A.I. Data Center Boom
Josh Payne, a former Australian coal miner, founded Nscale, a data‑center firm that now powers AI workloads for Microsoft, OpenAI and ByteDance. Leveraging his background in renewable energy and crypto mining, Nscale secured critical electricity and semiconductor supply chains just...
Two Funds, Two Continents: Why VC Firm Satgana Is Doubling Down on Climate Tech
Satgana, a venture capital firm focused on climate‑tech, is launching two dedicated funds—one for Europe and one for Africa—after backing 30 startups across 16 countries with roughly $10 million in assets. The firm invests about $570,000 per startup, emphasizing businesses where...
RNA Editing Startup Tacit Therapeutics Launches with $19M for Brain Diseases
Tacit Therapeutics, an RNA‑editing startup focused on neurological disorders, announced its launch backed by a $19 million financing round. The capital, led by Andreessen Horowitz and DCVC, will fund the development of ADAR‑based therapeutics targeting diseases such as ALS, Huntington’s, and...
Stablecoin Payments Startup Kast Raises $80M at $600M Valuation: Report
Kast, a stablecoin‑based payments platform, closed an $80 million round that lifts its valuation to $600 million. The company projects a $100 million annual revenue run‑rate by 2025 and will use the capital to broaden its footprint across North America, Latin America and...
What Successful Corporate Venture Capital Funds Do Differently
Corporate venture capital (CVC) units are proliferating as firms chase digital disruption, yet many dissolve within a few years despite solid investment performance. Research shows the primary cause is internal tension—balancing strategic insight, financial returns, speed, and risk compliance—rather than...
VC Success Demands EQ: Human‑Centric Investing Over Pure IQ
Venture capital is ultimately a people business. A conversation with @katelin_cruse of Seven Seven Six on bringing a human capital lens to investing: how Pixar and Reddit shaped her philosophy, and why sourcing and supporting founders takes as much EQ...
Emerging Manager Explores Industrial Tech Trends in New Fund
Watch @MichelleVolz and I talk about her new fund @pax_ventures. We discuss big themes in industrial tech + raising a fund as an emerging manager https://t.co/qy84WOhSde
Exclusive: Ecofy Set to Raise Rs 380 Cr Led by British International Investment
Ecofy Finance, a climate‑focused NBFC, is raising Rs 380 crore in a Series B equity round led by British International Investment. The round includes Rs 220 crore from BII, Rs 70.5 crore from Finnfund, and continued backing from FMO and Green Growth Equity Fund....
Advisory Equity Can Yield Tiny Slice of Billion-Dollar Exit
I did some startup advisory in exchange for shares like 5 years ago. The company got acquired and now the new company is refactoring my cut. I'm getting a total of 11 shares which means if they exit for $1B...
Michelle Volz Launches Pax Ventures with $50M Fund
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-a16z Partner Michelle Volz Launches Pax Ventures with $50 Million First Fund to Bet on 'Industrial-Scale Markets' https://t.co/qADKBFz8lm