Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of February 7, 2026: Major Funding Rounds, Growth in AI Investments, Venture Capital Activity, and Key Global Trends for Investors.
As of early February 2026, the global venture capital market continues to confidently recover from the downturn of recent years. Preliminary estimates suggest that 2025 was one of the most successful years for startup investments (surpassed only by the record years of 2021 and 2022), indicating the return of significant private capital to the tech sector. Investors worldwide are once again actively funding promising companies: record-scale deals are being made, and startup plans for IPOs are back on the agenda. Major venture funds are stepping onto the stage with new mega rounds and strategies, while governments and corporations are ramping up support for innovation in a bid to stay competitive in the global tech race. As a result, the venture market at the start of 2026 demonstrates positive dynamics, instilling cautious optimism — even though investors remain selective in assessing projects and the viability of business models.
Geographically, the rise is global in scope, though it is distributed unevenly. The United States remains the main driver, capturing the lion's share of large rounds (especially in the field of artificial intelligence). In Europe, venture investments continue to grow: by the end of 2025, Germany overtook the United Kingdom for the first time in capital raised, solidifying the positions of European tech hubs. In Asia, the dynamics are mixed: the Indian ecosystem has reached new maturity (with the first "unicorns" of 2026 emerging in January and high-profile IPOs resuming on local exchanges), while activity in China remains subdued due to regulatory pressure and a redirection of resources toward internal priorities. In contrast, the Middle East and North Africa are accelerating their pace: funds from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are pouring billions into tech companies in their region and globally, financing fintech, cloud services, and AI startups. The startup ecosystems in Russia and neighboring countries are also striving to keep pace by launching local funds and programs, although the volumes there remain significantly smaller for now. Thus, the new venture boom spans nearly all continents, creating a more balanced global innovation ecosystem.
Below are key events and trends shaping the agenda for startups and venture investments as of February 7, 2026:
- The return of mega funds and large investors. Leading venture firms are raising record-sized funds and sharply increasing investments, refilling the market with capital and rekindling the appetite for risk.
- Unprecedented AI mega rounds and a new wave of "unicorns." Fantastically large investments in artificial intelligence are raising startup valuations to unprecedented heights and birthing dozens of new "unicorn" companies.
- Climate technologies and energy are attracting mega deals. The sustainable energy and climate tech sector is taking center stage via multimillion and billion-dollar funding rounds worldwide.
- Fintech consolidation: major exits and a wave of M&A. Mature fintech players are becoming targets for multibillion-dollar acquisitions, while unicorns are expanding through strategic purchases.
- The revival of the IPO market. Initial public offerings of tech companies are back in focus: successful IPOs inspire new candidates to prepare for going public.
- Focus on defense, space, and cyber startups. Venture funds are reallocating capital to strategic sectors — from defense and space to cybersecurity — in response to geopolitical challenges.
- The resurgence of biotech and medtech investments. After a prolonged downturn, the biotech and digital health sector is once again attracting substantial capital, leaning on successful M&A deals and scientific breakthroughs.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The venture market is triumphantly welcoming back the largest investment players, signaling a renewed appetite for risk. Global funds are announcing unprecedented capital raising rounds: American giant Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has raised over $15 billion for new funds, bringing its total assets under management to a record $90 billion. These funds are directed toward priority areas — from artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies to defense technologies and biotech. Japan is not lagging behind: SoftBank has launched its third Vision Fund, approximately $40 billion in size, while also increasing its presence in the AI sector. At the end of 2025, SoftBank invested $22.5 billion in OpenAI, making one of the largest single investments in the history of the startup industry. Other players are actively contributing to the capital pool as well: for instance, Lightspeed Venture Partners closed new funds totaling over $9 billion — a record in the firm's 25-year history, while Tiger Global, recovering from recent losses, returned to the market with a $2.2 billion fund, once again asserting its ambitions.
The influx of such "big capital" fills the market with liquidity and intensifies competition for the most promising deals. Sovereign funds from the Middle East and government institutions worldwide are also pouring billions into technology projects, creating new mega platforms for funding innovations. Estimates suggest that the total amount of dry powder available to investors already amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars and is ready to be deployed as confidence in the market strengthens. The return of large money confirms investors’ faith in the continued growth of the tech sector and their desire not to miss the next major technological breakthrough.
The AI Startup Boom: Mega Rounds and New Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector is the main driver of the current venture boom, setting historical records in deal volumes. Investors are eager to secure their position at the forefront of the AI revolution and are willing to finance colossal rounds, supporting the leaders in the race. Already in early 2026, unprecedented deals have been announced: for example, Waymo (the autonomous division of Alphabet) raised approximately $16 billion in new funding at a valuation of $126 billion, making it one of the most valuable startups in history. Cerebras Systems, a developer of AI chips, also completed a large round, securing $1 billion in investments (valuation around $23 billion). Industry leader OpenAI is reportedly negotiating to raise up to $100 billion at a valuation of around $800 billion — such massive private financing has never been seen before (participants in discussions include SoftBank and corporations Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as Middle Eastern funds). Not to be outdone, OpenAI's competitor — startup Anthropic — is said to be raising up to $15 billion at a valuation of around $350 billion.
Riding the wave of excitement, new unicorns are emerging as well: just in recent months, dozens of companies worldwide have surpassed the $1 billion valuation threshold. In the United States, projects in generative video and voice AI (like Higgsfield, Deepgram, etc.) are achieving the coveted unicorn status at breakneck speed, while in Europe, major rounds in AI (e.g., $350 million for the German startup Parloa at a $3 billion valuation) confirm the global nature of the AI boom. Investor appetite for AI-themed projects remains unabated, although experts warn of potential overheating and inflated expectations. Notably, venture capitalists are now actively investing not only in applied AI products but also in the infrastructure for them — from powerful chips and data centers to security and regulatory systems. This massive influx of capital accelerates progress in the industry, but also compels the market to closely monitor the sustainability of business models to prevent euphoria from turning into a sharp cooling.
Climate Technologies and Energy: Mega Deals on the Rise
Against the backdrop of the global shift toward sustainable energy, significant capital is flowing into climate technology projects. In 2025, the total volume of climate funds raised surpassed $100 billion (with most of the funds coming from Europe), reflecting an unprecedented interest from investors in "green" innovations. Private funding rounds in this area totaling hundreds of millions of dollars are no longer uncommon. For instance, American company TerraPower, which is developing compact nuclear reactors, secured around $650 million for its technology development, while startup Helion Energy raised $425 million for the creation of the first commercial fusion reactor. Earlier, in January, the climate project Base Power in the U.S. raised $1 billion at a valuation of $3 billion to expand its energy storage network, becoming one of the largest deals in the history of climate tech.
Venture funds are increasingly betting on solutions capable of accelerating the decarbonization of the economy and meeting the growing demand for energy. Significant investments are flowing into energy storage, new types of batteries and fuels, the development of electric vehicles, carbon capture technologies, and also into "climate fintech" — platforms for trading carbon credits and insurance against climate risks. Historically, climate and energy projects were considered risky for VCs due to lengthy payback cycles, but now private and corporate investors are willing to play the long game, anticipating significant returns from innovations in this area. Thus, sustainable technologies are becoming a priority for the venture market, gradually advancing the "green" transition of the economy.
Fintech Consolidation: Billion-Dollar Exits and a Wave of M&A
The financial-tech sector is experiencing a new wave of consolidation, signaling the maturation of the fintech market. Major banks and investors are eager to integrate advanced fintech solutions: in January, American bank Capital One agreed to acquire startup Brex (a platform for managing corporate expenses) for approximately $5.15 billion. This deal became the largest fintech acquisition by a bank, underscoring the intentions of traditional financial giants to embrace innovation. In Europe, venture fund Hg purchased the American financial platform OneStream for ~$6.4 billion, acquiring stakes from previous investors (including KKR). Additionally, Deutsche Börse announced the acquisition of investment platform Allfunds for €5.3 billion to strengthen its position in the WealthTech sector, while US Bancorp is acquiring brokerage firm BTIG for about $1 billion.
Alongside acquisitions by corporate heavyweights, fintech unicorns themselves are stepping onto the purchasing trail. For instance, Australian payment service unicorn Airwallex is expanding its presence in Asia by acquiring Korean company Paynuri. The activation of mergers and acquisitions shows that as the industry matures, successful fintech companies are either falling under the wing of larger players or growing themselves through strategic acquisitions. For venture investors, this means new opportunities for lucrative exits, and for the market as a whole, the consolidation of key players and the emergence of multi-product platforms based on acquired startups.
The IPO Market Comes Alive: Startups Going Public Again
After a prolonged lull, the global primary offering market for tech companies is demonstrating a strong revival. The year 2025 exceeded analysts' expectations in terms of the number of high-profile IPOs: in the U.S. alone, no fewer than 23 companies went public with a valuation over $1 billion (in comparison, the year prior had only 9 such debuts), and the total valuation of these offerings surpassed $125 billion. Investors are once again ready to welcome profitable and fast-growing companies to the public markets, especially if they have a strong narrative linked to AI or other "hot" technologies. By the end of 2025, successful debuts of fintech giant Stripe and neobank Chime took place (Chime's stock surged approximately 40% on its first trading day), rekindling confidence in the IPO window.
In 2026, this trend is expected to continue: several large startups are openly hinting at preparations for stock offerings. Among the most anticipated IPO candidates are:
- major fintech unicorns: payment platforms Plaid and Revolut;
- leaders in artificial intelligence: AI model developer OpenAI, big data platform Databricks, as well as AI business startup Cohere;
- other tech giants: for example, the space company SpaceX (if market conditions are favorable).
Successful public offerings of these companies could provide an additional impetus to the market, although experts caution that volatility could suddenly close the current "IPO window." Nevertheless, the resumption of startups going public strengthens the belief that investors are ready to reward companies with strong growth and profitability metrics while venture funds receive the long-awaited opportunities for significant exits.
Defense, Space, and Cyber Startups in the Spotlight
Geopolitical tensions and new risk types are reshaping the priorities of venture investors. In the U.S., the trend of American Dynamism is gaining traction — investments in technologies related to national security. A portion of the aforementioned mega funds (like a16z) is being directed specifically into defense and deep tech projects. Startups developing solutions for the military, space, and cybersecurity are increasingly attracting nine-digit sums. For example, California-based company Onebrief, which creates software for military planning, recently raised around $200 million at a valuation of over $2 billion and even made a small acquisition to enhance its platform capabilities. Meanwhile, specialized players are rapidly growing as well: Belgian startup Aikido Security, offering a code and cloud cybersecurity platform, achieved unicorn status (valuation of $1 billion) in less than two years of development.
Such successes reflect the growing demand for technologies that provide defense and cybersecurity. Investments are directed to everything — from protecting supply chains (e.g., the British project Cyb3r Operations raised $5 million for monitoring cyber risks) to new satellite reconnaissance tools. Notably, support for defense and space startups is being strengthened not only by private funds but also by government programs in the U.S., Europe, Israel, and other countries eager to gain a technological edge. Thus, dual-use technologies tied to security are firmly in focus on the venture market alongside commercial projects.
The Resurgence of Investments in Biotech and Digital Health
After several challenging years of "biotech winter," there is a warming trend in the life sciences sector. Significant deals at the end of 2025 have restored investors' confidence in biotech: for instance, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer agreed to acquire company Metsera (a developer of obesity treatments) for $10 billion, while AbbVie purchased ImmunoGen for about $10.1 billion — these M&A deals reaffirm that demand for promising therapies remains high. Against this backdrop, venture investors are once again ready to fund biotech startups with substantial amounts. In early 2026, signs of a funding revival have emerged: American startup Parabilis Medicines, which develops innovative cancer drugs, raised about $305 million in investments — one of the largest rounds for the sector in recent times. Rounds for medical technologies and digital health are also growing, especially at the intersection with artificial intelligence.
Market participants note that biotech and the medtech segment are expected to gradually exit the crisis in 2026. Investors are diversifying investments, focusing not only on traditional areas (oncology, immunology) but also on emerging niches such as genetic technologies, rare diseases, neurotechnologies, and medical AI solutions. An increase in M&A activity in biopharma is anticipated as large pharmaceutical companies experience a "thirst" for new products ahead of patent expirations. While the IPO market for biotech has not fully recovered yet, large late-stage rounds and strategic deals are providing startups in this space with the necessary capital to advance their developments. Consequently, biotechnology and healthcare are once again emerging as attractive sectors for venture investments, promising significant growth potential for investors, provided that scientific viability is demonstrated.
Looking Ahead: Cautious Optimism and Sustainable Growth
Despite the rapid rise in venture activity at the start of the year, investors maintain a degree of caution, remembering the lessons from recent market cool-downs. Capital is indeed returning to the tech sector, but the demands placed on startups have tightened: funds expect clear business models, economic efficiency, and discernible paths to profitability from teams. Company valuations are rising once again (especially in the AI segment), but investors are increasingly focused on diversifying risks and the long-term sustainability of their portfolios. The returned liquidity — from billion-dollar venture funds to new IPOs — creates opportunities for substantial growth, but also heightens competition for outstanding projects.
It is highly likely that in 2026, the venture capital industry will transition into a phase of more balanced development. Funding for "breakthrough" areas (AI, climate technologies, biotech, defense, etc.) will continue, but with greater emphasis on quality growth, transparency in corporate governance, and compliance of startups with regulatory requirements. Such a more measured approach should help the market avoid overheating and lay the groundwork for sustainable innovation development in the long term.
