Latest Startup and Venture Investment News as of December 2, 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 experiencing robust growth. By the end of the third quarter, the total investment volume exceeded $97 billion (a +38% increase compared to last year), reaching a peak not seen since 2021. Venture deals are returning to substantial sizes: investors are once again willing to fund bold projects, especially in the artificial intelligence sector. Simultaneously, the IPO market is invigorating: 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.
- Resurgence of mega-funds and large investors.
- Record investments in AI and a new wave of unicorns.
- Revival of the IPO market and exit prospects.
- Industry diversification (fintech, biotech, climate, defense, etc.).
- Increased M&A activity and consolidation.
- Global expansion: venture growth in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Renewed interest in crypto and blockchain startups.
- Local trends: Russia and the CIS amid global trends.
Resurgence of Mega-Funds and Major Players
Following a period of caution, major investors are returning to the technology market with new capital. SoftBank has announced the launch of Vision Fund III, raising approximately $40 billion for AI and robotics projects. Similarly, venture firm Andreessen Horowitz is forming a fund of about $10 billion, focusing on growth-stage companies and AI infrastructure. Sequoia Capital is preparing its early funds totaling nearly $950 million for seed and Series A startups. Sovereign funds from the Persian Gulf (Mubadala, PIF, and others) are pumping billions into promising projects, while major tech corporations are expanding their venture arms.
- SoftBank (Vision Fund III) – approximately $40 billion for AI and robotics;
- Andreessen Horowitz – $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 dollar investments in technology;
- Corporations (Google, NVIDIA, Samsung) – actively expanding their venture portfolios.
Record Investments in Artificial Intelligence and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector continues to set the pace, attracting unprecedented funding rounds. AI startups are regularly securing hundreds of millions in investments. For example, the American company Anysphere (platform Cursor) raised $2.3 billion in a single round, with its valuation surpassing $29 billion. Lila Sciences (developing "scientific superintelligence" for research) announced a $350 million funding round to advance its AI systems. Notable large rounds were also reported for Sesame, Hippocratic AI, OpenEvidence, and other companies.
Among the largest deals are:
- 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 the valuations of leading AI startups to unprecedented heights and give rise to a new wave of unicorn companies.
Revival of the IPO Market and Exit Prospects
After a quiet period, the technology IPO market is gradually revitalizing. In 2025, several large companies successfully conducted initial public offerings. For instance, the stablecoin issuer Circle launched shares with a market valuation of around $7 billion, while the cryptocurrency exchange Bullish raised $1.1 billion in its IPO. Additionally, the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange (of the Winklevoss brothers) went public, attracting $425 million, demonstrating investor interest in fintech and blockchain. Industry insiders report that OpenAI is considering an IPO in 2026 with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion.
Industry Diversification: Fintech, Biotech, Climate, Defense, and More
Investors are gradually broadening their focus: in addition to AI, there is a growing interest in financial, biotech, and environmental startups. The following sectors are seeing a resurgence:
- 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);
- Defense technologies (AI security systems, autonomous drones, cybersecurity).
For example, the defense sector attracted record investment volumes: by the end of the year, total investments in defense tech exceeded $7.7 billion. Leading the U.S. market was Anduril with a $2.5 billion round, while in Europe, the defense startup Helsing raised $694 million for weaponry software. Simultaneously, in biotech, investor attention is focused on AI platforms for drug development and genetic research.
Consolidation and M&A Activity
Consolidation activity is increasing 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 united to form the CerraCap Impact (CIVC) platform, creating a global corporate support network for startups. Moreover, tech companies are increasingly acquiring one another. In the first half of 2025, the number of "startup buys startup" deals increased by approximately 18% compared to the previous year. Noteworthy deals include OpenAI's acquisition of the startup Io (smart home AI lamps) for $6.5 billion. This allows companies to swiftly adopt new technologies and lay the groundwork for significant investor exits.
Global Expansion: Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
Venture capital is actively extending into new regions. In Asia, the market is growing rapidly: Chinese robotics startups are securing funding rounds in the billions of yuan (for example, Robot Era raised approximately ¥1 billion, ≈$140 million). Significant deals are also being recorded in Southeast Asia and India: the Thai company Roojai raised $60 million (digital insurance), while the Indian SquareYards secured $35 million (real estate, with an estimated valuation of around $900 million). In Singapore and the Philippines, deep tech startups have obtained funding rounds in the tens of millions of dollars.
Noteworthy investment events are also occurring in the Middle East. Saudi fintech Erad secured a $125 million credit line, while the electronics recovery platform Revibe raised $17 million. The Saudi startup Mnzil (housing for builders) garnered $11.7 million in Series A funding from Founders Fund. Regional infrastructure projects have attracted financing: Zinit (Dubai) raised $8 million, Strataphy (Saudi Arabia) $6 million, and Buildroid AI $2 million. These examples demonstrate that investors are financing not only consumer services but also infrastructure solutions (housing, energy, logistics, etc.).
Revitalization of Interest in Crypto Startups
After a prolonged downturn, the blockchain sector is once again attracting investor attention. Cryptocurrencies are showing growth: Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark, and approval of an ETF for Ethereum is anticipated in the U.S. This has rekindled venture interest: Web3, DeFi, and fintech blockchain companies are securing new funding rounds at high valuations. Successful IPOs from crypto companies (Circle, Bullish, and Gemini) have restored confidence in the sector. Experts believe that the influx of funds into crypto projects will continue; however, startups will operate under close regulatory scrutiny.
Local Insights: Russia and the CIS
The Russian startup market remains small and conservative. According to ComNews, technology companies in Russia raised approximately $125 million over the first nine months of 2025 (a growth of +30% compared to the previous year). The primary sectors for investments are IndustrialTech, Healthcare, and FinTech. AI startups accounted for a significant portion of the investments (over $60 million across 32 deals). In the CIS region (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus), early funding rounds of $1–5 million involving government funds are predominant. Government entities are attempting to mitigate capital outflows: for instance, "Rosnano" plans to invest around 2.3 billion rubles in domestic startups by the end of 2025. However, major foreign investors are still scarce in the region.
