Global Startup and Venture Investment News for Wednesday, February 4, 2026: Major Funding Rounds, AI and Deeptech Deals, Venture Fund Activity, and Key Trends in the Global VC Market
The global startup and venture capital market continues to gain momentum at the beginning of 2026. Following the downturn of previous years, private equity is once again actively flowing into technology companies worldwide, with record deals being made and much-anticipated IPOs returning to the agenda. Leading investors are stepping back into the spotlight with new massive funds, governments are ramping up their support for innovation, and optimism is returning to the startup ecosystem. Concurrently, competition is intensifying, with both venture giants and new players vying for the best projects, further stimulating market growth.
Venture activity is increasing across all regions. The U.S. maintains its leadership position (especially due to the boom in artificial intelligence investments), while the Middle East has seen investment volumes multiply thanks to substantial sovereign fund inflows. Europe is experiencing a surge in deals as Germany has, for the first time, surpassed the UK in venture investments. Meanwhile, record rounds are being reported in India and Southeast Asia against the backdrop of a relative decline in activity in China. Startup ecosystems in Russia and neighboring countries are striving to keep up with global trends by launching local funds and support programs, although market volumes remain modest there. Overall, 2026 opens with a renewed venture capital surge, yet investors remain vigilant in assessing risks and the potential of startups, favoring business quality.
- The return of megafunds and large investors. Leading venture firms are raising record-sized funds and dramatically increasing investments, filling the market with capital and reigniting risk appetite.
- Unprecedented AI megaraounds and a wave of new unicorns. Exceptionally large investments in artificial intelligence are pushing startup valuations to historic heights, resulting in the emergence of many new 'unicorn' companies.
- Revival of the IPO market: a race for tech companies to go public. Successful public listings of tech leaders and announced IPO plans confirm that the “window of opportunity” for exits has reopened.
- Diversification of investments across sectors. Venture capital is being actively directed not only into AI but also into fintech, climate tech, biotechnology, defense technologies, the crypto industry, and other promising fields.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Major mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry landscape, creating new exit opportunities and accelerating startup growth.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite external constraints, new funds and initiatives are emerging in the region to support local startups, gradually attracting investor attention to local projects.
The Return of Megafunds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are triumphantly returning to the venture market, signaling a renewed appetite for risk. Global funds are announcing unprecedented fundraising rounds; for instance, Japan's SoftBank has launched its third Vision Fund, totaling around $40 billion, focusing on advanced technologies. Meanwhile, the American firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has raised over $15 billion for new funds focused on AI, defense, and other key areas in less than two years since its last round. Others are not lagging behind: Lightspeed Venture Partners has closed funds totaling more than $9 billion—a record in the firm’s 25-year history. Even Tiger Global, having recovered from recent setbacks, has returned to the market with a new fund of around $2.2 billion, reaffirming its ambitions.
Sovereign investors are also becoming more active. State funds in the Middle East are pouring billions into tech projects and launching major initiatives to develop startup ecosystems. For example, in 2025, venture investments in Gulf Cooperation Council countries increased by approximately 74%, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar creating regional tech hubs, investing oil dollars into innovation. Simultaneously, new venture funds—both corporate and public-private—are emerging globally, aimed at supporting promising startups.
This influx of 'big capital' fills the market with liquidity and intensifies competition for the most lucrative deals. For startups, this means broader access to financing, and for the industry as a whole, a return to trust: the presence of hundreds of billions in 'dry powder' indicates confidence among investors in the continued growth of the tech sector.
Unprecedented AI Megaraounds and New Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector remains the main driver of the current venture boom, setting historical records in deal volumes. Investors are eager to secure positions at the forefront of the AI revolution and are willing to finance colossal rounds to support the frontrunners. In the early weeks of 2026, deals of unprecedented scale have been announced: OpenAI (the creator of ChatGPT) is negotiating a new funding round of up to $100 billion, with an estimated valuation of around $800 billion—an amount the world has never seen before in private funding. It is expected that this megaround could see significant contributions (up to $30 billion) from SoftBank, with corporate participation from Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as Middle Eastern funds like Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and MGX being discussed.
OpenAI's largest competitor, the startup Anthropic, is also attracting unprecedented funds: it is receiving up to $15 billion at an evaluation of approximately $350 billion, attempting to stay competitive. Thus, the two leading AI companies are effectively competing for the title of the most valuable startup in history, paving the way for a new wave of unicorns. Amidst the hype, other ambitious projects are also finding investors: there are instances where even seed-stage startups are raising hundreds of millions of dollars (for example, in the U.S., the lab Humans&, founded by Big Tech alumni, secured $480 million in seed investments—a record figure for an initial round).
These colossal inflows are rapidly expanding the unicorn club. In just the past few months, dozens of companies worldwide have surpassed the $1 billion valuation mark, with new unicorns particularly emerging in generative AI, cloud services, and defense technologies. Although experts warn of overheating risks and inflated expectations, the appetite for AI investments remains robust. Moreover, venture capitalists are increasingly funding not only applied AI products but also the infrastructure for them—from powerful chips and data centers to security and regulatory tools. This investment boom, in general, stimulates industry progress, yet it compels market participants to closely monitor the sustainability of business models to ensure euphoria does not lead to a sudden cooling.
The IPO Market Reawakens: A Race for Major Startups to Go Public
After a lengthy lull in the global IPO market, movement has resumed. Successful public debuts of tech companies at the end of 2025 demonstrated that the window for going public has reopened. In Asia, Hong Kong is setting the pace, with several significant startups raising billions through IPOs in recent months—investors in the region are once again eager to participate in listings. The situation is also improving in the U.S. and Europe: American fintech unicorn Chime successfully went public on Nasdaq in January 2026 (with a stock rise of around 40% on the first day), and shortly before that, the long-awaited IPO of payment service Stripe occurred, restoring faith in public markets.
Now, even larger listings are on the horizon. Elon Musk's SpaceX is officially planning an IPO in mid-2026, aiming to raise up to $50 billion with a valuation of around $1.5 trillion—if these plans materialize, SpaceX's listing would become the largest in history, almost doubling the record set by Saudi Aramco ($29 billion in 2019). Furthermore, the leaders in the AI race are also keen to seize the current window: OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly preparing to go public by the end of 2026, with OpenAI striving to beat its competitor to the punch. Rumors suggest that before the IPO, Elon Musk may merge his AI startup xAI with SpaceX to bolster the company's position before going public.
The revival of IPO market activity is of tremendous significance for the venture ecosystem. Successful listings return capital to investors, allowing funds to realize profitable exits and redistribute resources into new projects. As 'quick' exits through acquisitions have been fewer in recent years, this much-anticipated opportunity for startups to go public is welcomed by all market participants. Of course, investors remain selective—the public is offered only the most mature and promising companies—yet the mere fact that tech unicorns are once again ready for IPOs instills cautious optimism in the industry. Should external conditions remain favorable, 2026 could become a record year for the number and volume of tech IPOs.
Diversification of Investments: Fintech, Climate, Biotech, and Beyond
While artificial intelligence leads among trends, venture capitalists in 2026 are actively broadening their industry focus, reducing the market's dependence on a single sector. After the explosive growth of AI investments, interest is again rising in other directions:
- Fintech: A resurgence of significant rounds in financial technology projects worldwide—from the U.S. and Europe to India and Africa. Banking services, payment platforms, and business solutions are once again attracting substantial capital.
- Climate technologies: Record investments in green energy, energy storage, agrotech, and sustainable development projects fueled by a global focus on ecology.
- Biotech and healthcare: A new influx of funds into biotech startups, medical tech, and digital health in light of scientific breakthroughs and pandemic lessons—investors are returning to the sector in search of long-term growth.
- Defense and aerospace developments: Increased funding for startups related to national security, aerospace technologies, drones, and cyber security, particularly in light of government priorities and geopolitical challenges.
- Crypto industry: A gradual revival of interest in blockchain projects, cryptocurrency-based fintech, and Web3 as the digital asset market stabilizes and new regulatory rules are developed.
Thus, the venture market at the beginning of 2026 is characterized by a broad distribution of capital across different niches. Funds are seeking growth opportunities not only in AI but also in finance, climate, medicine, defense, and other fields. This multi-sectoral approach makes the startup ecosystem more resilient and reduces the risk of a 'bubble' in any single segment.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Market Consolidation
High valuations for startups and intense competition for technological leadership are driving a new wave of consolidation. Major corporations and mature unicorns are increasingly acquiring promising teams or merging with them to accelerate growth and gain critically important technologies. A number of multi-billion dollar deals have already been announced that are reshaping the balance of power in the industry. For instance, Google has agreed to acquire Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion—marking the largest acquisition of a startup in the history of the industry. In January, American bank Capital One announced its acquisition of fintech platform Brex for $5.15 billion, one of the most significant M&A deals in the fintech sector. Apple is also keeping pace: the tech giant strengthens its AI position by acquiring AI developer for wearables Q.ai for around $1.6 billion (the largest purchase by Apple in the past decade).
Such acquisitions demonstrate that even market leaders are willing to spend tens of billions of dollars to maintain a competitive edge in new technological races. The wave of M&A is altering the landscape: rapidly growing startups are getting opportunities to scale under the wing of large companies, while venture investors enjoy much-anticipated exits and capital returns. Consolidation enhances industry efficiency, allowing combined players to compete better globally. However, some analysts warn that if valuations remain inflated, excessive consolidation could stifle innovation—thus, in 2026 deals, participants are striving to find a balance between rapid growth and maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of startups.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, the venture ecosystem in Russia and the CIS countries is also showing signs of revival as it strives to align with global trends. Several new funds have been announced in the region, totaling around 10-12 billion rubles, aimed at supporting early-stage tech projects. Major banks and corporations are joining initiatives by creating accelerators and venture divisions. Development institutions (such as the Skolkovo Foundation) are expanding grant and co-investment programs, partially compensating for the outflow of Western capital.
Local startups are beginning to attract more substantial funding. A notable example is the Krasnodar-based foodtech service Qummy that raised approximately 440 million rubles in late 2025 at a valuation of around 2.4 billion rubles, while the Moscow company Motorica (developer of high-tech prosthetics) secured over 800 million rubles from a private investor. Furthermore, authorities have officially allowed investors from 'friendly' countries to once again invest in Russian startups, gradually rekindling foreign capital interest in the region. While absolute venture investment volumes in Russia and the CIS remain small compared to Silicon Valley or China, they are steadily increasing. Local investors are focusing on in-demand areas given current conditions: artificial intelligence, import-substituting technologies, cyber security, and industrial B2B services. Thus, the local market is trying to leverage the global upturn, laying the foundation for future growth even under constraints.
Conclusions: Cautious Optimism in the Venture Industry
The rapid start to 2026 is fostering a mood of cautious optimism among market participants. On one hand, record funding rounds, the return of megafunds, and the emergence of successful IPOs signal that the worst phase of decline is behind us and that the venture market has transitioned to growth. On the other hand, lessons from recent years compel investors to exercise caution: capital is still allocated selectively, and startups need to demonstrate viability and effective monetization. The presence of huge reserves of 'dry powder' (funds ready for investment) poses a risk of overheating if money is invested without proper analysis.
In summary, the industry is entering a new phase of development, placing an emphasis on quality growth. The primary beneficiaries are startups that can combine innovation with a sustainable business model. Venture funds are increasingly focusing on diversifying portfolios and risk management to ensure that the new upswing does not repeat the mistakes of the previous bubble. As the macroeconomic environment stabilizes, interest rates approach their peak, and geopolitical uncertainty gradually decreases, the appetite for risk may strengthen. If these conditions persist, 2026 promises to be a time of opportunity: strong teams with breakthrough ideas and well-thought-out strategies now have a chance to attract capital and elevate their business. The venture market cautiously looks ahead, anticipating further revitalization while adhering to principles of sustainability and discipline.
