Startup News, Venture Investments, Investment Deals, Global Venture Market, AI Startups, Startup Financing, Mega Rounds
By mid-November 2025, the global venture capital market is showcasing a robust recovery following several years of decline. Investors worldwide are once again actively financing technological startups: record deals are being closed, plans for companies to go public are back on the agenda, and the largest funds are triumphantly returning to the market with large-scale investments.
Global Venture Market Upswing
Recent data confirms the revival: in the third quarter of 2025, the global volume of venture capital investments reached approximately $97 billion, reflecting an increase of around 38% year-over-year, and slightly higher than the previous quarter’s figures. This is the best quarterly performance since 2021 and marks the fourth consecutive quarter whereby total investments exceed the $90 billion mark. After the "venture winter" of 2022-2023, startup funding has been steadily increasing for four reporting periods in a row, indicating a return of investor confidence. A significant contribution to this growth has come from mega rounds in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, though an upsurge is observed across all stages: investments in late-stage startups, in particular, have risen rapidly. Approximately two-thirds of all venture investments in the last quarter were directed toward companies in the United States; however, increased activity is also evident in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, highlighting the global nature of this trend. Venture activity is on the rise in nearly all parts of the world, with the U.S. remaining the leader (especially in the rapidly growing AI segment), the Middle East seeing nearly a doubling of investment over the past year, and Germany surpassing the U.K. for the first time in a decade in total venture capital in Europe. In Latin America, Mexico has overtaken Brazil in terms of raised funds. India, Southeast Asian nations, and Gulf states are attracting record capital inflows amid a relative decline in activity in China. The startup scenes in Russia and neighboring countries are also striving to keep pace: new funds and programs aimed at developing local ecosystems are emerging in the region despite external constraints.
The Return of Mega Funds
The largest players in venture capital are once again raising record funds, reaffirming their faith in the market’s prospects. SoftBank launched a new Vision Fund worth approximately $40 billion, focusing on AI and robotics, while Sequoia Capital announced funds amounting to $950 million for late-stage and early-stage startups. Sovereign funds in the Gulf have also become more active, directing billions of dollars into technology companies worldwide. The emergence of such megastructures promises startups greater opportunities for capital raising and signifies a new phase of technological growth.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector remains the primary driver of the current venture boom, displaying unprecedented levels of financing. Since the beginning of 2025, AI startups have collectively raised over $160 billion in the U.S. alone, which accounts for around two-thirds of all venture capital investments in the country. Analysts estimate that by year's end, global investments in AI companies could surpass $200 billion—an unprecedented level for the industry. The combined valuation of the ten largest AI startups (including OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and others) has approached a staggering $1 trillion.
The influx of capital into AI has been accompanied by the emergence of a multitude of new "unicorns" and a high concentration of investments. A significant portion of the funds is directed toward a narrow circle of industry leaders who secure the largest rounds. Approximately 70% of all venture investments in U.S. startups recently have been funneled into just a few highly sought-after companies.
For example, French startup Mistral AI set a record for Europe, attracting around $2 billion, while American company OpenAI secured $13 billion in a single tranche. Recently, Elon Musk's startup xAI gained investor support for $15 billion (valuation ~$200 billion), further fueling the race for AI mega rounds. Such colossal deals inflate company valuations to astronomical levels. Nevertheless, the venture market benefits from this surge of activity: capital and talent are concentrating around promising directions, promising breakthrough innovations in the future, even if some funded projects ultimately do not meet expectations.
In recent weeks, several startups have announced major funding rounds, confirming the return of "big checks" to the market:
- xAI (USA) — Elon Musk's startup secured $15 billion (valuation ~ $200 billion) for the development of advanced AI models and the procurement of graphic processors for training neural networks.
- Cursor (USA) — raised $2.3 billion in a Series D round at a valuation of $29.3 billion to expand its AI assistant platform for programming.
- CHAOS Industries (USA) — attracted $510 million in funding to scale the production of next-generation autonomous defense systems.
The Revival of IPOs and Exit Prospects
Against the backdrop of rising valuations and an influx of capital, technology companies are once again considering public markets. Following a two-year lull, there is a revival of IPOs as a long-awaited exit path for venture investors. Earlier in 2025, several large "unicorn" startups successfully went public: for instance, stablecoin issuer Circle initiated an IPO with a valuation of around $7 billion, while cryptocurrency exchange Bullish attracted approximately $1.1 billion through an offering, achieving a capitalization of around $5–6 billion. These debuts demonstrated that the market has renewed its appetite for new public offerings, particularly in the fintech and cryptocurrency segments.
Now, major players are eager to take advantage of the newfound "window" of opportunities. According to insider information, ChatGPT creator OpenAI is considering an initial public offering as early as 2026 with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion. In the blockchain industry, wallet developer ConsenSys has hired JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to prepare for an IPO planned for 2026. If it proceeds, this will be the first public offering of such a major player from the Ethereum ecosystem—a landmark event for the entire crypto sector.
Improved market conditions and a gradual clarification of regulatory requirements are also enhancing startup confidence in pursuing listings. As a result, the largest private companies are once again viewing the public market as a tangible opportunity to raise capital and ensure liquidity for investors. Experts predict that in the coming couple of years, the number of notable tech IPOs will increase as the "window" for exits remains open, and market multiples favor high valuations.
Beyond AI: Healthcare, Climate, Space, and Defense
Despite AI's dominance, significant funds are also being allocated to other high-tech fields. For example, healthcare and biotechnology attracted around $15 billion in venture capital in the third quarter of 2025 (ranking third after AI and IT infrastructure). The synergy between technology and medicine is evident in large rounds, such as the genomic medicine project Fireworks AI, which raised $250 million to develop a platform at the intersection of AI and healthcare. Investors are also showing interest in climate and "green" innovations—from biodegradable materials derived from algae to components for electric vehicles—though the scale of such deals still lags behind the massive rounds in AI.
Attention is also growing towards space, defense, and other hardtech sectors. In Europe, for instance, satellite startup EnduroSat raised over $100 million (with participation from funds like Google Ventures and Lux Capital) to expand the production of small satellites in response to the demand for affordable communication means in space. Overall, deep tech sectors are experiencing a resurgence: in 2025, manufacturers of robotics, semiconductors, and quantum computing systems collectively received funding in the tens of billions of dollars. While these amounts may fall short of AI's phenomenon, venture capital is becoming increasingly diversified—this reduces the risks of overheating in specific niches and promotes balanced technological progress.
Consolidation and M&A: Mega Deals Transforming the Landscape
High valuations of startups and intense competition are stimulating a new wave of consolidation in the industry. Major mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are again taking center stage, reshaping the balance of power in the market. Strategic M&A allows corporations and investors to accelerate growth, gain access to new technologies, or enter adjacent markets, while large-scale acquisitions provide venture funds with much-needed exits.
For instance, in October, investment bank Goldman Sachs announced the acquisition of venture firm Industry Ventures for nearly $1 billion. This deal marks one of the biggest acquisitions in the venture sector, reflecting the growing interest of banking capital in technology and startup assets. Major tech corporations have also ramped up acquisitions, taking advantage of stabilizing valuations: over the past year, several industry leaders have purchased promising startups to strengthen their positions in key areas (AI, cybersecurity, etc.). The wave of consolidation has extended to the crypto industry as well: traditional financial companies are showing increased interest in acquiring blockchain startups. According to media reports, Mastercard is in talks to buy several crypto projects (including infrastructure startup ZeroHash) for nearly $2 billion, aiming to establish a foothold in the digital asset space. The surge in M&A—from investments by banks in venture platforms to tech mega deals—indicates the "maturation" of the market and provides startups with more options for successful exits and integration into large businesses.
The Return of Interest in Crypto Startups
Following an extended "crypto winter," the blockchain startup market is experiencing a revival: in October 2025, funding for crypto startups reached a peak not seen in years. In that month, projects attracted several billion dollars in investments (over $20 billion since the start of the year). Leading venture funds (Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, etc.) participated in the largest October fundraising rounds, signaling a return of confidence in the sector.
The rising valuations of digital assets (Bitcoin surpassed the historic $100,000 mark in November) and a gradual clarification of regulations are also fueling venture investors' interest. Blockchain projects are once again attracting significant funds and attention from both funds and large corporations. This revival can practically be termed a "renaissance" of crypto investments after a downturn, although market participants continue to exhibit selectivity and caution.
