Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of September 3, 2025: Record Rounds in AI, IPO Revival, Growth of Crypto Startups, and Global Venture Capital Expansion
As of early September 2025, the global venture capital market is confidently recovering from several years of decline. Investors worldwide are once again actively financing technology startups: multimillion-dollar deals are being made, and the IPO plans of promising companies are back in focus. Major venture funds and corporations are returning with record-scale investment programs, while governments in various countries are enhancing support for innovative businesses. As a result, private capital is flowing into the startup ecosystem, providing young companies with the necessary liquidity for growth and scaling.
Venture activity is rising across all regions. The United States maintains its leadership (especially due to the explosive growth of investments in the AI sector), while The Middle East has doubled its investment in startups compared to last year. Europe has also seen a shift, with Germany surpassing the UK for the first time in venture deals, strengthening the position of continental hubs. India, Southeast Asia, and other rapidly developing markets are attracting record capital, against a backdrop of relative investor caution in China (due to regulatory risks). The startup ecosystems in Russia and CIS countries are striving to keep pace despite external constraints. A new global venture boom is forming, even as investors remain selective and cautious in their deal-making.
Let’s take a look at the key news and trends in the venture market as of September 3, 2025:
- The return of mega-funds and large investors.
- Record funding rounds and a new wave of AI "unicorns."
- Revival of the IPO market.
- Renaissance of crypto startups.
- Defense technologies and robotics are attracting capital.
- Diversification of industry focus: fintech, climate projects, biotech.
- A wave of consolidation: increase in M&A deals.
- Global expansion of venture capital.
- Local focus: Russia and CIS countries.
The Return of Mega-Funds: Large Investors Reentering the Market
Major venture players are triumphantly returning to the market, signaling a new surge in risk appetite. Japan's SoftBank is launching its third Vision Fund, amounting to around $40 billion, aimed at investing in cutting-edge technologies (with an emphasis on AI and robotics) after a pause. The American firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is forming its own "mega-fund" of approximately $20 billion, targeting late-stage startup investments in the US. At the same time, sovereign funds from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries have ramped up, pouring billions of dollars into technology projects around the world. This influx of such "big money" is again filling the startup ecosystem with liquidity, supporting the growth of promising company valuations and intensifying competition for the best deals. Additionally, the return of mega-funds strengthens market confidence in future capital influx, signaling that the worst times are behind.
Record Rounds in AI and a New Wave of "Unicorns"
Investments in the artificial intelligence sector reached unprecedented levels in 2025. Since the beginning of the year, AI startups have collectively attracted over $130 billion in venture funding—about half of the global volume—which already surpasses the total for all of 2024. Investors are eager to fund the most promising AI projects, leading to multibillion-dollar deals and rapid company valuation growth. A new wave of technological "unicorns"—private companies valued at over $1 billion—is taking shape. Below are examples of the recent record rounds:
- OpenAI (USA) — raised a record $40 billion in investments (led by SoftBank and Microsoft) at a company valuation of around $300 billion; this deal became one of the largest in tech sector history.
- Anthropic (USA) — raised approximately $13 billion in round F (lead investors ICONIQ and Fidelity) at a valuation of around $183 billion; the value of this AI developer has tripled since early 2025.
- Scale AI (USA) — received $14.3 billion in funding from Meta and partners to scale its data processing and AI model training platform.
- xAI (USA) — Elon Musk's new startup attracted around $5 billion (the round was led by SpaceX), demonstrating corporate interest in promising AI companies.
The unstoppable hype surrounding AI is causing valuations of such companies to skyrocket and heightening competition among funds for industry leaders.
The IPO Market Revives
After a long hiatus, tech companies are once again going public—and quite successfully. The year 2025 has been marked by a series of successful IPOs that are restoring optimism among venture investors regarding exit prospects. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 240 IPOs have taken place on US exchanges—about 90% more than during the same period in 2024, indicating a notable revival of the market. Among the largest recent public offerings:
- Figma (USA) — the developer of cloud design software debuted on the NYSE with a valuation of around $18 billion. High demand allowed shares to be priced above the expected range, and on the first day, the share price doubled.
- Circle (USA) — the issuer of the USDC stablecoin conducted a direct listing; the company's market capitalization now exceeds $40 billion, and shares have increased more than 5 times since going public.
- CoreWeave (USA) — a provider of cloud infrastructure for AI went public in the spring (around $30 billion IPO valuation) and reached a market capitalization of approximately $52 billion by the end of summer, more than doubling its share price amidst demand for AI resources.
The success of these debuts strengthens faith in the public market as an "exit" mechanism for venture projects. Many late-stage startups are once again considering IPOs instead of further private rounds. By early autumn, a queue of companies eager to capitalize on the opened "window of opportunity" has formed, with new offerings expected in various sectors (including fintech and the crypto industry) in the coming months.
The Renaissance of Crypto Startups
The rise of the cryptocurrency market in 2025 has led to a revival of investor interest in blockchain startups and fintech projects related to digital assets. The Bitcoin price has approached its historical high (around $120,000), which has infused optimism into the industry and effectively marked the beginning of a new "crypto spring" after a prolonged winter. Against this backdrop, several major players in the market are once again emerging from the shadows.
In particular, the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has filed a confidential application for an IPO to raise capital for international expansion, while the digital asset provider BitGo is also planning to go public.
In the private sector, venture funding for blockchain projects is gradually reviving compared to the previous years of "crypto winter." Investors are again willing to take risks in segments such as DeFi, crypto exchanges, and Web3 infrastructure, hoping for greater regulatory clarity and widespread adoption of crypto technologies. Although the transaction volumes here are still lagging behind the records of 2021, a clear trend towards recovery is emerging. New funds focused on digital assets are appearing, and successful examples like Circle's IPO are likely to attract even more capital into the sector.
Defense Technologies and Robotics Attract Capital
The geopolitical environment and technological breakthroughs are driving increased investments in the defense, aerospace, and robotics sectors. Startups creating solutions for security and military applications are receiving funding not only from private venture funds but also with the support of government programs. Some notable deals in this direction include:
- Anduril (USA) — a developer of defense systems incorporating AI raised about $2.5 billion to expand the production of autonomous drone platforms and surveillance systems. This round became one of the largest of the year and confirmed investor confidence in new generation military technologies.
- Stark (Germany) — a startup developing strike drones secured $62 million (with Sequoia Capital leading the round alongside the NATO Innovation Fund) at a valuation of around $500 million. The involvement of NATO and venture giants underscores the significance of drone systems in the modern market.
In addition to strictly military projects, venture capital is directed towards adjacent fields—from humanoid robots to space technologies. For instance, the American startup Figure AI recently raised around $1.5 billion for developing humanoid robotic platforms. Interest remains strong in satellite constellations and commercial space launches. Long-term security needs make defense technologies one of the fastest-growing areas of venture investment.
Diversification of Industry Focus
In 2025, venture investments are covering an increasingly broader spectrum of industries, no longer limited to AI alone. Following last year's decline, fintech is regaining momentum: large funding rounds are occurring not only in the US but also in Europe and developing markets, supporting the growth of new financial services. Interest in climate technologies and "green" energy is also strengthening—these sectors attract record investments amidst the global trend of sustainable development.
Appetite for biotechnology is returning as well: the emergence of new breakthrough drugs and medical online platforms is once again attracting capital as the industry emerges from a period of declining valuations. Investors see substantial potential in combining biotechnology with AI and big data, which opens new avenues for growth. Overall, the diversification of focus signifies that venture capital is now directed towards a multitude of sectors in the economy—from finance and medicine to ecology and industry—rather than centering around a single "hot" topic.
A Wave of Consolidation: Increased M&A Deals
High valuations of startups and fierce competition for new markets are pushing the industry toward consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are returning to the forefront, reshaping power dynamics in the technology sector. For example:
- Google + Wiz — Google has agreed to acquire the Israeli cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion. This is a record amount for the Israeli tech industry, signaling tech giants' readiness to spend significant sums on key cyber technologies.
- SoftBank + Ampere — SoftBank plans to acquire the American processor developer Ampere for about $6.2 billion. This deal could become one of the largest of the year in the semiconductor segment, strengthening SoftBank's position in the chip market.
Such mega-deals illustrate tech giants' desire to secure cutting-edge developments and strong teams. The uptick in M&A activity indicates market maturity: successful startups either merge with one another or become targets for corporations, while venture investors realize long-awaited profitable exits. The trend toward consolidation is expected to continue in the coming quarters, especially in segments with overheated competition or those requiring significant resources for large-scale growth.
Global Expansion of Venture Capital
The geography of venture financing is expanding due to a surge in activity in Asia and the influx of capital from developing markets. In the first half of 2025, Japan saw a 33% increase in venture deals compared to the previous year, while India experienced a 23% increase. This has been facilitated by the launch of new corporate funds and government innovation support programs. China, having gone through a period of uncertainty, is also showing signs of revival thanks to investments in priority technologies, despite ongoing regulatory constraints.
At the same time, investors in the Gulf region are becoming active in the Middle East: their sovereign funds are increasingly participating in major international rounds, intensifying competition for promising startups on the global stage. Concurrently, new technology hubs are forming on other continents. In Africa and Latin America, the number of promising startups and local funds is increasing, capturing the attention of the global venture community. The global investment boom is spreading to these new markets, gradually leveling the distribution of capital worldwide.
Russia and the CIS: Market Adaptation and Gradual Recovery
The Russian venture industry, having experienced several tough years, is gradually emerging from "venture winter" and adapting to new conditions. Despite international restrictions and capital outflows, a certain stabilization was noted as early as 2024, and by the end of 2025, market participants expect further revival. Domestic investors are launching new funds and initiatives aimed at supporting local projects, while many Russian founders are seeking growth opportunities abroad. Below are some relevant examples:
- Kama Flow — an investment company that announced the launch of a new venture fund totaling 10 billion rubles, aimed at funding science-intensive late-stage startups. This is one of the largest funds in recent years in the country, designed to fill the gap of large capital in the local market.
- Qummy — a Krasnodar food tech startup raised approximately 440 million rubles from a group of private investors at a valuation of around 2.4 billion rubles. This round indicates a return of interest from local venture funds and banks toward promising projects in the domestic market.
- Plata — a fintech startup founded by alumni of "Tinkoff" has reached a valuation of approximately $3.3 billion in the international market. The company, developing a digital banking business in Latin America, is preparing for a new round with a valuation more than twice that of last year, and has already obtained banking licenses in Mexico and Colombia. The Plata example demonstrates that teams from Russia can build global-level "unicorns" even amid restrictions in the domestic market.
Overall, the venture ecosystem in CIS countries is undergoing a phase of restructuring: the focus is shifting to projects in IT, artificial intelligence, import substitution, and B2B services for large businesses. Experts note that the local market is gradually adapting to the new realities. The most resilient teams continue to attract funding, and new deals are being made even at the seed stage. As the economy stabilizes and domestic innovation support institutions develop, venture investments in the region have a chance for steady growth and tighter integration into global trends.
