Fresh Startup and Venture Investment News for February 13, 2026: Major AI Rounds, Growth of Trust Layer, Digital Health, Embodied AI, and Strategic Signals for Global Venture Funds.
Executive Summary: The Venture Market Intensifies Its Focus on AI Infrastructure
The startup and venture investment news for February 13, 2026, confirms a structural shift in the global venture capital market. Investors' focus is shifting from experimental AI products to infrastructure, trust layer, and scalable business models in the segments of digital health, enterprise SaaS, and embodied AI. Venture funds and strategic investors are strengthening their positions in companies that have already demonstrated commercial viability and exhibit sustainable unit economics.
Key topics of the day:
- Growth in large funding rounds for AI and digital health;
- Strengthening of the confidential AI and governance segment;
- Increased activity in Europe and Asia in deep tech and robotics;
- Competition for megaround funding among quality teams.
USA: Major Rounds in Digital Health and Enterprise AI
The North American venture investment market remains a driver of global capital flow. The spotlight is on startups operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence and regulated industries.
In the digital health segment, a significant Series D funding round has been recorded for a telepsychiatry company focusing on an insurance model. The raised capital exceeds $200 million, highlighting funds' interest in AI tools for optimizing clinical processes, triage, and documentation automation. For venture investors, this is a signal: healthcare is becoming one of the most resilient verticals for scaling AI startups.
Simultaneously, the confidential AI sector—solutions ensuring the secure operation of models with sensitive corporate data—is gaining traction. A Series B round in this segment demonstrates that trust layers and computation control are becoming essential components of the enterprise stack.
Europe: Governance, Data Sovereignty, and Corporate AI Agents
The European startup market is showing increased activity in corporate AI agents and knowledge management. Venture investments are concentrating around solutions that:
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements;
- Integrate into the infrastructure of large companies;
- Support data sovereignty and local data storage.
A Series A round in a German enterprise AI startup confirms the strategy of funds: Europe is betting on deeply integrated B2B solutions rather than consumer AI applications. For venture funds, this presents an opportunity to build portfolios that consider future compliance requirements and tightening regulations.
Asia: Embodied AI and Robotics as a New Growth Center
The Asian startup market is strengthening its positions in the embodied AI and robotics segment. A Series B round in a Chinese startup focused on intelligent robotics has exceeded the equivalent of $140 million. Investors are betting on the synergy between software and hardware infrastructure.
A distinctive feature of the region is the concentration of capital in hardware-oriented companies. Venture investments are directed toward projects where artificial intelligence is integrated into supply chains, logistics, and industrial automation.
Megaround Funding and Competition for Infrastructure AI Companies
February 2026 marks a rise in megaround funding in AI infrastructure. Companies working in inference, computing platforms, and specialized chips are attracting hundreds of millions of dollars.
The current dynamics indicate three trends:
- A return of significant private capital to late-stage funding;
- Increased valuations amid a limited number of quality assets;
- Convergence of venture and private equity capital in the AI segment.
For funds, this suggests heightened competition and the need for early entry into promising startups.
Deal Structure: Discipline at Early Stages
Despite the growth of large rounds, early-stage investments are under pressure. Seed and Series A rounds require a solid proof of concept:
- Real revenue or confirmed demand;
- Controlled computational costs;
- Clear scaling strategies.
Venture investors are intensifying due diligence concerning unit economics and AI infrastructure costs. Startups that cannot demonstrate a path to profitability face harsher conditions.
Geographical Diversification of the Portfolio
The global venture capital market in 2026 is evolving into a multipolar system. The USA maintains its leadership in volume, Europe strengthens its positions in B2B and deep tech, while Asia excels in robotics and hardware solutions.
For international funds, the GEO-diversification strategy is becoming key. An optimal portfolio includes:
- AI infrastructure in the USA;
- Enterprise governance solutions in Europe;
- Embodied AI and hardware startups in Asia.
Risks in the Venture Investment Market in 2026
Despite the growth in venture investments, systemic risks remain:
- Overheating of valuations in the AI sector;
- Dependence on the cost of computational power;
- Regulatory restrictions on cross-border investments.
Funds need to take into account the potential volatility of public markets, which directly affects exit strategies.
Forecast: AI as a Fundamental Infrastructure of the Venture Market
The startup and venture investment news for February 13, 2026, confirms that artificial intelligence is shifting from an experimental technology to a basic infrastructure of business. The venture market is entering a phase of rationalization—capital is being directed toward companies capable of scaling in regulated and capital-intensive segments.
In the coming months, we expect:
- Further growth in investments in trust layers and data security;
- Strengthening of positions in digital health;
- Consolidation of infrastructure AI companies.
