Global Startup and Venture Capital News for Tuesday, February 10, 2026: Mega-Rounds in AI, the Return of Mega-Funds, IPO Activity, and Key Deals in the Global Venture Market.
As we enter 2026, the global venture capital market is experiencing a wave of robust recovery following the downturn of recent years. 2025 marked one of the most record-breaking years for startup funding (second only to the peak years of 2021-2022), indicating that the period of stagnation is behind us. Investors around the world are once again actively funding technology projects—multi-billion-dollar deals are being closed, and the IPO plans of promising companies are taking center stage. Major players are returning to the market with substantial amounts of capital, while governments and corporations are enhancing their support for innovation. As a result, private capital is once again flowing strongly into the startup ecosystem, fueling growth at all stages.
Venture activity is on the rise across all regions. The U.S. and especially Silicon Valley remain leaders (primarily due to the artificial intelligence sector). The Middle East witnessed a historic surge: in 2025, startups in the region attracted around $3.8 billion (+74% year over year) thanks to an influx of international capital, mainly to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In Europe, venture investments remain at high levels. Emerging markets are also experiencing a revival: India has already outpaced China in venture investments, while Southeast Asia and Gulf countries are showing growth amidst a relative decline in China. The startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS are striving to keep pace, launching local funds and support programs despite external constraints. A new global venture boom is forming, although investors are still acting selectively and cautiously, mindful of the lessons learned from the recent market correction.
- The return of mega-funds and major investors. Top venture players are raising record-sized funds and sharply increasing their investments, saturating the market with capital and fueling a risk appetite.
- Record rounds in AI and new "unicorns." Unprecedentedly large deals are driving startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the artificial intelligence segment.
- Revitalization of the IPO market. Successful public listings of tech companies and new filing submissions confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits has reopened.
- Diversification of sectoral focus. Venture capital is being directed not only to AI but also to fintech, environmental projects, biotechnology, defense developments, and even crypto startups.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Major mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry landscape, creating opportunities for exits and accelerated growth.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite restrictions, new funds and initiatives to develop local startup ecosystems are being launched in the region, attracting attention from investors.
The Return of Mega-Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are once again entering the venture arena—a clear sign of the resurgence of risk appetite. The American fund Andreessen Horowitz started 2026 by announcing new funds totaling around $15 billion (including a multi-billion-dollar growth fund). Lightspeed raised approximately $9 billion at the end of 2025—yet another testament to the return of big money into the industry. Sovereign funds from the Persian Gulf countries are also becoming more active: they are pouring tens of billions of dollars into technology projects and implementing large-scale development programs for the startup sector in the Middle East. Renowned firms from Silicon Valley have accumulated unprecedented reserves of uninvested capital ("dry powder")—hundreds of billions of dollars are ready to be deployed as confidence returns to the market. The influx of "big money" is filling the startup market with liquidity, providing resources for new rounds and supporting growth in promising companies' valuations. The return of mega-funds and large institutional investors not only intensifies competition for the best deals but also instills confidence in the industry regarding the continued influx of capital.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector remains the main driver of the current venture boom, demonstrating record volumes of funding. Investors are eager to secure positions in AI sector leaders, funneling colossal amounts into the most promising projects. For instance, OpenAI attracted around $40 billion in investments in 2025 (with the company's valuation approaching $800 billion) and, according to insiders, is discussing a new round of up to $100 billion—sums previously unthinkable for a startup. Another AI developer, Anthropic, is negotiating to raise up to $20 billion at a valuation of around $350 billion. Notably, venture investments are not only directed towards end AI applications but also towards the infrastructure supporting them. The market is ready to finance even the "picks and shovels" for the new AI ecosystem—rumors suggest that one data storage startup is negotiating a multi-billion-dollar round at a very high valuation. The current investment boom is spawning a new wave of unicorns—companies valued at over $1 billion. Although experts warn of overheating risks, investor appetite for AI startups remains strong.
IPO Market Gaining Momentum: Window of Opportunity for Exits
The global initial public offering (IPO) market is beginning to revive after a period of silence. 2025 proved fruitful: in the U.S., 23 companies with valuations over $1 billion went public (compared to only 9 such debuts in 2024), and the total capitalization of these IPOs exceeded $125 billion, more than doubling the previous year's figures. In Asia, Hong Kong has triggered a new wave of listings, with several large tech companies collectively raising billions on the exchange. In the U.S., for example, the fintech unicorn Chime gained about 30% on its first trading day following its IPO. The return of activity in the IPO market is crucial for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits allow funds to realize profits and redirect freed capital into new projects. Experts expect the IPO momentum to continue into 2026. Companies capable of demonstrating growth potential through AI, especially profitable ones, are seen as having particular chances for successful listings. Among potential IPO candidates are both large fintech players and outstanding AI companies. If macro conditions remain favorable, 2026 could bring a new wave of high-profile tech IPOs.
Diversification of Investments: Not Just AI
Venture investments are now covering an increasingly broad range of industries and are no longer limited to the AI sphere alone. After the downturn of 2022-2023, fintech is making a comeback: major funding rounds are taking place not only in the U.S. but also in Europe and emerging markets. Global investments in fintech have risen by approximately 27% year-on-year, returning to pre-COVID levels. Concurrently, interest in climate and "green" technologies, as well as agritech, is growing—these segments are attracting record investments amid a sustainable development trend. In biotechnology, capital is also flowing back following the downturn, driven by the emergence of new promising developments. Significant growth is being observed in defense and security projects, where investors are actively funding defense technologies in light of increased attention to geopolitical and cybersecurity issues (in 2025, around $8.5 billion was invested in defense tech, more than double the previous year). A partial recovery of trust in the cryptocurrency market has allowed some blockchain startups to attract funding again. The expansion of sectoral focus is making the startup ecosystem more resilient and reducing the risk of overheating in specific segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: The Upsizing of Players
High valuations of startups and fierce competition for markets are driving the industry towards consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are once again taking center stage, reshaping the balance of power. For instance, Google agreed to acquire the Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion—a record amount for the Israeli tech sector and one of the largest venture deals in history. These mega-deals underscore the desire of tech giants to acquire key technologies and talent. Overall, the activation of M&A activities indicates market maturity. Mature startups are either merging with one another or becoming targets for acquisition by larger corporations, while venture funds are finally getting the chance for long-awaited profitable exits. The resurgence of the IPO market additionally accelerates this process—examples of successful public listings set benchmarks for valuations and encourage strategic investors to acquire promising teams more boldly.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, new measures are being taken in Russia and neighboring countries to develop the startup ecosystem. In 2025-2026, several new venture funds with a total volume of around 10-15 billion rubles have been announced, aimed at supporting early-stage projects. The Russian Venture Company has removed revenue thresholds and is ready to invest up to 35 million rubles at the earliest stages, filling the gap of "seed" capital. Some local startups have already attracted hundreds of millions of rubles from Russian investors, and authorities have once again allowed foreign funds to invest in local tech companies (gradually rekindling interest from foreign capital). Although the volume of venture investments in the region is modest compared to global figures, they are steadily increasing. Large companies are also getting involved in innovation—for example, Rosselkhozbank has launched its own venture studio to pilot agro- and fintech startups. Such initiatives are expected to provide a new impetus to the local market and integrate it into global trends.
Overall, the venture market is entering 2026 with cautious optimism. Capital is returning to innovation, but investors are paying special attention to quality and sustainable growth.
