Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of February 12, 2026: Record Rounds in AI, Growth of Global Venture Market, M&A Deals, IPO Preparations, and Key Trends for Investors and Funds.
By mid-February 2026, the global venture capital market continues to maintain its recovering momentum after a lengthy downturn. The beginning of the year has been marked by impressive funding volumes: preliminary data suggests that January 2026 was one of the most productive months in the last two years in terms of total investments in startups. Capital is once again flowing actively into the tech sector – record-sized deals are being made, and startups' plans to go public have returned to the agenda. The largest venture funds continue to launch mega rounds and new funds, while governments and sovereign investors are ramping up support for innovations, eager not to fall behind in the global tech race. All of this fosters a cautiously optimistic sentiment for 2026, although investors are still meticulously selecting projects and applying more scrutiny to business models and valuations.
Mega Funds on the Move: Huge Rounds and Capital Concentration
After a period of relative calm, the so-called "mega funds" have returned to the venture arena – enormous pools of capital for investing in tech companies. For instance, American firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) recently raised over $15 billion for new funds, bringing its assets under management to record levels. These funds target priority areas: artificial intelligence, defense technologies, cryptocurrencies, biotech, and other promising fields. Sovereign funds from the Middle East and large corporations are also ramping up their venture activity: billions are flowing in through state programs and corporate venture subsidiaries, creating a global influx of "big money" into the startup ecosystem.
The resurgence of activity among the largest players is accompanied by unprecedented capital concentration in industry leaders. Investors tend to sink large amounts of money into a limited number of top projects, aiming to capture a share of potential technological breakthroughs. The number of deals is still below peak levels from 2021, but the average round size has sharply increased. More rounds of funding now exceed $100 million, indicating a new stage of market maturity where selected startups have access to virtually unlimited capital.
The AI and Robotics Boom: Record Investments in "Physical" AI
The artificial intelligence sector remains the main driver of the current venture boom, with a shift in focus from simple software projects to “physical” AI and deep technologies. Startups in AI and robotics are attracting record rounds of funding, setting new benchmarks for the market. For example, the autonomous driving division of Waymo raised about $16 billion with participation from a consortium of leading funds – an unprecedented amount underscoring the enormous capital needs of self-driving car technologies. AI model developer Anthropic, known for its breakthroughs in generative AI, secured around $10 billion in funding and reached a valuation of about $350 billion – effectively becoming one of the most valuable private companies in the world. New giants continue to emerge: SoftBank led a $1.4 billion round in startup Skild AI, which is developing an all-purpose "brain" for robots, valuing it at approximately $14 billion.
Alongside the giants, younger projects are also rapidly growing. Investors are ready to fund even recent teams if they are at the cutting edge of technology. For instance, American AI video startup Runway attracted $315 million in a Series E round, garnering a valuation of over $5 billion just a few years after its inception. In Europe, local AI players are gaining momentum: the German platform Parloa previously received $350 million at a valuation of around $3 billion, while in Belgium, cyber startup Aikido Security has reached unicorn status in just two years. Such massive funds directed towards AI and related industries reflect an acute global race among companies and countries for leadership in this field. A lion's share of venture dollars is currently flowing into AI projects and robotics, creating new market imbalances and heightened awareness of infrastructure – from specialized chip manufacturing to data centers that facilitate computations.
Consolidation in Fintech: Major Exits and Mergers
The fintech sector is experiencing a wave of consolidation, signaling the maturity of the fintech market. Several notable M&A deals were announced in January 2026. For example, American bank Capital One agreed to acquire startup Brex (a corporate expense management platform) for $5.15 billion – marking the largest merger between a bank and a fintech company in history, highlighting the desire of traditional financial giants to integrate advanced fintech solutions. European investment fund Hg acquired the American financial platform OneStream for approximately $6.4 billion, buying out shares from existing stakeholders. Meanwhile, Deutsche Börse is purchasing the Allfunds platform for €5.3 billion to enhance its position in WealthTech, and US Bancorp has announced the acquisition of brokerage firm BTIG for about $1 billion.
In addition to large players acquiring fintech startups, some startups are acting as buyers themselves, expanding their business through strategic acquisitions. For instance, Australian unicorn Airwallex is actively expanding in Asia and other markets, recently acquiring the South Korean payment company Paynuri to broaden its presence. A clear trend is emerging: as the industry matures, successful fintech companies are either being absorbed by banks and corporations or are growing through the acquisition of niche players. The strengthening of M&A activity indicates that venture investors are ready to lock in profits through sales, while strategic investors are willing to pay for technologies that help maintain competitiveness.
IPO Renaissance: Startups Prepare for Going Public
The market for initial public offerings (IPOs) of tech companies is gradually reviving after a prolonged pause. The year 2025 surprised analysts with a noticeable increase in the number of large IPOs: only in the U.S. did at least 23 companies go public with a valuation exceeding $1 billion (compared to just 9 such offerings the previous year), and the total capitalization of these debuts exceeded $125 billion. Investors are once again ready to welcome profitable and fast-growing businesses to the public market, especially if the company boasts a pronounced history in AI or other "hot" technologies. The current market conditions are conducive to further resumption of IPO activity, and several unicorns are openly hinting at preparations for stock offerings. Some of the most anticipated candidates for IPO include:
- Leading fintech unicorns: payment platforms Stripe, Plaid, and British neo-bank Revolut.
- Leaders in artificial intelligence: AI model developer OpenAI, big data platform Databricks, and Canadian AI startup for businesses Cohere.
- Other tech giants: for instance, space company SpaceX, assuming market conditions remain favorable.
Successful debuts for these companies in 2026 could provide an additional boost to the venture market, returning substantial profits to investors and confirming valuation expectations. Of course, experts warn that volatility and external factors could suddenly close the "IPO window." Nevertheless, current examples of a revival in public offerings bolster the belief that investors are ready to reward startups with strong growth and profitability metrics, and that the public market can once again adequately value technological innovations.
Defense and Cyber Startups in the Spotlight for Investors
The geopolitical tensions of recent years are directly impacting the priorities of venture investors. Riding the wave of competing powers’ technological independence, significant capital is being directed towards startups in defense and cybersecurity. In the U.S., the concept of American Dynamism is gaining traction – investments in companies that strengthen national security and the industrial base. Some of the funds from giant portfolios like a16z are specifically reserved for defense and deep tech projects. Startups creating technologies for military and government needs are closing rounds of hundreds of millions of dollars. One example is Californian company Onebrief, which develops military planning software: it raised approximately $200 million at a valuation exceeding $2 billion and even managed to acquire a relevant asset to enhance its capabilities.
In Europe, countries and investment funds are also actively supporting the defense and security sector. According to industry analysts, European startups in defense, security, and resilience attracted about $8–9 billion in investments in 2025 – a record amount bolstered by the establishment of specialized funds (e.g., a joint NATO fund of €1 billion). Such resources have enabled many projects to thrive: alongside already mentioned Aikido Security in cybersecurity, new companies are emerging in satellite data analysis, supply chain monitoring, and novel intelligence and infrastructure protection methods. The trend of supporting "dual-use" technologies (those with both commercial and defense applications) is apparent everywhere. Governments of the U.S., Europe, Israel, and other nations are eager to invest in or facilitate investments in startups capable of providing strategic advantages in new types of confrontations.
Regional Highlights: The U.S. Leads, Europe and Asia Follow
The surge in venture activity is global, albeit distributed unevenly across regions. The U.S. remains the undeniable locomotive – American startups are home to the lion's share of the largest rounds, primarily in AI and deep technologies. Silicon Valley retains its status as the main capital magnet, although competition for talent and deals is intensifying everywhere. In Europe, the landscape is being reshaped: continental hubs are ramping up venture investment while the role of the UK is relatively diminishing. By the end of 2025, Germany surpassed the UK in total startup investments for the first time, indicating a strengthening position for Berlin and other European ecosystems. European institutions and governments (such as initiatives from France, Scandinavian countries, and the EU) continue to launch programs that stimulate the emergence of local unicorns and the development of AI.
In Asia, the dynamics are mixed. The Indian startup ecosystem has reached a new level of maturity: already in January, the first "unicorns" of 2026 emerged, and local exchanges saw successful IPOs of tech companies, reflecting the scale and potential of this market. The Chinese venture market, in contrast, remains relatively subdued due to ongoing regulatory pressure and a reorientation of capital towards domestic challenges. Nevertheless, Chinese investors are actively investing in overseas projects in AI and semiconductors to remain aligned with global technological trends. The Middle East and North Africa are exhibiting an acceleration in venture activity: funds from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are increasing their financing of tech companies both regionally and globally, supporting fintech, cloud services, AI startups, and other areas. The startup movement is also gaining momentum in Latin America and Africa, although in absolute terms, these regions still lag behind the rest of the world. Thus, the venture boom is encompassing all continents, making the global innovation ecosystem more balanced and interconnected.
Looking Ahead: Cautious Optimism and New Development Benchmarks
Despite the impressive growth in activity, investors in 2026 are still maintaining a degree of caution, mindful of the lessons from the recent market cool-off. The returned liquidity – from billion-dollar venture funds to the revival of IPOs – creates opportunities for massive growth, yet simultaneously intensifies competition for outstanding projects. Funds and investors are now imposing stricter requirements on startups: clear business models, economic viability, and understandable pathways to profitability are expected. Although company valuations are once again on the rise (especially in the AI segment), increasing attention is being paid to risk management and the long-term sustainability of portfolios.
It is highly likely that in 2026, the venture capital industry will enter a phase of more balanced development. Funding for "breakthrough" areas will continue – artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate technologies, defense, and other promising sectors will remain in focus. However, the influx of capital will be accompanied by a more thorough selection of projects, enhanced scrutiny over growth quality, and compliance with regulatory standards. This cautious approach should help the market avert overheating and lay the groundwork for sustainable innovation development in the long term.
