Current News on Startups and Venture Investments as of February 3, 2026: Major Funding Rounds, Investments in AI and Tech Startups, Venture Fund Activity, and Key Global Market Trends.
As we enter 2026, the global venture capital market is showing a strong recovery after the downturn of previous years. In 2025, venture investment volumes sharply increased, marking a return of private capital to the startup sector. Major venture funds and corporations have resumed large-scale investments, launched new investment programs, and governments across various countries have intensified support for innovative businesses. Last year was the most successful since 2021 in terms of total venture investments—the influx of capital significantly rose, largely due to a series of mega funding rounds in the artificial intelligence sector.
Venture activity is spread across all regions. The U.S. maintains its leadership (especially in the AI segment), the Middle East has significantly ramped up investments in tech startups, while in Asia, the investment drop in China is compensated by explosive growth in India and Southeast Asia. Overall, a new global venture boom is being observed, although investors are still approaching deals carefully and selectively.
Below are the key events and trends shaping the venture market agenda as of February 3, 2026:
- The return of mega funds and large investors. Leading players are attracting record venture funds and increasing their investments, replenishing the market with capital once again.
- Record AI mega rounds and new "unicorns." Unprecedented investment volumes are raising startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Revival of the IPO market. Successful public listings by tech companies and new applications confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits remains open.
- Diversification of sector focus. Venture capital is being directed not only toward AI but also to fintech, climate projects, biotechnology, defense technologies, and other promising sectors.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Major mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry landscape.
- Local focus: Russia and CIS. Despite restrictions, new funds and initiatives are emerging in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, increasing investor interest in local projects.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
For instance, SoftBank has launched a new Vision Fund with a volume of ~$40 billion to invest in advanced technologies, while American firm Andreessen Horowitz has raised a record $15 billion across several new funds focused on key tech sectors. Sovereign funds from Middle Eastern countries are also becoming more active, pouring billions into tech projects and initiating government mega-projects to develop the startup sector, creating their own tech hubs in the region.
The influx of this "big money" is intensifying competition for the best deals while simultaneously instilling confidence in the market regarding future capital inflows.
Record Rounds and New "Unicorns": An Investment Boom in AI
The artificial intelligence sector remains the main driver of the venture boom at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, setting new records for the volume of startup funding. Investors are eager to invest in AI leaders, directing massive amounts of money into the most promising projects. For example, Elon Musk's xAI attracted around $30 billion in private investments (including a mega round of approximately $20 billion at the very beginning of 2026), while OpenAI secured around $40 billion at a valuation of approximately $300 billion. These rounds were heavily oversubscribed—a fact that underscores the excitement surrounding leading AI companies.
Moreover, venture capital is being directed not only to applied AI products but also to infrastructure solutions for them: models, data, computing power, security tools, and regulatory compliance. This investment boom is giving rise to a wave of new "unicorns," though experts warn about the dangers of overheating in this segment.
The IPO Market Comes Alive: The "Window of Opportunity" for Listings is Open
The global market for initial public offerings (IPOs) is confidently coming back to life after a prolonged lull and continues to gain momentum. In Asia, Hong Kong is driving a new wave of IPOs: in recent weeks, major tech companies have gone public, collectively raising multibillion-dollar sums. This shows that investors in the region are once again ready to actively participate in listings. The situation is also improving in the U.S. and Europe: the American fintech "unicorn" Chime successfully debuted on the stock exchange, and in late 2025, the long-awaited IPO of payment service Stripe took place. In 2026, even bigger market launches are on the horizon: leading AI startups and even Elon Musk's SpaceX are preparing for public offerings that could become among the largest in history. The "window" for IPOs remains open longer than many had anticipated, and the market as a whole is capable of digesting a wave of new issuances.
The resurgence of IPO activity encompasses a wide range of companies and is crucial for the venture ecosystem. Successful public exits allow venture funds to realize profitable exits and reinvest the freed-up capital into new projects. Despite investors' ongoing caution, the prolonged open "window" is prompting more startups to consider going public as a realistic goal.
Diversification of Investments: Fintech, Climate, and Biotech on the Rise
Following the downturn of previous years, recovery is being observed across several sectors. Major funding rounds are returning to fintech (not only in the U.S. but also in Europe and emerging markets), while the global sustainability trend is driving record investments in climate technologies, green energy, and agritech. Capital inflows into biotechnology are also reviving, and against the backdrop of geopolitical challenges, interest in defense technologies—ranging from drones and cybersecurity to dual-use robotics—is growing, with active support from the government and major investors. This expansion of sector focus is making the startup ecosystem more resilient, reducing the venture market's dependence on a single dominating trend.
In January 2026, several new "unicorns" (startups valued over $1 billion) emerged in Europe and other regions, signaling that venture investors' appetite is returning even beyond traditional tech hubs.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Building Up Key Players
High company valuations and fierce market competition are driving the startup ecosystem towards consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are once again coming to the forefront, reshaping the balance of power in the industry. For instance, Google is advancing a record deal to acquire Israeli cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz for $32 billion—one of the largest startup purchases in history. Such mega-deals indicate that even industry leaders are willing to spend tens of billions to stay ahead in the tech race.
The current activity in the acquisition and major venture deals reflects the maturation of the industry. Mature startups are either merging with one another or becoming targets for acquisition by corporations, while funds are gaining opportunities for overdue profitable exits. Consolidation enhances the ecosystem's efficiency, allowing companies to pool resources for accelerated growth and global reach. Recently, Apple confirmed this trend by announcing the acquisition of Israeli AI startup Q.ai for approximately $1.6 billion. This deal will strengthen Apple’s position in the AI sphere for wearable devices and confirms the tech giants' pursuit of innovative companies to enhance their products.
Russia and CIS: The Local Market in the Context of Global Trends
Despite external limitations, the venture market in Russia and the CIS continues to develop. New funds and corporate accelerators are being launched with the participation of banks and large companies. Development institutions (such as the Skolkovo Fund) are offering grants, tax breaks, and co-investment programs, partially offsetting the outflow of Western capital. Local investors and funds are increasingly focusing on the domestic market and partners from friendly countries in the Middle East and Asia, filling the niche left by departed players.
A notable example is the Krasnodar foodtech startup Qummy, which attracted around 440 million rubles in investments with a valuation of ~2.4 billion rubles and aims for an IPO in the coming years. At the same time, several large banks and investment companies are launching their own venture funds of approximately 10–12 billion rubles to support tech projects. In 2025, authorities officially permitted the return of foreign capital from "friendly" nations into deals with Russian startups, potentially opening doors for new investments. Although the absolute volumes of venture investments in the region remain modest for now, they are gradually increasing. Local investors are betting on projects in the areas of artificial intelligence, import substitution, cybersecurity, and B2B services. The regional startup ecosystem is striving to leverage the global upswing to lay the foundations for future growth, even if achieving this requires more time and internal support.
Conclusions: Moderate Optimism and Focus on Quality Growth
As of early 2026, sentiments within the venture industry remain cautiously optimistic. Successful IPOs and large funding rounds demonstrate that the bottom of the downturn has been reached, and the market is once again on an upward trajectory. However, investors are still careful and prefer startups with sustainable business models and clear paths to profitability. The substantial influx of capital instills confidence in continued growth, but funds are placing particular emphasis on diversification and risk management. The primary priority becomes the quality of this growth: market participants are focusing on the long-term sustainability of startups and prudent returns on investments, ensuring that the new upturn does not result in overheating. The venture market is entering a new phase of development with measured optimism, emphasizing a balanced approach and sustainable innovation. Consequently, 2026 opens wide windows of opportunity for new investments in startups—primarily in teams that combine technological advantages, clear monetization strategies, and disciplined execution.
