Major Venture Market Deals on October 10, 2025: Mega-Rounds in AI, Energy, Space, Biotech, and Fintech. Global Trends and Key Investments of the Week.
The venture market is reaching new heights. Investors worldwide are actively funding startups across all segments—from artificial intelligence and energy to space, biotechnology, and fintech. In recent days, several companies have announced significant funding rounds, confirming that the appetite for innovation remains high. We bring you the key startup news and venture investments as we reach this Friday.
AI Startups Attract Record Financing
The artificial intelligence sector continues to lead in venture investments. The largest funding rounds this week have been associated with AI projects, reflecting investors' unwavering interest in AI technologies. According to industry data, nearly half of all venture capital in the third quarter of 2025 was directed towards AI startups. A recent example is the impressive funding round of Reflection AI, which is developing next-generation open AI models.
- Reflection AI (USA) — raised $2 billion (Series B) at a valuation of approximately $8 billion; the startup was founded in 2024 by former DeepMind members and aims to create an open "super-intelligent" AI platform.
- n8n (Germany) — raised $180 million (Series C) at a valuation of $2.5 billion; a no-code workflow automation platform with AI integration, enabling companies to implement AI more easily into their business processes.
These record investments confirm that the race for leadership in AI is gaining momentum. Major funds and tech giants are investing in both large-scale AI labs and practical AI solutions for businesses. The artificial intelligence segment remains a central growth driver for venture investments in 2025.
Energy Startups Secure Billion-Dollar Investments
Amid the growing demand for electricity and the shift to sustainable sources, venture investors are actively financing energy and climate startups. A landmark event was the record funding round by Base Power from Austin. This company is rolling out a network of home battery systems that allow consumers to store electricity and return excess to the grid, creating a sort of "virtual power plant." Base Power raised $1 billion in Series C funding, valuing the business at around $3 billion (pre-money). The round was led by Addition, with contributions from leading venture players, including Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed, Google CapitalG, among others. The startup is headed by Zach Dell (son of Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell), attracting additional industry attention.
The funds raised will help Base Power accelerate the construction of its first home battery manufacturing facility in Texas and expand its market presence. Investors are betting that such solutions will help alleviate power grids during peak consumption periods (considering the rapid growth in energy demand, for example, from data centers for AI) and expedite the transition to renewable energy. The billion-dollar round for Base Power marks one of the largest in climate technology history, signaling significant confidence from venture capital in energy innovations.
Space and Defense on the Venture Capital Horizon
In addition to software, investors are intensifying their financing of "heavy" technological startups in the space and defense sectors. The pursuit of technological breakthroughs and support from government clients make these sectors increasingly attractive to venture funds. This week has seen significant deals in two advanced domains: rocket building and military autonomous systems.
- Stoke Space (USA) — raised $510 million for the development of a next-generation reusable launch vehicle. The Washington-based startup is creating the Nova rocket, capable of delivering payloads to orbit and returning to Earth for reuse, which should significantly reduce launch costs. The project has garnered support not just from venture investors but also from strategic partners in government agencies (such as the U.S. Air Force and NASA).
- HavocAI (USA) — raised $85 million (Series B) to develop autonomous unmanned boats for naval purposes. The startup is developing AI systems to manage unmanned vessels intended for use in the defense sector. The round was supported by both venture funds (including B Capital Group) and strategic investors like Lockheed Martin and In-Q-Tel (the CIA's venture division), highlighting interest in dual-use technologies.
Activity in the space and defense sectors shows that venture capital is seeking opportunities in industries with high barriers to entry and long-term potential. Successful large rounds for Stoke Space and HavocAI demonstrate investors' willingness to finance projects at the intersection of private enterprise and public interest, where innovations can change the rules in strategic industries.
MedTech and Biotech Draw Investments
The biotechnology and healthtech sectors are also gaining traction. Venture investors are eager to support companies offering breakthrough treatment methods and quality-of-health improvements. Recent news highlights several significant early rounds in biomedical startups, indicating high expectations in this field.
- Nilo Therapeutics (USA) — raised $101 million (Series A) for developing new treatment methods at the intersection of neuroscience and immunology. The New York-based biotech startup is emerging from stealth mode with a technology that uses signals from the nervous system (specifically the vagus nerve) to correct immune system function. Investors in Nilo include leading specialized funds The Column Group, DCVC Bio, Lux Capital, and the Bill Gates fund, underscoring confidence in the company's scientific approach.
- Expedition Therapeutics (USA) — raised $165 million (Series A) for developing new therapeutic drugs. This San Francisco biotech startup announced it closed an oversubscribed initial funding round, making it one of the largest "Series A" rounds in the industry. The substantial investment at such an early stage indicates that venture funds are prepared to place significant bets on promising developments in medicine.
Such deals indicate rising confidence among investors in biomedicine. Large funding rounds enable promising companies to accelerate research and clinical trials. In a post-pandemic reality and with the development of technologies (genomics, neurotechnology, AI in medicine), the healthtech segment is attracting significant venture capital, laying the foundation for future innovative medicines and devices.
Fintech and Insurance: Growing Investor Interest
The financial technology sector continues to gain momentum: new services in fintech and insurtech are attracting the attention of venture funds. Startups offering new models of lending, payments, and insurance automation are securing significant funds to scale their businesses. Here are a few recent deal examples in this area:
- Yendo (USA) — $50 million (Series B); a fintech startup from Dallas that has launched the first credit card secured by a car loan. The project targets vehicle owners, allowing them to use their transportation as collateral for obtaining a credit line.
- FurtherAI (USA) — $25 million (Series A); a startup applying artificial intelligence to automate business processes in insurance. The company's goal is to simplify and accelerate insurer operations (e.g., claims processing and policy management) through digitization and machine learning.
The success of Yendo and FurtherAI shows that investors see potential in modernizing conservative financial industries. There is a growing demand for solutions that provide consumers and businesses with more flexible financial tools and enhance the efficiency of traditional services. Venture funds are ready to invest in fintech startups capable of capturing their niche in the vast financial services market.
Business Process Automation and LegalTech
Startups that help automate routine business processes and apply AI in daily company operations are also attracting venture financing. Particular attention is being paid to solutions that can increase productivity and save time for specialists in fields such as law and corporate operations. Two notable examples from recent days include projects from Canada and Germany designed to simplify the work of lawyers and developers using advanced tools:
- Spellbook (Canada) — $50 million (Series B); a LegalTech startup from Toronto utilizing generative AI to automate the drafting of legal contracts and documents. The Spellbook platform is already used by thousands of lawyers globally to expedite work with standard contracts, and the new capital will enhance the service's functionality and integrations for corporate clients.
- Quilter (USA) — $25 million (Series B); a Los Angeles startup that has developed the first solution demonstrating fully automated printed circuit board (PCB) design based on physical AI. The funds raised will help Quilter advance its platform, which uses algorithms to optimize and accelerate the development of electronic schematics, relevant for hardware R&D teams.
These investments affirm the trend toward digitalization in niche professional fields. From the legal sector to engineering, businesses are seeking tools that will allow tasks to be partially delegated to artificial intelligence and software solutions. Venture investors are supporting such B2B startups, anticipating that they will enhance the efficiency of client companies and create new value at the intersection of technology and traditional industries.
Trends and Future of the Venture Market
The cumulative picture of recent venture deals indicates a high level of activity in the startup market. Capital is flowing to projects of various profiles and geographies: from American tech giants to European and Asian newcomers. Notably, the artificial intelligence and deep tech segments remain the clear leaders in raising funds, experiencing billion-dollar rounds and forming new "unicorns."
Importantly, against the backdrop of these high-profile deals, major venture firms are also building their reserves. According to industry insiders, new mega-funds are being formed with tens of billions of dollars, primarily aimed at investing in AI and related areas. This means that startups with ambitious ideas will have access to an unprecedented pool of venture capital.
Overall, the venture market is looking positively towards the end of 2025. Investors are prepared to support both large-scale "moonshot" initiatives in technology and practical solutions for the real sector. The competition for the best deals is intensifying, company valuations are rising, and the focus is shifting towards projects capable of impacting core sectors of the economy. Current trends indicate that the era of big ideas and significant investments continues, promising promising opportunities for startups and funds in the near future.
