Latest News in Startups and Venture Investments as of October 24, 2025: Record Deals, AI Rounds, IPO Growth, Climate Technologies, Defense Startups, and Global Market Trends.
By the end of October 2025, the global venture market shows a strong recovery after several years of decline. Investors worldwide are actively funding technology startups once again—record deals are being made, and plans for public offerings (IPOs) of companies are taking center stage. Major players are returning to the arena with significant investments, and governments in various countries are enhancing their support for innovation. As a result, private capital is flowing back into the startup ecosystem, providing resources for a renewed growth phase. According to industry analysts, the total volume of venture capital investments globally increased by nearly 40% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025—a clear indication of the rekindled appetite for risk.
Growth in venture activity is being observed across all regions. The US continues to lead (especially in the artificial intelligence segment), while investments in startups in the Middle East have doubled compared to last year. In Europe, Germany has surpassed the UK for the first time in terms of the number of venture deals. In Asia, amidst regulatory uncertainties, there remains a relative decline in China, whereas India, Southeast Asia, and Gulf countries are attracting record capital. The investment boom is reaching new frontiers: significant tech hubs are emerging in Africa and Latin America, with Africa recently seeing its largest investment of about $100 million in the electric mobility sector. The startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS countries are also striving to keep pace despite external restrictions. A global venture boom at early stages is forming, although investors continue to act selectively and cautiously.
Below are the key events and trends shaping the venture market agenda as of October 24, 2025:
- The return of mega-funds and large investors. Leading venture funds are attracting unprecedented amounts of capital and sharply increasing investments, injecting liquidity into the market and heightening risk appetite.
- Record rounds in AI and a new wave of "unicorns." Unprecedented investment sizes are inflating startup valuations to unseen heights, particularly in the artificial intelligence sector.
- Revival of the IPO market. Successful public offerings by tech companies and new applications for listings confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits has reopened.
- Investment boom in defense technologies. The geopolitical landscape is stimulating heightened interest in startups focused on defense and security, bringing them to the forefront of the venture agenda.
- Diverse industry focus. Venture capital is being directed not only to AI but also to fintech, climate projects, biotechnology, and even crypto startups.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite limitations, new funds and initiatives are being launched in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, attracting the attention of investors.
The Return of Mega-Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are returning to the venture scene, heralding a new surge in risk appetite. For example, SoftBank is launching a new Vision Fund with a volume of approximately $40 billion to invest in advanced technologies, while Andreessen Horowitz is forming funds totaling around $10 billion, focused on AI and related areas. Sovereign funds from Gulf countries are also actively pouring billions of dollars into tech initiatives in the Middle East, creating their own tech hubs. At the same time, dozens of new venture funds are being established worldwide, attracting significant institutional capital for investments in high-tech sectors.
The return of such "big money" from renowned Silicon Valley funds and global investors not only intensifies competition for the best deals but also instills confidence in the industry regarding future capital inflows. The American venture sector has amassed record reserves of uninvested capital ("dry powder")—hundreds of billions of dollars are ready to be deployed as confidence returns to the market. This influx of large funds provides liquidity to the startup market, ensuring resources for new funding rounds and supporting the growth of promising companies' valuations.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of "Unicorns"
The artificial intelligence sector is emerging as the main driver of the current venture boom, displaying unprecedented volumes of funding. Investors globally are eager to position themselves in the AI sector, directing colossal amounts of money to the most promising projects. For instance, Elon Musk's new project xAI has raised approximately $10 billion in total, and AI model developer OpenAI secured funding of about $8-9 billion at a company valuation of around $300 billion. The current investment frenzy has spawned a multitude of new "unicorns"—startups valued over $1 billion.
AI startups are achieving "unicorn" status at record speed, although some experts warn of overheating due to potentially inflated valuations. Nevertheless, the fear of missing out on a new technological revolution keeps capital flowing, and investor appetite for AI projects remains extremely high—artificial intelligence continues to be the main magnet for venture investments.
The IPO Market Springs Back: A Window of Opportunity for Exits
The global primary public offering (IPO) market is emerging from its lull and gaining traction once again. In Asia, Hong Kong has initiated a new wave of IPOs, with several large tech companies going public in recent weeks (for example, Chinese CATL raised around $5 billion), signaling a return of investor interest.
In the US and Europe, the situation is also improving. The American fintech "unicorn" Chime recently debuted on the market—its capitalization grew by about 30% on its first trading day. Shortly thereafter, design platform Figma went public, attracting roughly $1.2 billion at a valuation of around $15-20 billion; its shares also steadily rose in the initial trading days. In the second half of 2025, other well-known startups, including payment service Stripe, are preparing for public market entry.
Even the crypto industry is attempting to capitalize on the revival: fintech company Circle successfully went public in the summer, while cryptocurrency exchange Bullish has filed for a listing in the US with a target valuation of around $4 billion. The renewed activity in the IPO market is essential for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits allow funds to realize profitable exits and redirect freed-up capital into new projects.
The Boom in Defense Technologies: A New Priority for the Venture Market
Against the backdrop of geopolitical tension, the niche for defense technologies is growing rapidly. Venture investors are actively funding startups related to defense and security, and the volume of investments in this sector increased significantly in 2025, approaching record levels from previous years. New "upstarts" are challenging traditional defense giants—highlighting the example of startup Anduril, valued at around $30 billion. Major venture funds are also directing substantial resources toward national security projects, confirming a new priority for the industry.
Diversification of Investments: Not Only AI
In 2025, venture investments are spreading over an increasingly broader range of sectors and are no longer limited to artificial intelligence alone. Following last year's downturn, fintech is reviving: significant rounds are occurring not only in the US but also in Europe and emerging markets, fueling the growth of new financial services. There is also a heightened interest in climate technologies, "green" energy, and agri-tech—these areas are attracting record investments amid a global trend towards sustainable development. Furthermore, the appetite for biotechnology is returning: the emergence of breakthrough medical developments is again attracting capital as the sector emerges from a period of declining valuations. A partial recovery of confidence in the cryptocurrency market has allowed some blockchain startups to secure funding once more. Thus, the expansion of industry focus makes the startup ecosystem more resilient and reduces the risk of overheating in individual segments.
Russia and CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external limitations, there is a resurgence of startup activity in Russia and neighboring countries. Several new venture funds totaling around 10-12 billion rubles have been announced, aimed at supporting technology projects, and various local startups have already attracted hundreds of millions of rubles in investments. Additionally, foreign investment in local projects has been reinstated, gradually bringing back foreign capital. Although the volume of venture investments in the region is still modest compared to global figures, it is gradually increasing. Some companies are contemplating taking their technology divisions public as market conditions improve— for instance, VK Tech has announced potential plans for an IPO in the foreseeable future. New government support measures and corporate initiatives are designed to provide additional momentum to the local startup ecosystem and integrate it into global trends.
Cautious Optimism and Quality Growth
Overall, the venture market finishes October 2025 on an upswing. Successful IPOs and large deals confirm the end of the prolonged downturn, but investors continue to act selectively and focus on startups with sustainable business models. The new influx of capital is accompanied by diversification and increased risk management, allowing the market to transition into a phase of more qualitative, balanced growth.
