Current News on Startups and Venture Investments as of October 30, 2025: Record Rounds for AI, New Venture Funds, M&A Deals, Mega Investments, and Key Market Trends. Discover Where Venture Capital is Heading Globally.
The global startup and venture investment market continues to display robust activity against the backdrop of impressive performance in the technology sector. As of Thursday, October 30, 2025, several trends are capturing the attention of venture investors: record financing volumes for AI startups, the launch of new large venture funds, and a series of multimillion-dollar investment rounds. Below, we will review the key startup news, deals, and trends shaping the current landscape of the venture market.
Record Investments in AI Startups Mitigate Bubble Concerns
Investments in artificial intelligence (AI) startups are reaching unprecedented levels. According to industry analysts, over $160 billion has been invested in AI startups since the beginning of 2025, and this figure could exceed $200 billion by year-end. Such immense capital inflows dispel previous concerns about an "AI bubble." The financial results of technology leaders confirm that valuation increases are backed by real revenues. For instance, this week, NVIDIA became the first company in history to achieve a market capitalization of over $5 trillion, underscoring that the excitement surrounding AI is substantiated by genuine commercial outcomes. Investors are increasingly confident that the current surge of interest in AI will transform into a sustainable growth cycle based on fundamental metrics rather than mere enthusiasm.
Mega Rounds Dominate, Venture Capital Concentrates
The venture market is becoming increasingly polarized: the lion's share of funds is directed toward the largest deals. According to data from Q3, nearly half (about 46%) of all global venture investments were allocated to AI companies. Moreover, nearly a third of the global investment volume for the quarter was secured by just one company—generative AI developer Anthropic, which attracted approximately $13 billion. Overall, so-called "mega rounds" (financing for startups exceeding $100 million) account for a record 60% of all venture investments worldwide (up to 70% in the U.S.). The current year is nearing the peak levels seen in 2021 regarding the total volume of large rounds. Unlike the boom period of 2021, when funds were distributed across various sectors and stages, capital is now primarily concentrated around a handful of mature AI companies. Smaller startups and traditional sectors (like cybersecurity or medtech) are receiving significantly less attention from investors.
New Venture Funds Bring "Dry Powder" to the Market
Despite selective investment approaches, new mega funds are continuing to emerge in the startup ecosystem—large investment funds ready to finance breakthrough projects. Legendary Sequoia Capital has announced the launch of two new funds totaling $950 million, aimed at early stages (including a separate $200 million fund for seed investments). The thematic focus of the funds is shifting toward future technologies: for instance, Town Hall Ventures has raised $440 million for investments in AI solutions in healthcare and improving access to medicine for underprivileged communities. These examples demonstrate that leading venture players still possess ample "dry powder"—capital reserved for promising venture investments, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and climate innovations.
Biggest Rounds of the Week: New Unicorns and Decacorns
The past week featured several impressive startup funding rounds that strengthened market confidence. Among the most notable deals:
- Crusoe (USA) – raised $1.375 billion in a Series E round, achieving a valuation of over $10 billion. The startup develops infrastructure for energy-efficient data centers tailored for AI applications and has become one of the new "decacorns" (companies valued over $10 billion).
- Redwood Materials (USA) – secured $350 million in investment (Series E round) for the expansion of battery material production and battery recycling. The capital will aid the startup in accelerating energy storage technology development, vital for the electric vehicle market and sustainable energy.
- Mercor (USA) – an AI platform for talent sourcing, closed a Series C round at $350 million, reaching a valuation of $10 billion. In just two years, the startup has grown to become a global player in recruiting experts for training neural networks, becoming one of the fastest-growing unicorns.
These deals confirm the market's readiness to support both mature and rapidly growing startups with the potential to transform industries. Notably, nearly all of the largest rounds are related to AI or adjacent fields, reflecting investors' current priorities. Traditional sectors like biotechnology or fintech remain on the radar, but the largest sums are going to leaders in the most promising directions.
OpenAI: Restructuring and Largest Valuation in Private Markets
One of the central events in the market was the completed restructuring of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and a leader among AI startups. OpenAI underwent a structural transformation: a nonprofit fund was created, controlling 26% of the voting rights, while the share of the largest stakeholder, Microsoft, was reduced to 27%. This has enhanced OpenAI's independence and increased public oversight of its operations, directing future profits toward charitable goals. Nonetheless, the company has maintained a close partnership with Microsoft while gaining greater flexibility to attract external capital. OpenAI's valuation in the private sector reached a record $500 billion, making it the most valuable private company. Management has noted that the restructuring has already simplified the process of attracting new investments—the CFO emphasized that removing previous restrictions facilitates negotiations with investors. Thus, OpenAI is strengthening its positions for further growth without going public, setting a precedent for blending commercial and non-profit goals in a major tech startup.
Mergers and Acquisitions: Consolidation in High-Tech
Amid the venture boom in the AI sector, there is also a rise in consolidation among technology players. The largest M&A deal of the week was the merger between two American chip manufacturers—Skyworks Solutions and Qorvo. The $22 billion merger will create a powerful supplier of radio frequency chips for smartphones, IoT devices, and 5G networks. The deal aims to strengthen positions against Asian competitors and optimize R&D costs, although regulatory scrutiny may be anticipated due to market concentration. This example reflects a trend: large tech firms are keen to scale up and enhance competencies through mergers, particularly in the hardware segment, which is critical for the AI industry.
Concurrently, corporations are actively collaborating with startups, investing in new directions. Defense giant Northrop Grumman announced a strategic partnership with a young space startup to develop AI-designed satellites—a reflection of how large companies seek innovation at the intersection of their own R&D and the startup ecosystem. Although the number of billion-dollar "exits" (sales of startups or IPOs) is currently limited, such deals point to existing pathways for investors and strategic players' interest in cutting-edge startup technologies.
New Trends: From Renewable Energy to Neural Interfaces
Among other trends this week is a focus on sustainability and breakthrough technologies. OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman has called on the U.S. to double investments in renewable energy (up to 100 GW of new capacity annually) to outpace China in the race for energy supremacy. This call illustrates how leaders in the AI industry emphasize the connection between technology and global challenges, stimulating support for “green” startups and infrastructure projects.
Continuing the theme of innovation, Sam Altman also participated this week as an investor and co-founder of a new startup, Merge Labs, which is working on a "thought-reading" interface. The Merge Labs project is developing a non-invasive neural interface capable of reading brain activity using ultrasound without surgical implants—contrasting with Elon Musk's Neuralink approach. The startup aims to raise up to $250 million in funding and is already considered one of the most ambitious ventures in the neurotechnology and AI space. Altman's involvement signifies venture capital's interest in a new generation of "deep" technologies at the intersection of biology and artificial intelligence.
Looking Ahead
The culmination of all these events confirms that the global startup ecosystem is on the rise, albeit with certain shifts in structure. Venture investors are actively deploying capital, especially in AI, climate technology, and biomedicine sectors. The main trend is the concentration of resources around leaders and the most promising projects capable of scaling and shaping industry development. For entrepreneurs, this means the necessity to clearly demonstrate uniqueness and growth potential to attract attention amidst the decreasing number of smaller deals. At the same time, large funds, armed with new billions, are looking for opportunities for the next "unicorn" or technological breakthrough.
As 2025 draws to a close, the venture investment market is looking forward with cautious optimism: despite uncertainties, the tech sector proves resilient. The successes of AI companies and sustained demand for innovation create a foundation for new venture triumphs. Venture investors and funds are prepared to continue financing breakthrough startups, shaping global competition for the next major success. It is evident that the narratives in startup news and the venture market are dominated by themes of artificial intelligence, climate initiatives, and advanced technologies—and this trend appears poised to continue into the coming year.
