Global Startup and Venture Investment News for November 19, 2025: Mega-Rounds in AI, New Funds, M&A Deals, IPO Growth, and Key Trends in the Tech Market.
By mid-November 2025, the global venture market is demonstrating resilient activity. Investors around the world are once again actively financing tech startups — mega-rounds are being closed for record amounts, and IPO plans for companies are back in focus. Major tech players and venture funds are returning to the scene with large investments, as governments from various countries intensify their support for innovations. As a result, private capital continues to flow into the startup ecosystem, reflecting an increased risk appetite amid market stabilization.
An increase in venture activity is observed across all regions. The United States confidently leads (especially in the field of artificial intelligence), Europe strengthens its position through new large funds and deals, and Asia sees an uptick in investments in cutting-edge technologies bolstered by government initiatives. The Middle East is also ramping up efforts, channeling oil revenues into tech projects and developing regional tech hubs. A global venture boom is taking shape, although investors remain selective and cautious.
Below are the key events and trends shaping the venture market agenda for November 19, 2025:
- Mega-investments in AI by tech giants.
- Major funding rounds in fintech and other sectors.
- A new surge in investments in biotech and medicine.
- The return of large venture funds (mega funds) to the market.
- A wave of M&A deals and significant exits.
- The revival of the IPO market and new public listings.
- Global trends: regional shifts and cautious optimism among investors.
Mega-Investments in AI by Tech Giants
The artificial intelligence sector continues to break records in capital attraction. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced the launch of a new AI startup named Project Prometheus with a phenomenal initial funding of $6.2 billion. Bezos has personally taken on the role of co-CEO of the company, which will focus on developing "physical AI" to accelerate engineering and manufacturing processes. This unprecedented round makes Project Prometheus one of the largest startups by initial investment volume in history, underscoring the unwavering enthusiasm of investors in the AI space.
Other recent deals in the AI segment also attest to high interest in this area. Major AI startups are attracting hundreds of millions: for instance, the computer vision platform Metropolis secured $500 million in early November (valued at around $5 billion), while the cybersecurity project Armis raised $435 million in a pre-IPO round (valued at $6.1 billion). Industry analysts estimate that more than half of all venture capital invested in 2025 (approximately $193 billion since the start of the year) is allocated to artificial intelligence. Thus, AI remains a key driver of venture investments, as both large corporations and funds continue to actively invest in AI-focused projects.
Major Funding Rounds in Fintech and Other Sectors
Beyond AI, significant funds are flowing into startups in other sectors, predominantly in financial technology. For example, the American fintech platform Ramp raised $300 million in November in a new funding round, valuing the company at $32 billion. This round propelled Ramp into the ranks of the most valuable private fintech startups globally and reaffirmed investors' readiness to support successful business models, even in a more selective market. Ramp's success in providing corporate clients with innovative expense management and payment solutions demonstrates that demand for efficient fintech platforms remains strong.
Startups in telecommunications, energy, space technologies, and other areas are also receiving substantial investments. For instance, the infrastructure project Celero Communications secured $140 million for the development of optical networks in data centers, and the Japanese startup Sakana AI received $135 million for creating advanced chips and AI models for the national defense sector. These deals reflect the broad scope of venture capital—from financial services to deep tech projects—and confirm investors' willingness to invest across diverse scalable sectors.
A New Surge in Investments in Biotech and Medicine
Venture funding in biotech and healthcare is experiencing a new upswing. Biotech companies are securing large rounds to develop advanced drugs and medical technologies. For example, the British startup Artios Pharma raised $115 million in a Series D round to expand research in oncology (ATR inhibitors for cancer treatment). Capital is being directed towards supporting breakthrough scientific developments, and investors are showing heightened interest in promising drug platforms and medtech devices.
Major pharmaceutical corporations are also actively acquiring innovative biotech startups, which highlights the value of this sector for the ecosystem. A recent example is Johnson & Johnson's agreement to acquire the American biotech startup Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 billion. Such multi-billion dollar deals send a strong market signal that leading players are willing to pay a premium for promising developments in medicine. Overall, life sciences remain one of the key areas for venture investments: alongside direct financing, startups in this domain have a clear exit path through strategic deals with industry leaders.
The Return of Large Venture Funds to the Market
Venture capital is once again being saturated with large funds, indicating a restoration of trust from institutional investors. Several leading investment firms have announced the formation of so-called mega funds—funds with $1 billion or more in volume. For example, the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is establishing its third Vision Fund, focusing on AI, robotics, and other advanced technologies, with a size of around $40 billion. Sovereign funds from Gulf countries are also ramping up efforts, channeling oil revenues into tech projects and developing government mega-programs to support startups in the Middle East.
New substantial funds are emerging in both Europe and North America. For instance, European venture investor Sofinnova Partners recently closed a €650 million fund to support biotech and medtech startups—market volatility has not hindered the attraction of such significant capital. Earlier this year in the US, Emergence Capital raised $1 billion to invest in cloud services and AI startups. Besides mega funds, there is also a rise in specialized venture funds: for example, a new fund focused entirely on legaltech startups has recently been announced with $110 million. As a result, venture investors have accumulated record amounts of dry powder—hundreds of billions of dollars ready to be invested in promising projects.
A Wave of M&A Deals and Significant Exits
The market has returned to a wave of consolidation: mergers and acquisitions are once again becoming an integral part of the startup ecosystem. Corporations and late-stage investors are actively considering acquiring promising teams and technologies, creating new exit opportunities. A recent example is pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson acquiring the biotech company Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 billion, providing Halda investors with one of the largest exits of the year. The tech sector is also experiencing activity: Cisco Systems has acquired the startup EzDubs, a developer of real-time AI translation services, to integrate its solutions into its communications product line. Furthermore, the quantum company IonQ has announced plans to acquire the startup Skyloom Global to accelerate the development of quantum networking technologies.
Not all major deals proceed smoothly; in some cases, investor caution is evident. For instance, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has pulled back from a planned acquisition of the fintech startup BVNK (a stablecoin platform) valued at $2 billion, likely due to escalating regulatory risks. Nevertheless, overall M&A dynamics in 2025 indicate increased numbers and volumes of deals compared to the previous year. Strategic investments and acquisitions by major players are helping startups secure the necessary resources to scale or enter new markets, ultimately improving the venture ecosystem's health.
The Revival of the IPO Market
The initial public offering (IPO) market is experiencing a noticeable revival after the quiet years prior. In 2025, there has been a significant increase in the number of tech companies going public. In the US alone, over 300 IPOs have occurred since the beginning of the year, approximately 60% more than during the same period in 2024. Successful debuts on the stock market from several unicorns have restored investor confidence that the window of opportunity for public listings is, once again, wide open. Companies that previously postponed their IPO plans are resuming preparations for listing.
Among the most anticipated IPO candidates are several global high-tech startups, including the American fintech giant Stripe, corporate AI software developer Databricks, and neobank Chime, all of which are preparing to offer their shares to investors in the coming quarters. Internationally, there is also movement: for instance, Swedish startup Einride (developer of autonomous electric trucks) has announced plans to go public on the New York Stock Exchange through a merger with a SPAC, valuing it at approximately $1.8 billion. This indicates that the desire to access public markets is a global phenomenon—startups from Europe and Asia are also leveraging the opening IPO window to attract capital and accelerate growth.
Global Trends and Market Outlook
The confluence of recent events points to the formation of a new growth cycle in the global venture sector. Abundant funding for advanced areas (primarily AI, fintech, and biotech), combined with the emergence of large funds and improved exit conditions, creates a favorable environment for startups. Competition for leadership positions in key technological fields is intensifying: major corporations are not only actively investing in promising young companies but are also attracting the best teams and developments from the startup ecosystem.
At the same time, a certain level of caution remains. Macroeconomic factors (including high interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty) continue to prompt investors to approach new projects with caution. Capital is still allocated selectively—in favor of teams with compelling technologies and robust business models. Nevertheless, the overall sentiment remains optimistic. Many countries are expanding innovation support programs (for example, national initiatives in AI and tech startups in Asia and Europe), complementing the efforts of private capital. Thus, the global venture market is entering 2026 showing signs of tangible recovery, where high growth expectations are balanced with greater discipline and a focus on long-term value.
