Global Startup and Venture Capital News for Tuesday, 10 February 2026: Mega-Rounds in AI, the Return of Mega-Funds, IPO Activity, and Key Deals in the Global Venture Market.
At the start of 2026, the global venture capital market is riding a wave of confident recovery after the downturn of previous years. The year 2025 turned out to be one of the record years for startup funding (second only to the peak years of 2021-2022), signaling that the period of stagnation is behind us. Investors around the world are actively funding technology projects once again—multibillion-dollar deals are being struck, and IPO plans for promising companies are coming to the forefront. Major players are returning to the market with large sums, while governments and corporations are ramping up their support for innovation. As a result, private capital is once again flowing robustly into the startup ecosystem, fuelling growth at all stages.
The rise in venture activity is noticeable across all regions. The USA, particularly Silicon Valley, remains a leader (primarily due to the artificial intelligence sector). The Middle East has experienced a historical surge: in 2025, startups in the region attracted around $3.8 billion (+74% compared to the previous year), driven by an influx of international capital, particularly into Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In Europe, venture investments are holding steady at high levels. Emerging markets are also seeing a revival: India has already surpassed China in venture investments, while Southeast Asia and Gulf countries are experiencing growth against a backdrop of relative decline in China. Startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS are striving to keep pace, launching local funds and support programmes despite external constraints. A new global venture boom is forming, although investors continue to act selectively and cautiously, mindful of the lessons from the recent market correction.
- The return of mega-funds and large investors. Top venture players are raising record-sized funds and sharply increasing investments, saturating the market with capital and fueling risk appetite.
- Record rounds in AI and new "unicorns." Unprecedentedly large deals are pushing startup valuations to unseen heights, especially in the artificial intelligence segment.
- Increased IPO activity. Successful public offerings of technology companies and new listing applications confirm that the long-awaited "window" for exits has reopened.
- Diversification of industry focus. Venture capital is flowing not only into AI but also into fintech, environmental projects, biotechnology, defense developments, and even crypto startups.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Large mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry's landscape, creating opportunities for exits and accelerated growth.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite restrictions, new funds and initiatives are being launched in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, drawing investor attention.
The Return of Mega-Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are re-entering the venture arena—an obvious sign of a return to risk appetite. The American fund Andreessen Horowitz kicked off 2026 by announcing new funds totaling about $15 billion (including a multibillion-dollar growth fund). Lightspeed attracted approximately $9 billion by the end of 2025—another testament to the return of big money to the industry. Sovereign funds from the Gulf States are also actively ramping up their activities: they are pouring billions of dollars into technology projects and implementing large-scale programmes to develop the startup sector in the Middle East. Renowned firms from Silicon Valley have amassed unprecedented reserves of uninvested capital ("dry powder")—hundreds of billions of dollars ready for deployment as market confidence returns. The influx of "big money" is providing liquidity to the startup market, ensuring resources for new rounds and supporting the growth of promising companies' valuations. The return of mega-funds and large institutional investors not only intensifies competition for the best deals but also instills confidence in the industry regarding further capital influx.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of Unicorns
The artificial intelligence sector remains the primary driver of the current venture upswing, demonstrating record funding volumes. Investors are eager to secure positions in AI sector leaders, directing colossal amounts of capital into the most promising projects. For instance, OpenAI attracted about $40 billion in investments in 2025 (bringing the company's valuation to nearly $800 billion) and is reportedly negotiating a new round of up to $100 billion—sums previously unthinkable for a startup. Another AI developer, Anthropic, is discussing attracting up to $20 billion with an estimated valuation of around $350 billion. Notably, venture investments are directed not only towards final AI applications but also towards the infrastructure supporting them. The market is ready to finance even the "shovels and picks" for the new AI ecosystem—rumor has it that one data storage startup was negotiating a multibillion-dollar round at a very high valuation. The current investment boom is spawning a new wave of "unicorns"—companies valued at over $1 billion. While experts warn of overheating risks, investor appetite for AI startups has not yet waned.
IPO Market Gaining Momentum: A Window of Opportunity for Exits
The global market for initial public offerings (IPOs) is beginning to revive after a period of stagnation. The year 2025 proved fruitful: in the USA, 23 companies with valuations over $1 billion went public (compared to just 9 such debuts in 2024), and the total capitalization of these IPOs exceeded $125 billion, more than double the previous year. In Asia, Hong Kong sparked a new wave of listings, where several major tech companies collectively raised billions on the exchange. In the USA, for example, fintech unicorn Chime gained about 30% on its first day of trading post-IPO. The resurgence of activity in the IPO market is critical for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits allow funds to lock in profits and redirect freed-up capital into new projects. Experts anticipate that the IPO momentum will continue into 2026. Particularly promising candidates for successful listings include profitable companies capable of demonstrating growth potential through AI. Both major fintech players and outstanding AI companies are among the potential IPO candidates. If macro conditions remain favorable, 2026 may bring a new wave of notable tech IPOs.
Diversification of Investments: Not Just AI
Venture investments are now spanning an increasingly wide array of industries and are no longer confined solely to the AI sector. Following the downturn of 2022-2023, fintech is reviving: significant funding rounds are occurring not only in the USA but also in Europe and emerging markets. Global investments in fintech grew by approximately 27% year-on-year, returning to pre-COVID levels. At the same time, interest in climate and "green" technologies, as well as agritech, is ramping up—these segments are attracting record investments amidst the sustainable development trend. In biotechnology, capital is flowing back in, spurred by the emergence of new promising developments. A notable upswing is observed in security and defense projects—investors are actively funding defense technologies in light of increased attention to geopolitical and cybersecurity issues (in 2025, about $8.5 billion was invested in defense tech, more than double the previous year). A partial recovery of confidence in the cryptocurrency market has allowed some blockchain startups to attract funding again. This diversification of industry focus is making the startup ecosystem more resilient and reducing the risk of overheating in specific segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Scaling Up Players
High startup valuations and intense competition for markets are driving the industry towards consolidation. Large mergers and acquisition deals are once again taking center stage, reshaping the balance of power. For example, Google has agreed to acquire Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion— a record sum for the Israeli tech sector and one of the largest venture deals in history. These mega-deals demonstrate major tech companies’ desire to secure key technologies and talents. Overall, the uptick in M&A activity signifies market maturation. Mature startups are either merging with one another or becoming targets for acquisition by larger corporations, while venture funds are finally getting the opportunity for those long-awaited profitable exits. The revival of the IPO market further stimulates this process—examples of successful public offerings set valuation benchmarks and encourage strategic investors to acquire promising teams more boldly.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amidst Global Trends
Despite external constraints, new steps are being taken to develop the startup ecosystem in Russia and neighboring countries. In 2025-2026, a number of new venture funds with a total volume of around 10-15 billion rubles have been announced, aimed at supporting early-stage projects. The Russian Venture Company (FRII) has removed revenue thresholds and is ready to invest up to 35 million rubles at the earliest stages, filling the gap in seed capital. Some local startups have already attracted hundreds of millions of rubles from Russian investors, and authorities have again permitted foreign funds to invest in local tech companies (gradually returning overseas capital interest). Although the volume of venture investment in the region is modest compared to global levels, it is steadily growing. Major companies are also getting involved in innovation—for instance, Rosselkhozbank has launched its own venture studio to pilot agri- and fintech startups. Such initiatives should provide a new impetus for the local market and integrate it into global trends.
Overall, the venture market is entering 2026 with cautious optimism. Capital is returning to innovation, but investors are focusing particularly on quality and sustainable growth.
