Startup and Venture Capital News as of February 3, 2026: Major Funding Rounds, Investments in AI and Tech Startups, VC Activity, and Key Global Market Trends.
As we head into 2026, the global venture capital market is showing a confident recovery following the downturns of recent years. In 2025, venture investment volumes surged, marking a return of private equity to the startup sector. Leading venture funds and corporations have resumed significant investments, launched new funding programs, and various governments have increased support for innovative businesses. Last year was the most successful in terms of aggregate venture investments since 2021, driven significantly by a series of massive funding rounds in the artificial intelligence sector.
Venture activity is encompassing all regions. The US retains its leadership, particularly in the AI segment, while the Middle East has dramatically increased investments in tech startups, and in Asia, the drop in investments in China is compensated by rapid growth in India and Southeast Asia. Overall, a new global venture boom is underway, although investors remain selective and cautious in their deal-making.
Below are the key events and trends shaping the venture market landscape as of February 3, 2026:
- The return of megafunds and major investors. Leading players are attracting record venture funds and increasing investments, re-injecting capital into the market.
- Record AI megaraids and new unicorns. Unprecedented investment volumes are driving startup valuations to unprecedented heights, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Revival of the IPO market. Successful public offerings by tech companies and new filings confirm that the long-awaited “window” for exits remains open.
- Diversification of industry focus. Venture capital is not only flowing into AI, but also into fintech, climate projects, biotechnology, defense technologies, and other promising sectors.
- A wave of consolidation and M&A deals. Major mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments are reshaping the industry landscape.
- Local focus: Russia and the CIS. Despite challenges, new funds and initiatives are emerging in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, increasing investor interest in domestic projects.
The Return of Megafunds: Big Money Back in the Market
For instance, SoftBank has formed a new Vision Fund totaling approximately $40 billion for investments in cutting-edge technologies, while American Andreessen Horowitz has raised a record $15 billion across a range of new funds focused on key tech areas. Sovereign funds from Middle Eastern countries have also become more active, pouring billions of dollars into tech projects and rolling out state megaprojects to develop the startup sector, crafting their own tech hubs in the region.
The influx of this "big money" increases competition for top deals while instilling confidence in the market about ongoing capital inflows.
Record Rounds and new Unicorns: AI Investment Boom
The artificial intelligence sector remains the key driver of the venture upswing seen in late 2025 and early 2026, setting new records in startup funding volumes. Investors are eager to back AI leaders, directing colossal funds into the most promising projects. For example, Elon Musk's xAI startup attracted about $30 billion in private investments (including a megaraid of around $20 billion at the start of 2026), while OpenAI secured about $40 billion at a valuation of approximately $300 billion. These rounds were heavily oversubscribed—a fact that underscores the frenzy surrounding leading AI companies.
Meanwhile, venture capital is targeting not only application products based on AI but also infrastructure solutions, such as models, data, computational power, security tools, and regulatory compliance instruments. This investment boom is giving rise to a wave of new unicorns, though experts caution about the overheating risks in this sector.
IPO Market Revives: The “Window of Opportunity” for Listings is Open
The global market for initial public offerings (IPOs) is showing robust signs of revival after a prolonged stagnation and continues to gain momentum. In Asia, the Hong Kong exchange is supporting a new wave of IPOs: in recent weeks, large tech companies there have gone public, raising billions collectively. This indicates that investors in the region are once again willing to actively partake in listings. The situation in the US and Europe is also improving, with American fintech unicorn Chime successfully debuting on the exchange, and in late 2025, the long-anticipated IPO of payment service Stripe took place. In 2026, even larger market entries are on the horizon, as leading AI startups and Elon Musk's SpaceX prepare for public listings that could become some of the largest in history. The IPO “window” remains open longer than many had predicted, and overall, the market is capable of absorbing a wave of new issuances.
The resurgence in IPO activity encompasses a wide range of companies and is crucial for the venture ecosystem. Successful public exits allow venture funds to secure profitable exits and reinvest released capital into new projects. Despite ongoing caution from investors, the extended open “window” is prompting more startups to consider going public as a viable goal.
Diversification of Investments: Fintech, Climate, and Biotech on the Rise
Following the downturn of past years, revitalization is evident in multiple sectors. Major rounds of funding are returning to fintech (not only in the US but also in Europe and emerging markets), while the global trend towards sustainability is fueling record investments in climate technology, green energy, and agritech. There is a renewed influx of capital into biotechnology, and in light of geopolitical challenges, interest in defense technologies—from drones and cybersecurity to dual-use robotics—is increasing, bolstered by strong support from the state and major investors. Such diversification is making the startup ecosystem more resilient, reducing the venture market's dependence on a single dominant trend.
In January 2026, several new unicorns (startups valued over $1 billion) emerged in Europe and other regions—signalling that venture investors' appetite is returning even beyond traditional tech hubs.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Expanding Players
High valuations for companies and intense market competition are driving the startup ecosystem towards consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are coming back into the spotlight, reshaping the power dynamics within the industry. For instance, Google is advancing a record deal to acquire Israeli cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz for $32 billion—one of the largest startup purchases in history. Such mega-deals illustrate that even industry leaders are willing to spend tens of billions to avoid falling behind in the tech race.
The current activity in the realm of acquisitions and large venture deals reflects the maturing of the industry. Mature startups are merging with each other or becoming targets for acquisition by corporations, while funds are gaining opportunities for long-awaited profitable exits. Consolidation enhances ecosystem efficiency, allowing companies to pool resources for accelerated growth and global expansion. Recently, Apple confirmed its intention to acquire the Israeli AI startup Q.ai for around $1.6 billion. This acquisition will strengthen Apple’s position in the AI space for wearable devices and reaffirms the intention of tech giants to absorb innovative companies to enhance their product offerings.
Russia and the CIS: Local Market Amid Global Trends
Despite external challenges, the venture market in Russia and the CIS continues to evolve. New funds and corporate accelerators are emerging with participation from banks and large firms. Development institutions (such as the Skolkovo Foundation) are offering grants, tax incentives, and co-investment programs, partly compensating for the outflow of Western capital. Local investors and funds are increasingly focusing on domestic markets and partners from friendly countries in the Middle East and Asia, filling the gap left by departing players.
A notable example is the Krasnodar-based foodtech startup Qummy, which raised approximately 440 million rubles at a valuation of around 2.4 billion rubles and aims for an IPO in the coming years. At the same time, several major banks and investment firms are launching their own venture funds with volumes around 10-12 billion rubles to support tech projects. In 2025, authorities officially allowed the return of foreign capital from “friendly” countries into deals with Russian startups, potentially opening doors for new investments. While the absolute volume of venture investments in the region remains modest, it is gradually increasing. Local investors are focusing on projects in AI, import substitution, cybersecurity, and B2B services. The regional startup ecosystem is eager to take advantage of the global upswing to lay the groundwork for future growth, even if that requires more time and internal support.
Conclusions: Modest Optimism and Focus on Quality Growth
As we enter 2026, sentiments in the venture industry remain cautiously optimistic. Successful IPOs and large funding rounds demonstrate that the bottom of the downturn has been surpassed, and the market is moving upward again. However, investors remain cautious and prefer startups with resilient business models and clear paths to profitability. The powerful influx of capital instills confidence in ongoing growth, but funds are paying special attention to diversification and risk management. The main priority is the quality of this growth: market participants focus on the long-term sustainability of startups and the healthy return on investments to ensure that the new upswing does not lead to overheating. The venture market is entering a new phase of development with moderate optimism, emphasizing a balanced approach and sustainable innovation growth. Ultimately, 2026 presents a wide window of opportunities for new investments in startups—particularly in teams that combine technological advantages, clear monetization strategies, and disciplined execution.
