Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of 14 November 2025: SoftBank's Bet on AI, Record Mega Rounds, IPO Wave, Market Consolidation and Key Trends for Investors.
By mid-November 2025, the global venture market is demonstrating robust growth following a period of decline. Investors worldwide are once again actively funding technology startups—record deals are being struck, and IPO plans of leading companies are back on the agenda. Major players are returning to the market with large investments, while governments continue to enhance support for innovation. Consequently, private capital is increasingly boldly flowing into the startup ecosystem.
The growth of venture activity is noticeable across all regions. The USA remains the leader (especially in the artificial intelligence sector), investment volumes in the Middle East have increased significantly, and Germany leads in deal numbers in Europe, outpacing the UK. India, Southeast Asia, and countries in the Persian Gulf are attracting record capital amidst a relative slowdown in activity in China. The startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS are also striving to keep pace despite external constraints. A global venture upturn is forming at the early stage, though investors continue to act selectively and cautiously, favoring quality business models.
Below are the key events and trends defining the venture market landscape as of 14 November 2025:
- Return of Mega Funds and Big Investors. The largest venture funds are raising record amounts of capital and significantly increasing investment activity, filling the market with liquidity and boosting risk appetite.
- Record Rounds in AI and New "Unicorns." Unprecedentedly large investment rounds are driving startup valuations to unprecedented heights, especially in the artificial intelligence segment, leading to the emergence of many new "unicorns."
- Revitalization of the IPO Market. Successful debuts of tech companies on the stock exchange and new listing applications signal that the long-awaited "window" for public offerings has reopened.
- Diversification of Sector Focus. Venture investments are directed not only towards AI but also into numerous other fields—fintech, biotech, climate technologies, defense projects, and even crypto startups.
- Wave of Consolidation and M&A Deals. New major mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships are reshaping the industry landscape, creating opportunities for exits and accelerated company growth.
- Local Focus: Russia and CIS Countries. New funds and initiatives are being launched in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, attracting investors' attention despite geopolitical constraints.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are making a triumphant return to the venture arena, signaling a new surge in risk appetite. The Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, experiencing a "renaissance" thanks to its bet on artificial intelligence, has recorded a sharp increase in profits and is ready to direct released resources into new projects. Its Vision Fund is again raising billions for investments, and SoftBank is radically restructuring its portfolio—such as selling its entire stake in Nvidia for $5.8 billion to focus on building its own AI empire.
At the same time, sovereign wealth funds from the Persian Gulf are ramping up their presence: they are pouring massive funds into technological initiatives and developing state mega-projects, forming powerful tech hubs in the Middle East. Dozens of new venture funds are emerging globally, attracting significant institutional capital into high-tech sectors. Leading Silicon Valley firms have also accumulated record reserves of "dry powder"—hundreds of billions of dollars in uninvested capital—ready to deploy as market confidence grows. The return of "big money" is filling the startup market with liquidity, intensifying competition for the best deals and instilling optimism in the industry about further capital inflows.
Record Investments in AI and a New Wave of "Unicorns"
The artificial intelligence sector remains the main driver of the current venture upturn, demonstrating record levels of funding. Investors are eager to stake their positions among AI leaders, directing colossal funds toward the most promising projects. In recent months, several AI startups have secured unprecedented rounds: for instance, the company Anthropic raised around $13 billion, while the project xAI raised approximately $10 billion, setting new market benchmarks. Another example is the startup Cursor, which attracted $2.3 billion in investments at a valuation of nearly $30 billion, becoming one of the most valuable AI startups globally. Such deals, often oversubscribed due to excessive demand, highlight the frenzy surrounding AI technologies.
Notably, not only are end AI applications being funded, but also the critical infrastructure supporting them. Venture capital is flowing into the "shovels and picks" for the new era of AI—ranging from chips and cloud platforms to data storage solutions. The total volume of venture investments in AI in 2025 is estimated to exceed $120 billion, with over half of all venture capital for the year directed toward AI projects. The current boom has created a wave of new unicorns—companies valued at over $1 billion. While experts warn of the risk of market overheating, investor appetite for AI startups remains strong.
IPO Market Comes Alive: A New Wave of Public Offerings
The global IPO market is emerging from a prolonged lull and gaining momentum. In Asia, a new series of listings in Hong Kong has provided the impetus: in recent weeks, several large tech companies have successfully gone public, collectively attracting billions in investments. For example, one electronics leader raised around $5 billion in stock offerings, demonstrating that investors are once again ready to actively participate in public listings in the region.
In North America and Europe, the situation is also improving. The number of IPOs in the USA in 2025 has increased by more than 60% compared to the previous year. A number of highly valued startups have successfully debuted on the exchange: the fintech unicorn Chime saw its stock rise by 30% on the first day of trading, while the design platform Figma raised approximately $1.2 billion upon going public, achieving a market capitalization of around $20 billion. Major upcoming listings are on the horizon—including the expected IPO of payment giant Stripe and other global tech companies. Even the crypto industry is trying to take advantage of the window of opportunity: the fintech company Circle conducted a summer IPO with successful stock growth, while crypto exchange Bullish has applied for a listing with a target valuation of around $4 billion. The revival of activity in the IPO market is vital for the venture ecosystem: successful public offerings allow investors to lock in profits and redistribute capital into new startups.
Diversification of Investments: Beyond AI
In 2025, venture investments are encompassing a broader range of sectors and are no longer confined to artificial intelligence alone. Following declines in previous years, fintech has revived: large funding rounds are occurring in both the USA and Europe, as well as in emerging markets, fueling the growth of new digital financial services. At the same time, interest in climate and "green" technologies is rising: projects in renewable energy, eco-friendly materials, and agri-tech are attracting record investments amid a global trend towards sustainable development.
Appetite for biotechnology has also returned: breakthroughs—such as a new drug for obesity—have attracted $600 million in a single round, indicating a renewed investor belief in med-tech innovations. Furthermore, increased focus on safety and the geopolitical context have stimulated investments in defense technologies—in which startups in defense and aerospace systems are again receiving funding. Even the cryptocurrency market has partially regained trust: blockchain startups and Web3 infrastructure companies are beginning to attract capital after a prolonged hiatus. The expansion of sector focus makes the startup ecosystem more resilient and reduces the risks of overheating individual segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Enlarging Players
Inflated valuations of startups and intense competition for markets are pushing the industry towards consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are coming back to the forefront, reshaping the balance of power in technology. Tech giants have ramped up strategic acquisitions in a bid to secure key innovations and teams. A notable case is Google’s agreement to acquire the Israeli cloud startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion, setting a record for the Israeli tech sector. Such mega-deals demonstrate corporations' willingness to pay a premium for leadership in promising areas.
Overall, the new wave of M&A and strategic investments indicates the maturation of the market. Mature startups are increasingly merging with each other or becoming acquisition targets for larger players. For venture funds, this means the long-awaited opportunities for profitable exits. Consolidation allows companies to scale more quickly and strengthen their market positions while enabling investors to realize returns on their investments after several years of waiting.
Russia and the CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, startup activity is experiencing a revival in Russia and neighboring countries. In 2025, the Russian venture market emerged from stagnation: investment volumes nearly doubled in the first half of the year compared to the previous year, although in absolute numbers, it still lags behind global leaders. The country has announced the establishment of new venture funds with a total volume exceeding 10 billion rubles, aimed at supporting early-stage tech projects. Local startups have begun attracting significant capital: for instance, the regional foodtech project Qummy secured approximately 440 million rubles in investments at a valuation of around 2.4 billion rubles, signifying a readiness to invest in domestic projects.
Signals are also emerging for large companies in the region considering public market entries. Some corporations are contemplating IPOs of their tech divisions, anticipating improved market conditions—such as the holding VK publicly indicating the possibility of listing its IT business in the future. Additionally, authorities are taking steps to stimulate the sector: programs for grants and accelerators are expanding, and in some cases, restrictions for foreign investors are being eased, gradually rekindling overseas capital's interest in local projects. All these initiatives aim to integrate the local startup ecosystem into global trends and attract more venture investments to the region.
Cautious Optimism and Quality Growth
By mid-November 2025, moderately optimistic sentiments have strengthened in the venture market. Successful IPOs and multi-billion deals indicate that the prolonged downturn is behind us; however, investors remain cautious. Funding is concentrated on startups with sustainable business models, proven economics, and profitability potential. Significant capital inflows into AI and other sectors boost confidence in continued market growth, yet participants strive to avoid repeating past "bubble" mistakes by diversifying portfolios and tightening project selection criteria.
Thus, the venture ecosystem is entering a new development cycle that is more mature and balanced. The return of large investors and successful exits are creating foundations for a new wave of innovation, but investor discipline and prudence will define the nature of this growth. Despite an increased appetite for risky investments, the main focus remains on quality growth for startups and the long-term sustainability of the market.
