Global Startup and Venture Investment News for Saturday, January 10, 2026: Record Rounds in AI, Strategies of Major Funds, Key Deals in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Andreessen Horowitz Raises $15 Billion
American venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) announced that it has raised over $15 billion across five new funds. This marks the largest fundraising round in the firm's history and accounts for approximately 18% of all venture investments in the US for 2025. The main focus areas of the round include:
- Growth company fund: $6.75 billion;
- AI development and infrastructure: $1.7 billion;
- “American Dynamism” program (national defense): $1.176 billion;
- Medical biotechnology: $0.7 billion;
- Other investments in new segments: approximately $3 billion.
Following this record fundraising round, Andreessen Horowitz's assets exceeded $90 billion. The firm will continue to invest in mature technology companies and projects in AI, defense, and biotechnology, showcasing a global strategy that targets promising sectors.
Artificial Intelligence Continues to Set Records
By the end of 2025, the share of investments in artificial intelligence reached historic levels: AI startups attracted a total of about $150 billion, significantly surpassing the previous record set in 2021. Some of the largest deals of the year include:
- OpenAI – private funding of $40 billion (the largest round in history);
- Anthropic – $13 billion;
- xAI (Elon Musk) – $10 billion;
- Meta – acquisition of Scale AI for approximately $15 billion;
- Other AI startups (projects by Jeff Bezos, Databricks, and others) attracted $2 billion or more.
A significant portion of funds is concentrated among market leaders in AI. Experts warn that such high capital concentration increases systemic risks in the event of a slowdown in technology growth. Many companies are creating "defensive capital reserves" in preparation for a potential downturn, yet the overall funding trend remains positive.
Major Rounds: Early Days of January
The early days of January were marked by a series of significant deals across various sectors. Several notable rounds were closed in the US and Europe:
- Valinor Enterprises (US, Series A) – $54 million;
- Roc360 (US, real estate/finance) – $150 million;
- SonoThera (US, biotechnology) – $125 million;
- Cyera (US, AI cybersecurity) – $400 million (total funding ~$1.7 billion to date);
- Presto Phoenix (US, voice AI for restaurants) – $10 million;
- Pomelo Care (US, telemedicine) – $92 million;
- Protege (US, AI data platform) – $30 million;
- Idea Financial (US, fintech lending) – $20 million (EverBank loan).
Noteworthy is the return of major deals in Europe. British Octopus Energy spun off its Kraken division into an independent company valued at $8.65 billion, complemented by a round of around $1 billion from investor contributions. French Mistral AI, a leader in generative AI in Europe, is preparing for a new valuation exceeding $14 billion following a Series C round with ASML ($1.5 billion).
Asia: $2.2 Billion in Investments with a Focus on Infrastructure
In Asia, during the second week of January, investors poured over $2.2 billion into various startups, with the standout Series C round for Singapore's DayOne (data centers) raising $2 billion to expand infrastructure for growing AI and cloud demands. Major deals also took place in India and Southeast Asia:
- Arya.ag (India, agritech) – $80.3 million (Series D) to advance the food trading platform;
- Even (India, healthcare) – $20 million (undisclosed round) for expanding the clinic network;
- Pintarnya (Indonesia, HR) – $14 million (loan) for scaling the hiring platform;
- Buyandship (Hong Kong, logistics) – $12 million (Series C) with Mitsubishi Logistics;
- TakeMe2Space (India, space technology) – $5 million (Seed) for rocket development;
- Arrowhead AI (leading in Asia, voice AI) – $3 million (Seed).
These rounds highlight the growing demand for infrastructure (data centers) and specialized technologies in Asia. Investors continue to support projects in agritech, healthcare, and transportation, reflecting a diversification of interests amid the leading growth of AI projects.
European Vector: National Funds and Corporate Investors
In Europe, the venture sector is increasingly engaging state and corporate capital. France and Germany are developing extensive support programs: national investment banks like Bpifrance (portfolio > $100 billion) and HTGF are investing tens of billions in tech startups. Notable events include:
- Spin-off Kraken from Octopus Energy (UK) valued at $8.65 billion;
- Mistral AI (France) – $1.5 billion from ASML at a valuation of around €10.5 billion (≈ $11.7 billion), potentially rising to $14 billion;
- EIB & Angelini Fund (EU) – €150 million for the development of European biotech/digital health;
- Active involvement from funds such as Invitalia Ventures (Italy), Enisa (Spain), SFC Capital (UK), and others;
- Leading VC firms (Partech, Atomico, Index Ventures) are forming new funds to scale tech companies.
Thus, the European Union and private investors are fostering the creation of homegrown tech leaders (particularly in AI, climate, and biotechnology), seeking to reduce dependence on the US and China.
Key Trends and Forecasts
By the end of 2025, the global startup market showed vigorous recovery. In North America, the total volume of investments reached a record $280 billion (a 46% increase year-on-year), with around 60% of this amount attributed to AI companies. Similar trends are observed in other regions. Investors are focusing on major deals: the number of rounds has decreased by approximately 15-16%, but the share of mega-rounds has risen.
- North America: $280 billion – the highest figure in four years, primarily driven by AI investments.
- Share of AI: investors allocated more than half of the funds to companies with AI products.
- Late-stage boom: funding for late rounds surged by 75% (to $191 billion).
- Resilience: funds are placing particular emphasis on capital efficiency and the speed of achieving profitability when making decisions.
Experts predict that in 2026, investments in infrastructure and AI will remain high, and successful startups will focus on capital discipline and the quality of strategy execution.
Recommendations for Startups
In the current environment, the expert community advises startups to plan their growth with meticulous care. Key recommendations include:
- Focus on validating demand and product: demonstrate real value and a sustainable business model before scaling;
- Optimize expenditures: build a liquidity "buffer" (fortress balance sheet) in case of market volatility;
- Assemble a strong team: experienced founders and managers enhance investor confidence;
- Specialize deeply: funds value deep industry knowledge (AI, biotech, fintech, etc.) and complementary competencies.
Therefore, despite market optimism, the success of a startup in 2026 will depend on discipline, efficiency, and strategic focus.
