Current Startup and Venture Investment News as of November 14, 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 exhibiting robust growth following a period of decline. Investors worldwide are once again actively funding technology startups—record deals are being made, and IPO plans for leading companies are back on the agenda. Major players are returning to the market with significant investments, while governments continue to strengthen support for innovation. As a result, private capital is increasingly flowing confidently into the startup ecosystem.
The rise in venture activity is evident across all regions. The U.S. remains a leader (especially in the artificial intelligence sector), while investment volumes in the Middle East have surged dramatically, and Germany leads Europe in the number of deals, surpassing the UK. India, Southeast Asia, and Gulf countries are attracting record amounts of capital against a backdrop of relative decline in activity in China. The startup ecosystems in Russia and the CIS are also striving to keep pace despite external constraints. A global venture upswing is forming at the early stage, although investors continue to act selectively and cautiously, favoring high-quality business models.
Below are key events and trends shaping the venture market landscape as of November 14, 2025:
- Return of mega funds and large investors. Major venture funds are raising record amounts of capital and significantly increasing investment activity, injecting liquidity into the market and stimulating risk appetite.
- Record rounds in AI and new "unicorns." Unprecedentedly large investment rounds are elevating startup valuations to unseen heights, especially in the artificial intelligence segment, fostering the emergence of many new "unicorns."
- Revival of the IPO market. Successful debuts of technology companies on exchanges and new listing applications indicate that the long-awaited "window" for public exits is back open.
- Diversification of sector focus. Venture investments are flowing not only into AI but into numerous other areas—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 growth of companies.
- Local focus: Russia and CIS. New funds and initiatives are being launched in the region to develop local startup ecosystems, attracting investor attention despite geopolitical constraints.
The Return of Mega Funds: Big Money Back in the Market
The largest investment players are triumphantly returning to the venture arena, signaling a renewed appetite for risk. The Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, experiencing a "renaissance" through its bet on artificial intelligence, has reported a sharp increase in profits and is ready to direct the freed-up resources into new projects. Its Vision Fund is once again securing billions for investments, and SoftBank is radically restructuring its portfolio—for instance, selling its entire stake in Nvidia for $5.8 billion to focus on building its own AI empire.
At the same time, sovereign funds from Gulf countries are increasing their presence: they are injecting vast sums into technology initiatives and developing government mega-projects, establishing 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 be deployed 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 sector regarding 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 upswing, showcasing record financing volumes. Investors are eager to secure positions among AI leaders, directing colossal funds into the most promising projects. In recent months, several AI startups have attracted unprecedented rounds: for instance, Anthropic secured approximately $13 billion, while xAI raised around $10 billion, setting new market benchmarks. Another example is the startup Cursor, which raised $2.3 billion at a valuation of nearly $30 billion, becoming one of the most valuable AI startups in the world. Such deals, often oversubscribed with excess demand, underscore the excitement surrounding AI technologies.
Notably, not only end-user AI applications are receiving funding, but also critical infrastructure required for them. Venture capital is flowing into the "shovels and pickaxes" for the new AI era—from chips and cloud platforms to data storage solutions. Total venture investments in the AI sector are expected to exceed $120 billion in 2025, with over half of all venture capital this year directed toward artificial intelligence projects. The current boom has generated an entire wave of new unicorns—companies valued at over $1 billion. While experts warn about the risk of market overheating, the investment appetite for AI startups remains unabated.
The IPO Market Comes Alive: A New Wave of Public Listings
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 raising billions of dollars. For example, one of the electronics leaders listed shares worth around $5 billion, demonstrating that investors are once again willing to actively participate in public offerings in the region.
In North America and Europe, the situation is also improving. In the U.S., the number of IPOs in 2025 has increased by over 60% compared to the previous year. A number of highly valued startups made successful debuts on the exchange: the fintech unicorn Chime saw its stock rise by 30% on its first trading day, while design platform Figma attracted around $1.2 billion during its public offering, reaching a market capitalization of approximately $20 billion. New high-profile listings are on the horizon—among the expected candidates for IPOs are the payments giant Stripe and other global tech companies. Even the cryptocurrency industry is trying to take advantage of the opportunity window: fintech company Circle held a summer IPO with a successful stock price growth, while crypto exchange Bullish filed for a listing with a target valuation of around $4 billion. The return of activity in the IPO market is crucial for the venture ecosystem: successful public exits allow investors to realize profits and redistribute capital into new startups.
Diversification of Investments: Not Just AI
In 2025, venture investments are covering an increasingly broad range of industries and are no longer limited to just artificial intelligence. After a downturn in previous years, fintech has revived: significant funding rounds are occurring both in the U.S. and in Europe and 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 agritech are attracting record investments amidst a global trend toward sustainable development.
The appetite for biotechnology has also returned: the emergence of breakthrough developments—such as a new obesity treatment—attracted $600 million in a single round, signaling a renewed investor confidence in medical and biological innovations. Additionally, heightened attention to safety and the geopolitical landscape has stimulated investments in defense technologies—startups in defense and aerospace systems are once again receiving funding. Even the cryptocurrency market has partially restored trust: blockchain startups and Web3 infrastructure companies have begun attracting capital after a long hiatus. This diversification of sector focus makes the startup ecosystem more resilient and reduces the risks of overheating in individual segments.
Consolidation and M&A Deals: Merging Players
Inflated valuations of startups and fierce competition for markets are driving the industry toward consolidation. Major mergers and acquisitions are once again coming to the forefront, reshaping the balance of power in technology. Tech giants have ramped up their strategic acquisitions, aiming to gain key innovations and teams. A notable example is Google's agreement to acquire the Israeli cloud startup Wiz for approximately $32 billion, setting a record for the tech sector in Israel. 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 maturing of the market. Mature startups are increasingly merging with each other or becoming acquisition targets for larger players. For venture funds, this means long-awaited opportunities for profitable exits. Consolidation allows companies to scale up more rapidly and strengthen their market positions, while investors can realize returns on their investments after years of waiting.
Russia and CIS: Local Initiatives Amid Global Trends
Despite external constraints, there is a revival of startup activity 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 terms, it still lags behind global leaders. New venture funds totaling over 10 billion rubles have been announced in the country, aimed at supporting early-stage technology projects. Local startups have begun attracting significant capital: for example, the regional foodtech project Qummy raised around 440 million rubles at a valuation of about 2.4 billion rubles, reflecting the willingness to invest in domestic projects.
There are also signals for large companies in the region to go public. Some corporations are considering the IPO of their technology divisions, anticipating an improvement in market conditions—thus, the holding VK has publicly entertained the possibility of listing shares of its IT business in the future. Furthermore, authorities are taking steps to stimulate the industry: grant and accelerator programs are being expanded, and in some instances, restrictions for foreign investors are being relaxed, gradually rekindling foreign 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 solidified in the venture market. Successful IPOs and multi-billion dollar 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 profit potential. Significant capital inflows into AI and other sectors inspire confidence in further market growth, but participants strive to avoid repeating the mistakes of past "bubbles," diversifying portfolios and tightening project selection criteria.
Thus, the venture ecosystem is entering a new cycle of development, more mature and balanced. The return of large investors and successful exits lays the groundwork for a new wave of innovation, but discipline and prudence among investors will define the nature of this growth. Despite the heightened appetite for risky investments, the main focus remains on the quality growth of startups and the long-term sustainability of the market.
