Funding

European defense startup Helsing secured $1.8 billion in funding, valuing the company at $18 billion. This significant investment, backed by major financial institutions, highlights growing investor confidence in AI-driven defense technologies. Helsing, known for its advanced drones and underwater surveillance systems, aims to accelerate the integration of its AI platforms into partner nations’ defense capabilities. The company’s success reflects a broader trend of increasing private investment in next-generation defense companies.

SambaNova has secured $1 billion in new funding, valuing the AI chip startup at $11 billion amidst intense competition in the AI inference market. The investment, led by General Atlantic, will accelerate the deployment of their specialized AI server units. SambaNova focuses on efficient AI inference and on-premise solutions for enhanced data control and security, particularly for sensitive industries like finance. The company is also exploring a US IPO in 2027.

Quantum Systems has secured $1.2 billion in Series D funding, valuing the drone maker at $8 billion. This significant investment highlights the booming defense tech sector, fueled by geopolitical shifts. The capital will support production scaling, supply chain resilience, and innovation in autonomous systems and AI. The company’s successful deployment in Ukraine underscores the demand for its solutions.

Jeff Bezos’s AI venture, Prometheus, has raised $12 billion at a $41 billion valuation. Co-led by Bezos and Vik Bajaj, the company is developing AI tools to accelerate physical product design and manufacturing. Significant funding will be allocated to acquiring advanced computing power for training sophisticated AI models. Prometheus aims to tackle complex challenges in engineering, manufacturing, and drug design.

Supabase has secured $500 million in funding at a $10.5 billion valuation, doubling its worth since its last round. This substantial investment highlights strong investor confidence in AI development infrastructure, with Supabase’s PostgreSQL-based platform proving crucial for AI-assisted coding and application scaling. The company is challenging established database providers and plans to use the funds to further fuel AI development.

Anthropic has reached a $965 billion valuation following a $65 billion funding round, surpassing OpenAI. This surge is driven by the success of its AI coding assistant Claude Code and its new model, Claude Opus 4.8. The company also introduced Claude Mythos, a cybersecurity-focused AI. This significant funding positions Anthropic strongly amidst intense competition and potential IPOs from rivals.

Fintech firm Mercury has secured $200 million in Series D funding, valuing the company at $5.2 billion, a 49% increase in 14 months. Led by TCV and supported by existing investors like Sequoia Capital, Mercury serves over 300,000 startups. The company has achieved profitability for four years, with annualized revenue reaching $650 million. Mercury is also pursuing a federal banking charter to enhance its offerings and financial operations, aiming for public trading rather than acquisition.

AI startup Sierra has secured $950 million in new funding at a $15.8 billion valuation, highlighting strong investor confidence in the AI sector, particularly for customer service. Co-led by Tiger Global and Google’s GV, the round underscores Sierra’s rapid growth, exceeding $150 million in annual recurring revenue in just eight quarters. Founded by industry veterans, Sierra leverages foundational AI models with proprietary enhancements to revolutionize customer service, aiming to capture a significant share of the $400 billion global market.

Anthropic is reportedly in advanced funding talks aiming for a valuation over $90 billion, signaling an intense race with OpenAI. This move follows OpenAI’s recent $85.2 billion valuation. Anthropic, which recently unveiled advanced cybersecurity model Mythos and secured significant compute capacity from Amazon and Google, has seen its annualized revenue reach $30 billion. The substantial fundraising aims to fuel its rapid growth and AI development.

True Anomaly secured $650 million in Series C funding, valuing the space defense startup at $2.2 billion. The capital will scale operations, expand its workforce to 500, and accelerate development of advanced space interceptors. This investment highlights growing interest in commercial space defense, driven by geopolitical tensions and government initiatives. True Anomaly aims to significantly increase its manufacturing footprint and launch new products, bolstering its role in the burgeoning space interceptor market.