This is a weekly feature that runs down the week鈥檚 top 10 announced funding rounds in the U.S. Check out last week鈥檚 biggest funding deal roundup here.

Busy week, big checks, lots of AI and robotics. That, in ultra-brief synopsis form, characterized the general startup fundraising environment this week. Notably, the two largest global rounds were U.K.-based and Paris-based , which raised $2 billion and $1.03 billion, respectively.

In the U.S., meanwhile, e-commerce platform , AI networking developer and industrial automation startup each picked up $500 million.

1. (tied) , $500M, e-commerce: Quince, an online fashion and home goods retailer with an affordable luxury theme, said it secured $500 million in Series E financing led by . The round sets a $10.1 billion post-money valuation for the 8-year-old, San Francisco-based company.

1. (tied) , $500M, AI infrastructure: AI networking startup Nexthop AI raised $500 million in Series B funding led by , with joining as a major investor alongside other backers. The Santa Clara, California-based company develops switching technology built on open-source operating systems for AI and cloud networking.

1. (tied) , $500M, robotics: spin-out Mind Robotics closed on a $500 million Series A round, co-led by and Andreessen Horowitz. The Palo Alto, California-based company is developing an AI-enabled industrial robotics platform, with a focus on automating industrial and manufacturing tasks at scale.

4. , $450M, robotics: Palo Alto, California-based robotics startup Rhoda AI emerged from stealth with $450 million in Series A funding reportedly led by . The startup trains robots using hundreds of millions of videos to develop intelligent models for operating in complex and changing environments.

5. , $400M, AI software creation: Replit, an agentic AI software creation platform, picked up $400 million in Series D funding at a $9 billion valuation, up from $3 billion just six months ago. led the financing for the Foster City, California-based company, joined by a long list of venture and celebrity investors.

6. (tied) , $200M, AI networking: AI startup Eridu emerged from stealth with over $200 million in a newly announced Series A round led by , , , and . Saratoga, California-based Eridu develops a high-performance network switch for AI data centers.

6. (tied) , $200M, artificial intelligence: Palo Alto, California-based Axiom Math AI, a developer of AI systems that can perform automated verification of computer code, $200 million in Series A funding at a $1.6 billion valuation. led the round, joined by , , and .

8. , $165M, robotics: Sunday, a startup planning a beta launch for a household robot called Memo later this year, raised $165 million in Series B funding. led the financing, which set a $1.15 billion valuation for the Mountain View, California-based company.

9. , $125M, cybersecurity: San Jose, California-based Kai, developer of an agentic AI cybersecurity platform, announced that it secured $125 million in funding led by .

10. , $100M, procurement: Oro Labs, developer of a procurement platform for enterprise customers, raised $100 million in Series C funding. and led the financing, which the company said follows a year of 300% revenue growth.

Global financings

The week鈥檚 largest rounds went to European startups.

, $2B, AI infrastructure: Nscale, an AI infrastructure hyperscaler, secured听 $2 billion in Series C funding. and led the financing, which set a $14.6 billion valuation for the London-based company.

, $1.03B, artificial intelligence: Advanced Machine Intelligence, a startup co-founded by computer science pioneer and former AI chief , said it has raised $1.03 billion to develop 鈥渨orld models,鈥� or AI designed to learn from and interact with the physical world. The funding for the Paris-based company represents the largest seed round ever for a European startup.

Methodology

We tracked the largest announced rounds in the 附近上门 database that were raised by U.S.-based companies for the period of March 7-13. Although most announced rounds are represented in the database, there could be a small time lag as some rounds are reported late in the week.

Illustration:

This is a weekly feature that runs down the week鈥檚 top 10 announced funding rounds in the U.S. Check out last week鈥檚 biggest funding deal roundup here.

The first week of March was a relatively brisk period for large startup funding rounds, led by three deals of $500 million or more in the space tech and AI infrastructure sectors. In addition, we saw some good-sized deals around healthcare, neuroscience and enterprise software.

1. , $550M, space tech: Sierra Space, a space and defense tech company that designs and manufactures satellites, spacecraft and space subsystems, secured $550 million in equity funding led by . The financing sets an $8 billion valuation for the 5-year-old, Louisville, Colorado-based company.

2. (tied) , $500M, AI infrastructure: Ayar Labs, a producer of co-packaged optics for use in AI infrastructure, landed $500 million in Series E funding led by . The financing sets a $3.75 billion valuation for the 11-year-old, San Jose, California-based company.

2. (tied) , $500M, space tech: Long Beach, California-based Vast, a startup developing next-generation space stations, announced it has raised $500 million in fresh funding. The financing includes $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt, with as lead investor.

4. , $250M, care platform: Findhelp, developer of a platform to coordinate care across health systems, governments, benefits providers and other entities, secured $250 million in investment from 鈥檚 . Founded in 2010, Austin-based Findhelp describes its mission as connecting people to help and support systems.

5. , $230M, neurotech: Alameda, California-based Science Corp., a biotech startup focused on brain-computer interface technologies, announced it has closed on a $230 million Series C fundraise. , , , and were among the investors participating in the syndicated round.

6. , $180M, e-commerce: Cart.com, provider of an e-commerce platform and logistics services for brands to sell across digital channels, picked up $180 million in growth equity investment. led the financing for the Houston-based company.

7. , $150M, mental health care: Grow Therapy, a New York-based platform for providing mental health care, raised $150 million in Series D funding led by and .

8. , $105M, neuroscience: Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Cognito Therapeutics, a developer of therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, secured $105 million in Series C funding. , and led the financing.

9. , $80M, engineering software: Nominal, a self-described provider of tools for engineers to test and operate critical technology, picked up $80 million in new funding. led the financing, which set a $1 billion valuation for the Austin-based company.

10. , $65M, health software: New York-based Sage, provider of a software platform for senior living and skilled nursing, raised $65 million in Series C funding led by .

Methodology

We tracked the largest announced rounds in the 附近上门 database that were raised by U.S.-based companies for the period of Feb. 28-March 6. Although most announced rounds are represented in the database, there could be a small time lag as some rounds are reported late in the week.

Illustration:

In December alone, 23 companies joined The 附近上门 附近上门, more than doubling the count from a year ago.

The value of the unicorn board also picked up significantly in the final month of the year, with the highest-ever value accorded to a private company. That was , which vaulted to the top of the list when it was valued at $800 billion in a secondary market transaction, double its valuation from just three months earlier.

And , the seventh-most highly valued private company at $134 billion, was also valued up from its $100 billion valuation months earlier.

New unicorns in December

Of the new unicorns last month, 15 were U.S.-based, two hail from China, and six are based in Europe, including two from the U.K. and one each from Germany, France, Finland and Belgium.

Financial services, aerospace and AI led with the highest count of new companies to join.

It is worth noting that a third of these companies were more than 10 years old, with some seeing a reacceleration in their business driven by AI.

On the other end of the spectrum, the fastest to reach unicorn status in December was , which raised its seed round at a $4.5 billion value.

Here are December’s 23 newly minted unicorns.

Fintech

• Crypto-focused digital bank , co-founded by , raised a $350 million funding led by . The company was granted conditional approval by the 听 in late 2025. The 1-year-old Columbus, Ohio-based company plans to support technology businesses in AI, crypto and defense, and was valued at $4.35 billion.
• , developer of AI-driven insurance for the trucking industry, raised a $100 million Series D led by . The 5-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1.5 billion.
• , a loan provider for outdoor equipment, RVs and power sports raised a $100 million Series F led by . The funding was part equity and part secondary financing. The 11-year-old New York-based company was valued at $1.3 billion and has generated over $7.5 billion in loans.
• , a provider of co-branded credit cards and payment plans for brands to build loyalty, raised a $150 million Series D led by . The 5-year-old New York-based company was valued at $1.2 billion.

Aerospace

• , a builder of powerful satellites, raised a $250 million Series C led by . The 3-year-old Torrance, California-based company was valued at $3 billion.
• Finland-based , which operates satellites for military and commercial intelligence, raised a $175 million Series E led by . The 12-year-old company was valued at $2.8 billion.
• , a provider of satellites detecting radio frequency emissions for the U.S. government and its partners, raised a $150 million Series E led by and at a value of $1 billion. As part of the deal, the 10-year-old Herndon, Virginia-based company acquired .

AI

• , a new startup from founder that was acquired by Databricks, plans to build an energy-efficient computer for AI. The company raised a $475 million seed round led by and . The less than 1-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $4.5 billion.
• , a generative AI company for video and images, raised a $300 million Series B led by and 1. The 1-year-old Germany-based company was valued at $3.3 billion.
• , builder of AI models for molecule programming, raised a $130 million Series B led by General Catalyst and . The 1-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1.3 billion.

Energy

• Energy software provider , raised a $1 billion funding led by , with plans to separate from its parent, . The 6-year-old London-based company was valued at $8.7 billion.
• , a builder of nuclear microreactors, raised a $300 million Series D led by and . The 6-year-old El Segundo, California-based company was valued at $1.8 billion.

E-commerce

• B2B chemical and industrial materials supply chain company raised a $10 million Series B led by and . The 11-year-old Beijing-based company was valued at $2.3 billion.
• , a luxury automotive e-commerce platform, raised funding from collector from his family office . The 40-year-old Miami-based company was valued at $1.5 billion.

Marketing

• Customer relationship marketing service , which manages a CRM and communication across emails through to messaging and aided by AI, raised a $583 million private equity round led by and . The 18-year-old Paris-based company was valued at $1.2 billion.
• Synthetic AI marketing research company 听 raised a Series A led by reported to be above $50 million . The funding was raised at different valuations, giving investors access at a lower value for part of the funding. The 1-year-old New York-based company was valued at $1 billion.

DevOps

• , an IT ticketing management platform reimagined with AI, raised a $75 million Series B led by . The 1-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1 billion.
• Site reliability platform raised a Series A funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.听 The 2-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1 billion in a two-tiered round with investors getting access at a lower valuation for part of the funding.

Social media

• The social media giant TikTok spun out its , valued at $14 billion. The Bellevue, Washington-based company鈥檚 new owners Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX each own 15% of the new entity, while retains an ownership stake of 20%.

Security

• Identity security company , which manages security for individuals through to AI agents, raised a $700 million Series B led by . The 16-year-old El Segundo, California-based company was valued at $3 billion.

Defense

• Counter drone defense technology deployer raised a $210 million Series B. Investors were not disclosed.听 The 4-year-old London-based company was valued at $1.8 billion.

IoT

• , an IoT sensor technology for maintaining industrial machines, raised a $23 million funding from existing investors. The 22-year-old Belgium-based company was valued at $1.2 billion.

Healthcare

• , a medical device company targeting heart disease, raised a Series D led by and . The 6-year-old Shanghai-based company was valued at $1.1 billion.

Related 附近上门 unicorn lists:

• (1,669)
• (186)
• (115)
• (102)
• (856)
• (493)
• (225)
• (38)
• (471)

Related reading:

• Exclusive: AI Insurance Startup Nirvana Nearly Doubles Valuation To $1.5B with $100M Series D
• Exclusive: Octane Lands $100M Series F At $1.3B Valuation To Help People Finance Large Lifestyle And Recreational Purchases

Methodology

The 附近上门 附近上门 is a curated list that includes private unicorn companies with post-money valuations of $1 billion or more and is based on 附近上门 data. New companies are as they reach the $1 billion valuation mark as part of a funding round.

The unicorn board does not reflect internal company valuations 鈥� such as those set via a 409a process for employee stock options 鈥� as these differ from, and are more likely to be lower than, a priced funding round. We also do not adjust valuations based on investor writedowns, which change quarterly, as different investors will not value the same company consistently within the same quarter.

Funding to unicorn companies includes all private financings to companies that are tagged as unicorns, as well as those that have since graduated to .

Exits analyzed here only include the first time a company exits.

Please note that all funding values are given in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. 附近上门 converts foreign currencies to U.S. dollars at the prevailing spot rate from the date funding rounds, acquisitions, IPOs and other financial events are reported. Even if those events were added to 附近上门 long after the event was announced, foreign currency transactions are converted at the historic spot price.

Illustration:

While Europe鈥檚 venture investment did not grow significantly year over year, the region saw a shift to deep tech funding in 2025. Startup investment has also now maintained well above pre-COVID levels for the past three years.

Still, Europe notably has not seen the same AI-driven boost that North America has. Venture investment in North America-based companies last year soared 46% year over year, with mega rounds into AI-related companies leading the way.

Table of contents

• Quarterly uptick
• AI led for the first time
• UK leads but other countries gain
• Late stage grew in Q4
• Leading investors
• Above pre-COVID funding
• Methodology
• Glossary of funding terms

Quarterly uptick

European venture funding did gain steam in Q4, reaching $16.6 billion 鈥� up 20% quarter over quarter and 27% year over year 鈥� per 附近上门 data.

The largest rounds in Q4 were raised by London-based energy software provider , Finland-based smart ring , Paris-based customer engagement platform , Dutch online grocer , and London cloud GPU provider .

AI led for the first time

Last year, artificial intelligence was the leading sector for venture investment in Europe for the first time, with around $17.5 billion in funding to AI in 2025 compared to just over $10 billion in 2024.

Paris-based frontier lab raised the largest round in the year, close to $2 billion led by Dutch chip machine manufacturer . Other large European funding rounds raised last year in AI went to Nscale and Brevo as well as Munich-based defense manufacturer , London-based AI drug discovery , and Freiburg, Germany-based image frontier lab .

The second-largest sector in Europe in 2025 for startup investment was healthcare and biotech, with companies in the space raising around $13.4 billion.

The third-largest sector was hardware with around $10.8 billion invested. The total demonstrates Europe鈥檚 renewed focus on deep tech including investment in data centers, wearables, defense, quantum, aerospace, robotics and energy.

Financial services, once the leading sector in Europe鈥檚 venture scene, was only the fourth-largest sector for funding in 2025, with around $7.4 billion invested.

UK leads but other countries gain

The U.K., the leading country in Europe, raised around $17 billion. That represents about 29% of total European venture funding in 2025, down from a third of all funding in 2024.

Startups based in France raised $8.5 billion and Germany-based companies came in a close third with $8.4 billion. Each nation鈥檚 startups represented about 15% of funding to the continent last year.

Switzerland was the fourth-largest European country for venture investment in 2025, with $3.6 billion invested in its startups last year. The Netherlands was the fifth largest at $3.4 billion, and was followed by Spain ($2.9 billion) and Finland ($2.2 billion).

With the exception of the U.K., each of those countries raised more venture funding in 2025 than in 2024.

Late stage grew in Q4

Late-stage funding in Q4 reached the highest amount in two years. A total of $9.2 billion was invested across 87 deals, up 65% by amounts year over year.

Early-stage funding reached $5.3 billion in Q4 across more than 250 funding rounds, down 4% year over year.

Seed funding reached $2 billion in Q4 across more than 750 deals, inline with totals year over year.

Leading investors

Investors that led or co-led the largest fundings into the region鈥檚 startups last year were dominated by Europe-based venture and private equity firms. Firms that led or co-led from outside of Europe included a mix of venture or private equity firms from the U.S. or Asia.

Above pre-COVID funding

Funding in Europe did not grow significantly year over year in 2025, but was well above pre-COVID funding levels and growing in deep tech and AI. With a renewed focus on science, funding has also shifted toward cities across Europe with leading research institutes.

Methodology

The data contained in this report comes directly from 附近上门, and is based on reported data. Data is as of Jan. 4, 2026.

Note that data lags are most pronounced at the earliest stages of venture activity, with seed funding amounts increasing significantly after the end of a quarter/year.

Please note that all funding values are given in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. 附近上门 converts foreign currencies to U.S. dollars at the prevailing spot rate from the date funding rounds, acquisitions, IPOs and other financial events are reported. Even if those events were added to 附近上门 long after the event was announced, foreign currency transactions are converted at the historic spot price.

Glossary of funding terms

Seed and angel consists of seed, pre-seed and angel rounds. 附近上门 also includes venture rounds of unknown series, equity crowdfunding and convertible notes at $3 million (USD or as-converted USD equivalent) or less.

Early-stage consists of Series A and Series B rounds, as well as other round types. 附近上门 includes venture rounds of unknown series, corporate venture and other rounds above $3 million, and those less than or equal to $15 million.

Late-stage consists of Series C, Series D, Series E and later-lettered venture rounds following the 鈥淪eries [Letter]鈥� naming convention. Also included are venture rounds of unknown series, corporate venture and other rounds above $15 million. Corporate rounds are only included if a company has raised an equity funding at seed through a venture series funding round.

Technology growth is a private-equity round raised by a company that has previously raised a 鈥渧enture鈥� round. (So basically, any round from the previously defined stages.)

Illustration:

Total global funding to VC-backed financial technology startups totaled $51.8 billion for the year, per 附近上门 . That鈥檚 a fairly significant 鈥� 27% 鈥� increase from 2024鈥檚 total of $40.8 billion raised.

Unsurprisingly, the numbers are still much lower than the peak of $141.6 billion raised in 2021 and the $90.2 billion raised in 2022. But they are trending upward at least, unlike in 2024, when they fell below 2023 levels.

And, for the first time in recent years 2025 funding totals came in above pre-pandemic sums, which were $50.8 billion in 2020 and $49.3 billion in 2019.

Deal flow, however, was down 鈥� signaling fewer, but larger rounds. The year saw 3,457 deals consummated, a 23% decline from the more than 4,486 completed in 2024.

Table of contents

• Large deals
• ‘Chasing the AI-hype cycle’
• 鈥楩light to quality鈥�
• Methodology
• Glossary of funding terms

Large deals

The fact that the sector experienced an increase in funding despite a lower deal count indicates that the first half of 2025 saw a number of large rounds. Interestingly, several of the largest deals involved blockchain or crypto companies and prediction marketplaces.

• In October, trading prediction market raised $2 billion in a deal led by parent .
• In March, cryptocurrency exchange received a massive $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi-based investment firm .
• And in early December,听 New York-based announced it raised $1 billion in Series E funding at an $11 billion valuation. Crypto-focused investment firm led the financing.
• Crypto exchange in November raised $800 million at a $20 billion valuation.

Other sizeable deals that occurred during the year include U.K. payments platform 鈥檚 $500 million haul in mid-March; HR and payroll startup $450 million Series G in May; and expense management platform 鈥檚 $500 million Series E-2 at a $22.5 billion valuation in late July and $300 million raise at a $32 billion valuation in November.

鈥楥hasing the AI-hype cycle鈥�

All the VCs we spoke with said they believe 2021 and 2022 were outlier periods for venture funding. The record funding during those years were driven by 鈥渢he Covid-19 rebound and ultra-low interest rates,鈥� said , managing director at , who is based in New York and focuses on investments in the firm鈥檚 financial services sector, including financial technology.

鈥淎fter a reset, a more constructive overall market in 2025 has driven renewed investor appetite, albeit with investor selectivity around scale and quality in a world with continued uncertainty,鈥� he wrote in an email interview.

VCs appear to be just fine with funding not returning to those elevated levels.

put it this way: 2021 and early 2022 were not healthy markets for the tech or startup industry as a whole. Fintech got a disproportionate amount of capital because of the COVID “everything is going digital” craze.

鈥淭oo much money was chasing too few great founders,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here would be four to five companies building the same thing, with business models that shouldn’t have been funded in the first place, and in many cases none of them were successful because none of them got to scale.鈥�

鈥楩light to quality鈥�

Returning to the pace and exuberance of 2021, isn鈥檛 necessarily desirable or sustainable, according to 听痴笔 , who believes fintech is seeing a continued flight to quality with capital increasingly concentrating on companies with differentiated ideas, clear execution and 鈥渂ona fide traction.鈥�

Meanwhile, it has become meaningfully harder for others to raise.

鈥淭hat dynamic helps explain why total funding dollars are up even as deal volume is down,鈥� he told 附近上门 News. 鈥淚 think the level of activity we saw in 2025 is healthy. At the earliest stages 鈥� the pipeline remains very strong, particularly across AI and stablecoins. Those areas have real structural tailwinds.鈥�

Methodology

The data contained in this report comes directly from 附近上门, and is based on reported data. Data is as of Jan. 4, 2026.

Note that data lags are most pronounced at the earliest stages of venture activity, with seed funding amounts increasing significantly after the end of a quarter/year.

Please note that all funding values are given in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

附近上门 converts foreign currencies to U.S. dollars at the prevailing spot rate from the date funding rounds, acquisitions, IPOs and other financial events are reported. Even if those events were added to 附近上门 long after the event was announced, foreign currency transactions are converted at the historic spot price.

Glossary of funding terms

Seed and angel consists of seed, pre-seed and angel rounds. 附近上门 also includes venture rounds of unknown series, equity crowdfunding and convertible notes at $3 million (USD or as-converted USD equivalent) or less.

Early-stage consists of Series A and Series B rounds, as well as other round types. 附近上门 includes venture rounds of unknown series, corporate venture and other rounds above $3 million, and those less than or equal to $15 million.

Late-stage consists of Series C, Series D, Series E and later-lettered venture rounds following the 鈥淪eries [Letter]鈥� naming convention. Also included are venture rounds of unknown series, corporate venture and other rounds above $15 million. Corporate rounds are only included if a company has raised an equity funding at seed through a venture series funding round.

Technology growth is a private-equity round raised by a company that has previously raised a 鈥渧enture鈥� round. (So basically, any round from the previously defined stages.)

Related 附近上门 query:

Related reading:

• Here Are The Fintech Companies That Could Go Public In 2025
• Crypto Giant Binance Scoops Up $2B From Abu Dhabi鈥檚 MGX
• Kalshi Secures $1B To Expand Predictions Market Platform

Illustration:

After a prolonged slowdown, the IPO market is showing clearer signs of life. As our 2026 IPO outlook forecast details, improving public-market conditions, stabilizing interest rates and renewed investor appetite for growth are setting the stage for a wider reopening of the listing window.

Against that backdrop, a growing cohort of late-stage private companies now looks increasingly prepared to make the leap. Using 颁谤耻苍肠丑产补蝉别鈥檚 鈥� which evaluate factors including funding history, growth signals, investor mix and market timing 鈥� we鈥檝e curated a list of 15 companies across AI, enterprise software, fintech, space, defense, healthcare and consumer tech that could realistically go public in 2026, should market momentum continue to build.

AI and enterprise tech

: When the window is open, you make your move. That鈥檚 something IPO market timers take to heart. But while well-funded private companies are aware of this cyclicality, actually prepping and orchestrating a public debut takes the kind of prep that doesn鈥檛 always align with the perfect window. That said, AI infrastructure unicorn Crusoe Energy Systems is certainly scaling in a direction that points to a public exit, a likelihood that 附近上门 predictions affirm with a 鈥減robable鈥� rating on a listing for the Denver-based company. Crusoe closed on a in October at a valuation of more than $10 billion. With generative AI platforms currently expanding and investing at an unprecedented rate, the timing is certainly right for the kind of growth metrics IPO investors appreciate.

鈥� Joanna Glasner

: Databricks has been on our list since the end of 2021, when it missed the IPO window. 颁谤耻苍肠丑产补蝉别鈥檚 predictive tools label it a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� IPO candidate and that makes sense. The 12-year-old, San Francisco-based company is well placed to go public. As of Q3, it announced it is growing more than 55% year over year, with an over $4.8 billion revenue run rate as of its . Of that revenue, $1 billion was from its AI products. Net retention was above 140% and the company has been free cash flow positive for more than 12 months. Its valuation in recent months has soared. It was valued at $100 billion in September and in December at $134 billion in a round led by and public market investors and .

: Competition among model developers is heating up. AI lab has engaged to begin to explore an IPO, according to the . While 2026 might be too early for Anthropic to go public, another, less-known model developer could make a public-market debut this year. Cohere, co-headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, focuses on supporting sovereign and secure AI for enterprise and governments. Its customers hail from across North America, APAC and EMEA, and include , and . , its founder and CEO, spoke at a event in London expressing an interest in a public listing in the near future for the 6-year-old company, which was recently valued at $7 billion with . 附近上门 predicts it is a 鈥減robable鈥� IPO candidate.

: Design platform Canva is another strong contender to go public in 2026. The 13-year-old Sydney, Australia-based company was valued at $42 billion in its most recent funding 鈥� a share sale for employees led by public market investor . As of its August 2025 funding, Canva鈥檚 . The company, which 附近上门 bills a 鈥減robable鈥� IPO candidate, claimed 240 million monthly users designing with its tools at that time. And adding further validation of Canva鈥檚 public-market readiness, competitor went public in July 2024 at a valuation of $16.1 billion. (Although, Figma鈥檚 stock is slightly up as of mid-December but remains well below its first-day massive .) As of Q3, Figma, by comparison, has reached .

鈥� Gen茅 Teare

: Before the AI boom, quantum computing was the hot, capital-intensive tech that got VCs and technologists excited. While AI has eclipsed investor interest in quantum, the latter continues to draw big checks from investors, who see enormous potential for the technology to facilitate breakthroughs in areas ranging from drug discovery to cybersecurity and defense. At least one quantum startup is actively mulling an IPO. That鈥檚 Quantinuum, which 附近上门 labels a 鈥減robable鈥� IPO candidate. That prediction squares with other reporting, including a March 2025 that cited a source with direct knowledge of the matter saying parent company is aiming for a 2026 or 2027 listing. The Broomfield, Colorado-based startup, formed in 2021 via the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum, has raised $925 million from venture investors to date, including a $600 million -backed Series B in August at a $10 billion pre-money valuation.

鈥� Marlize van Romburgh听

Space and defense tech

: Space tech has been a strong area for venture investment of late, and with the prospect of a IPO in 2026, it鈥檚 an increasingly buzzy sector for public markets as well. Among recently funded startups in the sector, Torrance, California-based K2 Space is a standout on several fronts. For one, it鈥檚 a fundraising machine, securing more than $400 million across three rounds since 2024. That culminated in a $250 Series C led by last month at a $3 billion valuation. The company, founded in 2022, develops large, high-power satellite platforms and has secured $500 million in signed contracts across commercial and U.S. government customers. 附近上门 predicts it鈥檚 鈥減robable鈥� that the startup will IPO.

鈥� Joanna Glasner

: This one is kind of a gimme. Late last year, -led SpaceX was reported to be eyeing an IPO that would be the largest VC-backed listing of all time 鈥斕齜y about 10x 鈥� at a target valuation of $1.5 trillion. The company is already one of the most valuable private businesses in the world. Its reported IPO ambitions make a lot of sense, given the capital-intensive nature of space exploration, aforementioned investor appetite for space tech, and its revenue: an $15 billion in 2025, much of it from its fast-growing StarLink satellite internet business. Founded in 2002, SpaceX has raised nearly $12 billion in its lifetime, according to 附近上门, which pegs a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� IPO probability on the Hawthorne, California-based company. Investors include , , , and , among others.

: Venture investment into defense tech hit an all-time high last year, and no company received more money than Anduril. Of the more than $7.7 billion that flowed to defense-related startups in 2025, roughly a third went to Anduril in its $2.5 billion Series G at a $30.5 billion valuation. The startup, founded in 2017 by founder , is well-connected in the administration and has been the beneficiary of the U.S. military鈥檚 efforts to modernize its defense and war technologies, including a contract with the to supply VR/AR headsets to the . The company has raised $6.3 billion to date from investors including , the , and . The Costa Mesa, California-based company is deemed a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� IPO candidate.

鈥� Marlize van Romburgh听

Health and consumer tech

: Innovaccer, provider of AI-enabled data and intelligence platform for healthcare providers, hits a lot of the checklist items we see in pre-IPO startups. It鈥檚 been around for a while (founded in 2014), raised considerable capital, secured a big early this year, and has high-profile strategic backers including . With 1,200 employees across five global offices, San Francisco-based Innovaccer is also a fairly large operation at this point, and certainly looks scaled enough for a public market debut, all factors that contribute to its 鈥減robable鈥� IPO prediction from 附近上门.

鈥� Joanna Glasner

: Hardware-maker Nothing is taking a more unconventional path to a potential IPO. The London-based startup is working to be 鈥淚PO-ready鈥� in three years, CEO and co-founder last month. In the meantime the company is giving fans of its smartphones and other gadgets a chance to invest at a via platforms like and . 鈥淭he timing will depend on market conditions and what makes sense for the business at that point in time,鈥� Pei told the publication. 附近上门 puts a 鈥減robable鈥� prediction on an IPO for Nothing, which has reportedly posted fast growth, particularly in markets like India, the U.K. and Japan. The company has said it hit more than $1 billion in lifetime sales last year and has sold more than 7 million devices. Along with its crowdfunding campaigns, Nothing has raised more than $446 million from venture investors including and , .

鈥� Marlize van Romburgh听

Cybersecurity

: Cybersecurity has long been one of the most robust and predictable areas for venture investment. One of the faster-growing startups in the sphere is Huntress, which offers cybersecurity products for small and medium-sized businesses that don鈥檛 have the resources for a fully staffed 24/7 security team. 附近上门 pins a 鈥減robable鈥� IPO prediction on the company, and CEO has also indicated a Huntress listing is a strong possibility in coming years. on the floor of the in late October, he said that the Columbia, Maryland-based company has posted 60% year-over-year growth and is on track to hit $185 million to $190 million in revenue this year. Demand for its offerings has only increased as generative AI has aided scammers and hackers to craft more sophisticated phishing and other cyber attacks, he said. The company has raised nearly $310 million from investors to date, , including a June 2024 Series D led by , and .

: 附近上门 says it鈥檚 鈥減robable鈥� that crypto wallet startup Ledger will IPO. That鈥檚 down from a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� prediction last year, but other signs continue to point to the likelihood of an offering for the Paris-based startup, which provides a hardware wallet to secure crypto private keys. That means Ledger, founded in 2014, is well-positioned at the intersection of two currently hot industries: cybersecurity and blockchain. It has raised some $577 million from venture investors including and , per . CEO in mid-2025 that Ledger is actively thinking about a U.S. stock market debut, likely within the next three years. He reiterated that an IPO is actively under consideration in an interview with last year, adding that the company鈥檚 revenue had hit triple-digit millions in 2025 amid soaring demand for secure crypto storage devices spurred by rising hacks. Ledger secures about $100 billion worth of bitcoin for its customers, he said. Gauthier has previously said an estimated 20% of the world鈥檚 crypto assets are protected by his company鈥檚 wallets.

鈥� Marlize van Romburgh听

Fintech

: With a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� IPO prediction from 附近上门, 2026 could be the year that Plaid, a fintech company that connects bank accounts to financial applications, finally decides to go public. In April, the company sold about $575 million worth of common stock at a $6.1 billion post-money valuation. At the time, Plaid told that it would not go public in 2025, but confirmed that an IPO was a milestone the company continued 鈥渢o track towards.鈥� The startup has not revealed specifics around revenue, noting only that 2025 was a record-setting year in which revenue grew over 25%. Plaid has raised about $1.3 billion from investors such as , , , and .

: Revolut, a digital bank based in London, is a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� candidate for an initial public offering, per 附近上门 predictions. In November, it completed a secondary share sale, boosting its valuation to $75 billion. That was a 67% jump compared to the $45 billion that Revolut was valued at in August 2024 when it announced to provide liquidity to employees. Investors include , , , , 鈥檚 venture capital arm , and . Revolut has seen impressive growth since its 2015 inception. In 2025, it achieved $1 billion in annualized revenue and surpassed a 65 million customer base across 100 countries. The company likely won鈥檛 IPO until it secures its full U.K. banking license, for which it is still .

: Monzo, another U.K.-based banking platform, is also said to be eyeing an IPO in 2026 and 附近上门 pegs a 鈥渧ery likely鈥� prediction for an offering too. Timing of the IPO is so sensitive for the company now that its CEO was pushed out of the head role due to his reported attempts at a listing earlier than some directors apparently wanted. He also reportedly indicated he might leave soon after. In June, Monzo revenue of more than $1.35 billion and 鈥渁 sharp rise鈥� in annual profit. It also increased its customer base by 25% to 12.2 million in its last fiscal year. The company was valued at $5.9 billion in October 2024 after selling shares to a group of existing investors. Backers include , , , and .

鈥� Mary Ann Azevedo

An IPO prediction is never a promise. But as market conditions shift and investor appetite broadens, these companies are flashing more of the signals that tend to precede a public offering.

Methodology

颁谤耻苍肠丑产补蝉别鈥檚 utilize 附近上门 data 鈥� including funding and valuation, and milestones such as financial growth, key leadership hires, market share expansion and headcount growth 鈥� to forecast the likelihood of a private company launching an IPO, providing a probability score and its supporting evidence. Read more about 颁谤耻苍肠丑产补蝉别鈥檚 Predictions & Insights and its methodology for IPO predictions .

Related reading:

• 附近上门 Predicts: IPOs Picked Up In 2025 And The Outlook For 2026 Is Even More Optimistic听
• 附近上门 Predicts: Why Top VCs Expect More Venture Dollars, Bigger Rounds And Fewer Winners In 2026
• 附近上门 Predicts: Why The Race For Talent And Tech Could Accelerate Startup M&A In 2026
• 6 Charts That Show The Big AI Funding Trends Of 2025
• The IPO Market Is Opening Up. These 14 Companies Could Be Next.

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What is intriguing, however, is that while AI-enabled toys are gaining traction, we are simultaneously seeing renewed interest in older technologies, including analog toys and screen-free gadgets. There is also a movement toward toys that are more than mere playthings, but also models of cultural learning and identity.

While 附近上门 data shows the toy industry overall doesn’t receive much in the way of venture dollars, there are some companies in the space getting investor cash, many with an AI angle. So as we head into the holiday season, we thought it would be fun to see what funded startups in the toy space are selling this year, and some of the trends catching investor attention. (I鈥檓 of the age where I mostly got Barbies and Play-Doh, so all of these cool new toys are extra fascinating to me.)

AI-enabled

It鈥檚 no surprise that artificial intelligence has made its way into the toy industry, as it is infiltrating seemingly every industry in one way or another. While there鈥檚 still plenty of debate about the potential risks and drawbacks of AI technologies aimed at children, the AI toys market is projected to nearly triple to $6.4 billion by 2032, up from $2.2 billion in 2024, according to a recent from .

One of the funded startups marketing an AI-enabled toy for youngsters this holiday season is . In early October, the company unveiled its AI-powered conversational companion in the form of a stuffed dinosaur. According to , the new toy is designed 鈥渢o help children learn, imagine, and grow through safe, interactive play.鈥� The startup has raised $5.3 million in a seed funding round led by with participation from , and

Bondu is not cheap. The toy costs $199.99, but hey, at least it comes in four different colors. Ironically, even though the toy is powered by AI, the company is

Some of the things Bondu can do, according to its manufacturer: help kids learn by having 鈥渃onversations鈥� in which it answers questions and teaches facts and can reply back to a child in 32 languages. Parents can even use the toy to set reminders in an effort to motivate their kids to do boring tasks such as brushing their teeth.

Another startup funded this year that offers a screenless, conversational, AI-powered toy is , a San Jose, California-based maker of a companion robot for young children. The company, which has raised $4.3 million to date, likewise touts a companion that it says can help young children with language development (English, Spanish, French and Mandarin), and math and science skills.

The funded companies are examples of growing investor interest in embedding conversational AI into physical toys.

More recently, another AI-enabled startup, New York-based , managed to raise $7 million in seed funding in just two months after co-founder 鈥檚 4-year-old son asked: 鈥淐an we make our own coloring sheets?鈥�

That question prompted Whitney, an alumnus of , to join co-founder and CEO (formerly of ) to start Stickerbox, a toy company that claims it has developed the first-ever voice-powered AI creativity tool for kids.

Investors such as , , and tennis legend 鈥� wrote checks into the startup to help it grow.

The Stickerbox is pretty much like what it sounds like: A cube that prints stickers. Children deliver prompts for images with their voices. Importantly, the company says, the box doesn鈥檛 collect voice data and doesn鈥檛 have a camera.

Like many other popular techie toys these days, including the and Toniebox audio players, Stickerbox also emphasizes that while it鈥檚 tech-enabled, it鈥檚 screen free, meaning it doesn鈥檛 come with many of the

What鈥檚 old is new again

The move away from screens is another trend that鈥檚 attracting investor interest.

Case in point: In September, , which has created a landline-style WiFi telephone for children, raised $3.5 million in funding. For those of us who remember the days of phones with actual cords, there is something nostalgic about the idea behind . Essentially, the Seattle-based startup is tapping into a trend where parents want simpler, more 鈥渁nalog鈥� devices for kids so they can slowly back away from the screens and participate in more direct communication.

, , and all felt compelled to fund the company.

, managing director at Seattle-based PSL, told that he believes Tin Can is 鈥渙ne of the fastest growing and most viral businesses鈥� he鈥檚 seen in over 25 years of investing.

Personally, I love the idea of these colorful phones that are shaped like, you guessed it, oversized tin cans. Kids can actually talk to each other without a screen or via text. One might argue that kids can talk to each other with cellular phones. But to that, I argue back, cellphones still have screens.

I鈥檓 rooting for this one.

Other trends: Subscriptions and cultural ties

Two other trends we鈥檝e spotted in our perusal of funded companies in the toy space: Those that tap into cultural heritage, and subscription offerings aimed at reducing clutter.

In October, , a toy brand offering handcrafted, eco-friendly toys inspired by Indian culture and heritage, raised an undisclosed amount of funding from . The nod to promoting culture is one to be applauded.

And last but not least: We all know how easily kids can get bored with toys. They鈥檒l play with one toy for two months straight, only to discard it with not so much as a glance at it again.

A startup called has the solution for frustrated parents who are tired of seeing discarded toys strewn all over the house, cluttering up rooms and taking up space 鈥� not to mention the money wasted on toys that are only played with for a short time before their child loses interest and moves on.

Started by mother of three , 鈥嬧�婳rbit Crates is a subscription toy-rental company designed for children aged newborn to 6. The startup, according to y, 鈥渉as almost 500 toys in stock, from classic wooden toys to Bluey and princesses.鈥� The startup participated in the in October, winning the $5,000 Mark and Jamie Summer Innovation Award.

In India, a similar toy rental startup called last month raised $1 million in pre-seed funding, per 附近上门.

So if you鈥檙e struggling with shopping for kids this holiday season 鈥� whether they be your own or someone else鈥檚 鈥� hopefully this will give you some creative and fun ideas.

Related reading:

• What Startups Are Selling For The Person Who Has Everything

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While there鈥檚 no single explanation for the decline, it doesn鈥檛 help that this has been a tough area for returns. It鈥檚 a widespread trend, as we鈥檝e chronicled, affecting areas including fashion, consumer electronics and the once-burgeoning direct-to-consumer space.

All this is to say that, if one were perusing recently funded startups to find gift ideas, the options aren鈥檛 as broad as they used to be. No more $700 juicers or this holiday season.

That said, there are still intriguing options in the mix, particularly around wellness, customization and apparel. To illustrate, we used 附近上门 to assemble a list of 24 companies funded this year with products on the market, ranging from libido-lifting kits to 3-D printers. We also dig into some of the more transparent trends.

Wellness is one of the top trends

Wellness was the standout focus area this year for consumer gadgets and products startups.

This includes the most heavily funded and best-known name on the list 鈥� , maker of smart rings that track over 20 biometrics to deliver wearers personalized and timely health metrics. The starting price is around $500.

We could all use a better night鈥檚 sleep, and startups are tackling this area as well. The top fundraiser here is , which picked up a $100 million Series D in August. It sells connected bed gear that can adjust to provide optimal temperature and support.

Getting older also brings its share of wellness needs, and startups are on this too. This includes San Francisco-based , which sells anti-aging skincare products and raised a $20 million round this summer. And for menopausal or post-menopausal women, there鈥檚 a Black Friday sale at , which sells 鈥渕enopause survival,鈥� libido-lifting and healthy aging kits, along with skincare and sexual wellness products.

Customization

Personalized gifts are also a popular offering, with several recently funded startups focused on customized products.

For artistic types, offers an AI-enabled platform for designing jewelry and home decor goods. The startup then works with a team of 鈥渧erified makers鈥� to turn the design into a finished product.

On the manicure front, is mixing up custom nail polish based on customer-submitted photos. The Tennessee startup snagged a $6 million Series A in May.

For those seeking a pricey item to pre-order, meanwhile, crowdsource-backed wants to let you make your own custom creations with its personal, . One can currently pre-order a printer for $2,300.

Fashion鈥檚 still in style (somewhat)

We鈥檙e also still seeing some fashion startups raising good-sized rounds, although it鈥檚 admittedly not the most action-packed sector.

The biggest startup fundraiser in this niche for 2025 was Kim Kardashian鈥檚 . The shapewear and clothing brand closed on $225 million in a Series D this month.

, a subscription offering for luxury accessories, was another investor favorite, picking up a $62 million round this summer. It鈥檚 also running a Black Friday sale for those targeting fans of designer handbags.

Fun vs. fundable

Overall, there鈥檚 a lot of stuff to buy, even if VCs haven鈥檛 been heavy patrons of the consumer space.

This is pretty typical. As startup categories go, consumer products has always been one of the more fun ones to research. Offerings tend to be clever, quirky and nice-to-have, if not essential.

But while the category may be a startup reporter favorite, it鈥檚 not always venture investors鈥� top pick. This was apparent for 2025, as VCs poured record sums into AI deals and mostly ignored market-ready consumer products and gadget startups.

Still, I wouldn鈥檛 count this sector out. For one, while we didn鈥檛 see many market-ready consumer products unicorns, investors did put considerable cash into a number of robotics startups working on consumer products.

Bots for housework look particularly compelling. Two-year-old has raised $300 million to date to develop a robot for doing housework. And , a -backed startup building a household robot capable of doing everyday chores, introduced its first bot, , last week. Several others in the heavily funded space are working on both consumer and more specialized workplace bot offerings.

Perhaps these will be the hot holiday item in a couple years. If they work as well as early buzz hints, they might even be able to wrap themselves.

Related 附近上门 list:

Related reading:

• VCs No Longer Do DTC
• IPO Returns Show Fashion Startups Were Not Runway Ready
• Consumer Electronics Is A Bust That Never Boomed

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The number of new monthly entrants has picked up in recent months. The top 20 companies on the board have also been reshuffled and we鈥檝e seen a marked increase in new decacorn-valued companies.

Of the 20 companies that joined in October, 11 came from the U.S. China added three new unicorns and Sweden contributed two. The U.K., Germany and Ukraine each minted one new unicorn, as did India.

Among the new entrants, New York-based open model developer and Austin-based residential battery operator each raised billion-dollar rounds that valued them as unicorns for the first time.

The highest valued among the new unicorns were Reflection, which was valued at $8 billion, and San Francisco-based payments blockchain听 , valued at $5 billion.

Exits

A pair of companies from the unicorn board were acquired in October: Passwordless authentication company was acquired by , and , an IT employee experience platform was acquired by . In another October exit, data management tooling company merged with in an all-stock deal.

Three companies also went public: Silicon Valley-based travel and expense management company , Shanghai-based e-commerce software platform , and Beijing-based silicon wafer production company .

New unicorns

Here are October’s 20 newly minted unicorns across multiple sections. AI led with four companies, transportation with three, and healthcare and financial services followed, each with two companies.

AI

• Open source model developer , founded by engineers to compete against DeepSeek, raised a $2 billion Series B from among other investors. The 1-year-old New York-based company was valued at $8 billion.
• , which helps customers build AI applications, raised a $230 million Series C led by , and . The 3-year-old Redwood City, California-based company was valued at $4 billion. It says it has 10,000 customers, up 10x from July 2024.
• AI agent automation platform raised a $180 million Series C led by . The 6-year-old Berlin-based company was valued at $2.5 billion.
• , a platform for deploying AI agents, raised a $125 million Series B led by . The 3-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1.25 billion.

Transportation

• , a builder of autonomous robovans for B2B delivery, raised a $100 million Series B4 extension led by . The 4-year-old Beijing-based company was valued at $1.6 billion.
• raised its first external financing, a $281 million funding round. The 4-year-old company is a Shanghai-based subsidiary of car battery provider CATL and was valued at $1.4 billion in the deal. It鈥檚 a developer of an integrated chassis for battery and electric vehicle functions for driving.
• Self-driving trucking company raised a $100 million funding led by existing investor and quantum company . Einride builds electric big rigs, automated smaller delivery trucks for fixed routes, and a logistics platform. The 9-year-old Stockholm-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Healthcare and biotech

• , provider of a noninvasive therapy for tumors, raised a $250 million private equity round led by its new owners which include , and , as well as additional investors and . The 16-year-old Minnesota-based company was valued at $3 billion.
• In women’s health, weight loss treatment provider raised a $50 million Series A. Investors were not disclosed. The 1-year-old London-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Financial services

• , the owner of retail trading platform Dhan, raised a $120 million Series B led by . The 4-year-old India-based company was valued at $1.2 billion.
• Digital banking software developer , owner of neobank , raised a private equity round led by . The 8-year-old Kyiv, Ukraine-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Web3

• Blockchain payments provider , incubated by and , raised a $500 million Series A led by and . The less than 1-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $5 billion.

Energy

• Battery-powered home energy company raised a $1 billion Series C led by . The 2-year-old Austin-based company was valued at $4 billion.

Aerospace

• Reusable rocket manufacturer raised a $510 million Series D led by to scale manufacturing. The 6-year-old Kent, Washington-based company was valued at $2 billion.

Professional services

• 鈥檚 legal platform supports lawyers with research and legal drafting. The 2-year-old Stockholm-based legal tech company raised a $150 million Series C led by . It was valued at $1.8 billion.

E-commerce

• , which connects brands with creators for e-commerce, raised a $70 million funding led by . The 5-year-old Holden, Massachusetts-based company was valued at $1.5 billion. ShopMy says it has enabled $1 billion in sales across its platform.

Sales and marketing

• , which provides a platform for community management for homeowners associations, raised a $300 million private equity round led by . Vantaca says it serves more than 500 management companies. The 9-year-old Wilmington, North Carolina-based company was valued at $1.3 billion.

Defense tech

• Defense acquirer raised a $150 million private equity round led by . The 14-year-old Arlington, Virginia-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Beauty

• Chinese skincare brand raised a $104 million funding led by and . The 24-year-old Shanghai-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Semiconductor

• , a company planning to build a compact lithography machine to support the manufacturing of chips in the U.S. market, raised a $100 million Series A from , and among others. The 4-year-old San Francisco-based company was valued at $1 billion.

Related 附近上门 unicorn lists:

• (1,628)
• (147)
• (113)
• (102)
• (819)
• (494)
• (220)
• (38)
• (469)

Related reading:

• In The Space Of Months, AI Funding Boom Adds More Than $500B In Value To 附近上门 And Reshuffles Top 20
• Highest Count Of New Unicorns Join 附近上门 Board In Over 3 Years As Exits Also Gain Steam
• The MVPs Of The Startup World Are Still Getting More Valuable
• 颁谤耻苍肠丑产补蝉别鈥檚 Global Unicorn List Tops $6T In Value In August For The First Time Despite Slowdown
• Here Are Some Of The Newer Investors Entering The AI And Megaround Race
• These Are The Speediest Companies To Go From Series A To Series C

Methodology

The 附近上门 附近上门 is a curated list that includes private unicorn companies with post-money valuations of $1 billion or more and is based on 附近上门 data. New companies are as they reach the $1 billion valuation mark as part of a funding round.

The unicorn board does not reflect internal company valuations 鈥� such as those set via a 409a process for employee stock options 鈥� as these differ from, and are more likely to be lower than, a priced funding round. We also do not adjust valuations based on investor writedowns, which change quarterly, as different investors will not value the same company consistently within the same quarter.

Funding to unicorn companies includes all private financings to companies that are tagged as unicorns, as well as those that have since graduated to .

Exits analyzed here only include the first time a company exits.

Please note that all funding values are given in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. 附近上门 converts foreign currencies to U.S. dollars at the prevailing spot rate from the date funding rounds, acquisitions, IPOs and other financial events are reported. Even if those events were added to 附近上门 long after the event was announced, foreign currency transactions are converted at the historic spot price.

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Clarification: This story has changed since its original publication to correct an error in the Exits section.

Project Prometheus is reportedly launching with $6.2 billion in funding, partly from Bezos. The startup鈥檚 other co-CEO is , a physicist and chemist who most recently served as CEO and co-founder of biotech startup .

Bajaj is also known for his work at 鈥檚 the company鈥檚 lab dedicated to pursuing moonshot projects. Additionally, he served as co-founder of precision health tech startup .

Bezos, who stepped down from his longtime role as CEO in 2021, has long been active in funding and scaling startups. His best-known venture investment vehicle, , has participated in at least 115 known funding rounds since the mid-2000s, .

The Amazon founder is also famously associated with spacetech ambitions, most prominently through spaceflight startup . To date, the company says it has flown 80 individuals into space.

Project Prometheus, meanwhile, will reportedly be focusing on AI that will help in engineering and manufacturing in multiple fields, including computers, aerospace and automobiles, per the article. Its work could potentially provide technology that Blue Origin could use to further its goals for expanding spaceflight.

The company has already hired a team of close to 100 employees, according to the article,听 including researchers affiliated with , 鈥檚 AI efforts, and other prominent AI labs.

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