Techin' Geek

Bending Spoons, the tech giant from Milan that gained attention for acquiring brands like AOL and Vimeo, debuted on the Nasdaq this week, briefly surging to a market valuation exceeding $25 billion.

Though Bending Spoons’ shares have dipped slightly since, its market cap is still more than double its earlier private valuation of $11 billion, demonstrating strong investor interest in its strategy and assets, including well-known digital platforms like Meetup, Eventbrite, and WeTransfer.

The strategy employed by Bending Spoons is reminiscent of private equity, with the key distinction that it retains ownership of the brands it acquires. The goal is to enhance their financial performance — utilizing technology and AI, but also frequently employing price increases and layoffs that have sparked debate.

In an interview with TechCrunch, co-founder and chief product officer Matteo Danieli stated that part of the backlash was because products like Evernote had a devoted user base. However, he noted that customer loyalty has remained “remarkably stable” despite the various changes.

Over its 13-year journey, the user base of Bending Spoons has expanded significantly, particularly in the last few years. By March 2026, its portfolio catered to over 500 million monthly active users and over 9 million monthly paying customers, according to its filings. 

This contradicts the notion that Bending Spoons is acquiring failing companies, a narrative that entrepreneur Joe Hyrkin has contested since selling the digital publishing platform Issuu to the Italians in 2024. 

“‘Old internet brands’ is not the correct perspective,” Hyrkin stated on LinkedIn following the IPO. “They acquire products with genuine customer engagement, then integrate them into a unified system of product development, engineering, data analysis, monetization, AI, and operational efficiency.”  This approach appears effective: Bending Spoons reported $1.31 billion in revenue in 2025; however, its market cap suggests investors expect even bigger things.

How did Bending Spoons start?

The lesser-known origin story of Bending Spoons traces back to the remnants of Evertale, a Copenhagen startup that participated in Disrupt SF 2011’s Startup Alley and secured seed funding for its photo-sharing application, Wink.

Evertale quickly faltered, allowing investors to exit, but its founders along with a few employees continued collaborating, initially developing in-house applications. Eventually, the team executed its first acquisition, followed by numerous others, as CEO and co-founder Luca Ferrari disclosed in a rare appearance on the venture podcast 20VC before the firm went public.

In 2020, Bending Spoons deviated from its usual practice of not creating its own products when it developed and donated Immuni, Italy’s official COVID-19 contact-tracing app. Aside from that, it primarily focuses on a consistent strategy: identifying a successful product it believes it can enhance, and acquiring it from owners who have reached their limits.

This methodology was often at odds with traditional VC, and Bending Spoons remained self-funded for several years. However, it eventually secured equity financing multiple times, including in 2022, 2024, and 2025. Pre-IPO, it also attracted eminent backers including tech leaders Eric Schmidt, Mike Krieger, and Xavier Niel; along with celebrities like Andre Agassi, Bradley Cooper, Maluma, The Weeknd, and The Chainsmokers.

What happens after a Bending Spoons acquisition?

Post-acquisition, Bending Spoons is far from a passive proprietor, making alterations to the products’ user experience and features, as well as modifying the underlying technology; pricing strategies; and team organization, including personnel changes.

While this emphasis on efficiency and profitability overlaps with private equity tactics, Bending Spoons asserts a significant distinction: It “plans to retain indefinitely and has never sold an acquired asset.” It is cultivating a living portfolio, not presiding over a tech wasteland.

What companies has Bending Spoons acquired?

Between 2014 and 2021, Bending Spoons acquired several companies, including the AI-based photo enhancer Remini, though its most prominent acquisitions occurred more recently.

In 2022, it purchased Filmic, recognized for its widely used video and photo editing applications, and laid off the entire staff in December 2023.

Also in 2022, it announced and finalized the acquisition of Evernote, the note-taking app that had reportedly reached a $1 billion valuation before facing difficulties. Following the acquisition, layoffs ensued alongside reductions to Evernote’s free services.

Early 2024 was particularly bustling, with the acquisitions of Meetup, app creator Mosaic Group, and Hopin’s StreamYard all occurring within a short six-month span. 

In July 2024, it further acquired the publishing platform Issuu and file transfer service WeTransfer, subsequently implementing layoffs and changes to its free offering, including stricter limits. In December 2025, WeTransfer’s co-founder Nalden criticized Bending Spoons’ actions and mentioned plans to develop a new file transfer service.

In November 2024, Bending Spoons declared it would invest $233 million in an all-cash deal to take the video platform Brightcove private. Acquisitions continued in early 2025, with route planner Komoot and management software developer Harvest. 

Bending Spoons also revealed its ambition to acquire Vimeo in a $1.38 billion all-cash transaction and shortly thereafter, to purchase AOL from Yahoo for an undisclosed sum. (Note: Both AOL and Yahoo are former owners of TechCrunch, with Yahoo maintaining a minor stake.) 

In December 2025, it announced the acquisition of another notable brand: Eventbrite — for approximately $500 million, a steep decline from the company’s $1.76 billion valuation at its public offering in 2018.

The Vimeo acquisition closed in late 2025, followed by significant layoffs that impacted nearly the entire workforce, including the complete video team. The acquisitions of AOL, Eventbrite, and Tractive were also finalized in this timeframe. 

What’s next for Bending Spoons?

Four co-founders of Bending Spoons have sustained their leadership roles over the years: Matteo Danieli, Luca Ferrari, Francesco Patarnello, and Luca Querella. The IPO has rendered them billionaires, at least in terms of paper value, while allowing them to maintain control over the company with more than 80% of the voting rights.

Some of their decisions will affect employees. As per the company, it added “1,830 full-time equivalent staff members through the acquisitions of AOL, Eventbrite, and Vimeo,” but has already “separated” from many and will continue doing so. “Once the transformations of the three businesses are substantially finished later in 2026, we anticipate only a few hundred to remain.”

This reduction in workforce presumably won’t impact the number of “Spooners” — the term assigned by Bending Spoons to a select group of core team members who have undergone its rigorous hiring process. Currently, there are approximately 620, though this number hasn’t seen rapid growth: in 2025, only 286 hires were made from around 800,000 job applications.

While the core team count may not have increased significantly, productivity has surged. “Partly aided by advancements in AI, revenue per full-time equivalent Spooner increased from $1.12 million in 2023 to $2.57 million in 2025, reaching $0.97 million in Q1 2026,” the company reported. This helped it navigate the SaaS reckoning it now hopes to leverage.

“As many firms struggle to adapt, our capacity to enhance the earnings of an acquired company may become stronger,” Bending Spoons noted. Furthermore, “an atmosphere of greater uncertainty could provide opportunities for us to acquire businesses at more advantageous valuations.”

Despite viewing this as an opportune moment, Bending Spoons remains discerning in its acquisitions while casting a wide net. According to its own accounts, it identified over 2,500 acquisition prospects in 2025, conducted detailed analyses on around 200 of them, and completed six acquisitions. More are undoubtedly on the horizon — that’s the strategy.

“We have pinpointed over 1,000 digital businesses (both private and public) that could serve as appealing acquisition targets moving forward, amounting to nearly $400 billion in estimated total revenue for 2025,” Ferrari communicated in a letter on behalf of the Bending Spoons team.

The strategy remains unchanged, but the mention of take-privates highlights the company’s evolution from spending “$10,000 for our first acquisition” to now “pursuing acquisitions in the billions.” 

What follows may become even more vigorous. “As AI empowers us to achieve more with fewer personnel, the scalability of our acquisition and transformation model should enhance as well,” Ferrari anticipated.

This article was initially published in October 2025 and is periodically updated with new information.

The rise of AI has set off a wave of excitement among investors, leading to an increasing number of startups achieving unicorn valuation each month. 

Leveraging information from Crunchbase and PitchBook, TechCrunch identified the VC-supported startups that became unicorns in 2026. While the majority are related to AI, it’s noteworthy that several are targeting diverse sectors such as healthcare and a handful of crypto firms. This compilation will be refreshed throughout the year.

June

MainFunc — $2.6 billion. This enterprise provides an AI workspace dubbed Genspark. Established in 2023, the startup recently secured $485 million in Series B funding from a round led by Lg Technology Ventures, SBI Investment, and Emergency Equity Management, according to Pitchbook. The total funding raised so far stands at $645 million, with additional backers including AWS.  

May

Farther — $1.25 billion. Founded in 2019, this wealth management service last raised $150 million in Series D funding from a round spearheaded by General Atlantic, giving it a valuation of $1.25 billion,  according to Pitchbook. The startup has accumulated $273 million in investments to date, receiving funding from firms such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Lightspeed, and Khosla.  

Socket — $1 billion. This cybersecurity firm is focused on defending against harmful supply chain attacks. Founded in 2020, its latest funding round was a $60 million Series C led by Thrive Capital, as stated by Pitchbook. In total, the company has raised $124 million from sources including Aaron Levie and Andreessen Horowitz. 

EXA — $1.95 billion. This venture has developed a web engine designed for AI agents to search, crawl, and conduct research. Established in 2021, the company last secured a $250 million Series C in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz, according to Pitchbook. It has raised $360 million thus far, with other investors including Nvidia and YC.  

Radar — $1 billion: This platform focuses on inventory management and last secured $170 million in Series B funding from a round led by Nimble Partners and Gideon Strategic Partners. Founded in 2013, the startup has raised around $250 million, incorporating investments from Founders Fund and YC, as detailed by Pitchbook. 

Vi Labs — $1.64: This AI enterprise platform assists health service organizations in locating patients and optimizing operations. Founded in 2021, its most recent funding round yielded $145 million from RevelStroke Capital Partners and The Pritzker Organization, according to Pitchbook. To date, the startup has accrued approximately $275 million in funding, with backers including General Atlantic and Square Peg Capital. 

SendCutSend — $1 billion: This startup specializes in fabricating custom industrial components. Established in 2018, it recently raised $110 million in Series A funding from a round led by Paradigm and Sequoia, totaling around $123 million in funding raised to date, as reported by Pitchbook. 

MiRus — $4.41 billion: Founded in 2015, this company focuses on cardiovascular and orthopedic medical devices. It last raised a $1.5 billion late-stage round from Boston Scientific. The total funding raised so far exceeds $1 billion as per Pitchbook. 

Recursive — $4.65 billion. Established in 2025, this AI research entity secured $650 million in a Series A round led by GV and Greycroft, bringing the total raised to $650 million. Other investors include Nvidia, as stated by Pitchbook.  

Forus — $1.01 billion: Founded in 2023, this company streamlines parts of the patient care process, such as benefit verifications, appeal letters, and enrollment forms, to enhance treatment speed. It last raised $160 million in Series B funding from a round led by Accel, amassing approximately $197 million in total funding. Other contributors include Bain Capital Ventures and Thrive Capital, according to Pitchbook. 

Positron — $1.06 billion: Founded in 2024, this enterprise develops custom AI hardware for inference. It recently obtained a $234 million Series B round, funded by ARENA Private Wealth and Valor Equity Partners. The startup has raised over $310 million in total funding so far, according to Pitchbook. 

Cowboy Space — $2 billion: Established in 2023, this company aims to create a power grid in space to support AI applications on Earth. It last secured $305 million in Series B funding from a round led by Index Ventures, accumulating $355 million in funding thus far, with additional investments from Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and Draper Associates, per Pitchbook. 

Starcloud — $1.1 billion: This startup works on technology for deploying data centers in space. Founded in 2024, it raised $170 million in a Series A round led by EQT and Benchmark Opportunity Partners. So far, it has raised over $190 million with contributions from investors like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, as noted by Pitchbook. 

Advanced Manufacturing Company of America — $1.1 billion: This entity develops and produces defense and aerospace components. Founded in 2024, it last raised $300 million in Series B funding from a round led by Caffeinated Capital. Other backers include Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed, and Founders Fund, with total funding exceeding $370 million at this point, according to Pitchbook. 

Xbow — $1.32 billion: This startup, established in 2024, specializes in autonomous hacking to identify security vulnerabilities. It last raised a $155 million Series C led by Samsung Venture Investment, DFJ Growth, and Northzone Ventures, with total funding exceeding $270 million thus far, according to Pitchbook. 

Corgi — $2.6 billion: This startup provides insurance coverage for startups against liabilities related to cyber, general, and tech and AI. It was founded in 2024 and last secured a $105 million Series B1 funding round from TCV. The total funding amassed by the company stands at $374 million, including contributions from Kindred Ventures and YC, according to Pitchbook. 

Blitzy — $1.4 billion. Founded in 2023, this startup provides an AI coding tool designed for enterprise teams. Its most recent fundraising effort garnered $200 million from Northzone Ventures, with the total funding raised so far approximating $206 million, according to Pitchbook. 

April

Rogo — $2 billion: This startup, established in 2021, acts as a platform for financial institutions to manage analytical workflows. It last raised $160 million in Series D funding from a round led by Kleiner Perkins and has raised over $310 million thus far. Other investors include Tiger Global Management and Kholsa Ventures, according to Pitchbook. 

Parallel — $2 billion. Founded in 2023, this enterprise is designing a search engine for AI agents. It recently raised a $100 million Series B in a round led by Sequoia, supported by other investors like Kholsa Ventures and Kleiner Perkins. The overall funding raised to date is around $230 million, according to Pitchbook. 

Avoca — $1 billion. Founded in 2022, this startup provides AI agents to assist in customer support tasks such as inbound and outbound communications. It last secured $125 million in Series B funding led by General Catalyst and Meritech Capital Partners, increasing the total capital raised to $125 million. Other investors include Kleiner Perkins and YC, according to Pitchbook. 

Core Automation — $1 billion. Founded in 2026, this company acts as an enterprise platform that aids organizations in automating intricate business workflows. It last accumulated $100 million in seed funding backed by investors including Threshold Ventures and Scribble Ventures. The combined funding so far totals $100 million, according to Pitchbook. 

Promethus — $41 billion: Co-founded by Jeff Bezos last year, this startup is developing AI tools that automate general engineering tasks. It recently secured a $12 billion Series B funding round led by JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock, bringing total funding raised to $18.2 billion to date, according to Pitchbook.  

Omni Analytics — $1.51 billion: Founded in 2022, this company provides a business intelligence platform that addresses employee inquiries. Its most recent funding round raised $120 million in Series C funding, led by ICONOIQ Growth, accumulating around $215 million to date from other investors like Databricks and GV.  

Factory — $1.5 billion: Founded in 2023, this startup is creating self-improving software. It secured a $150 million Series C in a round led by Khosla Ventures, with other investors including Blackstone and Nvidia. To date, it has raised around $219 million in funding, as noted by Pitchbook. 

Slash — $1.4 billion: Founded in 2020, this platform offers banking and corporate financial management services, consolidating banking, payments, expense oversight, and corporate card management into one solution. It last raised a $100 million Series C from a round led by Ribbit Capital, Khosla Ventures, and Goodwater Capital. In total, it has raised around $160 million in funding to date from additional investors, including Menlo and YC, according to Pitchbook. 

Alloy Therapeutics — $1 billion: This startup utilizes AI for drug discovery and development, was founded in 2017 and last raised a $40 million Series R. Investors include Founders Fund, 8VC, and 10X Capital, and the total funding raised to date is over $170 million, according to Pitchbook. 

Applied Compute — $1.3 billion: This startup supports enterprises in using their own data to train tailored AI software and solutions. Founded in 2025, it recently raised an $80 million round led by Kleiner Perkins. Other backers include Benchmark and Sequoia, with total funding at around $160 million to date, according to Pitchbook. 

Hermeus — $1 billion. This company aims to develop high-speed unmanned aircraft. Founded in 2018, the startup secured a $350 million Series C in a round led by Khosla Ventures, with investors including Peter Thiel and Founder Fund, accumulating almost $550 million in funding to date, according to Pitchbook. 

March

Tenex.AI — $1 billion. This startup promotes itself as one of the foremost “AI-native, human-led agentic” platforms offering cybersecurity solutions. Founded in 2024, it last raised a $250 million Series B in a round led by Crosspoint Capital. It has secured $277 million in total funding from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, as per Pitchbook. 

Also — $1 billion: Founded in 2024, this company is a Rivian spinoff focusing on developing electric autonomous small vehicles for transporting people and goods. It raised a $200 million Series C in a round led by Greenoaks Capital Partners. Other investors include DoorDash and Rivian, accumulating over $300 million in funding to date, according to Pitchbook. 

Stipple Bio — $2.25 billion. This startup, established in 2022, concentrates on targeted cancer drug discovery. It last raised a $100 million Series A in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz, Nextech Invest, and RA Capital Management, according to Pitchbook. Overall, funding so far is about $121 million, with other backers including Emerson Collective and OMX.  

Nextop AI — $4.2 billion. Founded in 2024, this venture designs ethernet networking technology for AI data centers.  It recently raised a $500 million Series B from a round spearheaded by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners, totaling $610 million in funding to date, according to Pitchbook. 

ModRetro — $1 billion. Founded in 2023 by Palmer Luckey, this startup manufactures classic “retro” games akin to GameBoy but enhanced with modern technology, per Pitchbook. Its last funding round raised $195 million in Series A, with total funding reaching $217 million. Investors comprise Valor Equity Partners and Drover Ventures.  

Rhoda AI — $1.7 billion: This startup, established in 2024, specializes in developing foundational models aimed at deploying robotic systems. It last raised a $450 million Series A in a round led by Premji Invest, Mayfield Fund, Capricorn Investment Group, Khosla Ventures, and Temasek Holdings, amassing $450 million in funding to date, according to Pitchbook. 

Nominal — $2 billion. This company, established in 2022, provides a software suite designed to aid engineering teams in testing and operating hardware. It recently raised a $115 million Series B in a round led by Founders Fund and Sequoia, according to Pitchbook. Other investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners and total funding to date practices $182 million.  

Eight Sleep — $1.5 billion. Founded in 2014, this company creates tech-enabled mattresses. It last secured a $150 million Series D in a round led by Tether Investments, with total funding exceeding $309 million at this stage, according to Pitchbook. Other investors include YC, FoundersFund, and Softbank.  

Science — $1.5 billion. This startup, founded in 2021, creates brain-computer medical devices. It last raised $230 million in Series C funding in a round led by Lightspeed and Khosla, according to Pitchbook. Total funding thus far rounds to approximately $519 million, including contributions from YC.  

Axiom — $1.6 billion. Founded in 2025, this startup is constructing a platform to assist in mathematical discoveries. Its last funding round yielded $200 million in Series A funding in a round led by Menlo, according to Pitchbook. Other investors include Toyota Ventures and B Capital Group. Total funding raised to date is around $264 million. 

True Anomaly — $2.2 billion. This space defense manufacturing firm, established in 2022, last raised a $650 million Series D from a round led by Riot ventures and Eclipse Capital, according to Pitchbook. It has raised near $1 billion in funding to date, with additional investments from Accel and Menlo. 

OpenRouter — $1.3 billion. This startup, launched in 2023, has established a platform offering software termed an AI gateway that enables an AI application to leverage various LLMs, based on its specific needs. Its last funding round resulted in a $113 million Series B led by CapitalG, according to Pitchbook. Other investors in this round include Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia. The total raised to date approximates $163 million. 

Granola — $1.5 billion. This AI-driven note-taking application last raised a $125 million Series C in a round led by Index Ventures and Kleiner Perkins, according to Pitchbook. The total funding raised thus far is around $192 million, with additional backing from Sequoia and Lightspeed.  

Hark — $6 billion. Founded in 2025, this venture is developing consumer hardware devices featuring “personal intelligence” capable of conversation, listening, and memory retention. It recently raised a $700 million Series A in a round led by Parkway Venture Capital, with other investors including Nvidia and Salesforce Ventures, according to Pitchbook. The total funding raised so far is around $759 million.  

Dash0 — $1 billion. This observability platform was founded in 2023 and last secured a $110 million Series B in a round led by Balderton Capital. The funding raised to date totals approximately $154 million from other contributors, including Accel, according to Pitchbook. 

Valar Atomics — $2 billion. Founded in 2023, this atomic energy company last raised $450 million in a round led by Day One Ventures. The total funding raised so far approaches $600 million from investors affiliated with firms like Palantir and Lockheed Martin, according to Pitchbook. 

Frore Systems — $1.64 billion. This startup, founded in 2018, specializes in creating cooling solutions for chips and AI devices. It last raised a $143 million Series D in a round led by MVP Ventures, as indicated by Pitchbook. Total funding raised so far approximates $373 million, including investments from Addition and Qualcomm Ventures.  

February

Positron — $1 billion: This AI-based semiconductor startup was established in 2023 and announced a $230 million Series B in February. It’s now raised over $300 million in funding from investors like Valor Equity Partners and Jump Trading, according to PitchBook.  

Skyryse — $1.1 billion: This semi-automated flight operating system, founded in 2016, last raised a $300 million Series C. It has garnered over $540 million in funding from investors such as Autopilot Ventures, Fidelity, and Venrock, according to PitchBook.  

TRM Labs — $1 billion: This platform assists crypto businesses in detecting and preventing fraud. Founded in 2018, it last secured a $70 million Series C. It has raised approximately $219 million to date from investors like Bessemer Venture Partners and PayPal Ventures, as per PitchBook.  

Midi Health — $1 billion: This telehealth platform targeting menopausal health was established in 2021. It recently raised a $100 million Series D. It has raised over $250 million to date from investors like GV and Emerson Collective, according to PitchBook.   

Lunar Energy — $1 billion: This firm produces batteries that enable homeowners to store their own energy. Founded in 2020, Lunar Energy last secured a $102 million Series D. The total funding accumulated stands at over $230 million, coming from investors such as B Capital and Prelude Ventures, according to PitchBook.   

Bedrock Robotics — $1.8 billon: This AI-powered system allows construction machinery to operate with minimal human supervision. Established in 2024 by a former Waymo employee, it last raised a $270 million Series B. The total funding raised so far is $350 million from investors such as 8VC and Valor Equity Partners, according to PitchBook.  

Fundamental — $1.4 billion: This AI Lab that provides foundational models is tailored for analyzing extensive datasets. Founded in 2024, it last raised a $255 million Series A. The majority of funding was secured from Oak HC/FT, as per PitchBook.  

Goodfire — $1.3 billion: This company is developing tools aimed at aiding researchers in understanding AI model functionality. Founded in 2013, it last raised a $150 million Series B, according to PitchBook.   

Iterative Health — $1.4 billion: This medical research firm, focusing on the digestive system, was established in 2017 and last raised a $75 million Series C. The total funding raised so far exceeds $270 million from investors like Insight Partners and Obvious Ventures, as per PitchBook.  

Oxide — $1.6 billion: This company constructs cloud infrastructure to enable enterprises to run private clouds within their own data centers. Founded in 2019, it last raised a $200 million Series C. Funding totals over $360 million to date from the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund and Eclipse, according to PitchBook.  

Solace — $1 billion: This healthcare marketplace, established in 2022, recently raised a $130 million Series C. To date, it has secured more than $200 million in funding from various investors, including Menlo Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

Garner — $1.4 billion: This company leverages data to assist patients in finding better doctors. Founded in 2019, it last raised a $118 million Series D and has amassed $179 million in funding to date from investors like Rounders Fund and Redpoint Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

Apptronik — $5.3 billion: This humanoid robotics company was established in 2016 and last raised a $935 million Series A from investors like B Capital Group and Capital Factory. The total funding raised to date amounts to $935 million, as per PitchBook.   

Talkiatry — $1.4 billion: This startup aims to enhance accessibility of psychiatric services for both patients and providers. Founded in 2019, it last raised a $210 million Series D. The overall funding raised to date is nearly $430 million from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Left Lane Capital, according to PitchBook.  

Erebor Bank — $4 billion: Founded in 2025 by Palmer Luckey, this bank specializes in catering to crypto clients. Its most recent funding round raised $635 million from seed investors like Lux Capital, according to PitchBook.  

Render — $1.5 billion: This cloud app hosting company, optimized for AI and agent-driven applications, was founded in 2018. It last raised $100 million in a Series C1 round, having raised over $250 million in total funding to date from investors like General Catalyst and Bessemer Venture Partners, according to PitchBook. Render won the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition in 2019.  

ZaiNar — $1 billion: Launched in 2017, this company delivers wireless location tracking technology for physical assets such as vehicles and drones. It last raised a $100 million Series A, with total funding around $118 million from influencers such as SoftBank Investment Advisers and AME Cloud Ventures, as per PitchBook.  

Code Metal — $1.3 billion: This platform for AI coding assistance, founded in 2023, last raised a $125 million Series B round. The total funding raised to date exceeds $170 million from investors like Salesforce and J2 Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

Flapping Airplanes — $1.5 billion: This AI research lab was founded in 2025 and recently raised $180 million in seed funding, achieving a $1.5 billion valuation. Its funding sources include investors like Index Ventures and GV, according to PitchBook.  

Profound — $1 billion: This SEO solution is designed to assist firms in being visible in AI-driven search results. Founded in 2024, it recently secured a $96 million Series C, hitting a valuation of $1 billion. Total funding raised amounts to approximately $148 million to date from backers such as Sequoia and Lightspeed Venture Partners, as noted by PitchBook.  

Basis — $1.1 billion: Founded in 2023, this accounting automation software recently secured $100 million in Series B funding, achieving a valuation of $1.1 billion. To date, the total funding raised is over $130 million from investors like Khosla Ventures and Accel, as indicated by PitchBook.  

January

Aalyria — $1.3 billion: Founded in 2021, this AI-driven orchestration solution, spun off from Google, last raised $100 million in Series B funding, resulting in a $1.3 billion valuation. The company has secured $130 million to date, from backers like Battery Ventures and J2 Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

Gecko — $1.8 billion: This AI and robotics firm, founded in 2013, last raised $125 million in Series D funding, resulting in a valuation of $1.8 billion. It has gathered over $300 million in funds to date from investors such as Founders Fund and Cox Enterprises, according to PitchBook.  

Arena — $1.7 billion: This AI platform aids business leaders in decision-making. Founded in 2022, it last raised $150 million in Series A funding, achieving a $1.7 billion valuation. Overall, the company has raised $250 million in funding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Felicis, according to PitchBook.  

humans& — $4.5 billion: This AI research lab centers on developing AI that collaborates effectively with humans, having recently secured $480 million in seed funding led by SV Angel and Georges Harik, according to Crunchbase.

webAI — $2.5 billion: This initiative allows organizations to create their own private enterprise models. Founded in 2019, it last secured an undisclosed Series A round as per PitchBook. 

Tandem — $1 billion: This organization assists physicians in accurately processing prescriptions. Founded in 2013, it last raised a $100 million Series B, backed by investors like Accel, as indicated by PitchBook and Crunchbase.

Higgsfield — $1.3 billion: Launched in 2023, this generative AI video startup, formed by an ex-Snap executive, raised a $180 million Series A, per Crunchbase. 

Pomelo Care — $1.7 billion: Founded in 2021, this online maternity care company recently secured $92 million in Series C funding, achieving a valuation of $1.7 billion. Total funding raised to date exceeds $170 million from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and First Round Capital, according to PitchBook.  

Rain — $1.9 billion: This cryptocurrency wallet provider, established in 2021, recently raised a $250 million Series C round. It has raised $338 million in total from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners and ICONIQ Capital, according to PitchBook.  

Deepgram — $1.3 billion: This voice AI infrastructure company facilitates communication between software and humans. Founded in 2015, it last secured $143 million in Series C funding at a valuation of $1.3 billion. The total funding raised thus far exceeds $240 million, as indicated by investors like VC and Tiger Global Management, according to PitchBook. 

Alpaca — $1.1 billion: Established in 2013, this API and crypto brokerage platform recently raised $150 million in Series D funding, achieving a valuation of $1.1 billion. The total funding acquired to date surpasses $340 million from investors such as Tribe Capital and Drive Capital, according to PitchBook.  

Tulip — $1.3 billion: This platform empowers factories to monitor their operations utilizing data and insights. It recently raised $120 million in Series D funding, with total funding exceeding $270 million to date. Investors include Insight Partners, New Enterprise Associates, and Vertex Ventures US, according to PitchBook. 

Preply — $1.2 billion: This language-learning platform last raised a $150 million Series D, achieving a valuation of $1.2 billion, led by WestCap. So far, it has raised nearly $300 million, attracting investors such as Owl Ventures and Full-In Partners.  

Upscale AI — $1 billion: This infrastructure company focused on AI last raised $200 million in Series A, giving it a valuation of $1 billion. Founded in 2025, it has raised $300 million so far from backers including Tiger Global Management and Xora Innovation, according to PitchBook.  

GlossGenius — $1.1 billion: This software supports businesses in managing appointments. Established in 2015, it last raised a $44 million Series D, resulting in a valuation of $1.1 billion. Total funds raised to date stand around $115 million from investors like Bessemer Venture Partners and Imaginary Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

Recursive Intelligence — $4 billion: This startup specializing in AI-driven chip design was founded in 2025 and last raised $300 million in Series A funding, achieving a valuation of $4 billion. The total funding raised to date approaches $335 million from backers like Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital, as indicated by PitchBook.   

Varda — $1.6 billion: This company is engaged in mining raw materials from space for use on Earth. It last raised a $250 million Series D, achieving a valuation of $1.6 billion. Overall, it has raised more than $570 million to date from investors like Founders Fund, Khosla Ventures, and Lux Capital, according to PitchBook.   

PaleBlueDot AI — $1 billion: Founded in 2013, this company assists developers in managing GPU computing using AI agents and automation. It recently secured $150 million in Series B funding, giving it a $1 billion valuation. The total funding raised to date amounts to $160 million from backers including B Capital Group and Sky Arc Capital, according to PitchBook.