Prime Startup and Tech Funding Information – August 18, 2025

It’s Monday, August 18, 2025 — and we’re again with the newest wave of startup and tech funding news from the U.S. and world wide. As we speak’s capital flows spotlight surging bets on AI software program brokers, billion-dollar biotech pushes, and massive performs in photonic computing, rare-earth manufacturing, and next-gen area programs. From headline-grabbing half-billion-dollar rounds to early-stage seed bets, buyers are pouring capital into ventures reimagining every little thing from healthcare and enterprise IT to generative video and cellular gaming.

Funding Highlights

As we speak’s lineup options Cognition’s $500 million Collection C to speed up autonomous coding, Cohere’s $500 million spherical at a $6.8 billion valuation to scale enterprise AI, and Kriya Therapeutics’ $313 million elevate to advance its gene remedy pipeline. We additionally see Celestial AI pulling in $255 million to push the frontier of photonic interconnects, Decart attracting $100 million for real-time generative video, and Vulcan Parts elevating $65 million to onshore rare-earth magnet manufacturing.

Investor Exercise

The investor combine spans world powerhouses and specialised funds — from Founders Fund and Sequoia to Altimeter, Northzone, and Samsung Catalyst — reflecting conviction in platforms that reshape core industries and infrastructure. Participation from company strategics like Nvidia, AMD, and TSMC additional underscores how deeply entrenched AI and {hardware} bets have gotten in in the present day’s capital markets.

As we speak’s funding exercise affords a snapshot of the place capital is concentrating: autonomous software program growth, gene therapies, safe provide chains, IT automation, and digital-first shopper platforms.

Right here’s the complete breakdown.

Cognition Secures $500M in Collection C Funding for AI Coding Platform

Cognition, an AI coding startup, has raised a large $500 million in a Collection C spherical to advance its mission of constructing AI-powered software program engineering instruments. The information comes only a month after Cognition AI acquired Windsurf, following Google’s $2.4B expertise play.

The funding, led by Founders Fund, values the younger firm at practically $10 billion. Cognition’s platform – anchored by an AI “software program engineer” agent named Devin – goals to autonomously deal with the complete software program growth lifecycle, from writing and testing code to deploying purposes with minimal human enter.

The brand new capital will allow Cognition to speed up R&D on Devin and associated merchandise, because it appears to dramatically enhance coding productiveness for enterprises. Previous to this spherical, Cognition had raised over $300 million (together with an earlier funding from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund) and even acquired one other AI code era startup, all in pursuit of its imaginative and prescient of autonomous programming.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Cognition (AI-driven software program growth platform)

• Traders: Founders Fund (lead); prior backers embody 8VC and Khosla Ventures

• Quantity Raised: $500 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $800 million

• Funding Stage: Collection C

• Funding Date: August 14, 2025

Cohere Raises $500M in Funding at $6.8B Valuation to Scale Enterprise AI

Cohere, a Toronto-based AI startup, was valued at $6.8 billion after closing a $500 million funding round to increase its enterprise AI choices. The oversubscribed elevate was co-led by Canada’s Radical Ventures and Inovia Capital, with participation from current strategic backers together with AMD’s enterprise arm, Nvidia, PSP Investments, and Salesforce Ventures. Cohere develops giant language fashions and different agentic AI programs tailor-made for companies, specializing in safe, industry-specific options fairly than shopper chatbots.

With this new infusion, Cohere plans to spend money on world growth, beef up its computing infrastructure, and proceed hiring high AI expertise – strikes underscored by its current appointment of former Meta AI analysis head Joelle Pineau as Chief AI Officer. The corporate has now raised roughly $1.5 billion thus far, cementing its standing as one among Canada’s most well-funded tech scaleups.

Based in 2019 by former Google researchers, together with CEO Aidan Gomez, Cohere’s ascent is marked by its concentrate on enterprise purposes, setting it other than rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic. OpenAI, as an illustration, is projecting $1 billion in income for 2024 and has amassed over $10 billion in investments, primarily from Microsoft. In the meantime, different AI labs, together with Anthropic and Mistral, proceed to draw important backing from {industry} heavyweights.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Cohere (Toronto, Canada – enterprise AI platform)

• Traders: Radical Ventures and Inovia Capital (co-leads); Nvidia; AMD Ventures; PSP Investments; Salesforce Ventures

• Quantity Raised: $500 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $1.5 billion

• Funding Stage: Collection E

• Funding Date: August 14, 2025

Kriya Therapeutics Lands $313M in Funding to Advance Gene Remedy Pipeline

Kriya Therapeutics, a gene remedy startup based mostly in North Carolina, has raised $313.3 million in a financing spherical to speed up its pipeline of single-dose gene therapies. The hefty funding – disclosed in an SEC submitting – didn’t title contributors, noting solely that two buyers contributed, and bringing Kriya’s complete funding to over $830 million to date. Kriya is creating therapies for a spread of persistent illnesses; its lead candidate for geographic atrophy (a type of imaginative and prescient loss) is poised to enter medical trials after clearing preclinical research. This new capital vaults Kriya into the highest tier of biopharma financings this yr, underscoring robust investor urge for food for its strategy amid a difficult gene remedy market. The funds will help advancing a number of applications (spanning ophthalmology, neurology, and metabolic issues) towards human trials and eventual commercialization efforts.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Kriya Therapeutics (Morrisville, NC – gene remedy developer)

• Traders: Undisclosed (two giant buyers)

• Quantity Raised: $313.3 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $830 million

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (late-stage spherical)

• Funding Date: August 18, 2025

Celestial AI Secures $255M in Collection C1 Funding to Scale Photonic Computing

Celestial AI, a Silicon Valley startup constructing photonic interconnect know-how for AI programs, closed a $255 million Collection C1 spherical to speed up growth of its optical computing platform. The spherical added strategic buyers VentureTech Alliance (the enterprise arm of TSMC) and Samsung Catalyst Fund, alongside current backers like Constancy, BlackRock, and AMD’s enterprise fund.

Celestial AI is pioneering the usage of gentle to maneuver information between chips, enabling sooner and extra energy-efficient AI mannequin processing than conventional digital interconnects. This huge guess on optical know-how brings Celestial’s complete funding to roughly $520 million. The corporate will use the capital to ramp up product engineering and commercialization of its Photonic Cloth answer, aiming to assist information facilities and cloud suppliers meet surging AI workloads with decrease latency and energy draw.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Celestial AI (Santa Clara, CA – photonic interconnects for AI {hardware})

• Traders: VentureTech Alliance; Samsung Catalyst Fund; (current buyers embody Constancy, BlackRock, and AMD Ventures)

• Quantity Raised: $255 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $520 million

• Funding Stage: Collection C1

• Funding Date: August 14, 2025

Decart Grabs $100M in Collection B Funding for Actual-Time Generative Video AI

Decart, an Israeli AI startup specializing in real-time generative video, has raised $100 million in a Series B round that reportedly values the corporate at $3.1 billiontechmeme.com. The funding was led by Benchmark Capital with participation from Sequoia Capital, Zeev Ventures, and Aleph VC – all backing Decart’s imaginative and prescient for on-demand video content material era. Based in 2024, Decart has developed AI fashions (dubbed Oasis and Mirage) able to creating interactive movies immediately, and its platform attracted over 1 million customers inside days of launch.

The contemporary $100 million will gas expanded R&D and infrastructure as Decart works to cut back the price of AI video era and scale up partnerships with cloud suppliers and media firms. With this spherical, the corporate’s complete funding rises to roughly $153 million in beneath two years, signaling robust momentum within the race to ship AI-driven video at scale.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Decart (Tel Aviv, Israel – real-time generative video platform)

• Traders: Benchmark (lead); Sequoia Capital; Zeev Ventures; Aleph VC

• Quantity Raised: $100 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $153 million

• Funding Stage: Collection B

• Funding Date: August 15, 2025

Titan Raises $74M in Collection A Funding to Construct AI-Pushed IT Providers Platform

Titan, a New York Metropolis-based startup aiming to modernize managed IT companies with AI, emerged from stealth with a $74 million Collection A spherical led by Normal Catalyst. Co-founded by alumni of Snap and Scale AI, Titan concurrently introduced the acquisition of RFA (a longtime managed service supplier within the monetary sector) to jump-start its choices.

The infusion of capital and know-how will gas Titan’s growth of an AI-augmented IT companies platform that automates routine infrastructure administration for enterprise shoppers. By integrating RFA’s capabilities, Titan plans to ship smarter, extra proactive help to industries like finance, the place downtime and cybersecurity are important. The corporate’s technique of mixing enterprise funding with strategic M&A highlights its ambition to scale shortly and produce AI to the forefront of outsourced IT operations.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Titan (New York, NY – AI-driven IT companies platform)

• Traders: Normal Catalyst (lead)

• Quantity Raised: $74 million

• Complete Raised: $74 million

• Funding Stage: Collection A

• Funding Date: August 15, 2025

Vulcan Parts Will get $65M Collection A to Scale Uncommon-Earth Magnet Manufacturing

Vulcan Elements, a Durham, NC-based startup, raised $65 million in a Series A round to increase its manufacturing of rare-earth magnets for electrical autos, wind generators, and protection programs. The funding was led by Altimeter Capital and One Funding Administration, equipping Vulcan with sources to construct home capability for these important supplies.

Based in 2023, Vulcan produces high-performance magnets utilized in EV motors, aerospace parts, and different high-tech purposes that at the moment rely closely on abroad suppliers. By boosting U.S. manufacturing of rare-earth magnets, Vulcan goals to safe provide chains very important to wash vitality and nationwide safety.

The brand new financing (which brings complete funding to simply over $70 million) will go towards scaling up its manufacturing amenities and R&D, serving to meet the surging demand for rare-earth parts as industries electrify and search options to imports.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Vulcan Parts (Durham, NC – rare-earth magnet producer)

• Traders: Altimeter Capital; One Funding Administration

• Quantity Raised: $65 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $70 million

• Funding Stage: Collection A

• Funding Date: August 15, 2025

IVIX Secures $60M in Collection B Funding to Deal with Monetary Crime with AI

IVIX, a New York-based startup offering AI instruments for presidency tax and fraud investigators, secured $60 million in Collection B funding to increase its platform. The spherical was led by O.G. Enterprise Companions, joined by Perception Companions, Citi Ventures, Team8, and others. IVIX’s know-how makes use of giant language fashions and open-source intelligence to scan public information and uncover illicit monetary actions – from cash laundering to tax evasion – at scale.

Authorities throughout the U.S. and internationally use the platform to establish hidden enterprise earnings and untangle advanced monetary networks that conventional audits would possibly miss. With the brand new funding (which reportedly brings complete raised to about $85 million), IVIX will speed up product growth and world go-to-market efforts, serving to extra governments digitize and bolster their monetary crime-fighting capabilities.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: IVIX (New York, NY – AI platform for presidency monetary crime detection)

• Traders: O.G. Enterprise Companions (lead); Perception Companions; Citi Ventures; Team8; Disruptive AI; Cardumen Capital; Cerca

• Quantity Raised: $60 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $85 million

• Funding Stage: Collection B

• Funding Date: August 18, 2025

Appcharge Scores $58M in Collection B Funding to Energy D2C Cell Gaming

Appcharge, a Tel Aviv-based platform that helps cellular recreation publishers promote on to customers, has raised $58 million in a Series B round led by IVP. The funding, which brings Appcharge’s complete to about $89 million, additionally noticed participation from gaming big Playrix and different current buyers.

Appcharge gives instruments for recreation studios to construct their very own direct-to-player gross sales channels – from first-party funds to advertising and marketing – permitting builders to bypass app retailer charges and domesticate nearer relationships with gamers. In only one yr, the corporate has helped quite a few cellular video games enhance income by transacting with customers exterior the standard app retailer mannequin.

With the brand new capital, Appcharge plans to increase its platform’s capabilities and worldwide attain, using the {industry} shift towards direct-to-consumer monetization in gaming.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Appcharge (Tel Aviv, Israel – direct-to-consumer platform for cellular recreation publishers)

• Traders: IVP (lead); Playrix; current buyers

• Quantity Raised: $58 million

• Complete Raised: $89 million

• Funding Stage: Collection B

• Funding Date: August 13, 2025

Medallion Reels In $43M in Funding to Automate Healthcare Supplier Networks

Medallion, a San Francisco-based firm providing AI-powered credentialing and compliance software program for healthcare suppliers, raised $43 million in new funding to develop its platform. The spherical was led by Acrew Capital with participation from Washington Harbour Companions and distinguished current backers like Sequoia Capital, GV (Google Ventures), and Spark Capital. Medallion’s cloud-based answer streamlines the back-office paperwork for well being programs and insurance coverage networks – automating duties corresponding to clinician credentialing, insurance coverage enrollment, and license verification which can be historically handbook and time-consuming.

The contemporary capital brings Medallion’s complete funding to roughly $130 million. The corporate will use it to reinforce its product (together with a brand new shared credentialing clearinghouse known as CredAlliance) and to scale its buyer attain, as demand grows for know-how to cut back administrative bottlenecks in healthcare.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Medallion (San Francisco, CA – healthcare credentialing automation)

• Traders: Acrew Capital (lead); Washington Harbour Companions; Sequoia Capital; GV; Spark Capital; others

• Quantity Raised: $43 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $130 million

• Funding Stage: Collection C

• Funding Date: August 18, 2025

XOPS Raises $40M in Collection A Funding to Automate Enterprise IT Operations

XOPS, a Pleasanton, CA-based startup constructing autonomous IT operations software program, raised $40 million in a Collection A spherical to increase its platform. The funding was co-led by Activant Capital and FPV Ventures, and marks the corporate’s first main funding since its 2022 founding. XOPS is creating an AI-driven system to observe and handle enterprise IT infrastructure with minimal human intervention, aiming to stop outages and optimize efficiency in mission-critical environments.

By ingesting information from throughout a company’s tech stack, XOPS’s platform can detect anomalies, orchestrate responses, and regularly fine-tune programs – primarily an “autopilot” for IT operations. With the $40 million now in hand (the corporate’s complete funding thus far), XOPS will spend money on product growth and buyer acquisition, concentrating on Fortune 500 companies trying to minimize IT downtime and prices by way of automation.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: XOPS (Pleasanton, CA – AI-powered IT operations platform)

• Traders: Activant Capital; FPV Ventures

• Quantity Raised: $40 million

• Complete Raised: $40 million

• Funding Stage: Collection A

• Funding Date: August 14, 2025

SpinLaunch Closes $30M in Funding to Speed up LEO Satellite tv for pc Constellation

SpinLaunch, an area know-how startup based mostly in Lengthy Seashore, CA, has closed a $30 million funding round to hurry up growth of its Meridian Area low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite tv for pc constellation. The funding was led by ATW Companions with continued backing from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, an current strategic investor. SpinLaunch is thought for its revolutionary kinetic launch system, and with Meridian Area, it goals to deploy a cost-efficient satellite tv for pc broadband community to problem incumbent satcom suppliers.

The brand new capital will assist SpinLaunch transition from testing to commercialization – together with advancing its just lately confirmed reconfigurable orbital antenna know-how, which guarantees smaller, much less power-hungry satellites. With an eye fixed on a primary buyer demo by 2026, SpinLaunch will use the $30 million infusion to construct out the Meridian constellation and help early operations because it seeks to carve out a distinct segment within the satellite tv for pc web market.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: SpinLaunch (Lengthy Seashore, CA – area launch & satellite tv for pc broadband startup)

• Traders: ATW Companions (lead); Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace

• Quantity Raised: $30 million

• Complete Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Not disclosed

• Funding Date: August 18, 2025

Topline Professional Raises $27M in Collection B Funding to Convey AI to House Providers

Topline Professional, a New York-based startup that gives an AI-powered platform for house service professionals, raised $27 million in a Collection B spherical to increase its choices. The funding was led by Northzone and brings Topline’s complete funding to roughly $44 million. A graduate of Y Combinator, Topline Professional has constructed an all-in-one answer for the two.5 million unbiased contractors in house companies – utilizing generative AI brokers to automate their advertising and marketing, gross sales, and customer support workflows.

For instance, Topline’s software program can create a contractor’s web site, run focused adverts, deal with 24/7 buyer inquiries, and schedule jobs, all with minimal enter from the enterprise proprietor. With 1000’s of plumbers, cleaners, and different “solo professional” customers already on board, Topline Professional will use the brand new funds to introduce options like AI-driven invoicing and to scale into new geographic markets. The aim is to empower small house service companies to develop income and save time by offloading back-office duties to AI.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Topline Professional (New York, NY – AI platform for house service companies)

• Traders: Northzone (lead); others (current buyers continued)

• Quantity Raised: $27 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $44 million

• Funding Stage: Collection B

• Funding Date: August 12, 2025

Paradigm Nabs $5M in Seed Funding to Launch AI-Powered Spreadsheet Assistant

Paradigm, a San Francisco-based startup constructing an “agentic” spreadsheet platform, has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Normal Catalyst. The corporate is creating an AI-driven spreadsheet co-pilot that may automate advanced workflows and information evaluation duties inside a spreadsheet. By integrating giant language fashions, Paradigm’s instrument permits customers to delegate duties – like cleansing information, working simulations, or producing insights – to an clever assistant straight inside their acquainted spreadsheet interface.

The seed funding will help the beta launch of Paradigm’s product to early customers. Notably, Paradigm additionally secured a $2 million pre-seed spherical from Y Combinator and angel buyers (together with Dropbox co-founder Arash Ferdowsi), bringing its complete funding to about $7 million. The contemporary capital will assist the staff speed up growth and refine the consumer expertise as they goal to rework spreadsheets from passive grids into proactive, AI-powered collaborators.

Funding Particulars:

• Startup: Paradigm (San Francisco, CA – AI-enhanced spreadsheet platform)

• Traders: Normal Catalyst (lead); Y Combinator; Arash Ferdowsi (angel)

• Quantity Raised: $5 million

• Complete Raised: ~ $7 million

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: August 18, 2025

Tech Funding Abstract Desk

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