AI Funding
Jul 14, 2026
Nous Research in Talks to Raise $75M+ at $1.5B Valuation
Nous Research, the AI lab behind the Hermes family of agents, is in advanced talks to raise at least $75 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. The round is led by Robot, with significant participation from USV and other prominent investors.
Agentic AI
AI funding
Hermes
Jul 7, 2026
North American Startup Funding Hit $392B in H1 2026
Fueled by historic AI megarounds and a record-breaking SpaceX IPO, North American venture investment reached $392 billion in the first half of 2026 — a figure that dwarfs any prior period. Late-stage AI giants dominated capital flows, while early-stage funding also surged to a three-year high. Here's a full breakdown of what moved the needle in Q2.
Venture Capital
AI Funding
Startups
Jul 2, 2026
Global Startup Funding Hit a Record $510B in H1 2026
Venture funding shattered records in the first half of 2026, reaching $510 billion — more than all of 2025 combined. OpenAI and Anthropic alone accounted for 43% of that total, while IPOs and M&A activity hit their strongest levels since the 2021 boom.
Venture Capital
AI Funding
Startups
Jul 1, 2026
Venice AI Hits Unicorn Status With $65M Series A
Venice AI has raised a $65M Series A, achieving unicorn status while already turning a profit. The privacy-first AI platform is posting annualized run-rate revenues above $70M, signaling strong market demand for confidential AI infrastructure.
Venice AI
AI Funding
Privacy AI
Jun 30, 2026
Meta, OpenAI Alumni Target $400M for Stealth Lab Aire
A trio of veterans from Meta and OpenAI are raising $400 million for a new AI research lab named Aire. The startup is focused on 'AI assistants' and research & development, and is already drawing comparisons to other well-funded European AI labs.
AI funding
AI research
European AI