As global venture interest continues to rebound in 2025—bolstered by a surge in AI innovation and a promising second quarter for startup funding—investors are zeroing in on a select group of emerging winners. Here's a closer look at ten standout startups gathering serious momentum and capital.
1. Cognition
Sector: AI / Code Generation
Raised nearly $500 million, doubling its valuation to approximately $9.8 billion, Cognition develops Devin, an autonomous AI software engineer. With customers like Goldman Sachs and Nubank, it’s rapidly becoming a leader in enterprise code automation. Investors include Founders Fund, 8VC, Avenir Growth Capital, and Khosla Ventures.
2. Cohere
Sector: Enterprise Generative AI
Secured $500 million in a funding round, boosting its valuation to $6.8 billion. Cohere’s “North” tool offers enterprise-grade document summarization, with plans to develop agentic AI for enhanced business efficiency. Backers include Radical Ventures, Inovia Capital, AMD Ventures, NVIDIA, and Salesforce Ventures.
3. Applied Intuition
Sector: Autonomous Vehicle Software
In June 2025, the autonomous vehicle software firm reached a $15 billion valuation following a $600 million Series F round. Notable investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, Kleiner Perkins, M12 (Microsoft’s VC arm), and Porsche Investments.
4. Indian GenAI Startups (Aggregate)
Sector: AI / India-based startups
Cumulatively raised $524 million in the first seven months of 2025—a five-year funding high for Indian generative AI firms, signaling strong confidence in the region’s AI innovation.
5. Whatnot
Sector: Creator Economy / Live Shopping
Raised $265 million in Series E, betting on the booming livestream shopping trend. Platforms like Whatnot are reshaping e-commerce by merging community engagement and commerce.
6. Substack
Sector: Creator Economy / Content Platforms
Secured $100 million in Series C to fuel growth of its independent writing and subscription platform—underscoring investor faith in creator monetization platforms.
7. ShopMy
Sector: Creator Commerce
Raised $77.5 million in Series B. The platform supports creators in building e-commerce opportunities tied directly to their content—a key trend in commerce tech.
8. Together AI
Sector: Artificial Intelligence
Among the biggest Series A rounds in early 2025 with $305 million raised. Fellow AI contenders Harvey and Abridge also made headlines with $300M and $250M rounds, reflecting robust investor interest across AI.
9. Startups from South Summit (Spain)
Sector: Sustainable Tech & Others
Finalists from the South Summit startup competition have collectively raised over $1 billion by mid-2025. Key winners like Clickalia (raised €100M) and others like SAMY Road show the investment potential in European climate and impact tech.
10. Defense Tech Firms
Sector: Defense & National Security Tech
VC attention in defense tech is surging, with $1.4 billion raised in Q1 2025 across 27 deals. Key rounds included Saronic Technologies ($600M), Epirus ($250M), and Shield AI ($240M), driven by policy tailwinds and growing focus on patriotic funding.
What This Means for Investors
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AI continues to be a dominant driver, spanning coding tools, enterprise applications, and generative platforms.
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Global expansion matters—India’s GenAI scene, European sustainable tech, and defense startups are all gaining traction.
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Creator economy remains hot, with significant investments in platforms enabling digital creators.
