Latest Startups & Entrepreneurship News

đź“…February 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM
AI startups dominate early 2026 with nearly 20 US companies raising $100M+ rounds; Anthropic secures record $30B; European and emerging market ecosystems gain momentum.
1

Anthropic Raises Record $30 Billion Series G at $380 Billion Valuation

Anthropic announced a $30 billion Series G funding round on February 12, representing the largest single investment in AI history and valuing the AI research lab at $380 billionSource 3Source 4. The round included participation from more than 30 investors, including Founders Fund, Coatue, and Nvidia, demonstrating widespread institutional confidence in advanced AI safety researchSource 4.

2

US AI Startups Achieve Nearly 20 Mega-Rounds of $100M+ in First Two Months of 2026

Nearly 20 US-based AI startups have raised $100 million or more in just six weeks of 2026, with three companies crossing the billion-dollar thresholdSource 3Source 6Source 8. This pace continues the momentum from 2025, when US AI startups collectively raised over $76 billion through mega-roundsSource 3.

3

Cohere Launches Open Multilingual AI Models for On-Device Deployment

Cohere released a new family of open, multilingual models designed to run on everyday devices while providing broad language coverageSource 1. The release aligns with market demand for AI that is cheaper to deploy, easier to control, and viable in regions with connectivity or cloud cost constraints, particularly across Asia, Africa, and Latin AmericaSource 1.

4

Luma AI Shifts Compute Operations to Saudi Arabia

Video AI startup Luma AI is moving compute to Saudi Arabia to access growing advanced AI chip infrastructure and secure reliable accelerators at predictable operating costsSource 1. This reflects a wider trend of geopolitically distributed compute, where countries with capital and energy advantages are building AI infrastructure to attract startupsSource 1.

5

QuadSci Secures $8 Million Series A for AI Revenue Acceleration Platform

QuadSci, an AI-powered revenue acceleration platform for go-to-market teams, raised $8 million in Series A funding led by Crosslink CapitalSource 2. Founded by Sean Murray and Dan Harmeson in 2023, the platform uses product telemetry to help sales and marketing teamsSource 2.

6

Over 2,000 'Soonicorns' Now Exist in US Startup Ecosystem

The US now has more than 2,000 soonicorns—venture-backed companies valued between $500 million and $999 million—up dramatically from a decade agoSource 7. AI has made it easier to launch companies at sky-high valuations, with some startups hitting soonicorn status on their first funding roundSource 7.

7

ElevenLabs Raises $500M Series B at $11 Billion Valuation

AI audio startup ElevenLabs secured $500 million in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital, valuing the company at $11 billionSource 4. The funding represents significant investor confidence in text-to-speech and voice AI technologiesSource 4.

8

Runway Secures $315M at $5.3 Billion Valuation

Video AI startup Runway closed a $315 million funding round led by General Atlantic, valuing the company at $5.3 billionSource 4. The investment reflects strong demand for generative video AI tools across creative industriesSource 4.

9

Black Forest Labs Becomes One of Europe's Most Valuable AI Companies

German image generation startup Black Forest Labs raised a $300 million Series B at a $3.25 billion valuation in late 2025, making it one of Europe's most valuable companiesSource 13. The round was co-led by AMP and Salesforce Ventures, with strategic investments from Nvidia, a16z, Meta, Canva, and FigmaSource 13.

10

Egypt Launches First National Startup Charter to Support 5,000 Startups

Egypt's government unveiled its first National Startup Charter in early February 2026, aiming to support 5,000 startups and mobilize $1 billion in funding over five yearsSource 9. The charter also targets generating 500,000 jobs, marking an ambitious effort to grow the country's entrepreneurial ecosystemSource 9.

11

SkildAI Raises $1.4 Billion Series C for Robotics AI

SkildAI secured a $1.4 billion Series C round led by SoftBank and Nvidia, valuing the robotics AI company at $14 billionSource 3Source 4. The funding demonstrates strong investor enthusiasm for embodied AI technology that powers physical robotsSource 4.

12

Orbex Faces Insolvency Amid European Launch Market Challenges

British space-launch startup Orbex is confronting potential wind-down through insolvency proceedings, despite releasing new imagery of its Prime rocketSource 1. The situation reflects broader European launch market realities: technical progress does not guarantee financing continuity, and schedule delays can be fatal when capital markets tightenSource 1.