Latest Startups & Entrepreneurship News
Crypto Startups Raise $588M in First Two Weeks of 2026
Venture capitalists invested $588 million in crypto firms, focusing on payments, trading, and infrastructure. Key investors include Arthur Hayes’ Maelstrom Fund, Citadel Securities, and Paradigm.
This surge underscores robust appetite for institutional-grade crypto tools.
Rain Secures $250M Series C for Stablecoin Payments
Crypto payments startup Rain raised $250 million, valuing it at nearly $2 billion. The platform processes over $3 billion in annualized volume with partners like Western Union.
Funds will accelerate international expansion across five continents.
Alpaca Raises $150M Series D at $1.2B Valuation
Trading infrastructure firm Alpaca secured $150 million led by Citadel Securities and Revolut’s Vlad Yatsenko. It serves millions of accounts in 40 countries, including Kraken.
The round highlights growth in localized trading products.
Runpod Achieves $120M ARR in AI Cloud Hosting
AI cloud startup Runpod reached $120 million annual revenue run rate, serving 500,000 developers globally. Bootstrapped from Reddit origins, it raised $20M seed from Dell and Intel Capital.
Clients include OpenAI, Perplexity, and Zillow.
Cerebras in Talks for $1B Raise at $22B Valuation
AI chipmaker Cerebras Systems is negotiating a $1 billion funding round at $22 billion valuation. The company also signed a multi-year compute deal with OpenAI.
This follows a $1.1B raise in 2025 at $8.1B valuation.
BitGo Launches IPO Targeting $1.96B Valuation
Crypto custodian BitGo filed for IPO aiming to raise up to $201 million at $1.96 billion valuation. It marks the first crypto IPO of 2026 after delays from market crash.
Trading could start within two weeks.
Korea Development Bank Launches $5.6B National Growth Fund
KDB announced â‚©7.45 trillion ($5.6B) fund for deep tech and AI ventures. It combines government seed with private capital for structural innovation.
Fund manager selection began January 15.
Canada Rocket Company Emerges from Stealth with $6.2M Seed
Canada Rocket raised $6.2 million seed for sovereign launch capabilities. Led by BDC and Garage Capital, with angels from Shopify and Wealthsimple.
Aims to build national space infrastructure.
Slate Raises $1.3M for Embedded Lending Infrastructure
Canadian fintech Slate closed $1.3 million pre-seed from N49P and North Exit Ventures. Builds embedded lending for platforms via SAFE agreements.
Supported by strategic angels.
Genius Trading Secures Eight-Figure Investment from YZi Labs
Private trading terminal Genius received undisclosed eight-figure funding from Binance's YZi Labs. CZ joined as advisor; funds for protocol launch in late 2026.
Focuses on advanced trading tools.
Juno Industries Launches with $3M Seed for Autonomous Systems
Juno launched with $3 million seed, former defence minister as chairman. Targets dual-use autonomous systems.
Aims at defence and commercial applications.
Neuramint Raises $5M for Crypto Infrastructure
Startup Neuramint closed $5 million, preparing post-quantum crypto infrastructure. Led by Castle Island Ventures with Coinbase Ventures and Balaji Srinivasan.
Focuses on secure blockchain tech.