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Last week's report shows a decline in funding rounds compared to the prior week, but a sharp rise in total capital raised. Activity concentrated in the US, UK, and India, with the UK standing out due to a massive energy-tech deal from Kraken ($1B). US rounds spanned healthcare (Birth Control Maine), AI/legal tech (BriefCatch, Dazzle AI), govtech/autotive (CHAMPtitles), and niche areas like pet tech (Traini) and florals (Colleen Rose Florals). India's scene featured agritech dominance (Arya, Unnati Agri), alongside fintech (Knight FinTech, Speed Wallet), biotech (KASHIV BIOSCIENCES), and consumer plays (Honasa.in, Limelight Diamonds). Tags reveal heavy emphasis on #AI, #FinTech, #SaaS, #AgriTech, #Healthcare, and #EnergyTech/#CleanTech.
Patterns include outsized single deals driving totals (e.g., Kraken in UK, Unnati in India), rural/community focus (Birth Control Maine, Arya), and AI integration across sectors (legal, pets, energy). Early-stage rounds (Seed, Series A) were prominent in US, while India mixed late-stage (Series D) with IPOs (OYO).
Comparison to Prior Weeks
Compared to recent reports like Dec 30, 2025, Dec 23, and Dec 16, last week's fewer rounds but higher totals signal a shift toward "big bet" investments versus volume. Earlier November reports (Nov 25, Nov 18) showed steadier US/UK activity with broader sector spread; October ones (Oct 28, Oct 21) leaned heavier on e-commerce/marketplaces. India consistently strong in agri/fintech, but UK's energy surge is newer vs. prior fintech focus. Overall, AI and cleantech tags surge across 2025 reports, while US small-business diversity (e.g., florals) appears more last week.
Trends and Insights
Trends point to consolidation: fewer but larger rounds amid economic caution, favoring scalable tech (AI/SaaS) and essentials (agri/health/energy). Geographically, India's agri resilience contrasts US niche innovation; UK pivots to energy scale. Insight: Investors prioritize impact in climate/food security, with AI as universal enhancer—evident in pet collars to diamond retail.
Conclusion: Big-ticket deals signal VC confidence in high-potential sectors despite round slowdown; watch AI-agri-energy nexus for 2026 growth.
Last week's funding rounds
28 funding rounds, -25% from last week.
Number of funding rounds - January 5, 2026 by Parsers VC
Total raised $3.44 billion, +104% since last week
Total raised $, bln - January 5, 2026 by Parsers VC
Funding rounds in United States
8 funding rounds, total raised $132M
Birth Control Maine (Provides reproductive and primary healthcare services in rural Maine) Raises $800K #Healthcare #Community #ReproductiveHealth #Nonprofit #Maine
BriefCatch (A legal-writing platform offering AI-assisted editing and writing feedback for lawyers) Raises $6M Series A Round from Full In Partners #Writing #AI #LegalTech #Productivity #SaaS
CHAMPtitles (Provides digital systems for U.S. motor vehicle agencies, modernizing DMV processes) Raises $55M #SaaS #Automotive #DigitalTransformation #FinTech #GovTech
Colleen Rose Florals (Creates bespoke floral arrangements for events, weddings, and celebrity clients) Raises $175K #Creative #Events #FloralDesign #Luxury #SmallBusiness
Dazzle AI (Develops tools to make technology intuitive and useful in everyday life) Raises $8M Seed Round from Kleiner Perkins, Greycroft #SaaS #Innovation #AI #Technology #Software
DigitalXForce Raises $5M #Security #Platform #Analytics #Market #Management #Security #Platform #Analytics #Market #Management
Lee Enterprises (A local news and information company operating in multiple markets) Raises $50M #Local #Digital #Publishing #News #Media
Traini (Develops AI-powered pet emotional intelligence via a cognitive smart collar) Raises $7.5M #IoT #BehavioralScience #AI #Wearables #PetTech
Funding rounds in United Kingdom
3 funding rounds, total raised $1.35B
Kraken Raises $1B at $8.65B Valuation #EnergyTech #AI #Software #SaaS #Fintech #EnergyTech #AI #Software #SaaS #Fintech
Motorway (An online marketplace for buying and selling used cars, connecting consumers directly with dealers) Raises $33.72M #E-commerce #Automotive #Tech #Marketplace #Fintech
Octopus Energy US (An energy giant focused on consumer, generation, and clean technology businesses) Raises $320M from Octopus Investments #Energy #CleanTech #Utilities #Retail #Innovation
Funding rounds in India
8 funding rounds, total raised $572M
Arya (Provides post-harvest solutions and credit to small-holder farmers in India) Raises $80M Series D Round from GEF Capital Partners #FinTech #India #SupplyChain #Agriculture #AgriTech
Honasa.in (An Indian beauty and personal care company, owning brands like Mamaearth and DermaCo) Raises $5.8M from Fireside Ventures #Retail #Beauty #ConsumerGoods #E-commerce #PersonalCare
KASHIV BIOSCIENCES (A biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and manufacturing biologics and specialty pharmaceuticals) Raises $75.1M #Healthcare #Biotech #R&D #Pharmaceuticals #Manufacturing
Knight FinTech (Provides tech infrastructure to financial institutions for digital lending and embedded finance) Raises $23.6M from 3one4 Capital, Prime Venture Partners, Trifecta Capital, Accel Partners #Fintech #Lending #SaaS #AI #DataAnalytics
Limelight Diamonds (India’s largest lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, offering ethical and sustainable luxury) Raises $28.98M #Fashion #Diamonds #Retail #Luxury #Jewellery
OYO (A technology platform enabling hospitality experiences across hotels and homes) Raises $770.7K IPO Round #Travel #Hospitality #RealEstate #SaaS #Technology
Speed Wallet (Builds payment infrastructure on the Bitcoin Lightning Network for instant, low-fee transactions) Raises $8M #FinTech #Bitcoin #SaaS #Payments #LightningNetwork
Unnati Agri (Provides a full-stack agritech platform connecting farmers with inputs and markets) Raises $350M #B2B #AgriTech #Agriculture #SupplyChain #SaaS
3 Tricks Billionaires Use to Help Protect Wealth Through Shaky Markets
“If I hear bad news about the stock market one more time, I’m gonna be sick.”
We get it. Investors are rattled, costs keep rising, and the world keeps getting weirder.
So, who’s better at handling their money than the uber-rich?
Have 3 long-term investing tips UBS (Swiss bank) shared for shaky times:
Hold extra cash for expenses and buying cheap if markets fall.
Diversify outside stocks (Gold, real estate, etc.).
Hold a slice of wealth in alternatives that tend not to move with equities.
The catch? Most alternatives aren’t open to everyday investors
That’s why Masterworks exists: 70,000+ members invest in shares of something that’s appreciated more overall than the S&P 500 over 30 years without moving in lockstep with it.*
Contemporary and post war art by legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and more.
Sounds crazy, but it’s real. One way to help reclaim control this week:
*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd
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