Weekly TOP Startup / VC news of December 25, 2025

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Airbus is strategically repositioning itself and Europe in the digital sphere. The aerospace giant prepares to migrate its critical internal systems. This shift moves away from US infrastructure to a European sovereign cloud. The aim is to safeguard highly confidential data from foreign access, specifically addressing concerns about the US CLOUD Act. Simultaneously, Airbus secured a significant €50 million contract. This deal integrates cutting-edge artificial intelligence into French military defense and intelligence systems. Both initiatives strongly underline Europe's determined pursuit of digital autonomy, enhanced data security, and modernized national defense capabilities, reducing reliance on external technological dependencies.

Neural Concept, the Swiss AI powerhouse, secured $100 million in Series C funding. Goldman Sachs Alternatives led the substantial round. This capital injection propels Neural Concept's mission. The company revolutionizes product development through AI-native engineering. It empowers teams to accelerate design cycles, improve efficiency, and reduce costly late-stage changes. Industries like automotive, aerospace, and electronics benefit. The platform offers physics-aware design copilots. Funds will expand product development, including generative CAD in early 2026. Global market reach will grow. Key partnerships with Nvidia, Siemens, and Microsoft will strengthen. This cements Neural Concept's role as a vital intelligence layer for worldwide engineering teams. It transforms trial-and-error into data-driven workflows, optimizing performance from inception.

MoEngage, a leading AI-driven customer engagement platform, has significantly boosted its Series F funding, adding $180 million to reach a total of $280 million. The new capital infusion, led by ChrysCapital and Dragon Funds, pushes the company's valuation to $850 million. These funds are earmarked for accelerated innovation in its Merlin AI suite, expansive global market penetration, and strategic acquisitions. A substantial employee liquidity program also concluded, alongside successful early investor exits. MoEngage demonstrates robust growth, surpassing $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Its platform empowers B2C brands to unify customer data, delivering personalized omnichannel experiences, essential for modern digital engagement. The company now plans for a potential public offering within the next few years.

Waymo seeks over $15 billion in new funding. This pushes its valuation to $110 billion. The Alphabet unit leads the robotaxi market. It plans massive global expansion. Waymo will launch in over a dozen new cities in 2026. This includes London, its first international venture. The company built an Arizona plant. It produces self-driving Jaguar I-PACE SUVs. Waymo’s advanced sensor technology powers its growing fleet. It recorded 14 million trips in 2025. Waymo aims for significant revenue contribution by 2027. It dominates the driverless future.

Lovable, the Swedish AI-native software platform, closed a $330 million Series B funding round. This landmark investment catapults its valuation to $6.6 billion. The "vibe-coding" pioneer enables users to build full-stack applications without traditional code. It streamlines digital product creation for both individuals and major enterprises. The capital fuels global expansion, deeper platform integrations, and robust infrastructure development. This funding reinforces Europe's tech standing and underscores massive demand for accessible, AI-powered software solutions. Lovable leads a new era of rapid, intuitive application development, revolutionizing how ideas become production-ready products.

Skanska is driving forward with key developments and strategic financial maneuvers across Europe. The construction leader announced a SEK 250 million investment for 66 sustainable condominiums in Uppsala, Sweden, marking the final phase of a major residential block. In Helsinki, Finland, Skanska secured a EUR 32 million contract to build 182 environmentally classified rental apartments, including specialized units. Further boosting stability, the company completed a significant pension buy-in in the UK, transferring SEK 6.3 billion in pension liabilities. This move reduces market risk and strengthens Skanska's financial position, showcasing a broad commitment to green construction and robust corporate governance.

OpenAI launched a groundbreaking app store for ChatGPT. This integrates top services like Spotify, Canva, and Figma directly into AI conversations. Users command apps or ChatGPT intelligently suggests them. This transforms the chatbot into a powerful AI operating system, streamlining daily tasks. Developers can now build and submit their own tools, accessing a massive global user base of hundreds of millions. Notably, OpenAI currently foregoes the standard 30% commission, disrupting the app marketplace model. This strategic move reshapes AI's role, making technology more integrated and intuitive for everyone.

Oracle's mounting debt impedes crucial AI data center projects. Blue Owl Capital pulls $10 billion funding. This financial tremor rattles Oracle stock, causing significant drops across major U.S. indexes. Broad market declines follow. The booming AI sector faces intense bubble scrutiny despite some growth projections. Noted investor Michael Burry issues a grave warning, pointing to a household trend historically preceding multi-year bear markets. Elsewhere, Micron technology forecasts surging revenue. Europe's central banks weigh final rate decisions for 2025. Asian markets waver, while Chinese chipmakers surge. Geopolitical tensions escalate with a record U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. Corporate giants clash in ice cream and streaming. Western brands pivot in competitive Chinese markets.

China's secret Shenzhen lab built a prototype EUV lithography machine. This machine generates extreme ultraviolet light, crucial for advanced chips for AI and defense. It marks a significant step towards chip self-sufficiency, challenging Western dominance. Former ASML engineers reverse-engineered the tech. US export controls aimed to thwart this. China now accelerates its drive for semiconductor independence, years ahead of predictions. This covert project, akin to the Manhattan Project, reshapes the global tech landscape and intensifies the chip war. Huawei plays a key role.

Beycome, a Miami-based proptech leader, just secured $2.5 million in pivotal seed funding. This capital directly empowers its direct-to-consumer real estate platform. The company’s advanced AI, named Artur, revolutionizes home buying and selling. It offers a transparent, flat-fee model. This innovation has already saved users over $215 million in commissions. The InsurTech Fund spearheaded this round, joined by several key venture firms. Beycome plans aggressive nationwide expansion, further AI development, and scaling of its integrated title services. The move addresses current market demands for affordability and control, modernizing property transactions for all. This funding solidifies Beycome's position as a disruptor in the evolving real estate landscape, championing consumer choice and efficiency.

Over the next year, Roku predicts that 100% of the streaming audience will see ads. For growth marketers in 2026, CTV will remain an important “safe space” as AI creates widespread disruption in the search and social channels. Plus, easier access to self-serve CTV ad buying tools and targeting options will lead to a surge in locally-targeted streaming campaigns.

Read our guide to find out why growth marketers should make sure CTV is part of their 2026 media mix.

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