Weekly TOP Startup / VC news of September 11, 2025

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Mistral AI's valuation soared to $14 billion. It secured billions in new funding. ASML became its top shareholder. This cements a bold European AI push. Mistral builds open-source models. It challenges US and Chinese dominance. The company partners with Nvidia. It creates new AI cloud infrastructure. Europe seeks digital sovereignty. Mistral is central to that mission. This signals a major power shift. Global tech leaders now watch. The AI race intensifies.

PsiQuantum, a leader in quantum computing, just secured $1 billion in Series E funding. This propels its valuation to $7 billion. A pivotal partnership with Nvidia was also announced. This collaboration accelerates the development of PsiQuantum's innovative photonic quantum computers. New funds will fuel major expansion. Facilities in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois are planned. The ultimate vision targets the world's first million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum machine. This major investment underscores growing confidence in quantum technology's transformative power. It promises to revolutionize fields from drug discovery to cybersecurity. The quantum era is rapidly approaching.

Cognition AI secured over $400 million in new funding. This catapults its valuation to $10.2 billion. It reflects immense investor confidence in its AI coding assistant, Devin. Devin propelled Cognition's annual recurring revenue from $1 million to $73 million in under a year. The strategic acquisition of Windsurf further solidified its market position. It now offers a comprehensive AI-powered software development suite. Cognition serves major clients like Goldman Sachs and Dell. The company plans to expand engineering and accelerate product innovation. It firmly establishes itself as a leader in the rapidly evolving AI software engineering landscape. This marks a significant milestone for the tech startup.

Indian edtech innovator Seekho recently closed a $28 million Series B funding round. Bessemer Venture Partners led the investment. Goodwater Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Elevation Capital also participated. This capital infusion will fuel aggressive growth. Seekho delivers short-form, vernacular learning videos. Its platform caters to over 25 million monthly active users across India. The company targets content expansion, language diversification, and a significant push into AI-first solutions. Seekho also plans for global market entry, including the United States. This strategic funding positions Seekho to revolutionize accessible, engaging digital education. It capitalizes on India's vast smartphone penetration and growing demand for upskilling. The investment highlights confidence in Seekho's innovative approach and its potential to define the future of learning.

Quantum computing pioneer Quantinuum raised $600 million. Its valuation surged to $10 billion. New investors include Nvidia's NVentures, Quanta Computer, and QED Investors. Existing backers like JPMorgan Chase and Honeywell also participated. This capital injection accelerates development of Quantinuum's advanced trapped-ion quantum computers. The company, a Honeywell majority-owned entity, merges hardware and software expertise. It expands its global footprint and prepares for a potential IPO by 2027. This funding highlights intense interest in quantum solutions. Quantum computing tackles problems classical machines cannot. It ushers in a new era of computational power, driving scientific discovery and technological innovation. The move signifies critical progress in the race for quantum supremacy.

AI powerhouse Sierra clinches a massive $350 million. Its valuation soars to an astonishing $10 billion. Greenoaks Capital spearheads this crucial funding. Sierra pioneers advanced AI agent development for major enterprises. Their innovative Agent SDK provides modular building blocks. Agent Studio offers no-code customization. Co-founded by tech titans Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, Sierra’s platforms optimize customer service and operational efficiency. They ensure guardrails and minimize AI hallucinations. The company already serves hundreds of clients, many generating over $1 billion annually. Sierra approaches $100 million in annual recurring revenue. This investment dramatically underscores the escalating demand for sophisticated, reliable AI agents. Sierra navigates a fierce market, facing established giants and aggressive new entrants. Its rapid expansion redefines enterprise AI, setting powerful new industry benchmarks.

Ketryx secured $39M in Series B funding. This investment pushes total funding past $55M. Transformation Capital led the round. Lightspeed Venture Partners, MIT’s E14 Fund, Ubiquity Ventures, and 53 Stations also participated. This capital infusion fuels Ketryx's mission. The company aims to redefine product development for life sciences. It deploys advanced artificial intelligence. Ketryx ensures safer products ship faster.

Indian startups are booming. PlatinumRx, a chronic-care online pharmacy, secured $6 million in Series A funding. It directly addresses India's high medicine costs. The platform offers vetted, affordable generic substitutes, aiming for significant patient savings. WaterScience, an innovator in non-drinking water filtration, raised $0.1 million. This capital fuels its growth, expands product categories, and strengthens market presence. Separately, e-commerce giant Flipkart acquired a majority stake in digital media platform Pinkvilla. This strategic move deepens Flipkart's content footprint. It enhances engagement with Gen Z and millennial demographics. These investments highlight India's dynamic tech landscape. Venture capital actively funds solutions for critical needs. Accessible healthcare, clean water, and engaging digital experiences drive market innovation. Companies deliver targeted consumer impact across diverse sectors.

Dextall, a groundbreaking construction technology company, secured $15M Series A funding. This capital injection will scale its AI-based prefabrication platform nationwide. Dextall revolutionizes building envelopes, dramatically cutting design-to-installation timelines by 80% and onsite labor by 87%. The platform also reduces operational energy costs by 20% and promotes sustainable modular construction, targeting the urgent need for affordable housing. Strategic backing from major industry players and Y Capital, including board representation, accelerates Dextall's mission. The firm’s proprietary Dextall Studio software streamlines complex workflows, transforming traditional construction. This positions Dextall as a leader in modernizing the built environment, ready for national expansion and deeper tech integration.

NRG Therapeutics just closed a monumental £50 million Series B financing. This oversubscribed round fuels vital neurodegenerative disease research. The UK-based firm targets mitochondrial dysfunction. Its lead program, NRG5051, aims to treat Parkinson's disease and ALS/MND. NRG5051 showed potent neuroprotection in preclinical studies. It enters human clinical trials in early 2026. The substantial capital injection ensures progress towards clinical proof of concept for ALS/MND. It also enables critical Phase 1b data generation for Parkinson's. This investment marks a significant advance. It offers new hope for millions suffering from these debilitating conditions. The focus remains on disease-modifying treatments, addressing vast unmet medical needs.

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