Top Startup and Tech Funding News – August 21, 2025

It’s Thursday, August 21, 2025, and we’re back with today’s top startup and tech funding news from across the globe. From autonomous delivery and AI-powered health platforms to defense drones and fusion energy bets, today’s deals reflect investors doubling down on sectors with both scale and urgency. Capital is flowing into companies tackling hard engineering problems—robotics, clean energy, and metabolic health—while also fueling early-stage bets in AI-driven data platforms.

From Silicon Valley to Berlin, today’s rounds cut across the spectrum—from oversubscribed seed financings to billion-dollar late-stage pushes. The breadth of investor participation, spanning sovereign funds, corporate venture arms, and deep-tech specialists, makes one thing clear: conviction capital is alive and well, and the right startups are raising big.

Funding Highlights

Nuro secured $203 million to push forward its autonomous delivery ambitions, while FieldAI banked $314 million to cement its robotics AI platform as a market leader. In healthtech, Twin Health raised $53 million to expand its AI metabolic health platform, while General Fusion attracted $22 million to keep advancing commercial fusion energy. On the defense front, Stark scored $62 million for its AI drone systems, and Hong Kong’s Robocore partnered with Foxconn for a $10 million tranche to bring elder-care robots to global markets. Early-stage momentum came from Definite, which landed a $10 million seed to unify the data stack with AI at its core.

Here’s the full rundown:

Nuro Raises $203M in Series E Funding for Autonomous Delivery

Nuro, the Silicon Valley startup building autonomous vehicles for delivery and ride-hailing, announced that its Series E round has reached $203 million. The latest infusion included a $97 million tranche backed by Nvidia and new investors (Icehouse Ventures, Kindred Ventures, Pledge Ventures, and Uber) alongside returning backers like Baillie Gifford.

This funding will help Nuro accelerate development of its driverless platform and expand its operations in the rapidly growing autonomous delivery market. The $203 million Series E brings Nuro’s total funding to about $2.3 billion. underscoring continued investor confidence in its technology.

Founded in 2016 by ex-Google engineers Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu, Nuro is building AI-powered delivery systems designed to operate without a human driver. The company’s tech powers everything from custom delivery bots to integrations with robotaxis and consumer vehicles.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Nuro

• Investors: Nvidia (lead), Icehouse Ventures, Kindred Ventures, Pledge Ventures, Uber, Baillie Gifford (existing backer)

• Amount Raised: $203 million

• Total Raised: ~$2.3 billion

• Funding Stage: Series E

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

FieldAI Raises $314M in Funding to Scale Robotics AI Platform

FieldAI, an Irvine, California startup developing AI software for industrial robots, said it has raised $314 million in a new funding round, quadrupling its valuation to $2 billion. The round was backed by firms including Khosla Ventures, Nvidia’s venture arm (NVentures), Bezos Expeditions, Canaan Partners, and Intel Capital. FieldAI will use the capital to scale its AI-driven robotics platform that enables robots to perform “dirty, dull, dangerous” tasks in manufacturing, logistics, and other industries.

This new investment brings FieldAI’s total funding to about $405 million across rounds, positioning the company for aggressive growth in the robotics market.

What sets FieldAI apart is its team and its approach. The startup has drawn talent from DeepMind, SpaceX, Tesla Autopilot, Amazon, and NASA. Agha himself spent nearly a decade at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working on robotics autonomy before launching FieldAI in Irvine, California. Since then, the company has been hiring aggressively, adding more than 100 roles in recent months and planning to double its headcount by year’s end.

Funding Details:

• Startup: FieldAI

• Investors: Khosla Ventures (lead), NVentures (Nvidia), Bezos Expeditions, Canaan Partners, Intel Capital

• Amount Raised: $314 million

• Total Raised: $405 million

• Funding Stage: Series B (late-stage venture)

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

Twin Health Raises $53M in Series E Funding for AI Metabolic Health Platform

Twin Health, a Silicon Valley startup specializing in AI-driven metabolic health solutions, secured a $53 million Series E round, raising its valuation to $950 million. The funding was led by Danish firm Maj Invest, with participation from existing investors Iconiq Capital and Temasek. Twin Health’s platform uses “digital twin” models of the human body to personalize interventions for type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

The new capital will support the company’s expansion—especially via partnerships with employers and health plans—to bring its AI-powered diabetes-reversal technology to more users.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Twin Health

• Investors: Maj Invest (lead), Iconiq Capital, Temasek

• Amount Raised: $53 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Series E

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

Definite Raises $10M in Seed Funding for Unified AI Data Platform

Definite, a Wilmington, Delaware-based startup founded in 2024, is building an AI-native data analytics platform to simplify modern data stacks. The company has raised an oversubscribed $10 million seed round led by Costanoa Ventures, with participation from Acrew Capital and strategic angel investors.

Definite’s software uses AI to automate SQL query generation and seamlessly integrate data warehousing, ETL, BI, and modeling into one system. The new funding will be used to accelerate product development and grow its customer base as the startup works to make data analytics faster and more accessible.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Definite

• Investors: Costanoa Ventures (lead), Acrew Capital, angel investors

• Amount Raised: $10 million

• Total Raised: $10 million

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

General Fusion Raises $22M to Continue Fusion Development

General Fusion, the British Columbia-based fusion energy startup, announced it has secured $22 million in new financing to return to growth after a challenging period. The round, raised after the company’s CEO publicly appealed for funding, will support continued work on its LM26 fusion demonstration machine and progress toward commercial fusion energy goals.

Investors in this round include Segra Capital, PenderFund, Chrysalix Venture Capital, Milfam, Jimco, Gaingels, Thistledown Capital, Presight Capital, and Hatch. Including the latest infusion, General Fusion has now raised roughly $366 million (including government grants) since its founding, reflecting strong backing for its clean energy mission.

Founded in 2002 by then 40-year-old physicist Michel Laberge, who quit a lucrative job at a laser printing company to follow an unconventional passion in nuclear fusion development, the Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada-based General Fusion aims to transform the world’s energy supply with clean, safe, and abundant fusion energy.

General Fusion is developing utility-scale fusion power using magnetized target fusion. Fusion occurs when two light atoms fuse together to make a heavier one, creating energy in the process. It’s the same process that powers the sun and stars. The startup is funded by a global syndicate of leading energy venture capital firms, industry leaders, and technology pioneers.

Funding Details:

• Startup: General Fusion

• Investors: Segra Capital (lead), PenderFund, Chrysalix Venture Capital, Milfam, Jimco, Gaingels, Thistledown Capital, Presight Capital, Hatch

• Amount Raised: $22 million

• Total Raised: ~$366 million (including grants)

• Funding Stage: Undisclosed (venture equity)

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

Stark Raises $62M in Funding to Build AI-Powered Defense Drones

Stark, a German startup developing AI-driven military drones, has raised $62 million in a new funding round led by Sequoia Capital. The financing, which included participation from 8VC, Thiel Capital, the NATO Innovation Fund, In-Q-Tel, and others, values the company at roughly $500 million and brings its total funding to about $100 million.

Stark will use the investment to scale production of its autonomous loitering munitions and battlefield drone systems, meeting growing demand from defense forces for advanced robotic technology. The company’s expansion into the UK and other markets signals its ambition to be a leading provider of next-generation unmanned systems.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Stark

• Investors: Sequoia Capital (lead), 8VC, Thiel Capital, NATO Innovation Fund, In-Q-Tel, Project A, Döpfner Capital

• Amount Raised: $62 million

• Total Raised: ~$100 million

• Funding Stage: Series C (growth round)

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

Robocore Raises $10M in Foxconn-Led Series D Funding for Elder Care Robots

Robocore, a Hong Kong-based service robotics company known for its Temi telepresence robots, announced the completion of its Series D funding, securing an initial $10 million investment from Foxconn Technology. Foxconn’s investment arm (through subsidiary Q-Run Holdings) is committing up to $30 million in total to Robocore’s unit (RoboTemi Global), with two further $10 million tranches planned over the next two years.

The new funding will be used to expand Robocore’s telemedicine and elderly-care robotics offerings globally, strengthen its smart manufacturing and AI capabilities, and prepare for a future IPO. This strategic partnership with Foxconn – including manufacturing and supply-chain support – is expected to accelerate Robocore’s growth across the US, Europe, and Asia.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Robocore (RoboTemi Global Ltd.)

• Investors: Foxconn Technology (FTC, via Q-Run) (lead)

• Amount Raised: $10 million (initial tranche)

• Total Raised: $30 million (planned)

• Funding Stage: Series D

• Funding Date: August 21, 2025

Tech Funding Summary Table