Top Startup and Tech Funding News – November 18, 2025

It’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025, and we’re back with the top startup and tech funding news stories across AI, aerospace, enterprise software, biotech, education, fintech, and emerging consumer platforms. The momentum was broad and deep, spanning late-stage growth rounds, strategic investments, and early-stage innovation. Capital continued flowing toward companies building real infrastructure, high-stakes operational systems, and specialized technologies underpinning the next generation of AI, automation, defense capability, and digital marketplaces.

Ursa Major headlined the day with a $100 million Series E round and an additional $50 million in debt to expand U.S. propulsion capacity across hypersonics and commercial space. Sakana AI followed with a $135 million Series B that pushed the Japanese foundation-model lab to a $2.65 billion valuation. Agentio secured $40 million to scale its creator-led advertising engine, while Maxima added roughly $41 million across Seed and Series A to modernize enterprise accounting workflows. GoTu Technology raised $45 million to strengthen its national dental-staffing marketplace, and PicoJool emerged with $12 million to advance high-bandwidth optical connectivity for AI data centers. Early-stage momentum extended across multiple sectors, including healthcare automation, C2C commerce, family-office infrastructure, and edtech platforms tackling teacher burnout.

Funding Highlights

• Ursa Major raised $100 million in Series E funding, plus $50 million in debt, to scale rocket-propulsion manufacturing for defense and commercial aerospace.

• Sakana AI closed a $135 million Series B that pushed the company to a $2.65 billion valuation as it expands Japan-focused foundation models.

• Agentio secured $40 million in Series B funding to deepen its creator-powered advertising platform.

• Maxima raised approximately $41 million across Seed + Series A to automate enterprise accounting workflows using AI.

• GoTu Technology landed $45 million in growth investment to expand its nationwide dental-staffing marketplace.

• PicoJool raised $12 million in seed financing to scale high-bandwidth optical interconnects for hyperscale AI clusters.

• Lifordi Immunotherapeutics added strategic capital from Sanofi Ventures, bringing total funding to about $112 million.

• Asseta AI secured $4.2 million in seed funding to modernize family-office operational infrastructure.

• Pype AI raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to build healthcare-specialized voice agents.

• Circle secured ₹3.4 crore (~$410K) in pre-seed capital to expand its AI-verified C2C marketplace.

• Teacher’s Buddy closed $1.85 million in seed funding to reduce teacher burnout through AI-driven workflow automation.

• Maxima (extended) advanced its enterprise rollout with ~$41 million in fresh capital and a ~$143 million valuation.

Investor Activity

Today’s financings featured participation from influential global technology investors — including Forerunner, Eclipse, Khosla Ventures, Nyca Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Redpoint Ventures, Principia Growth, Lux Capital, NEA, and strategic backers such as MUFG, In-Q-Tel, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and Sanofi Ventures. Their involvement underscores continued conviction in AI infrastructure, aerospace propulsion, enterprise automation, biotech innovation, and next-generation marketplaces reshaping consumer behavior.

Early-stage participation also remained active. Healthtech specialists, fintech operators, AI-first pre-seed funds, climate-aligned investors, and mission-driven angels supported a diverse set of emerging startups in healthcare automation, ESG-adjacent verification, education tooling, and financial-operations modernization — reflecting deep global deal flow across foundational and application-layer innovation.

Taken together, today’s rounds mark a strong mid-November showing, with AI, aerospace defense, enterprise modernization, and biotech leading the charge toward 2026.

Here’s the full breakdown of today’s 12 funding stories.

Agentio Raises $40M in Series B Funding to Expand Its Creator-Powered Ads Platform

AI startup Agentio has closed a $40 million Series B funding, marking a major step forward for one of the fastest-growing companies in creator-driven advertising. The startup has built a platform that helps brands run paid campaigns through creators in a more structured, performance-driven way — particularly on YouTube, where creator-led ads have become one of the most consistent channels for conversions. Agentio’s pitch has resonated: brands get predictable results, creators get steady revenue, and advertisers can automate everything from discovery to payout.

The new round, led by Forerunner, signals growing investor confidence in the shift from traditional programmatic ads to creator-centric formats that feel more authentic to audiences. Benchmark, Craft Ventures, AlleyCorp, Antler, and Starting Line also joined the round. With roughly $56 million now raised, Agentio plans to expand beyond YouTube, invest in AI-powered campaign tools, and grow its marketplace. The company is valued at about $340 million, demonstrating strong traction in a segment where performance and authenticity increasingly intersect.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Agentio

• Investors: Forerunner (lead), Benchmark, Craft Ventures, AlleyCorp, Antler, Starting Line

• Amount Raised: $40 million

• Total Raised: ~$56 million

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Maxima Lands $41M Across Seed + Series A Funding to Automate Enterprise Accounting

Maxima secured roughly $41 million across its Seed and Series A rounds, positioning the company as one of the early leaders in AI-assisted enterprise accounting. The San Mateo-based startup focuses on automating high-volume tasks like reconciliation, journal entries, and month-end workflows — areas that remain stubborn bottlenecks for finance teams. What differentiates Maxima is its attempt to build a system that acts more like a junior accountant than a simple rules engine, reducing manual oversight without sacrificing accuracy or audit reliability.

The round includes participation from Redpoint Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Audacious Ventures, and angel backing from Joe Montana. Investors believe accounting is one of the last major enterprise functions to undergo modernization at scale, and Maxima aims to fill that gap with a platform designed for high-stakes, error-sensitive environments. The company is currently valued at around $143 million and will use the funds to expand engineering, strengthen compliance infrastructure, and move deeper into enterprise accounts.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Maxima

• Investors: Redpoint Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Audacious Ventures, Joe Montana

• Amount Raised: ~$41 million

• Total Raised: Valuation ~$143 million (total funding not fully disclosed)

• Funding Stage: Seed + Series A

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Asseta AI Raises $4.2M in Seed Funding to Modernize Family-Office Infrastructure

Asseta AI raised $4.2 million in seed funding to tackle one of the most overlooked yet highly complex financial sectors: family-office operations. While family offices manage trillions in global assets, their back-office systems are often stitched together with spreadsheets and legacy software. Asseta AI wants to change that by building a modern operational layer that automates workflows such as transaction processing, reporting, accounting, and compliance.

The round was co-led by Nyca Partners and Motive Partners, two firms with deep expertise in fintech and financial infrastructure. Asseta AI positions itself as the connective layer for family offices — not just digitizing workflows, but creating a unified system that reduces risk and improves decision accuracy. With wealth consolidation and private-market investing increasing worldwide, demand for streamlined operational tools continues to grow.

The funding will accelerate platform development, hiring, and integration efforts as the company works to establish itself as a core system of record for the industry.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Asseta AI

• Investors: Nyca Partners (lead), Motive Partners

• Amount Raised: $4.2 million

• Total Raised: Seed only

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

GoTu Technology Secures $45M in Funding to Scale Its Dental Staffing Marketplace

GoTu Technology, a labor-marketplace tailored to the U.S. dental industry, has secured a $45 million growth investment to accelerate national expansion. Dental practices across the country continue to face staffing gaps — particularly hygienists, assistants, and associate dentists — creating operational disruptions that often delay patient appointments. GoTu addresses this by offering a flexible staffing network that matches dental professionals to practices in real time.

The round was led by Long Ridge Equity Partners, with participation from institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. GoTu plans to use the capital to enhance its platform, deepen its pool of licensed professionals, and expand into more states. As healthcare labor shortages continue to strain providers, vertical marketplaces that solve high-frequency staffing challenges are gaining momentum.

Funding Details:

• Startup: GoTu Technology

• Investors: Long Ridge Equity Partners (lead), J.P. Morgan Asset Management (advised investors)

• Amount Raised: $45 million

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Growth investment

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

PicoJool Emerges from Stealth with $12M in Seed Funding for High-Bandwidth Optical Connectivity

PicoJool raised $12 million in seed funding to advance its optical interconnect technology, addressing one of the most pressing challenges in AI infrastructure today: efficiently moving massive volumes of data between compute nodes. As AI models grow larger, traditional electrical interconnects are hitting bandwidth and power limitations. PicoJool is building next-generation VCSELs and optical modules capable of supporting 400 Gb/s lanes and beyond, targeting hyperscale data centers and high-performance AI clusters.

While the investor list wasn’t disclosed, the size of the seed round suggests strong confidence in photonics-based approaches to data movement. The company plans to use the capital to scale manufacturing, increase R&D velocity, and expand its roadmap for next-generation optical components that aim to reduce latency, power consumption, and physical footprint inside modern data centers.

Funding Details:

• Startup: PicoJool

• Investors: Not disclosed

• Amount Raised: $12 million

• Total Raised: Seed only

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Ursa Major Technologies Raises $100M in Series E Funding, Adds $50M Debt

Ursa Major Technologies secured a $100 million Series E funding round alongside $50 million in debt commitments, strengthening its role as one of the leading independent propulsion manufacturers in the U.S. The company builds solid rocket motors, liquid engines, and in-space propulsion systems designed to support commercial spaceflight, hypersonic programs, and next-generation defense systems. With propulsion capacity emerging as a bottleneck across aerospace and defense, Ursa Major is positioned at the center of an industry undergoing rapid modernization.

The round was led by Eclipse, with participation from Woodline Partners, Principia Growth, XN, and Alsop Louie Partners. Investors see Ursa Major as a foundational supplier capable of accelerating domestic production capacity and reducing dependence on legacy aerospace primes. The company also reported more than $115 million in bookings across the first three quarters of 2025 — a sign of rising commercial and government adoption.

The funds will be used to scale manufacturing, expand test infrastructure, and accelerate the delivery of propulsion systems critical for national defense programs.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Ursa Major Technologies

• Investors: Eclipse (lead), Woodline Partners, Principia Growth, XN, Alsop Louie Partners

• Amount Raised: $100 million (+$50 million debt)

• Total Raised: Not disclosed

• Funding Stage: Series E

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Lifordi Immunotherapeutics Receives New Strategic Funding, Total Reaches $112M

Lifordi Immunotherapeutics received a new strategic investment from Sanofi Ventures, bringing its total capital raised to approximately $112 million. The company is developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) designed not for cancer, but for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases — a major shift in how ADC technologies are being applied. Its lead candidate, LFD-200, is currently in Phase 1 trials, and Lifordi is advancing CMC preparations to support Phase 2 development.

Sanofi Ventures joins existing backers ARCH Venture Partners, 5AM Ventures, and Atlas Venture, all of which have deep experience funding companies building long-horizon therapeutics. Lifordi aims to bring targeted precision to chronic conditions that have been historically managed with broad immunosuppressants, many of which come with significant side effects.

The new capital gives the company the financial runway to expand clinical testing, deepen immunology research, and strengthen its scientific and regulatory teams.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Lifordi Immunotherapeutics

• Investors: Sanofi Ventures (strategic), ARCH Venture Partners, 5AM Ventures, Atlas Venture

• Amount Raised: Undisclosed amount for this round

• Total Raised: ~$112 million

• Funding Stage: Strategic / follow-on

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Pype AI Raises $1.2M Pre-Seed to Build Healthcare Voice Agents

Pype AI raised $1.2 million in a pre-seed round led by Kalaari Capital, with support from Wyser Capital and Tenity. The Bengaluru startup is developing voice agents trained specifically for healthcare workflows such as intake, scheduling, follow-ups, and administrative coordination. These tasks place heavy burdens on medical staff, and many healthcare facilities remain understaffed even as patient loads increase.

Rather than offering a general-purpose voice model, Pype AI is training its system on clinical and operational datasets that demand higher accuracy and stricter compliance. The company is building tools designed to integrate into existing systems while reducing clerical overhead for health providers.

Funding will be used to expand engineering, refine its voice-agent models, and kick-start pilot programs with U.S. and Indian healthcare providers.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Pype AI

• Investors: Kalaari Capital (lead), Wyser Capital, Tenity

• Amount Raised: $1.2 million

• Total Raised: $1.2 million

• Funding Stage: Pre-seed

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Circle Raises $410K in Pre-Seed Funding to Build AI-Verified C2C Marketplace

Circle, a Bengaluru-based C2C marketplace, secured Rs 3.4 crore (around $410,000) in a pre-seed funding round led by Titan Capital. The startup is building a managed marketplace for pre-owned goods, using AI to verify listings, detect fraud, and manage logistics across pickup and delivery. By taking responsibility for both verification and fulfillment, Circle aims to eliminate the trust issues common in unverified peer-to-peer marketplaces.

Investor support includes Myntra co-founder Raveen Sastry, whose background in Indian e-commerce adds operational credibility to Circle’s model. As India’s resale economy expands, platforms that provide reliability and standardized logistics are seeing increased demand from consumers who want both affordability and authenticity.

The capital will help Circle build its logistics engine, expand feature development, and grow its early user base.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Circle

• Investors: Titan Capital (lead), Raveen Sastry

• Amount Raised: Rs 3.4 crore (~$410K)

• Total Raised: ~$410K

• Funding Stage: Pre-seed

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Teacher’s Buddy Raises $1.85M in Seed Funding to Reduce Teacher Burnout

Teacher’s Buddy, an Australian edtech startup founded by former Edrolo executives Ben Sze and Matt Abraham, raised $1.85 million in seed funding led by Giant Leap. The company is building a platform that reduces teacher burnout by automating planning, assessment, documentation, and reporting tasks that consume valuable classroom time.

Flying Fox Ventures, Co Ventures, Exhort Ventures, and Soul Capital also participated. Teacher’s Buddy is designing AI-driven tools that assist educators without replacing their judgment, focusing on workflow efficiency and data consolidation rather than generative lesson creation alone. The goal is to allow teachers to focus on instruction while eliminating hours of repetitive administrative work.

The funding will support product expansion, school pilots, and deeper research collaborations with educators.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Teacher’s Buddy

• Investors: Giant Leap (lead), Flying Fox Ventures, Co Ventures, Exhort Ventures, Soul Capital

• Amount Raised: $1.85 million

• Total Raised: $1.85 million

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Sakana AI Raises $135M in Series B Funding at $2.65B Valuation

Sakana AI raised nearly $135 million in Series B funding, bringing its valuation near $2.65 billion. The Tokyo-based company is developing foundation models tailored specifically for the Japanese language, culture, enterprise workflows, and compliance standards — areas that often challenge general-purpose AI models.

The round includes MUFG, Khosla Ventures, Macquarie Capital, NEA, Lux Capital, and In-Q-Tel. With Japan accelerating national AI adoption across finance, robotics, manufacturing, and government, demand for locally optimized foundation models is rapidly increasing.

The company’s total capital raised now stands at approximately $379 million.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Sakana AI

• Investors: MUFG, Khosla Ventures, Macquarie Capital, NEA, Lux Capital, In-Q-Tel

• Amount Raised: ~$135 million

• Total Raised: ~US $379 million

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

12. Maxima (Extended Coverage)

Maxima’s combined ~$41 million Seed + Series A raise reflects strong support from investors who believe enterprise accounting automation is overdue for modernization. With its valuation at ~$143 million, the company plans to accelerate development of audit-ready, AI-powered workflows for mid-market and enterprise finance teams.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Maxima

• Investors: Redpoint Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Audacious Ventures, Liquid 2

• Amount Raised: ~$41 million

• Total Raised: Valuation ~$143 million

• Funding Stage: Seed + Series A

• Funding Date: November 18, 2025

Tech Funding Summary Table

Closing

That wraps up today’s major funding activity across global markets — a day driven by AI infrastructure, enterprise automation, defense propulsion, biotech innovation, education systems, and consumer marketplaces. These companies are building critical systems, strengthening national capabilities, and shaping the next decade of technological growth.

We’ll continue monitoring every new deal, from early-stage experiments to large-scale institutional rounds. Check back tomorrow for a full breakdown of the transactions influencing startup ecosystems across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and emerging tech hubs.

Until then, stay sharp — and stay ahead.