Top Startup and Tech Funding News – December 17, 2025

It’s Wednesday, December 17, 2025, and we’re back with today’s top startup and tech funding news spanning nuclear energy, AI hardware, enterprise security, and encrypted computing. From early-stage encrypted AI engines to mega-rounds in chip design and cloud data security, today’s funding spotlights the global momentum behind climate-resilient infrastructure, cyber defense, and foundational AI tooling.

Cyera led the day with a $400 million Series E to expand its AI-native security platform. In comparison, Radiant Nuclear raised $300 million to accelerate the deployment of mobile microreactors that power remote operations and energy-hungry data centers. Mythic’s $125 million Series D signals surging investor interest in energy-efficient AI chipsets, as enterprises seek alternatives to power-intensive GPUs. Meanwhile, platforms like Ankar, Sequence, and Trigger.dev are reimagining how engineers, finance teams, and IP strategists build with automation-first stacks.

Today’s activity underscores how core infrastructure—from revenue orchestration to homomorphic AI and automated patent workflows—is becoming the backbone of innovation, resilience, and growth in an AI-saturated world.

Tech Funding News

Funding Highlights

• Radiant Nuclear raised $300M Series D for portable nuclear microreactors.
• Mythic secured a $125M Series D round to scale its analog AI chipsets.
• Cyera landed $400M Series E to safeguard enterprise cloud data.
• Ankar closed $20M Series A to automate patent operations with AI.
• Ben raised $27.5M Series B to expand its AI-powered benefits platform.
• PandaDoc brought in €5M to upgrade document workflows with generative AI.
• Sequence secured $20M Series A to modernize finance and billing ops.
• Trigger.dev raised a $16M Series A for AI agent automation tools.
• Dux Security raised $9M seed funding to harden cloud infrastructure with autonomous scanning.
• Wodan AI raised €2M pre-seed to deliver encrypted AI for regulated sectors.

Investor Activity

Today’s funding drew strong interest from global multistage firms, enterprise-focused venture funds, and strategic corporate arms seeking an edge in cybersecurity, chip efficiency, and AI-native infrastructure. With only two weeks left in the year, investor conviction remains focused on mission-critical platforms and software that make AI more secure, scalable, and energy-aware.

Here’s the full breakdown of December 17’s most significant startup and tech fundings.

Radiant Nuclear Raises $300M in Series D Funding for Portable Nuclear Microreactors

Radiant Nuclear said Wednesday it raised over $300 million in its latest round to commercialize its 1-megawatt portable nuclear reactors. The California-based startup, backed by Draper Associates and Boost VC (the round’s co-lead investors), is developing factory-made microreactors that can be delivered by truck to power data centers, remote bases, and disaster-response units. The funding will help Radiant break ground on a new manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to mass-produce its helium-cooled reactors.

Investment in microreactors is surging as AI-driven data centers and industrial electrification increase energy demand, spiking interest in clean alternatives to diesel generators. Critics note the boom invites scrutiny of whether nuclear startups can deliver as promised. Still, Radiant – valued at over $1.8 billion – is targeting an initial reactor test in 2026 and customer rollouts by 2028.

“Micro-scaled nuclear, mass produced for the first time ever, can transform how the public thinks about nuclear energy,” said Doug Bernauer, CEO and Founder of Radiant. “This funding enables us to build our factory and keep to our DOME schedule, where we will achieve self-sustained chain reaction on a reactor designed by, built by, fueled by, and operated by Radiant alongside our partners at the Idaho National Lab.”

• Startup: Radiant Nuclear

• Investors: Draper Associates, Boost VC (co-leads), Founders Fund, ARK Venture Fund, Chevron Technology Ventures

• Amount Raised: $300M

• Total Raised: $465M (approx.)

• Funding Stage: Series D

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Mythic Raises $125M in Series D Funding for Energy-Efficient AI Chips

Mythic Inc., an AI chip startup, secured $125 million in a new funding round led by DCVC to expand its low-power computing technology. Mythic is developing analog AI processors that use far less power than conventional digital GPUs, aiming to serve large AI and machine learning workloads at edge and cloud scale. The funds will help Mythic scale manufacturing and pursue commercial deployments of its processors.

The company has positioned itself against Nvidia Corp. by touting 100x greater energy efficiency, an advantage as data centers grapple with high electricity costs. The round drew participation from NEA, Atreides Management, SoftBank, Honda, and Lockheed Martin, underscoring broad interest in alternative AI hardware. Mythic’s total funding now approaches $220 million, reflecting steady growth as demand for specialized AI chips rises.

• Startup: Mythic Inc.

• Investors: DCVC (lead), New Enterprise Associates, Atreides Management, SoftBank, Honda Motor Co., Lockheed Martin

• Amount Raised: $125M

• Total Raised: ~$220M (approx.)

• Funding Stage: Series D

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Cyera Raises $400M in Series E Funding for AI-Powered Data Security

Cyera, an Israeli-founded cybersecurity startup, announced a $400 million round led by Blackstone at a $9 billion valuation. Its AI-driven platform gives enterprises a unified view of all their cloud data and eliminates “blind spots” in security coverage. As organizations rapidly adopt AI tools, Cyera’s software helps cut alert noise and pinpoint vulnerabilities across disparate cloud services, databases, and applications.

The fresh capital will fuel Cyera’s global expansion and product development, following two rounds ($540M in June 2025 and $300M in late 2024) that lifted total funding to about $1.7 billion. Other backers include Accel, Coatue, Cyberstarts, Georgian, Lightspeed, and Sequoia. With data breaches and AI-driven cyberattacks on the rise, Cyera’s raise underscores the surge in security investment.

• Startup: Cyera

• Investors: Blackstone Group (lead), Accel, Coatue, Cyberstarts, Georgian, Lightspeed, Sequoia

• Amount Raised: $400M

• Total Raised: ~$1.7B (approx.)

• Funding Stage: Series E

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Ankar Raises $20M in Series A Funding for AI Patent Automation

Ankar, a London-based AI SaaS company, closed a $20 million Series A led by Atomico to expand its AI-driven patent management platform. Co-founded by former Palantir engineers, Ankar’s software automates parts of the IP workflow – analyzing technical documents, tracking prior art, and streamlining patent drafting.

With AI models trained on global patent data, the platform is designed to speed up invention disclosures and patent applications for R&D teams. Atomico led the round, with Index Ventures, Norrsken VC, and Daphni joining, reflecting investor confidence in AI’s role in intellectual property. The new funding will be used to scale engineering and expand into the U.S. market.

• Startup: Ankar

• Investors: Atomico (lead), Index Ventures, Norrsken VC, Daphni

• Amount Raised: $20M

• Total Raised: $20M

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Ben Raises $27.5M in Series B Funding for AI Employee Benefits Platform

Ben, a London-based HR technology startup, raised $27.5 million in Series B funding (led by Mercia Ventures) to scale its AI-powered employee benefits platform. Ben’s software helps large global companies manage complex benefits programs across multiple countries. The AI system analyzes complex eligibility rules, statutory requirements, and policy documents, delivering personalized benefits guidance and answering employee queries.

Existing investors Atomico, Cherry Ventures, DN Capital, and Seedcamp also participated, and Revolut co-founder Nik Storonsky joined via his QuantumLight fund. The capital will help Ben accelerate product development and expand its sales team to meet surging demand from multinationals seeking to modernize legacy benefits systems.

• Startup: Ben (Employee Benefits Platform)

• Investors: Mercia Ventures (lead), Atomico, Cherry Ventures, DN Capital, Seedcamp, QuantumLight Capital

• Amount Raised: $27.5M

• Total Raised: ~$27.5M

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

PandaDoc Raises €5M in Funding to Boost AI-Enhanced Document Automation

PandaDoc, the unicorn document-automation firm, secured €5 million in funding from Lisbon-based Indico Capital Partners to enhance its AI-driven document workflow tools. PandaDoc’s cloud platform is widely used to create, send, and e-sign business documents (proposals, contracts, quotes, invoices).

The new capital will be used to develop advanced AI features for document drafting and processing. Founded in 2013, PandaDoc has built a global customer base for its proposal and contract management software. This round – the first since its 2021 unicorn financing – bolsters its push into generative AI for enterprise content.

• Startup: PandaDoc

• Investors: Indico Capital Partners

• Amount Raised: €5M

• Total Raised: ~$75M (approx.)

• Funding Stage: Series F (growth)

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Sequence Raises $20M in Series A Funding for AI-Powered CFO Revenue Platform

Sequence, a London- and New York-based fintech startup, raised $20 million in Series A funding led by 645 Ventures. The startup offers an AI-powered revenue operations platform for finance teams, automating billing, contract processing, and invoicing workflows. Existing backers, including Andreessen Horowitz, Firstminute Capital, Passion Capital, Dig Ventures, and Vor Capital, also participated in the round.

The new funding will accelerate Sequence’s R&D and sales expansion as more CFOs seek AI tools to speed up manual accounting tasks. Sequence reports 10x revenue growth since its last raise, highlighting the rapid adoption of AI solutions in corporate finance.

• Startup: Sequence

• Investors: 645 Ventures (lead), Andreessen Horowitz, Firstminute Capital, Passion Capital, Dig Ventures, Vor Capital

• Amount Raised: $20M

• Total Raised: $20M

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Trigger.dev Raises $16M in Series A Funding for AI Agent Workflows

Trigger.dev, a developer platform for building AI-driven task workflows and agents, announced a $16 million Series A led by Standard Capital. The company’s tools let software teams easily automate complex processes and background tasks, which is especially useful for AI-powered applications.

Standard Capital (the new fund of ex-Y Combinator partner Dalton Caldwell) led the round, joined by angel Michael Grinich and the CTO Fund. Existing investors – including Y Combinator, Liquid 2, Wayfinder Ventures, Pioneer Fund, and Rebel Fund – also put in follow-on funding. Trigger.dev plans to use the investment to accelerate its roadmap (adding sandboxes, advanced observability, and broader integrations) and hire more engineers.

• Startup: Trigger.dev

• Investors: Standard Capital (lead), Michael Grinich, CTO Fund, Y Combinator, Liquid 2, Wayfinder Ventures, Pioneer Fund, Rebel Fund

• Amount Raised: $16M

• Total Raised: $16M

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Dux Security Raises $9M in Seed Funding to Automate Cyber Exposure Management

Dux Security, a New York startup, closed a $9 million seed round led by Redpoint Ventures to expand its AI-driven cyber exposure management platform. Dux offers “agentic” cybersecurity software that continuously scans and reports on an organization’s cloud infrastructure for misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. By using automated agents, the platform aims to provide security teams with a real-time inventory of exposed assets and potential risks.

The seed funding round saw participation from TLV Partners and Maple Capital. The capital will be used to grow the engineering team and advance the product, as enterprises ramp up efforts to secure cloud environments.

• Startup: Dux Security

• Investors: Redpoint Ventures (lead), TLV Partners, Maple Capital

• Amount Raised: $9M

• Total Raised: $9M

• Funding Stage: Seed

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Wodan AI Raises €2M Pre-Seed for Encrypted AI Solutions

Wodan AI, a Spanish-Belgian startup, raised €2 million in a pre-seed round led by JME Ventures, Swanlaab, Adara Ventures, and ScaleFund. Wodan is developing homomorphic encryption technology that enables AI models to operate on encrypted data end-to-end, preserving the privacy of sensitive information across sectors such as finance and healthcare.

Wodan’s platform enables organizations to train and query AI models without exposing raw data. The new funds will help Wodan accelerate development of its encrypted AI engine and forge partnerships with enterprise clients.

• Startup: Wodan AI

• Investors: JME Ventures, Swanlaab, Adara Ventures, ScaleFund

• Amount Raised: €2M

• Total Raised: €2M

• Funding Stage: Pre-Seed

• Funding Date: Dec 17, 2025

Tech Funding Summary Table