Top Startup and Tech Funding News – January 13, 2025

It’s Tuesday, January 13, 2026, and today’s funding activity signals a decisive shift toward defense software, AI-native infrastructure, and climate-focused industrial innovation. From next-generation military planning platforms to blended-wing aircraft and green ammonia production, investors are backing companies tackling some of the world’s hardest technical problems.

Defense tech dominated the day as Onebrief pulled in a massive $200 million round to scale its AI-powered mission planning system across U.S. military commands, while Defense Unicorns crossed the billion-dollar mark with a $136 million raise to modernize classified government networks. In aerospace, JetZero secured $175 million to push forward its fuel-efficient blended-wing aircraft, signaling growing momentum behind sustainable aviation.

AI infrastructure also saw strong conviction, with Deepgram raising $130 million to expand its enterprise voice intelligence and WitnessAI raising $58 million to secure autonomous AI agents within large organizations. Meanwhile, Flip carved out a strong position in vertical AI with a $20 million round focused on automating industry-specific customer service.

Biotech remained red-hot, led by Syneron Bio’s nearly $100 million raise to develop AI-powered peptide drugs and Juvena Therapeutics’ $33.5 million Series B to advance regenerative medicine. Converge Bio also raised fresh capital to accelerate AI-driven drug discovery, while climate startup Ammobia secured seed funding to reinvent ammonia production for a decarbonized economy.

Across sectors—from battlefield software and voice AI to clean chemicals and next-gen biologics—today’s rounds reflect growing investor confidence in platforms that blend deep tech with real-world impact.

Tech Funding News

Funding Highlights

• Converge Bio raises $25M Series A for AI-driven drug discovery
• Deepgram secures $130M Series C to scale enterprise voice AI
• JetZero lands $175M Series B for fuel-efficient blended-wing aircraft
• Defense Unicorns grabs $136M Series B to expand secure military software
• Flip raises $20M Series A for vertical AI customer service
• WitnessAI secures $58M to scale enterprise AI security
• Ammobia emerges with $7.5M seed to reinvent green ammonia production
• Onebrief raises $200M to expand AI-powered mission planning
• Juvena Therapeutics closes $33.5M Series B for regenerative medicine
• Syneron Bio raises nearly $100M Series A to develop peptide drugs

Investor Activity

Today’s deals drew major growth funds, defense-focused investors, corporate venture arms, and global pharma strategics. The mix of late-stage mega-rounds and early-stage industrial bets underscores continued appetite for capital-intensive platforms shaping defense, infrastructure, and life sciences.

Here’s the full breakdown of January 13’s most significant startup and tech funding news stories.

Converge Bio Raises $25M in Series A Funding to Accelerate AI-Driven Drug Discovery

Converge Bio, a Boston- and Tel Aviv-based startup that uses generative AI to accelerate pharmaceutical R&D, has raised a $25 million Series A round. The oversubscribed financing, led by Bessemer Venture Partners, will help Converge expand its platform that trains AI models on molecular data to streamline drug development.

Dozens of biotech companies are racing to integrate AI into their discovery workflows, and Converge’s approach has already yielded AI systems for tasks such as antibody design and protein optimization. The fresh capital positions Converge Bio to compete in the AI-driven drug discovery space for heating by broadening its suite of tools and supporting more pharma partners in shortening development timelines.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Converge Bio (AI-powered drug discovery platform)

• Investors: Bessemer Venture Partners (lead); TLV Partners, Saras Capital, Vintage Investment Partners; plus executives from Meta & OpenAI

• Amount Raised: $25 million

• Total Raised: $30.5 million

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Deepgram Raises $130M in Series C Funding to Scale Enterprise Voice AI Platform

Voice AI startup Deepgram has secured $130 million in Series C funding at a $1.3 billion valuation to meet surging demand for conversational AI in the enterprise. Deepgram’s platform provides custom speech-recognition models and infrastructure that allow businesses to deploy real-time voice agents in call centers, sales, and customer service.

More than 1,300 organizations (including NASA and AWS) use Deepgram-powered voice features, underscoring the company’s leadership in this fast-growing sector. The new round, led by AVP, will fuel Deepgram’s global expansion, support additional language models, and fund strategic acquisitions – highlighted by Deepgram’s recent purchase of a voice AI startup to boost its capabilities in drive-thru ordering. With voice interfaces becoming mainstream, Deepgram’s latest raise solidifies its unicorn status and gives it resources to stay ahead in accuracy and scale as enterprises embrace AI-driven voice interactions.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Deepgram (AI speech recognition platform for voice applications)

• Investors: AVP (lead); Tiger Global, Madrona, In-Q-Tel; new backers Alumni Ventures, Princeville Capital, Twilio Ventures, SAP

• Amount Raised: $130 million

• Total Raised: ~$215 million

• Funding Stage: Series C

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

JetZero Lands $175M in Series B Funding for Fuel-Efficient Blended-Wing Aircraft

Boss: Tom O’Learhy, CEO of JetZero. (Credit: Thomas Wasper)

JetZero, a California-based aerospace startup, has raised $175 million in Series B funding to advance its blended-wing-body aircraft, designed for significantly lower fuel burn. The round was led by B Capital and included strategic investors such as Northrop Grumman and the venture arms of United Airlines, 3M, and RTX. JetZero’s futuristic airliner features a wide, blended-wing airframe that promises at least 30% better aerodynamics than today’s conventional jets – a potential game-changer amid airlines’ push for efficiency and reduced emissions.

The new funding will accelerate construction of JetZero’s full-scale demonstrator aircraft (dubbed the “Z-5”), which is on track for a first flight in 2027. With more than $1 billion in total backing (including government grants and a U.S. Air Force development contract), JetZero aims to bring its fuel-saving design into commercial service in the early 2030s, potentially reshaping the future of sustainable air travel.

Funding Details:

• Startup: JetZero (developer of blended-wing, fuel-efficient aircraft)

• Investors: B Capital (lead); Northrop Grumman, United Airlines Ventures, 3M Ventures, RTX Ventures

• Amount Raised: $175 million

• Total Raised: Over $1 billion (including grants & commitments)

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Defense Unicorns Secures $136M in Series B Funding to Expand Secure Military Software

Colorado-based Defense Unicorns has closed a $136 million Series B round, vaulting its valuation above $1 billion as it scales up its secure software suite for U.S. defense agencies. Founded in 2021 by former Pentagon tech leads, Defense Unicorns provides “air-gapped” software solutions – platforms that can be deployed on classified military networks isolated from the internet.

This capability addresses a critical need as the Department of War and other branches seek to modernize their tech infrastructure without sacrificing security. The new funding, led by Bain Capital and including participation from Sapphire Ventures, Ansa Capital, and retired General David Petraeus, underscores the growing investor appetite for defense tech startups.

The capital will allow Defense Unicorns to expand its product offerings and support a broader range of military clients. As U.S. defense spending increasingly shifts toward software, data, and AI, Defense Unicorns is positioning itself as a backbone provider of secure, mission-critical applications across the Navy, Army, Air Force and Space Force.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Defense Unicorns (developer of secure software for U.S. military networks)

• Investors: Bain Capital (lead); Sapphire Ventures, Ansa Capital; Gen. David Petraeus, among others

• Amount Raised: $136 million

• Total Raised: $171 million

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Flip grabs $20M in Series A Funding for Vertical AI Customer Service Platform

New York-based startup Flip has raised a $20 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-powered customer service platform tailored to specific industries. Flip’s voice AI system answers and resolves routine customer calls, but unlike general-purpose call center AI, it is pre-trained for verticals such as transportation, retail, and healthcare. This focused approach allows client companies to deploy automation “out-of-the-box” with industry-specific knowledge, rather than spending months on custom AI training.

The strategy is paying off – Flip’s platform has handled over 300 million phone calls and is used by hundreds of enterprise customers, including brands such as Under Armour and Tory Burch. The funding round was co-led by Next Coast Ventures and Ridge Ventures, and brings Flip’s total financing to $31 million. With the new capital, Flip plans to expand into additional sectors and deepen its integrations, bolstering its claim that a vertical focus can crack the crowded AI customer service market by delivering faster and more accurate support experiences.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Flip (vertical-specific AI customer service call automation)

• Investors: Next Coast Ventures, Ridge Ventures (co-leads); Data Point Capital, ScOp Venture Capital, Bullpen Capital, Forum Ventures, angels

• Amount Raised: $20 million

• Total Raised: $31 million

• Funding Stage: Series A

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

WitnessAI Secures $58M in Funding to Expand Enterprise AI Security Platform

WitnessAI, a Mountain View-based AI security company, has raised $58 million in new funding to help enterprises safely adopt AI at scale. The startup offers a platform that monitors and secures AI models and “agents” (autonomous AI programs) deployed within companies, providing a unified layer of governance and threat protection. As businesses accelerate their use of generative AI and automated agents, WitnessAI’s technology enables them to observe what AI systems are doing, link actions back to human operators, and block malicious inputs or behaviors (such as prompt injection attacks) before damage occurs.

Last year, the company reported a 500% increase in ARR as large organizations across the finance, automotive, retail, and telecom sectors turned to AI security specialists to manage risk. The $58 million round was led by Sound Ventures – an early backer of OpenAI – with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Fin Capital, and Forgepoint. WitnessAI will use the funds to expand globally and develop new features to safeguard agent-based AI deployments, reinforcing its position as a leading player in the emerging enterprise AI security market.

Funding Details:

• Startup: WitnessAI (enterprise AI security and governance platform)

• Investors: Sound Ventures (lead); Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Fin Capital, Forgepoint Capital Partners

• Amount Raised: $58 million

• Total Raised: $85.5 million

• Funding Stage: Strategic (Series B equivalent)

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Ammobia Emerges From Stealth with $7.5M in Seed Funding to Reinvent Green Ammonia Production

Climate tech startup Ammobia has raised a $7.5 million seed round to modernize ammonia production with a cleaner, more efficient process. Ammonia is a critical ingredient in fertilizer and an emerging clean-fuel candidate, but its century-old production method (Haber-Bosch) is highly energy-intensive, accounting for around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Ammobia says it has developed a novel approach that operates at significantly lower temperatures and pressures, reducing energy use and costs by up to 40%. If proven at scale, this innovation could not only slash emissions from the fertilizer industry but also pave the way for “green ammonia” to be used as a carbon-free fuel in industries such as shipping and power generation.

The seed funding comes from a roster of strategic investors, including the venture arms of industrial giants Air Liquide, Chevron, and Shell, as well as Japan’s Chiyoda Corporation and MOL, plus Korea’s SK Gas. With this backing, Ammobia plans to build a pilot plant to validate its technology at scale. The startup’s long-term goal is to help decarbonize ammonia production and unlock new markets for ammonia as a clean energy carrier, leveraging its cost advantage over hydrogen in transport and storage.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Ammobia (low-emission ammonia production technology)

• Investors: ALIAD (Air Liquide Ventures), Chevron Technology Ventures, Shell Ventures; Chiyoda Corporation, MOL PLUS, SK Gas Ventures

• Amount Raised: $7.5 million

• Total Raised: $7.5 million

• Funding Stage: Seed Round

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Onebrief Raises $200M in Funding to Scale AI-Powered Mission Planning Platform

Military tech startup Onebrief has raised $200 million in new funding to expand its AI-driven mission planning and wargaming platform, doubling the company’s valuation to roughly $2.15 billion just six months after its previous round. Onebrief’s cloud-based software provides U.S. military planners with a single collaborative space to develop battle plans, run real-time simulations, and make rapid decisions using live data feeds.

By replacing slow, manual war-planning processes (often done with slides and spreadsheets) with an interactive, intelligent system, Onebrief has gained adoption across most of the U.S. Combatant Commands and numerous other defense units. The latest round was led by Battery Ventures and Sapphire Ventures, with participation from Salesforce Ventures, and positions Onebrief as one of the most highly valued startups in the defense tech renaissance.

The fresh capital infusion will be used to harden and scale Onebrief’s platform for wider deployment – including enhancing its AI capabilities for decision support and ensuring the software can remain resilient and operational even under wartime cyber conditions. Onebrief also announced it has acquired Battle Road Digital, a smaller defense simulation firm, to integrate advanced real-time wargaming features into its suite. Flush with funding, Onebrief aims to become the digital backbone of military planning and strategy, analogous to how Palantir and Anduril have become critical platforms in other defense domains.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Onebrief (unified mission-planning and wargaming software for defense)

• Investors: Battery Ventures, Sapphire Ventures (lead investors); new participation from Salesforce Ventures

• Amount Raised: $200 million

• Total Raised: Over $300 million

• Funding Stage: Late-stage (post-Series C)

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Juvena Therapeutics Raises $33.5M in Series B Funding to Advance Regenerative Biologics Pipeline

Juvena Therapeutics, a Silicon Valley biotechnology startup, has closed a $33.5 million Series B round to advance its regenerative medicine pipeline. Juvena uses an AI-enabled platform to discover secreted proteins and peptides that can stimulate tissue repair and combat degenerative diseases associated with aging. Its lead candidate, JUV-161, is a biologic drug currently in Phase 1 trials for a muscle-wasting condition and has shown promise in improving muscle strength in preclinical studies.

The new funding round was led by Bison Ventures, with participation from Eli Lilly and other investors, and comes on the heels of Juvena signing a research collaboration with Lilly that could be worth over $650 million in future milestones. With this capital injection, Juvena plans to accelerate clinical development of JUV-161 and advance additional pipeline programs targeting neuromuscular and age-related disorders. The company also intends to expand its AI discovery platform to identify therapeutics for more tissue types.

The Series B brings Juvena’s total venture funding to about $84 million and marks an inflection point as the company transitions from early-stage R&D into multiple clinical trials in its quest to create novel regenerative treatments.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Juvena Therapeutics (AI-driven regenerative biologics for tissue repair)

• Investors: Bison Ventures (lead); Eli Lilly and Company, Jefferson Life Sciences; existing backers Mubadala Capital, Manta Ray

• Amount Raised: $33.5 million

• Total Raised: $83.5 million

• Funding Stage: Series B

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Syneron Bio Raises Nearly $100M Series A to Develop AI-Powered Peptide Drugs

Beijing-based Syneron Bio has closed approximately $100 million in its Series A and A+ financing rounds to fund the development of next-generation peptide therapeutics. Syneron is building an “intelligent” high-throughput platform (dubbed Synova) to discover macrocyclic peptide drugs – complex molecules that can bind disease targets often considered out of reach by traditional small-molecule or antibody drugs.

The sizable early-stage funding round drew a syndicate of top-tier investors, led by pharma giant AstraZeneca and its local Chinese fund, AZ-CICC, with participation from Pfizer’s biotech investment arm and prominent venture firms such as GL Ventures, 5Y Capital, and Sinovation. The backing from two global pharmaceutical companies signals strong validation of Syneron’s technology and its potential to generate novel treatments in oncology and chronic diseases. With the new capital, Syneron Bio plans to expand its peptide drug pipeline and advance multiple programs into human clinical trials.

The company, founded in 2023, has rapidly gained support by combining biotech know-how with AI and automation, and now aims to translate that into breakthrough therapies for patients – potentially bridging Eastern and Western drug development efforts given its blend of Chinese and international investment.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Syneron Bio (AI-driven macrocyclic peptide drug discovery company)

• Investors: AstraZeneca & AZ-CICC Healthcare Fund (lead); Pfizer Biotech Development Fund; GL Ventures, 5Y Capital, Sinovation Ventures, Lenovo Capital, Gree Capital, KHK Fund

• Amount Raised: ~$100 million (Series A and A+ rounds)

• Total Raised: ~$100 million

• Funding Stage: Series A / A+

• Funding Date: January 13, 2026

Tech Funding Summary