Top Startup and Tech Funding News – March 3, 2025

It’s Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and we’re tracking today’s most consequential startup and tech funding moves. The latest rounds spotlight a decisive pivot toward scalable infrastructure for AI systems, digital governance, and enterprise automation. From optical interconnects and T-cell engagers to procurement intelligence and GovTech modernization, investors are prioritizing platforms that combine deep technical defensibility with systemic market leverage.

High-impact raises across seed, growth, and late-stage rounds signal increasing confidence in applied AI across healthcare, national systems, and enterprise security. Capital is flowing into startups solving complex coordination problems—whether in regulatory environments, real-time logistics, or multi-agent enterprise workflows. Today’s funding activity spans photonic computing, mental health, cybersecurity, and home services, underscoring a global thesis: resilient tech infrastructure is now central to both economic and civic systems.

Tech Funding News

Funding Highlights

• Ayar Labs raises $500M Series E to scale photonic interconnects for AI infrastructure
• Grow Therapy raises $150M Series D to expand AI-powered behavioral health
• Prolium Bioscience secures $50M Series A to advance autoimmune T-cell therapy
• CHAMP Titles raises $55M to digitize DMV systems nationwide
• Fig Security emerges with $38M Seed/Series A to protect enterprise security pipelines
• DeepIP raises $25M Series B for AI-native patent workflows
• Pronto raises $25M Series B to scale India’s on-demand home services
• RenoFi raises $22M Series B for AI-driven home renovation loans
• NationGraph raises $18M Series A for AI-powered government contracting research
• RAS Luxury Skincare secures $7.5M Series B to scale premium D2C brand

Investor Activity

Today’s rounds drew concentrated support from sector-aligned venture firms and strategic operators across AI infrastructure, healthtech, cybersecurity, and public systems. NVIDIA and AMD co-led a landmark half-billion-dollar round into photonic networking, while TCV, Goldman Sachs, and RTW backed major healthcare and biotech expansions. Team8 and Ten Eleven Ventures continued to shape the security landscape, fueling Fig Security’s stealth emergence.

Fifth Wall and Progressive Insurance deepened fintech exposure with fresh capital for renovation lending, as Menlo Ventures and Perplexity Fund targeted AI-first procurement tech. Unilever, Amazon, and Dabur Ventures signaled rising global interest in high-growth consumer wellness platforms. Across the board, investor conviction is intensifying around platforms architected for intelligence, automation, and scale.

Ayar Labs Raises $500M in Series E Funding for Photonic AI Chip Interconnects

Ayar Labs, an MIT spinout developing silicon-photonic chips to replace copper interconnects in data centers, announced a $500 million Series E funding round. The deal, led by NVIDIA and AMD, values the company at about $3.8 billion. Investors include strategic backers such as Neuberger Berman, MediaTek, and the Qatar Investment Authority.

The funding comes at a time when moving data between AI processors has become a major bottleneck – Ayar’s optical interconnects promise up to 20× higher throughput per watt than copper links. Ayar plans to use the new capital to scale manufacturing, expand global operations (including a new office in Taiwan), and accelerate the deployment of its co-packaged optics in AI systems.

Funding Details:
Startup: Ayar Labs
Investors: NVIDIA, AMD (co-leads); Neuberger Berman; MediaTek; Qatar Investment Authority; others
Amount Raised: $500M
Total Raised: $500M (Series E)
Funding Stage: Series E
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

Grow Therapy Raises $150M in Series D Funding for AI-Driven Mental Health Platform

Grow Therapy, a digital mental-health platform backed by Sequoia Capital, has secured $150 million in a Series D round. The round was led by TCV and Goldman Sachs’ growth equity arm, with new investors BCI and Menlo Ventures joining existing backers. This brings Grow’s total funding to $328 million.

The startup offers an AI-augmented therapy network that connects millions of insured patients with licensed therapists and psychiatrists. Grow has embedded AI tools that cut provider note-taking time by 70% and provide between-session support, such as AI-powered journaling. The fresh capital will fund the expansion of its tech platform and network, as the company partners with over 125 health insurers covering 220 million people.

Funding Details:
Startup: Grow Therapy
Investors: TCV (lead); Goldman Sachs Alternatives (lead); BCI; Menlo Ventures
Amount Raised: $150M
Total Raised: $328M
Funding Stage: Series D
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

Fig Security Raises $38M Seed/Series A for Enterprise Security Data Lineage

Fig Security, a startup founded by ex-Google security engineers, emerged from stealth with $38 million in combined seed and Series A funding. Fig’s platform traces data flows through a company’s security stack, alerting teams when changes threaten detection and response systems.

The round was co-led by cyber venture builder Team8 and Ten Eleven Ventures, and included veteran security industry backers such as Doug Merritt (former Splunk CEO) and Rene Bonvanie (former Palo Alto Networks CMO). With this funding, Fig plans to expand in North America and roughly triple its engineering and sales headcount.

Funding Details:
Startup: Fig Security
Investors: Team8 (lead); Ten Eleven Ventures; security industry veterans (e.g. Doug Merritt, Rene Bonvanie)
Amount Raised: $38M
Total Raised: $38M
Funding Stage: Seed & Series A
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

DeepIP Raises $25M Series B for AI-Powered Patent Workflow Platform

DeepIP, an AI-driven patent management startup, closed a $25 million Series B round on March 3. The financing was co-led by Korelya Capital and Serena Ventures, with participation from Headline and Balderton Capital. This brings DeepIP’s total funding to $40 million. The France- and U.S.-based company embeds AI directly into tools like Microsoft Word and patent systems, helping legal teams automate tasks across the patent lifecycle.

Customers report up to a 20% higher adoption rate and 40% greater use of DeepIP’s platform compared to standalone tools. DeepIP will use the capital to accelerate its U.S. and European expansion and evolve its platform into a full patent workflow solution.

Funding Details:
Startup: DeepIP
Investors: Korelya Capital; Serena Ventures; Headline; Balderton Capital
Amount Raised: $25M
Total Raised: $40M
Funding Stage: Series B
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

NationGraph Raises $18M Series A for AI Government Contract Intelligence

NationGraph, a Canadian-founded AI startup for government procurement research, announced an $18 million Series A funding. The round was led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from Perplexity Fund, XYZ Venture Capital, Reach Capital, and angel investors. The funding, which closed in late 2025, brings NationGraph’s total to $22.5M.

NationGraph’s SaaS platform scours disparate public data—like budgets, contracts, and RFPs—to help businesses identify and bid on government contracts. The company will use the proceeds to enhance its AI-based search infrastructure and expand its team across offices in San Francisco, Toronto, and Miami.

Funding Details:
Startup: NationGraph
Investors: Menlo Ventures (lead); Perplexity Fund; XYZ Venture Capital; Reach Capital; angel investors
Amount Raised: $18M
Total Raised: $22.5M
Funding Stage: Series A
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

RAS Luxury Skincare Raises $7.5M Series B for Premium D2C Skincare

RAS Luxury Skincare, an Indian premium skincare D2C brand, secured $7.5 million in a Series B round on March 3. The round was led by Dabur Ventures (the investment arm of FMCG giant Dabur India) and included existing backers Unilever Ventures, Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund, and Sixth Sense Ventures.

RAS sells a line of high-end face serums and creams, and will use the funding to accelerate product development and marketing. The investment marks Dabur’s first deal in D2C beauty, reflecting growing interest in India’s skincare startup space.

Funding Details:
Startup: RAS Luxury Skincare
Investors: Dabur Ventures (lead); Unilever Ventures; Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund; Sixth Sense Ventures
Amount Raised: $7.5M
Total Raised: $7.5M
Funding Stage: Series B
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

Pronto Raises $25M in Series B Funding for On-Demand Home Services Platform

Pronto, an Indian on-demand home services marketplace, announced a $25 million Series B round on March 3. The Bengaluru-based startup’s platform connects customers with pre-trained “Pros” who provide chores such as cleaning and utility work on demand. The round was led by Epiq Capital and valued Pronto at $100 million, more than doubling its valuation from late 2025.

Existing investors Glade Brook Capital, General Catalyst, and Bain Capital Ventures also participated, bringing total funding to around $40 million. Pronto, which operates in 10 Indian cities, will use the new funds to expand its workforce and deepen its geographic footprint, targeting tens of thousands of daily service bookings.

Funding Details:
Startup: Pronto
Investors: Epiq Capital (lead); Glade Brook Capital; General Catalyst; Bain Capital Ventures
Amount Raised: $25M
Total Raised: ~$40M
Funding Stage: Series B
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

CHAMP Titles Raises $55M in Growth Funding Round to Modernize DMV Technology

CHAMP Titles, a U.S. GovTech startup digitizing motor vehicle agency services, announced a $55 million growth funding round on March 3. The round was led by W.R. Berkley Corporation, Point72 Ventures, and ORIX Corporation USA, marking CHAMP’s largest raise to date. The funds will advance CHAMP’s cloud-based platforms that replace paper processes at state DMVs.

Founded in 2018, CHAMP has now raised over $100 million in total capital and has been recognized on Deloitte’s and Inc.’s fast-growth lists. The new investment will support scaling its digital titling and registration solutions across the U.S.

Funding Details:
Startup: CHAMP Titles, Inc.
Investors: W.R. Berkley (lead); Point72 Ventures; ORIX Corp USA; existing investors
Amount Raised: $55M
Total Raised: >$100M
Funding Stage: Growth round
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

RenoFi Raises $22M in Series B Funding for AI-Powered Home Renovation Loans

RenoFi, a fintech platform specializing in home renovation financing, closed a $22 million Series B funding round for AI-powered home renovation loans. Fifth Wall led the round, with participation from Progressive Insurance, HighSage Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Flintlock Capital, and Gaingels. The company will use the capital to expand its network of credit-union partners and grow its sales team, bringing its total raised to $65M.

RenoFi’s AI-driven platform underwrites renovation loans based on after-repair value (ARV), enabling homeowners with limited equity to finance home projects. The startup plans to triple its retail sales force and speed development of its proprietary underwriting engine with the new funding.

Funding Details:
Startup: RenoFi
Investors: Fifth Wall (lead); Progressive Insurance; HighSage Ventures; Alumni Ventures; Flintlock Capital; Gaingels; other VCs
Amount Raised: $22M
Total Raised: $65M
Funding Stage: Series B
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

Prolium Bioscience Raises $50M Series A for Autoimmune Disease Therapy

Prolium Bioscience, a clinical-stage biotech developing immunotherapies, announced a $50 million Series A launch round on March 3. The financing was led by founding investor RTW Investments to advance Prolium’s lead drug, PRO-203, a novel CD20×CD3 T-cell engager for severe autoimmune diseases.

Prolium has already begun first-in-human dosing of PRO-203, and will use the proceeds to fund a Phase 1/2 trial in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) and expand trials into other lupus-related conditions. The round gives Prolium strong capital support as it develops what it calls a potential best-in-class therapy for scleroderma and other high-need autoimmune disorders.

Funding Details:
Startup: Prolium Bioscience, Inc.
Investors: RTW Investments (lead)
Amount Raised: $50M
Total Raised: $50M
Funding Stage: Series A
Funding Date: March 3, 2026

Tech Funding Summary Table