Top Startup and Tech Funding News Roundup for the Week Ending July 18, 2025

Hadrian Raises $260M in Series C Funding to Expand AI-Powered Defense Factories
Hadrian, a Torrance, CA-based startup building automated factories for aerospace and defense, has secured a colossal $260 million Series C funding round. The new capital will bankroll the expansion of Hadrian’s AI-driven manufacturing operations, including opening a second production facility in Arizona and scaling up its California factory to accelerate output of precision parts for rockets, satellites, and other defense systems. The round was co-led by existing backers and underscores strong investor confidence in Hadrian’s mission to revolutionize defense manufacturing with cutting-edge automation.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Hadrian
- Investors: Founders Fund (co-lead), Lux Capital (co-lead), with participation from Altimeter, 1789 Capital, and existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Construct Capital, and 137 Ventures
- Amount Raised: $260 million
- Total Raised: ~$500 million
- Funding Stage: Series C
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
OpenEvidence Closes $210M Series B Funding for Clinical AI Platform
OpenEvidence, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of an AI-driven medical search platform for clinicians, closed a massive $210 million Series B round at a valuation of roughly $3.5 billion.
The fast-growing healthtech startup’s application is used by a large swath of U.S. physicians to quickly retrieve trusted medical information at the point of care. With this new funding, OpenEvidence plans to further enhance its AI capabilities and expand adoption among hospitals and clinics, aiming to transform how healthcare professionals access evidence-based information.
Funding Details:
- Startup: OpenEvidence
- Investors: Google Ventures (co-lead), Kleiner Perkins (co-lead), with additional undisclosed participants
- Amount Raised: $210 million
- Total Raised: Not disclosed
- Funding Stage: Series B
- Funding Date: July 15, 2025
Lovable Becomes Unicorn with $200M Series A Funding for AI App-Building Platform
Stockholm-based Lovable, an “AI vibe coding” startup that helps users build apps and websites through natural language, has raised a whopping $200 million in a Series A round that vaults its valuation to approximately $1.8 billion. Remarkably, this milestone comes only eight months after the company’s launch.
Co-founded in 2023 by Anton Osika and Fabian Hedin, Lovable has struck a chord with both non-technical creators and professional developers. Its platform lets users start by typing an idea into a chat interface. From there, the AI takes over—generating backend code, connecting integrations, and shaping out a working product. Think “describe an app idea” and get a working build in return.
Lovable’s platform, which enables non-developers to create working software prototypes via AI, has attracted over 2.3 million users (including 180,000+ paying subscribers) in just a few months. The fresh funding will fuel product development and global expansion as Lovable aims to cement its position as a leading AI-powered app creation tool.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Lovable
Investors: Accel (lead), with participation from existing investors 20VC, byFounders, Creandum, Hummingbird, Visionaries Club, and notable angels including Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Job van der Voort, Stewart Butterfield, Dharmesh Shah - Amount Raised: $200 million
- Total Raised: ~$215 million
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
Sunrise (SenseTime Spin-Off) Raises $139M in Series A Funding for AI Chip Development
Sunrise, a Hangzhou, China-based AI chip developer spun off from tech giant SenseTime, has secured ¥1 billion (approximately $139 million) in a Series A funding round. The capital will accelerate Sunrise’s development of high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) tailored for artificial intelligence, with the company aiming to drastically reduce AI inference costs.
Born as SenseTime’s internal chip division, Sunrise is already mass-producing its first two chips and preparing a third designed for multimodal AI tasks. The new funding will support faster product rollouts, market expansion, and team growth as China intensifies efforts to build homegrown semiconductor capabilities in the face of global chip constraints.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Sunrise
- Investors: Huaxu Capital (Sany Group unit), 4Paradigm, Yoozoo Interactive, and other strategic investors
- Amount Raised: ¥1 billion (~$139 million)
- Total Raised: Not disclosed
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Funding Date: July 18, 2025
Substack Secures $100M Series C to Grow Indie Publishing Platform
Subscription publishing platform Substack has raised $100 million in a Series C round, pushing the San Francisco startup’s valuation above the $1 billion “unicorn” threshold. The new financing will support Substack’s efforts to build more tools and services that empower independent writers and creators to publish, distribute, and monetize their content.
Substack has seen continued growth in its newsletter ecosystem and community of readers, and this significant infusion of capital positions the company to double down on product development, expand its team, and strengthen trust and safety features as its user base scales.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Substack
- Investors: Bond (lead), The Chernin Group (lead), with participation from other existing investors
- Amount Raised: $100 million
- Total Raised: Over $200 million
- Funding Stage: Series C
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
Perplexity AI Raises $100M in Funding, Hits $18B Valuation for Search Challenger
AI search startup Perplexity has nabbed an additional $100 million in fresh funding, catapulting its valuation to roughly $18 billion. This new raise is structured as an extension of Perplexity’s previous round, just two months ago (which valued the fast-rising company at $14 billion).
Perplexity’s conversational AI search engine has quickly gained traction by offering an innovative user experience in a field dominated by big incumbents. The 3-year-old San Francisco company recently launched its own web browser and plans to use the new funds to further improve its AI models, scale infrastructure, and expand into new markets as it takes on giants like Google in the search arena.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Perplexity AI
- Investors: (Undisclosed existing investors participated in the extension round)
- Amount Raised: $100 million
- Total Raised: ~$1.3 billion
- Funding Stage: Series C Extension
- Funding Date: July 18, 2025
Boulevard Bags $80M in Series D Funding to Lead Self-Care Software Market
Los Angeles-based Boulevard, which provides business management software for salons, spas, and the broader self-care industry, has raised $80 million in Series D funding at a valuation of nearly $800 million post-money. The 9-year-old company has ridden a wave of demand from beauty and wellness businesses – including a booming segment of “medspas” offering cosmetic and wellness treatments – by offering a platform for appointment scheduling, payments, and customer management.
With revenues surging and a growing share of U.S. self-care businesses using its system, Boulevard will leverage this new growth investment to accelerate development of AI-enhanced features, enterprise capabilities, and further international expansion.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Boulevard
- Investors: JMI Equity (lead), Index Ventures, VMG Partners (existing investors)
- Amount Raised: $80 million
- Total Raised: ~$190 million
- Funding Stage: Series D
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
Bedrock Robotics Emerges with $80M in Funding to Automate Construction Equipment
Stepping out of stealth mode, Bedrock Robotics has launched with a combined $80 million in seed and Series A funding to bring autonomy to construction machinery. The San Francisco-based startup is developing hardware and software that retrofit heavy construction equipment (like bulldozers and excavators) with autonomous capabilities, aiming to boost productivity and safety on job sites.
The hefty initial funding will allow Bedrock to accelerate product development and pilot deployments of its robotic systems in partnership with construction firms, as it targets an industry ripe for technological disruption. The dual-round backing from prominent investors signals high confidence in Bedrock’s vision to transform how large-scale construction projects are executed through automation.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Bedrock Robotics
- Investors: 8VC (led Series A), Eclipse Ventures (led Seed), and other undisclosed investors
- Amount Raised: $80 million (Seed + Series A)
- Total Raised: $80 million
- Funding Stage: Seed and Series A
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
BrightAI Snags $51M in Series A Funding to Modernize Infrastructure with AI
BrightAI, a startup bringing artificial intelligence into the physical world to create smarter, more resilient infrastructure, has raised a $51 million Series A round. By applying AI and IoT technologies to sectors like water, energy, and industrial systems, BrightAI aims to optimize maintenance and improve reliability for critical infrastructure networks.
The funding, co-led by top-tier venture firms, will support BrightAI’s expansion and product development as it scales projects that help utilities and industrial operators predict failures, save costs, and boost sustainability. The company’s total funding now stands at $78 million with this significant round, positioning it as an emerging leader in the infrastructure tech space.
Funding Details:
- Startup: BrightAI
- Investors: Khosla Ventures (co-lead), Inspired Capital (co-lead), with participation from BoxGroup, Marlinspike, VSC Ventures, R Squared VC, Cooley LLP, and other strategic investors
- Amount Raised: $51 million
- Total Raised: $78 million
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Funding Date: July 18, 2025
CertifID Locks Down $47.5M in Series C Funding for Real Estate Fraud Protection
Austin-based CertifID, which provides a wire fraud protection platform for the real estate industry, has secured $47.5 million in Series C financing to further safeguard real estate transactions. CertifID’s software helps verify identities and securely authenticate money transfers in real estate closings, addressing the growing threat of wire fraud scams in property deals.
With this new funding, the company plans to scale its operations, invest in product development, and broaden its partnerships with banks, title companies, and real estate firms. The round’s size and investor roster underscore the urgency of CertifID’s mission, as it works to make digital real estate transactions safer and more trustworthy.
Funding Details:
- Startup: CertifID
- Investors: Centana Growth Partners (lead), with participation from other undisclosed investors
- Amount Raised: $47.5 million
- Total Raised: $84 million (estimated)
- Funding Stage: Series C
- Funding Date: July 17, 2025
Firestorm Lands $47M in Series A Funding to Advance Drone Manufacturing Tech
Firestorm, a San Diego-based startup developing manufacturing technology for unmanned aircraft systems, has raised $47 million in a Series A round. The company is focused on innovating how drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles are built, with an eye toward more efficient production of next-generation defense and commercial drones.
The funding will enable Firestorm to expand its engineering team, refine its proprietary manufacturing processes for drone components, and scale up its facilities to meet demand from defense and aerospace customers. The round was led by a major venture firm known for backing cutting-edge tech, reflecting strong optimism about Firestorm’s potential to streamline the UAV supply chain.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Firestorm Labs
- Investors: New Enterprise Associates (lead), with participation from undisclosed investors
- Amount Raised: $47 million
- Total Raised: Not disclosed
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Funding Date: July 16, 2025
Unify Grabs $40M in Series B Funding to Boost AI Sales Enablement Tools
San Francisco’s Unify has raised $40 million in a Series B round to accelerate the growth of its AI-powered sales enablement platform. Founded in 2023, Unify offers a suite of AI-driven tools that help companies and sales teams analyze customer interactions, generate insights, and automate outreach to drive revenue growth.
The startup has quickly gained traction with mid-market businesses looking to scale up their sales productivity using artificial intelligence. With the new funding, Unify plans to expand its product suite, invest in R&D to further improve its machine learning models, and ramp up go-to-market efforts. The latest round brings Unify’s total funding to roughly $70 million in just two years of operation.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Unify
- Investors: Battery Ventures (lead), with participation from existing investors
- Amount Raised: $40 million
- Total Raised: ~$70 million
- Funding Stage: Series B
- Funding Date: July 15, 2025
Panacea Financial Gets $37M in Series B Funding Extension for Doctor-Focused Fintech
Panacea Financial, a Little Rock, AR-based neobank catering to medical professionals, has received $37 million in an extension of its Series B round. Panacea provides loans, banking services, and financial management tools specifically designed for doctors, dentists, and other healthcare providers, addressing a niche often underserved by traditional banks.
The fresh capital, led by a prominent fintech investor, will help Panacea deepen its product offerings, grow its customer base of healthcare practitioners, and enhance its digital banking platform. Since launching in late 2020, Panacea has facilitated over $2 billion in loan applications, and this funding extension signals strong confidence in its specialized approach to fintech.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Panacea Financial
- Investors: Valar Ventures (lead)
- Amount Raised: $37 million
- Total Raised: Not disclosed
- Funding Stage: Series B Extension
- Funding Date: July 16, 2025
iCOUNTER Launches with $30M in Series A Funding for Cyber Risk Intelligence
Dallas-based iCOUNTER has emerged from stealth, launching publicly with a $30 million Series A funding round to tackle targeted cyber threats. Incubated for five years within Apollo Information Systems, iCOUNTER provides precision risk intelligence services that focus on detecting and countering highly targeted cyber attacks against its clients.
Led by cybersecurity veteran John Watters, the company has developed AI-enabled threat analysis technology and a robust intelligence-gathering infrastructure during its stealth period. The Series A, led by a prominent cybersecurity-focused venture firm, will fuel iCOUNTER’s go-to-market strategy, support the onboarding of new enterprise and government customers, and further advance its threat intelligence platform at a time when tailored cyber attacks are on the rise.
Funding Details:
- Startup: iCOUNTER
- Investors: SYN Ventures (lead)
- Amount Raised: $30 million
- Total Raised: $30 million
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Funding Date: July 18, 2025
Confident Security Raises $4.2M in Seed Funding to Bring Privacy to AI
Confident Security, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup, has emerged from stealth with $4.2 million in seed funding to make AI interactions provably private. The company has developed an encryption framework (based on Apple’s Private Compute Core architecture) that allows organizations to use large language models and AI services without exposing sensitive user data or prompts.
In essence, Confident Security’s solution ensures that any data sent to AI models remains end-to-end encrypted and inaccessible to third parties or even the model providers, like a “Signal for AI” conversation. The seed round’s proceeds will be used to grow the team and bring this privacy-guaranteeing AI middleware to market, targeting customers ranging from enterprises to government agencies that require strict data confidentiality in AI applications.
Funding Details:
- Startup: Confident Security
- Investors: Decibel (lead), South Park Commons, Ex Ante, Swyx
- Amount Raised: $4.2 million
- Total Raised: $4.2 million
- Funding Stage: Seed
- Funding Date: July 18, 2025
Funding Summary Table
Startup | Investors (Lead and notable) | Amount Raised | Total Raised | Funding Stage | Funding Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hadrian | Founders Fund, Lux Capital (co-leads), Altimeter, a16z | $260 M | ~$500 M | Series C | Jul 17, 2025 |
OpenEvidence | Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins (co-leads) | $210 M | Not disclosed | Series B | Jul 15, 2025 |
Lovable | Accel (lead), 20VC, Creandum, Hummingbird (among others) | $200 M | ~$215 M | Series A | Jul 17, 2025 |
Sunrise | Huaxu Capital (Sany), 4Paradigm, Yoozoo Interactive | $139 M | Not disclosed | Series A | Jul 18, 2025 |
Substack | Bond, The Chernin Group (leads) | $100 M | $200 M+ | Series C | Jul 17, 2025 |
Perplexity AI | (Existing investors, undisclosed) | $100 M | ~$1.3 B | Series C Extension | Jul 18, 2025 |
Boulevard | JMI Equity (lead), Index Ventures, VMG Partners | $80 M | ~$190 M | Series D | Jul 17, 2025 |
Bedrock Robotics | 8VC (Series A lead), Eclipse Ventures (Seed lead) | $80 M | $80 M | Seed + Series A | Jul 17, 2025 |
BrightAI | Khosla Ventures, Inspired Capital (co-leads) | $51 M | $78 M | Series A | Jul 18, 2025 |
CertifID | Centana Growth Partners (lead) | $47.5 M | ~$84 M | Series C | Jul 17, 2025 |
Firestorm Labs | New Enterprise Associates (lead) | $47 M | Not disclosed | Series A | Jul 16, 2025 |
Unify | Battery Ventures (lead) | $40 M | ~$70 M | Series B | Jul 15, 2025 |
Panacea Financial | Valar Ventures (lead) | $37 M | Not disclosed | Series B Extension | Jul 16, 2025 |
iCOUNTER | SYN Ventures (lead) | $30 M | $30 M | Series A | Jul 18, 2025 |
Confident Security | Decibel (lead), South Park Commons, Ex Ante, Swyx | $4.2 M | $4.2 M | Seed | Jul 18, 2025 |
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