Top Startup and Tech Funding News – April 1, 2025

It’s Wednesday, April 1, 2026, and we’re back with today’s top startup and tech funding news. Today’s rounds underscore a sharp shift toward infrastructure powering the AI era—from nuclear-backed energy systems and grid-scale storage to next-gen semiconductors and orbital data centers. As compute demand accelerates, investors are doubling down on the physical and digital foundations required to sustain it, with capital flowing into platforms designed to solve power constraints, chip bottlenecks, and global-scale deployment.

Large late-stage and growth financings highlight rising confidence in AI hardware, cybersecurity, and enterprise platforms, while earlier-stage bets reveal where the next wave of innovation is forming—from autonomous delivery to AI-native enterprise tools. Across sectors, today’s deals reflect a broader push to support systems capable of handling the scale, speed, and energy demands of modern computing.

Tech Funding News

Funding Highlights

• Valar Atomics raises $450M Series A extension to power AI data centers with nuclear reactors
• Rebellions raises $400M pre-IPO round for AI inference chips
• EnerVenue raises $300M Series B extension for grid-scale energy storage
• Starcloud raises $170M Series A to build space-based data centers
• Tanium raises $100M growth round to expand enterprise security platform
• Depthfirst raises $80M Series B for AI-driven cybersecurity
• Cognichip raises $60M Series A to accelerate AI-powered chip design
• Manna Air Delivery raises $50M Series B to scale drone logistics network
• Emerald AI raises $25M strategic round for data center energy optimization
• Whirl AI raises $8.9M seed to automate enterprise IT with generative AI

Investor Activity

Today’s funding activity reflects a coordinated push by venture firms and strategic investors into the backbone of the AI economy. Firms like TPG, Benchmark, EQT, and Meritech Capital backed platforms spanning security, infrastructure, and advanced computing, while energy-focused investors and corporate venture arms—including NVIDIA, Salesforce Ventures, and Energy Impact Partners—targeted solutions addressing power constraints tied to AI growth.

Across the board, capital is concentrating around companies building durable infrastructure—from chips and energy systems to cloud and security layers—signaling a long-term bet on the platforms that will define how AI is built, deployed, and sustained at scale.

Valar Atomics Raises $450M in Series A Funding Extension for Small Nuclear Reactors

Valar Atomics, a California startup building clusters of compact nuclear reactors for AI data centers, announced a $450 million in equity and debt financing. The audacious bet addresses surging data-center power needs: traditional grids face shortfalls as AI workloads increase. Valar’s “gigasites” design – campuses hosting hundreds of gas‐cooled reactors – promises dense, carbon-free power tailored to compute-heavy customers.

The funding comes just months after a $130M Series A, boosting Valar’s valuation to $2.0 billion. Backers include defense-tech veterans like Palmer Luckey and Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar, underlining confidence in Valar’s nuclear approach to a looming energy crunch. As data-center power demand is projected to double by 2026, Valar is positioning its reactors as a pioneering solution to fill the gap.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Valar Atomics (nuclear power for AI data centers)
• Investors: Palmer Luckey, Shyam Sankar, John Donovan, et al. (defense and tech investors)
• Amount Raised: $450 million (includes $340M equity + $110M debt)
• Total Raised: ~$580 million (including prior $130M Series A)
• Funding Stage: Series A extension
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Rebellions Raises $400M Pre-IPO Funding Round for AI Inference Chips

Rebellions, a South Korean AI chip maker, closed a massive $400 million pre-IPO round at a $2.34 billion valuation. The Seoul-based company specializes in AI inference hardware, and this infusion (raising total funding to $850M) will bankroll new products and U.S. expansion. The round was led by Mirae Asset Financial Group and Korea’s National Growth Fund, signaling high national and institutional interest in semiconductors.

Rebellions has rapidly advanced its in-house chip, the Rebel100 NPU, and unveiled prototype rack and pod servers (RebelRack, RebelPOD) for AI data centers. The funding underscores a shift toward betting on AI hardware: investors are now fueling the semiconductor infrastructure that enables large-scale AI deployment. With an eye on the 2026 IPO and U.S. market entry, Rebellions is positioning its Asia-designed chips as key players in the global AI hardware race.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Rebellions (AI semiconductor chips)
• Investors: Mirae Asset Financial Group (lead), Korea National Growth Fund
• Amount Raised: $400 million
• Total Raised: $850 million (including previous rounds)
• Funding Stage: Pre-IPO round
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

EnerVenue Raises $300M in Series B Funding for Metal-Hydrogen Grid Storage

EnerVenue, a California energy storage startup, secured $300 million in a Series B extension led by Full Vision Capital. The company is commercializing NASA-derived metal-hydrogen batteries for long-duration grid storage. In practical terms, EnerVenue’s aqueous batteries promise ultra-long life (20+ years) and safety advantages over lithium-ion for utility-scale and data-center backup storage. This funding will scale its manufacturing in China to achieve gigawatt-hour capacity targets, as announced by new CEO Henning Rath.

The timing is strategic: the boom in AI data centers is driving unprecedented electricity demand, and EnerVenue’s non-lithium storage is pitched as a clean solution to meet around-the-clock power needs. Industry watchers view the round as a landmark investment in non-lithium battery tech – a bet that future data centers and grids will rely on rugged, long-lived storage systems.

Funding Details:

• Startup: EnerVenue (metal-hydrogen grid storage)
• Investors: Full Vision Capital (lead), plus new strategic investors
• Amount Raised: $300 million
• Total Raised: ~$300 million (Series B only)
• Funding Stage: Series B extension
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Starcloud Raises $170M in Series A Funding to Build Space-Based Data Centers

Starcloud (formerly Lumen Orbit), a Seattle-area space infrastructure startup, raised a $170 million in Series A funding led by Benchmark and EQT. The company plans to construct “orbital data centers” – cloud servers hosted in low Earth orbit, powered by space solar arrays. Starcloud’s vision is to bring cloud compute directly into space, leveraging launch cost reductions and aiming for a $1.1 billion valuation.

This round enables Starcloud to finalize its satellite hardware and begin building the first data-center satellite constellation. In context, investors see space-based compute as the next frontier: it could offer low-latency global coverage and resilience against terrestrial disruptions. By backing Starcloud, benchmark VCs signal confidence that orbital data centers could become a scalable part of future cloud infrastructure.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Starcloud (in-orbit data centers)
• Investors: Benchmark (lead), EQT, others
• Amount Raised: $170 million
• Total Raised: $170 million (Series A only)
• Funding Stage: Series A
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Depthfirst Raises $80M in Series B Funding for AI-Driven Security Platform

Depthfirst, a security software startup applying AI to cloud and blockchain security, closed an $80 million Series B led by Meritech Capital. Founded in 2024 by former DeepMind and Databricks engineers, Depthfirst uses machine learning to discover and patch vulnerabilities in code and infrastructure. The new capital (bringing total funding to $120M) will expand its research team and advance AI models like “Dfs-mini1,” a smart-contract security model.

This round underscores the rising demand for security-specific AI tools: enterprises increasingly seek defenses that automatically scan code and cloud configurations for risks. As hacking techniques evolve, Depthfirst’s model-trained approach – tying deep learning to security workflows – aims to provide a more proactive shield. The company says this funding will accelerate enterprise adoption of its platform as organizations look to secure sprawling cloud deployments and blockchain apps.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Depthfirst (AI cybersecurity platform)
• Investors: Meritech Capital (lead), Forerunner Ventures, The House Fund, Accel, Alt Capital, BoxGroup, Liquid 2, Mantis VC (existing backers)
• Amount Raised: $80 million
• Total Raised: $120 million (with previous Series A)
• Funding Stage: Series B
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Cognichip Raises $60M in Series A Funding to Accelerate AI Chip Design

Cognichip, a startup using AI to accelerate semiconductor design, closed a $60 million Series A round led by Seligman Ventures. The San Francisco company is building a machine-learning model that collaborates with chip engineers to automate layout and verification steps. Cognichip’s tools are aimed at slashing design time and cost for cutting-edge chips; its CEO notes that advanced chips now take years to design, so even small efficiency gains are valuable.

The funding (bringing the total raised to $93M) will expand Cognichip’s AI model development and commercial partnership efforts. Participation by notable investors – including Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who joins Cognichip’s board – highlights industry interest in accelerating the semiconductor innovation cycle. In a market where chip incumbents juggle complex designs, Cognichip’s AI augmentation approach is seen as a timely answer to semiconductor engineering bottlenecks.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Cognichip (AI-driven chip design tools)
• Investors: Seligman Ventures (lead), Lip-Bu Tan (Intel CEO), et al.
• Amount Raised: $60 million
• Total Raised: $93 million (including prior seed round)
• Funding Stage: Series A
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Tanium Raises $100M in Funding to Accelerate Enterprise Security Growth

Tanium, a 15-year-old cybersecurity platform company, announced a $100 million equity raise led by TPG Growth with IVP. The round, executed as a common-stock sale, lifted Tanium’s valuation to $3.75 billion. Tanium’s software provides large enterprises and governments with real-time endpoint security and IT management at a massive scale.

The new funding will provide liquidity to early investors and support strategic initiatives at Tanium, which reports over 100% revenue growth and positive cash flow as it continues to expand its product suite. Notably, the company used part of the proceeds to buy out its co-founder’s shares for philanthropic purposes. Tanium’s CEO emphasizes that the platform’s breadth (covering both security and IT ops) drives its momentum.

In context, this late-stage deal reaffirms investor confidence in Tanium’s “unified endpoint” approach amid a crowded cybersecurity market of point solutions.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Tanium (enterprise IT/security platform)
• Investors: TPG Growth (lead), Institutional Venture Partners (IVP)
• Amount Raised: $100 million
• Total Raised: $407 million (including prior rounds)
• Funding Stage: Common Stock (private placement)
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Manna Air Delivery Raises $50M in Series B Funding for Drone Logistics

Manna Air Delivery, an Ireland-based drone delivery company, raised $50 million in a Series B led by ARK Invest. The funding (bringing total funding to $110M) will scale the startup’s proven suburban drone delivery network in the U.S. and Europe. Manna operates autonomous delivery drones serving partners like Uber, Deliveroo, and DoorDash. In practice, its electric UAVs deliver food, medicine, and goods within minutes, aiming to make last-mile logistics faster and cleaner.

The Series B investor mix – including Schooner Capital, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, Coca-Cola HBC, and others – underscores strong interest in autonomous delivery tech. Manna’s CEO said the company has demonstrated unit-economic viability in suburban delivery and is now rapidly expanding U.S. operations with dozens of new drone bases planned. The round validates Manna’s vision of making “air delivery” a core piece of modern logistics infrastructure.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Manna Air Delivery (autonomous drone delivery)
• Investors: ARK Invest (lead), Schooner Capital, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, Coca-Cola HBC, Molten Ventures, Enterprise Ireland, Tapestry
• Amount Raised: $50 million
• Total Raised: $110 million (including prior rounds)
• Funding Stage: Series B
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Emerald AI Raises $25M in Funding to Optimize Data Center Power Use

Emerald AI, a London-based energy software startup, raised $25 million in a strategic expansion round led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP). The company’s platform helps data centers flexibly manage power consumption in sync with grid capacity. As AI workloads drive unprecedented data-center demand, Emerald’s software aims to shift compute loads to off-peak times or to greener energy sources, effectively treating data centers as grid resources.

With new capital, Emerald AI will expand deployments of its “Conductor” software, which adjusts AI training and inference tasks to align with grid constraints. Participation by NVIDIA’s venture arm, Salesforce Ventures, and others highlights cross-industry support: AI chip and cloud vendors see grid-aware software as key to sustainable growth. The round comes as the industry grapples with a looming “power crunch” from rapid AI data-center expansion, and it signals investor belief in software solutions that can ease strain on electricity networks.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Emerald AI (grid-aware data-center energy management)
• Investors: Energy Impact Partners (lead), NVIDIA NVentures, Lowercarbon Capital, GE Vernova, Eaton, Radical Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Siemens, etc.
• Amount Raised: $25 million
• Total Raised: $25 million (Series C)
• Funding Stage: Strategic expansion round
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Whirl AI Raises $8.9M in Seed Funding to Bring AI to Enterprise IT

Whirl AI, a Boston startup applying generative AI to enterprise systems, closed an $8.9 million seed round led by ICONIQ Capital. Founded by longtime IT leader Sunny Bedi, Whirl has built an AI assistant that learns the customizations and processes in an organization’s software, which are normally undocumented. The goal is to automate routine IT tasks and knowledge sharing within large companies.

Whirl’s seed funding will expand its product development and initial deployments in customer IT environments. The round’s size and backers signal confidence in “enterprise AI assistants” that can codify institutional knowledge and boost IT team productivity. While a modest deal, Whirl fits the wave of early AI tooling startups targeting complex industries: by encoding decades of system configuration into an AI model, Whirl aims to reduce the risk and delay when key personnel leave a company.

Funding Details:

• Startup: Whirl AI (enterprise IT automation)
• Investors: ICONIQ Capital (lead)
• Amount Raised: $8.9 million
• Total Raised: $8.9 million (seed round)
• Funding Stage: Seed
• Funding Date: April 1, 2026

Tech Funding Summary Table