Tech Funding Highlights Jan 26-Feb 2, 2026: Waabi's $750M Series C Leads AI, Robotics, Fintech Rounds

Tech startups raised significant capital from January 26 to February 2, 2026, with standout rounds in AI autonomy, stablecoin payments, and humanoid robotics[1][2]. Investors focused on scalable platforms in AI, fintech, biotech, and advanced manufacturing, reflecting confidence in infrastructure and enterprise solutions[1].

Major rounds announced during this period highlight investor priorities. Waabi, an AI autonomy startup, raised $750 million in Series C funding led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, with participation from Uber, NVIDIA’s NVentures, Volvo Ventures, Porsche Holding SE, BlackRock, Radical Ventures, HarbourVest, ADIA, and Canadian federal VC funds[1]. Rain, a stablecoin-based payments platform, secured $250 million in Series C funding led by Iconiq Capital, with Sapphire Ventures, Dragonfly, Bessemer Venture Partners, Galaxy Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Lightspeed, Norwest, and Endeavor Catalyst[1]. LimX Dynamics, a humanoid robotics company, closed a $200 million Series B round led by Oriental Fortune Capital and Cornerstone Capital, including JD.com, Zhongding Group, SAIC Shangqi Capital, and NIO Capital[1]. Decagon, a conversational AI platform for customer support, raised $250 million, bringing total funding to $481 million with backers like Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, and Bain Capital Ventures[2]. These deals underscore strong demand for AI-driven enterprise tools.

Additional notable rounds spanned sectors. Aerofugia, an eVTOL aircraft startup, landed approximately $136 million in growth funding to scale production and certification[1]. Biorce raised $52 million Series A led by DST Global Partners for clinical trial automation with machine learning[1]. Eliyan, a semiconductor interconnects firm, secured $50 million, totaling $150 million from AMD, Arm Holdings, Intel Capital, Meta, and others[2]. Checkbox raised $23 million Series A for legal automation led by Touring Capital[1][2]. Day AI and Linq each raised $20 million Series A for AI-native CRM and messaging agents, respectively[1].

NYC startups saw robust January 2026 activity. AlleyWatch's analysis of the 12 largest NYC tech funding rounds in January 2026 featured Protege ($30 million for AI development data), Sixfold AI ($30 million), Outtake ($40 million), and Benepass ($40 million for employee benefits)[3]. Investors included Andreessen Horowitz, Bloomberg Beta, CRV for Protege; Bob McGrew, Cleveland Avenue for Sixfold AI; Centana Growth Partners for Benepass[3].

What Happened: Diverse Capital Across AI, Fintech, Robotics

From January 26 to February 2, 2026, funding emphasized AI applications, fintech infrastructure, and hardware innovation, with Waabi, Rain, and LimX Dynamics leading at over $1.2 billion combined[1]. Secondary rounds included GrubMarket ($50 million Series H for AI food logistics), Compacon ($35 million), Concourse ($12 million), and Chamelio ($10 million)[1][2]. Sectors like biotech (Biorce), legal tech (Checkbox), and eVTOL (Aerofugia) showed breadth[1].

Why It Matters: AI and Infrastructure Drive Investment

Capital concentration in AI autonomy and semiconductors like Waabi and Eliyan signals a push for foundational tech stacks[1][2]. Fintech and payments strength via Rain reflects blockchain and stablecoin growth[1]. Robotics (LimX Dynamics) and eVTOL (Aerofugia) indicate venture interest in physical-world AI applications[1]. Strategic investors like NVIDIA, Uber, and JD.com point to partnership pipelines[1][2].

Expert Take: Selective Deployment in High-Impact Areas

Rounds show a focus on Series B/C scale-ups with large markets, contrasting earlier-stage spreads[1][2]. Corporate VCs (NVIDIA, Uber) accelerate integration[1]. NYC data confirms regional momentum in AI and fintech[3].

Real-World Impact: Enterprise Scaling and Consolidation

Enterprises gain from AI support (Decagon), payments (Rain), and autonomy (Waabi), expecting faster adoption[1][2]. Founders in defensible AI niches attract top capital[1].

Analysis & Implications: Key Market Shifts

AI platforms consolidate: Waabi and Decagon position as core layers[1][2].
Fintech evolves: Rain's stablecoins enable new payments[1].
Hardware scales: LimX, Aerofugia, Eliyan advance robotics and interconnects[1][2]. Selective mega-rounds favor proven teams[1].

References

[1] TechStartups. (2026, February 2). Top startup and tech funding news – February 2, 2025. https://techstartups.com/2026/02/02/top-startup-and-tech-funding-news-february-2-2025/

[2] AlleyWatch. (2026, February 2). The weekly notable startup funding report: 2/2/26. https://www.alleywatch.com/2026/02/the-weekly-notable-startup-funding-report-2-2-26/

[3] AlleyWatch. (2026, February). The 12 largest NYC tech startup funding rounds of January 2026. https://alleywatch.com/2026/02/nyc-startup-funding-top-largest-january-2026-vc/