IBM to Acquire Confluent for $11 Billion, SoftBank & Nvidia Target Skild AI, and Meta Buys Limitless

Hi there,

Welcome to the latest edition of the AI Funding Brief, where we bring you the most recent developments in AI funding and investments. This week, we have a diverse array of stories highlighting significant financial movements and strategic acquisitions in the AI sector. Avalara has secured a substantial $500 million investment from BlackRock to advance its AI capabilities in tax automation, while Icertis has acquired Dioptra to enhance its AI-driven contracting solutions. In a move to bolster its AI model training, OpenAI is set to acquire Neptune.

Additionally, Tata Communications has taken a majority stake in Commotion Inc. to improve customer engagement through AI, and Wayve has acquired Quality Match to enhance data quality for its autonomous driving technology. On the investment front, Nexus Venture Partners has announced a $700 million fund targeting AI and India-focused startups, while Vultr plans a $1 billion investment in an AI cluster in Ohio. These stories, among others, underscore the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of AI business investments.

Soxton Raises $2.5 Million for AI Law Firm

Logan Brown, formerly of Cooley, has launched Soxton, an AI-driven law firm targeting startups, after securing $2.5 million in pre-seed funding. Read more

Avalara Receives $500 Million Investment from BlackRock

On November 12, 2025, Avalara announced a $500 million equity investment led by BlackRock to enhance its agentic AI capabilities in tax automation. Read more

Icertis Acquires Dioptra for AI Contracting Solutions

Icertis has acquired Dioptra to enhance its AI-driven contracting solutions. This move aims to bolster Icertis' AI strategy and improve contract lifecycle management with Dioptra's advanced tools. Read more

OpenAI to Acquire Neptune for AI Model Training

OpenAI has agreed to acquire Neptune, a startup known for its AI model training tools, to enhance its capabilities in monitoring and debugging AI models. Read more

Tata Communications Acquires Stake in Commotion Inc.

Tata Communications has acquired a 51% stake in Commotion Inc. to boost its AI capabilities and improve customer engagement with AI-driven solutions. Read more

Wayve Acquires Quality Match for AI Data Quality

London-based autonomous driving company Wayve has acquired German startup Quality Match to enhance data quality for its AI Driver software. This acquisition will bolster data quality assurance for AI models in automated driving. Read more

Nexus Venture Partners Launches $700M Fund for AI and India Startups

Nexus Venture Partners has announced a $700 million fund, with half dedicated to AI startups and the rest to India-focused ventures in sectors like consumer, fintech, and digital infrastructure. Read more

Noteless Raises €3.5M for AI Clinical Documentation

Oslo-based HealthTech startup Noteless has secured €3.5 million in Seed funding to enhance its AI-powered clinical documentation platform across Europe, aiming to alleviate administrative burdens for clinicians. Read more

Vultr to Invest $1 Billion in AI Cluster in Ohio

Vultr has announced a $1 billion investment in a 50MW AI cluster at its Springfield, Ohio data center, featuring 24,000 AMD MI355X GPUs, expected by Q1 2026. Read more

Orq.ai Raises €5M to Boost AI Platform

Amsterdam-based startup Orq.ai has secured €5 million in seed funding to enhance its platform for transitioning AI prototypes to scalable applications. Read more

Clipbook Secures $3.3 Million in Seed Funding

Clipbook has raised $3.3 million in a seed funding round led by Mark Cuban and others to enhance its AI platform for communications. The company plans to use the funds to expand its market position and improve its AI-driven insights. Read more

Marvell Acquires Celestial AI for $3.25 Billion

Marvell Technology has announced its acquisition of semiconductor startup Celestial AI for $3.25 billion. The acquisition aims to enhance Marvell's AI infrastructure capabilities with Celestial AI's Photonic Fabric technology. Read more

Girnar Finserv Acquires SeedsAI for AI Enhancement

Girnar Finserv has acquired SeedsAI, aiming to improve AI capabilities in insurance and finance by integrating SeedsAI's technology and co-founders into its operations. Read more

Kamino Raises $10 Million for AI Platform Expansion

Fintech Kamino has secured $10 million in funding to enhance its AI-powered financial management platform for mid-market CFOs, with plans to boost customer acquisition and product development. Read more

Curvestone AI Secures $4 Million Seed Funding

Curvestone AI, a workflow automation platform, has raised $4 million in Seed funding led by MTech Capital. The company plans to improve AI workflow accuracy in legal and financial services. Read more

Anthropic CEO Plans IPO Amid Growth

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, is preparing for a potential IPO as the company nears $10 billion in annualized revenue. The company has attracted support from major tech firms like Google and Microsoft. Read more

Aaru Secures Series A Funding Led by Redpoint Ventures

AI startup Aaru has raised a Series A funding round led by Redpoint Ventures, achieving a valuation of $1 billion for some equity. The company focuses on using AI simulations for customer research. Read more

Phoebe Gates Secures $30M for AI Shopping Startup Phia

Phoebe Gates has raised $30 million for her AI shopping startup, Phia, co-founded with Sophia Kianni. The company, backed by celebrities and Silicon Valley investors, aims to enhance online shopping with AI technology. Read more

ChemLex Raises $45M for AI-Driven Drug Discovery Lab in Singapore

ChemLex, an AI-for-science startup, has secured $45 million in funding to establish a self-driving laboratory in Singapore, aiming to expedite drug discovery using AI technologies. Read more

Lumia Secures $18 Million for Workplace Automation

Lumia has raised $18 million in a seed funding round to enhance its platform for integrating autonomous agents in workplaces. The funding will aid in expanding technology integrations and targeting regulated industries. Read more

IBM to Acquire Confluent for $11 Billion

IBM has announced its intention to acquire Confluent, a data streaming provider, for $11 billion. This acquisition is part of IBM's strategy to enhance its AI capabilities by integrating Confluent's platform, which is based on Apache Kafka and has recently expanded into generative AI. Read more

SoftBank and Nvidia Plan Major Investment in Skild AI

SoftBank and Nvidia are reportedly considering a significant investment in Skild AI, potentially valuing the robotics startup at $14 billion. This indicates a strategic shift for SoftBank towards artificial intelligence initiatives. Read more

Lemurian Labs Secures $28M for AI Solutions

Lemurian Labs has raised $28 million in a Series A funding round to advance its software-first AI solutions. The funds will support team expansion and product development to streamline AI deployment and minimize costs. Read more

Cristiano Ronaldo Invests in Perplexity AI for Fan Engagement

Cristiano Ronaldo has invested in Perplexity AI, a search platform valued at around $20 billion, to enhance fan engagement through a digital initiative called 'Perplexity x CR7.' Read more

Resemble AI Raises $13 Million for Deepfake Detection

Toronto and San Francisco-based startup Resemble AI has secured $13 million in funding from Google, Sony, and Okta to advance its deepfake detection technology, aiming to address the growing threat of deepfake-related fraud. Read more

SoftBank in Talks to Acquire DigitalBridge

SoftBank is negotiating to acquire DigitalBridge Group, aiming to take the New York-listed company private. This acquisition would give SoftBank control over $108 billion in assets focused on digital infrastructure for AI. Read more

Airwallex Raises $330 Million to Boost AI and Global Reach

Airwallex has secured $330 million in Series G funding, led by Addition, to enhance its AI capabilities and expand its global operations, including a new headquarters in San Francisco. Read more

Meta Acquires AI Startup Limitless

AI startup Limitless, known for its conversation-recording pendant, has been acquired by Meta. The company will stop hardware sales but will support existing customers for a year. Read more

Anthropic Acquires Bun to Boost AI Tools

The company Anthropic has acquired Bun, a JavaScript toolkit, to enhance its AI coding capabilities and developer tools, while maintaining Bun as open source. Read more

Ukrainian DefenceTech Startups Secure $105 Million for AI Drones

In 2025, over 50 Ukrainian DefenceTech startups raised more than $105 million for drone innovations, highlighting Ukraine's leadership in early-stage DefenceTech in Europe. Read more

Tether Invests in Italian Robotics Startup Generative Bionics

Tether, a stablecoin issuer, has participated in a €70 million funding round for Generative Bionics, an Italian startup developing humanoid robots for industrial and human-centric applications. Read more

Parloa Seeks $200 Million Funding at $3 Billion Valuation

Berlin-based AI startup Parloa is in talks to raise $200 million, targeting a valuation between $2 billion and $3 billion. The company is expanding into the U.S. market and competes with other players in customer service automation. Read more

Categories

Companies

Resources

IBM to Acquire Confluent for $11 Billion, SoftBank & Nvidia Target Skild AI, and Meta Buys Limitless - AI Funding Brief #43

We hope you enjoyed this article.

More from: Public Markets

More from: Funding

Subscribe to AI Funding Brief