The Week’s Largest Startup Funding Rounds: AI and Defense at the Forefront
In the dynamic landscape of 2025, a series of substantial funding rounds have taken place, showcasing the thriving startup ecosystem in the United States. The latest data compiled by Crunchbase highlights these developments, with a particular emphasis on investments exceeding $100 million.
This Week’s Highlighted Funding Rounds
Over the past week, various sectors have received significant attention, particularly artificial intelligence and defense, which have led the charge in attracting substantial venture capital. Below are the top funding rounds reported:
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Anthropic: $3.5 billion (Artificial Intelligence)
An impressive funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners has pushed Anthropic’s valuation to $61.5 billion, marking a sharp increase from its previous valuation of $18.5 billion in February 2024. This ChatGPT competitor, known for its AI assistant Claude, now surpasses Elon Musk’s xAI in valuation.
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Epirus: $250 million (Defense)
This Los Angeles-based startup raised $250 million in its Series D round, spearheaded by 8VC and Washington Harbour Partners. Epirus specializes in high-energy microwave technology aimed at neutralizing drone threats. Despite not disclosing a post-round valuation, the firm has raised over $550 million since its inception in 2018.
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Shield AI: $240 million (Defense)
With a new valuation of $5.3 billion, Shield AI secured $240 million in its F-1 strategic funding round. The startup, which produces intelligent autonomous systems for defense applications, previously raised $200 million in October 2023.
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Peregrine Technologies: $190 million (Law Enforcement)
This San Francisco-based startup, which focuses on data analytics for law enforcement, has achieved a valuation of $2.5 billion following a funding round led by Sequoia Capital. Peregrine has reported a total of $250 million raised since its founding in 2018.
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Callio Therapeutics: $187 million (Biotech)
The cancer therapy developer, with operations in Seattle and Singapore, secured $187 million in a Series A round led by Frazier Life Sciences. Callio is focused on advancing their antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs.
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4C Medical Technologies: $175 million (Healthcare)
Based in Minneapolis, 4C Medical Technologies closed a Series D round led by Boston Scientific, raising a total of $258 million since its founding aimed at developing minimally invasive therapies.
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Turing: $111 million (Artificial Intelligence)
Palo Alto’s Turing, which focuses on contributing code for AI projects, achieved a valuation of $2.2 billion after securing $111 million in Series E financing.
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Odeko: $96 million (Business Development)
This New York City-based software platform raised $126 million in its Series E funding, enhancing its services for food and beverage businesses.
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Aescape: $83 million (Robotics)
Aescape, specializing in AI-driven robotics for massage therapy, secured $83 million from Valor Equity Partners, bringing its total capital raised to $128 million.
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PetScreening: $80 million (Pet Technology)
Mooresville’s PetScreening raised $80 million in a Series B round, enhancing its pet policy management software solutions for various property owners.
International Context
Outside the United States, the largest funding deal of the week occurred in Sweden, where aREIM, a property development and management company, secured approximately $488 million in venture funding.
Conclusion
This week’s funding activity illustrates a marked interest in artificial intelligence and defense technologies, alongside noteworthy developments in healthcare, law enforcement, and business services. The landscape remains dynamic, with firms leveraging these investments to expand their capabilities and market reach.
Methodology
The funds tracked in this overview are drawn from the Crunchbase database, focusing on U.S.-based companies for announcements between March 1 and March 7, 2025. While most rounds are represented, there may be a slight delay in reporting some transactions.
