Startup Flash Report

STARTUP FLASH - February 16, 2026

Waabi's $1B Series C Signals Massive Investor Bet on Autonomous Tech Scaling

TOP 3 STORIES:
1. Lassie secures $75M Series C, bolstering its pet tech platform amid rising demand for AI-driven animal health solutions.2 Founders in consumer AI and petcare should prioritize scalable user acquisition strategies, as this round highlights VCs favoring proven retention metrics over early hype. Entrepreneurs can leverage similar tailwinds by integrating AI for personalized services, potentially accelerating paths to Series C with 3-5x revenue growth.
2. OneDome raises $25M Series B to expand its digital real estate and title insurance platform, tapping into proptech's rebound.2 Real estate founders gain actionable intel to pitch efficiency gains in legacy industries, where automation cuts closing times by 50%+. VCs like those backing OneDome signal opportunities for B2B SaaS with regulatory moats, urging teams to demo compliance-ready pilots early.
3. Hublo lands $47M venture round for its construction tech innovations, addressing labor shortages via digital workflows.2 Construction and hardware entrepreneurs should focus on pilot data showing 20-30% cost savings to attract enterprise VCs. This funding underscores a shift toward vertical SaaS, advising founders to build modular tools for quick enterprise adoption and follow-on rounds.

Flash Insight: February funding pulses with climate tech grants closing today, like up to $40K equity-free for Colombian climate startups, alongside mega-rounds in AI and proptech showing $30B+ poured into January deals.13 AI dominates 80% of dollars while female founder funding dips to 2018 lows, pressuring ecosystems to diversify beyond Bay Area mega-deals.3 Founders thrive by targeting niche grants for non-dilutive capital and proving Series A graduation via tight metrics in a concentrated VC landscape led by giants like Andreessen Horowitz.3