Startup Flash Report

STARTUP FLASH - February 18, 2026

17 US AI Startups Secure $100M+ Rounds in Early 2026, 3 Cross $1B Mark Amid Funding Surge

TOP 3 STORIES:
1. Seasats Raises $20M Series A to Scale Production of Small Uncrewed Surface Vehicles. The funding, led by Konvoy Ventures and bringing total capital to over $40M, targets expanded manufacturing for maritime autonomy tech.6 Founders in robotics and defense hardware can leverage this as a model for Series A scaling, prioritizing production readiness to attract sector-specific VCs like Konvoy. Entrepreneurs should note the equity efficiency, using prior seed to de-risk manufacturing before larger deployments.
2. SatVu Secures £30M ($40.7M) to Accelerate Thermal Imaging Satellite Constellation. UK space tech firm SatVu's raise funds faster deployment of its infrared satellite network for climate and defense monitoring.8 This validates hardware-intensive deep tech for international VCs; founders building space or sensor startups should focus on constellation milestones to unlock similar growth capital. It highlights opportunities in dual-use tech, urging entrepreneurs to align with climate resilience grants closing soon like those in [1].
3. Over 110 New Funding Opportunities Open, Including Equity-Free Grants Up to $1M for Climate Tech. Deadlines cluster today, such as up to $40K equity-free for Colombian climate startups and S$1M grants for urban deep-tech solutions.1 Founders gain non-dilutive capital to bridge to Series A, especially in climate and AgTech; apply immediately to programs like Switzerland's CHF 1M prizes (March 4 deadline) for global scalability. VCs can scout these grantees as low-risk bets with proven traction.

Flash Insight: AI dominates early 2026 funding with 17 US startups hitting $100M+ rounds and 80%+ of January's $30B+ flowing to AI, per Silicon Valley trends, while Series A peaks at $1.45B in February 2025 data signal sustained momentum.35 Bay Area captures half of US capital amid tightening Series A graduations and female founder funding at 2018 lows, concentrating dry powder ($300B) in mega-funds like Andreessen Horowitz's $15B raise.2 Entrepreneurs must differentiate in AI applications or pivot to grant-rich niches like climate tech to access capital, as emerging managers struggle and LPs demand liquidity.