AI on the Rise: $625M Invested in Early-Stage AI Startups (October 12–18, 2025)
Global AI investments saw a major upswing this week, with more than $625 million raised across early-stage startups between October 12–18, 2025. The funding reflects a continued surge in investor confidence, as AI innovation expands from life sciences and enterprise solutions to healthcare and digital twin technology. This milestone underscores the accelerating growth of the startup ecosystem and AI’s role as a driving force in technological transformation.
According to Crunchbase data, Series A funding led the way at $312 million, followed by seed-stage deals totaling nearly $279 million, and pre-seed investments surpassing $34 million. The diversity of funded ventures demonstrates investor commitment to both scaling proven technologies and supporting the earliest stages of AI innovation.
Weekly Funding Breakdown
Series A: $312M
Seed: $279M
Pre-seed: $34M+
Total: $625M+
Top 3 Funded Startups
1. Leila Sciences – $115M
Leila Sciences continues to attract major attention, raising $115 million to advance its scientific super-intelligence platform and autonomous labs for life sciences, chemistry, and material science. By automating experimentation and accelerating discovery, Leila is transforming research efficiency at a global scale.
2. Vivian – $35M
Vivian secured $35 million to grow its AI digital twin platform, which helps enterprises preserve institutional knowledge and improve decision-making. By creating dynamic, knowledge-based models of human expertise, Vivian empowers organizations to optimize processes and build resilience for the future.
3. ExCare AI – $30M
ExaCare AI raised $30 million to expand its AI solutions for assisted living facilities, streamlining admissions, care management, and resident coordination. Their intelligent software supports healthcare professionals in delivering more personalized, data-driven care.
Why it Matters
This week’s funding wave reflects the expanding intersection of AI, science, and enterprise innovation. Leila Sciences is accelerating global discovery through automation, Vivian is redefining digital knowledge preservation, and Exacare is modernizing care delivery with intelligent systems. Together, they embody AI’s growing ability to merge technical precision with human-centered impact.
At Dectec, we see this continued growth as evidence of AI’s evolution into a foundational force for transformation. From research labs to boardrooms, the world’s innovators are using AI to scale ideas, amplify human capability, and create lasting change. The momentum is clear—the builders are building, and the future of AI is unfolding in real time.
