The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds: Physical AI Startup Atoms Leads In Varied Week For Large Deals

2026-07-24 · Source: Artificial intelligence - Crunchbase News · Field: Finance & Economics — Capital Markets & Investment Management, FinTech & Digital Financial Services · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

The week of July 18-24 saw U.S. startups secure significant venture capital across diverse sectors, with the top 10 announced funding rounds totaling over \$3.6 billion. Leading the investments was physical AI startup Atoms, founded by Travis Kalanick, which raised \$1.7 billion from Andreessen Horowitz. Other substantial rounds included Meshy AI's \$400 million Series B for 3D AI foundation models, Sila's \$300 million for battery technology expansion, and Etched's \$300 million Series C for inference chip co-design, achieving a \$10 billion pre-money valuation. Fintech firm Augustus secured \$180 million, while defense tech startup Cathedral raised \$160 million for military cyber capabilities. Biotech company Crystalys Therapeutics closed a \$130 million Series B, Candid Health received \$120 million for healthcare revenue cycle management, and cybersecurity startups Glow and Neo Security secured \$100 million and \$75 million respectively.

Key takeaway

For investors tracking emerging tech trends, this week's funding rounds highlight robust capital deployment into specialized AI and deep tech. You should note the significant investments in physical AI, 3D AI generation, and inference technology, signaling areas of high growth and potential disruption. Consider these sectors for future portfolio diversification, particularly companies addressing industrial digitization, advanced materials, or enterprise cyber capabilities, as they demonstrate strong investor confidence and market demand.

Key insights

Venture capital continues to flow into diverse, high-value U.S. startups, particularly in AI and deep tech.

Principles

• Physical AI and 3D AI are attracting mega-rounds.
• Deep tech sectors like battery and inference tech draw significant capital.
• Cybersecurity remains a strong investment area.

In practice

• Monitor physical AI for industrial digitization trends.
• Evaluate 3D AI foundation models for new applications.
• Investigate silicon anode battery technology advancements.

Topics

• Startup Funding
• Venture Capital
• Physical AI
• 3D AI Generation
• Battery Technology
• Inference Technology
• Cybersecurity

Best for: Investor, Entrepreneur, Tech Journalist

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• Travis Kalanick’s robotics company raises $1.7B, led by a16z — Travis Kalanick's Atoms raised \$1.7B to digitize the physical world through robotics and AI, aiming for productivity gains.
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• Funding Trends: AI, Robotics & Europe Lead the Way — AI, robotics, and European startups are leading current venture capital investment trends.

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Artificial intelligence - Crunchbase News.