In 2025, the US witnessed an impressive milestone in the field of artificial intelligence. A total of 49 startups managed to secure funding exceeding $100 million each within a single calendar year. Reflecting on my own journey as a female entrepreneur bootstrapping my startup, The F/MS Startup Game, this is both inspiring and thought-provoking. These stories of colossal funding achievements, where investors’ checks pour in, provide a fascinating study for anyone navigating the startup ecosystem. Yet, as always, the devil is in the details, and there’s plenty of learning to be extracted.
The Numbers Speak Volumes
Let’s dive into the numbers. From healthcare-focused startups like Abridge to developer-centered tools like Cognition AI, the funding scale ranged from $100 million to multi-billion-dollar rounds. Take OpenAI, which alone attracted a groundbreaking $40 billion investment. Or Anthropic, grabbing $13 billion in one go. For female founders in Europe, this magnitude of financial backing may seem daunting, but it’s a testament to both vision and execution.
If we break this down further, these startups collectively raised well over $15 billion toward revolutionizing sectors like healthcare, legal tech, and generative AI. Abridge, for instance, received $300 million to develop intelligent clinical documentation tools. For anyone working on projects in healthcare or enterprise, pinpointing niche problems often paves the way to securing investors.
Funding Powerhouses
What’s fueling this surge? Investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia, who backed a range of startups, continued their streak of supporting high-potential founders. Venture firms aggressively scoped out AI infrastructure, coding assistants, and healthcare tools, a sign that solving fundamental problems either for developers or core business processes has universal appeal.
European founders may wonder about replicating these dynamics without operating in Silicon Valley’s orbit. Here’s where community comes in. While we don’t raise unicorn-size rounds easily, you can forge tight-knit networks through local hubs like StartupAmsterdam or accelerators such as Yes! Delft.
Lessons That Matter
If you’re bootstrapping like me, you’re constantly exploring how far financial creativity can take your project before external funding becomes essential. Here’s what these big rounds teach us about strategic growth:
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Solve Specific Problems: Start by addressing pain points that are immediate and scalable. Whether it’s healthcare gaps that tools like Ambience Healthcare aim to close or infrastructure demands handled by Modular, problem-solving pays dividends.
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Find Repeat Gaps: What struck me is how some startups raised multiple $100M+ rounds in a single year. Abridge, Harvey, and OpenEvidence churned out funding like clockwork. Launch-stage founders must think about sustained relevance, even if your product solves a problem today, how will it evolve over three funding cycles?
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Valuation Timing Matters: If you’re running a European startup, having clear valuation benchmarks helps set healthy expectations for your investment rounds, even if they’re much smaller than U.S.-style mega-deals.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
For us as female founders or anyone operating in resource-tight conditions, learning from mistakes is as important as celebrating successes. Here are pitfalls these funded startups sidestepped:
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Ignoring Team-Building: These firms were able to scale because their visions came matched with strong leadership teams and early hires. Often overlooked, early-stage troubles like mismatched operational competencies can slow growth.
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Chasing Investment Instead of Problem Validation: Companies like ElevenLabs (synthetic voice tech) and Eudia (legal AI tools) developed proof across niche industries first before pitching investors. Avoid letting investor pressure dilute your focus.
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Underestimating Collaboration: The data shows high repeat investment patterns because startups can maintain strong relationships with venture partners. Build mutual trust early; European venture firms prioritize founders who communicate openly.
How to Compete as a European Female Founder
Admittedly, we operate with fewer resources, so approach matters more than ever. My advice if you’re bootstrapping:
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Start Small: Leverage incubators or early coworking spaces for operational support. Programs like TU/e Launch helped refine my methodology and connect my game design vision with teams poised for technical input.
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Craft Your Narrative: Whether you're an AI startup solving logistics, research gaps, or underserved consumer niches, storytelling will resonate with European investors. Show traction, prove industry relevance, and prepare succinct narratives.
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Lean on Local Communities: Silicon Valley thrives on big networks, but Europe has strengths in localized hubs. Nurture smaller investor groups, like those tied to networks such as Investor Readiness BOM, which specialize in early-stage benefits.
Tools Backed by Data
Want actionable intelligence? Some companies mentioned are transforming niches directly relevant to other founders outside AI mega-scenes. For example:
- Snorkel AI focuses on data-labeling problems. Their approach demonstrates how killing bottlenecks matters even within specific ecosystems.
- Reflection.AI excels as a deep-learning rival incubator, proving stepping outside tech's most mainstream trends still generates breakthroughs.
Beyond technology, these success stories show that persistence thrives, especially when paired with strategic community growth. As a woman building STEM-focused startups, I remind myself daily that discipline, not just money, drives results.
Conclusion
There’s more than one path to startup growth, and as 2025’s massive investment rounds indicate, precise execution leads to scaling big ideas. For European founders working across STEM or deep technologies, studying these breakthroughs provides invaluable insights. Build what matters before chasing investments, ensure strong community links, and leverage programs suited to your stage without exaggerating resource strain.
Always focus on that step ahead, not the number behind, and, regardless of your capital raise, keep refining. To track startup shifts like this year’s AI breakthroughs, connect through platforms offering specific insights into scaling fast or navigating networking highs.
FAQ
1. What notable achievements did U.S. AI startups make in 2025?
In 2025, 49 U.S.-based AI startups raised at least $100 million each, with some exceeding $1 billion in individual funding rounds. These startups collectively accumulated over $15 billion, with notable funding recipients like OpenAI and Anthropic leading the way. Explore the details of 2025 U.S. AI startup funding
2. Which sectors garnered the most funding in 2025?
Sectors like healthcare AI, legal technology, developer tools, and generative media dominated the funding landscape. Companies like Abridge ($300M in funding) and Harvey ($300M rounds) highlight this trend. Learn more about key funding areas in 2025
3. What was OpenAI’s role in 2025 funding trends?
OpenAI led the U.S. AI funding scene by raising a historic $40 billion single round at a valuation of $300 billion. Discover details about OpenAI’s funding milestone
4. How did venture capital firms contribute to the AI funding boom?
Major VC firms like Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, and Kleiner Perkins fueled the AI boom by actively investing in startups tackling AI infrastructure, healthcare AI, and more. Check out the role of VCs in 2025 funding
5. What strategies did successful startups employ to secure funding?
Successful startups focused on solving specific, scalable problems and sustaining relevance over funding cycles. Examples include Modular addressing AI infrastructure demands and Abridge developing clinical documentation tools.
6. Which companies raised multiple funding rounds in 2025?
Startups like Abridge, Harvey, and OpenEvidence raised multiple $100M+ funding rounds in 2025, highlighting sustained investor interest. Learn more about multi-round funding patterns
7. What lessons can European entrepreneurs learn from U.S. funding trends?
European entrepreneurs can focus on community-building, leveraging local hubs and accelerators, crafting compelling narratives, and addressing niche pain points to attract investors, even with fewer resources.
8. What was the largest funding round in healthcare AI?
Abridge, a healthcare AI startup, raised $300 million to revolutionize intelligent clinical documentation. Find out more about Abridge’s achievement
9. How important was collaboration with venture partners in securing funding?
Startups with strong investor relationships, such as Harvey and ElevenLabs, benefited from high repeat investments due to mutual trust and clear communication.
10. How can founders bootstrap effectively while preparing for funding rounds?
Bootstrapping founders should start small, focus on scalable solutions, leverage local startup communities, and prove industry relevance through strategic partnerships and initiatives like incubator programs.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
