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Hello reader,
“My strategy, strategy, will get ya, get ya, baby.” 🎶
This line from the song “Strategy” by K-pop girl group Twice kept playing in my head while I was going through this week’s funding data. If you’re not a K-pop fan, you may recognize the song from the soundtrack of Kpop Demon Hunters, a film that took the world by storm in 2025.
“Strategy” was playing in my head because fundraising, investments, and M&As all require strategic moves.
Sure, you have a whole class of funds called “strategic investments,” but in itself, the fundraising and investment landscape is all about making tactical bets: If I go with this investor, what other opportunities can they offer beyond just the money? By giving this startup funding, what returns could I see? What can this acquisition do to keep my company ahead?
It’s a long game, and it can take a long time to see these strategic bets pay off. But when it does, it probably feels pretty sweet.
You can find all other important investment deals from the last few days in our weekly funding news wrap-up.
Let’s dive into the biggest deals and M&As that have recently taken place.
— Stefanie
The biggest deals by country
🇨🇳 Sunrise is a developer of AI computing chips. Based in China, it has raised US$298 million in strategic investment from Bloomsky, CAS Star, CCB PE, Chia Tai Group, Infore Enviro, Janchor Partners, PICC Capital Investment Management, and Tongcheng.
🇮🇩 Ajaib is an online investing platform for millennials in Indonesia. It has bagged US$270 million in series C funding from SBI Holdings.
🇮🇱 HiBob is an HR tech platform. Based in Israel, which is located in West Asia, it has secured strategic investment worth US$166 million in a round led by Salesforce.
M&As
Startups that are raising funds
Behind the Glasswall
Scaling for a nation
Exclusive listicles
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