Startup Funding Tracker — 2026-05-28
Cognition AI leads a surge of mega-round closes with a $1 billion Series B at $25 billion pre-money valuation, bringing the AI coding space into focus as capital concentrates among mega-startups. Capital allocation remains intensely selective, with over 80% of 2026 funding flowing to rounds of $500M+. Key exits include Deep Fission preparing for a Nasdaq IPO at $24–$26/share and SpaceX confirming xAI acquisition at $1.25T combined valuation.
Startup Funding Tracker — 2026-05-28
Top Confirmed Rounds
| Company | Stage | Amount | Lead Investor | Sector | HQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognition AI | Series B | $1,000M | Undisclosed | AI/Coding | San Francisco |
| Quartermaster (Ship Sensors) | Series A | $43M | Undisclosed | Maritime/IoT | Arlington, VA |
| NanoClaw | Seed | $12M | Undisclosed | AI Agent Sandboxing | – |
techstartups.com
techcrunch.com
Fintech startup Parker files for bankruptcy | TechCrunch
Startup funding shatters all records in Q1 | TechCrunch
NanoClaw creator turns down $20M buyout offer, raises $12M seed instead | TechCrunch
This startup raised $43M to build a hive mind for ships | TechCrunch
Deal Spotlights
Cognition AI — $1B Series B
- Investors: Undisclosed lead; company claims $492M annualized revenue run rate
- Use of proceeds: Expansion of AI coding assistant (Devin) capabilities and market scaling
- Why it matters: Cognition more than doubled its valuation in 8 months (from ~$12B in September 2025 to $25B pre-money). This signals extreme confidence in autonomous AI agents for software engineering, a category attracting outsized venture conviction in 2026.
- Valuation: $25B pre-money
Quartermaster — $43M Series A
- Investors: Undisclosed lead
- Use of proceeds: Equip ships with advanced sensor arrays to replace legacy AIS (Automatic Identification System) technology
- Why it matters: Maritime infrastructure modernization attracts venture capital as supply-chain visibility becomes mission-critical. The $43M round signals appetite for hardware plays in under-digitized verticals.
- Valuation: Undisclosed post-money
NanoClaw — $12M Seed
- Investors: Undisclosed
- Use of proceeds: Secure, sandboxed container runtime for AI agents (alternative to OpenClaw); initially built for Cohen brothers' AI marketing firm
- Why it matters: Represents trend of AI safety/sandbox infrastructure attracting seed-stage capital. Founder turned down $20M acquisiton to raise at lower valuation, signaling conviction in independent scaling.
- Valuation: Undisclosed
Sector Snapshot
- AI/Coding: Cognition AI's $1B Series B dominates the daily landscape, cementing AI agent platforms for software development as the 2026 venture darling.
- Hardware/Maritime: Quartermaster's $43M Series A reflects venture expansion into underdigitized infrastructure (shipping/logistics).
- AI Safety/Infrastructure: NanoClaw's $12M seed indicates emerging venture appetite for AI agent sandboxing and containment solutions.
IPO & M&A Watch
-
Deep Fission Nuclear IPO (S-1 filed): Virginia-based nuclear startup filed for a Nasdaq IPO targeting $157M at $24–$26/share. Company previously went public via SPAC reverse merger in September 2025 (Surfside Acquisition; $30M raise at $3/share). New filing represents 8–9x repricing in under 9 months.
-
SpaceX xAI Acquisition (Confirmed): SpaceX acquired xAI (Elon Musk's AI startup) in February 2026 via all-stock deal, valuing combined entity at $1.25T (SpaceX at ~$1T, xAI at ~$250B). SEC EDGAR filings confirm dominant voting control retained by Musk and insiders.
-
SpaceX IPO Timeline (In Watch): Reuters reported SpaceX targeting June 11, 2026 Nasdaq pricing and June 12 listing (subject to S-1 SEC review). No SEC EDGAR filing yet as of May 28.
Notable Rumors (Unconfirmed)
No unconfirmed rumors with named sourcing available for past 24 hours.
What to Watch Next
- Deep Fission Nasdaq IPO Pricing: Watch for June 2026 roadshow and pricing window. Nuclear energy sector momentum could impact final valuation vs. $24–$26 guidance.
- SpaceX S-1 Filing: SEC filing expected within days; June 11 pricing and June 12 Nasdaq listing possible if greenlit. This would be 2026's largest IPO by order of magnitude.
- Capital Concentration Signal: Monitor whether Cognition's $1B round triggers follow-on mega-rounds in AI agent/coding startups. Market data shows 80% of 2026 venture capital flowing to $500M+ rounds.
Reader Action Items
- For founders: If you're not raising $100M+, capital markets are intensely selective in 2026. Focus on product-market fit and profitability signals (revenue run rate, unit economics). Mega-startups are pulling oxygen out of Series A/B markets.
- For investors: Cognition's $1B raise validates AI agent platforms for code generation as a venture thesis, but valuations (8x in 8 months) may be compressing Series C/D check sizes. Watch Deep Fission IPO pricing for nuclear/energy sector appetite.
- For operators: Maritime/logistics and AI safety infrastructure are showing early venture traction. If you're hiring for supply-chain or agent-safety teams, investor appetite is live.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
Powered by
