A series of substantial funding announcements from startups across the defense, infrastructure, and enterprise AI sectors on January 29 highlighted ongoing investor enthusiasm for mission-critical technologies. Together, the deals reflect a broader trend in late-stage venture capital: targeting companies with proven demand, strong enterprise use cases, and innovation in sectors considered vital to national interests and industrial modernization.
Leading the pack was Onebrief, a defense-tech unicorn based in Austin, Texas, which secured $50 million in a Series C round. The funding was co-led by General Catalyst and Insight Partners, both of which are longstanding supporters of dual-use technology. This latest investment pushes Onebrief’s total capital raised to over $120 million and follows a recent $50 million extension round earlier in January that pushed its valuation to $1.1 billion.
Onebrief specializes in AI-driven planning software used by military and government agencies for operations management, mission briefings, and crisis response coordination. The company’s platform has been adopted by several U.S. Department of Defense commands and NATO partners, offering real-time scenario planning and collaboration tools. As geopolitical tensions rise and digital transformation accelerates within defense circles, demand for such tools continues to grow, making Onebrief a key player in the emerging defense-tech landscape.
In Massachusetts, energy startup Veir closed a $75 million Series B round to advance its proprietary superconducting powerline technology. The round drew support from a mix of climate and strategic investors, including Munich Re Ventures, Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Veir’s technology aims to dramatically improve the efficiency of long-distance electricity transmission by reducing power loss and enabling higher-capacity lines. The startup is positioning itself to play a crucial role in modernizing U.S. energy infrastructure, particularly as the grid expands to accommodate renewable energy sources.
New Jersey-based UVeye, a company specializing in automated vehicle inspection systems, also announced a significant funding milestone. The startup raised $41 million in new equity, alongside a $150 million debt facility from Trinity Capital. The equity round was led by Woven Capital, the investment arm of Toyota’s Woven Planet Group, indicating strong interest in UVeye’s AI and imaging-driven inspection technology. UVeye’s platform is used by automotive manufacturers, dealerships, and government agencies to detect vehicle defects or threats using computer vision and machine learning.
The day’s funding surge extended beyond defense and energy. In Boston, Amplitude Vascular Systems secured $36 million in a Series B round to further develop its intravascular lithotripsy technologies for cardiovascular procedures. The company’s device platform targets peripheral artery disease and other vascular conditions, signaling continued investor interest in medtech innovation.
In New York, telehealth provider Hone Health raised $33 million in Series A funding to expand its at-home diagnostic and hormone treatment services. The company is tapping into rising demand for personalized healthcare and longevity-focused treatments, areas increasingly popular among venture firms.
Dallas-based Qsic, a retail audio startup that uses AI to deliver location-aware music and messaging to commercial environments, landed $25 million in Series B funding. Its services aim to enhance in-store customer experiences for retailers and restaurants through dynamic soundscapes and real-time content adaptation.
Rounding out the notable announcements, San Jose’s Bonsai Robotics raised $15 million in Series A financing to scale its autonomous systems for agriculture. The company’s tractor-compatible platform uses computer vision and machine learning to navigate orchards and perform labor-intensive tasks like weeding and crop spraying, addressing labor shortages and productivity challenges in the farming sector.
Taken together, these investments represent nearly half a billion dollars deployed in a single day across diverse sectors including defense, energy, automotive, medtech, retail tech, and agri-robotics. Despite lingering macroeconomic uncertainties, late-January’s flurry of activity indicates that startups with clear enterprise value, scalable platforms, and critical infrastructure implications continue to attract robust funding.
These rounds also underscore the increasing convergence of artificial intelligence with traditionally hardware-centric industries. Whether it’s streamlining military planning, inspecting vehicles, modernizing the grid, or automating farms, AI is becoming a foundational layer for next-generation industrial solutions.
The developments reinforce a key theme heading into 2025: venture capital is not retreating, but recalibrating—prioritizing resilience, deeptech, and mission-driven innovation over consumer-facing apps or speculative software plays.
