Startup News Today - December 15, 2025 | Top Funding, Launches, Failures, Mergers, IPO Updates & Market Highlights Today

A quick and simple roundup of startup news for December 15, 2025. See today’s funding deals, new launches, and important updates.

I am Aadi, tracks the global fintech and policy beat. I dissect deal structures, regulatory shifts, and capital flows with forensic precision.

This week only 17 global startups raised a total of $493.6 million, comprising 4 growth-stage and 13 early-stage deals, while 2 startups kept their funding undisclosed.

Growth-stage deals

Software delivery platform Harness dominated the growth charts, locking in a massive $150 million Series D financing package. The round, involving a mix of equity and debt from Silicon Valley Bank and Hercules Capital, values the San Francisco and Bangalore-based firm at $3.7 billion.

The fresh capital will fuel aggressive hiring in India. Meanwhile, New York-based fintech unicorn Esusu pumped $130 million into its coffers in a Series C round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The valuation crossed the $1 billion mark.

Noida-headquartered GFCL EV Products tapped the market for Rs 1,000 crore ($120 million) in a strategic equity round led by Motilal Oswal to expand its battery material supply chain. London-based enterprise voice AI firm PolyAI also bagged $50 million. Backed by Nvidia and Khosla Ventures, the company aims to slash voice assistant latency.

Early-stage deals

Early-stage activity reached $43.6 million across 13 deals. Leading the pack was crypto infrastructure firm YO Labs with a $10 million seed injection from institutional backers. Trustyfy followed closely, securing $6.8 million to scale its AI-driven financial trust scores. Cyber-fintech startup Tuhk picked up $6 million to combat financial crime, while Algerian mobility tech startup VOLZ locked in DZD 600 million ($4.5 million).

AI infrastructure startup Runware closed a $3 million seed round led by a16z Speedrun. Other notable fundraisers included BON Credit ($3.5 million), Rotoris ($3 million), and Brazilian proptech Morada.ai ($3 million). Zurich-based Soverli and Indian legal-tech firm Lawyered also grabbed capital this week.

Fintech platform Lynk and sports tech startup Sporta also secured funding, though the amounts remained undisclosed.

Key Hirings / Departures

Opendoor has reshuffled its C-suite, naming a new President and CFO to accelerate its next growth chapter.

Fund Launches

Ripple has kicked off a massive $300 million XRP Ledger Fund dedicated to blockchain projects in South Korea and Japan.

In India, the Rajasthan Venture Capital Fund (RVCF) launched its fourth vehicle to back early-stage innovation, while ISFB rolled out a Rs 25 crore venture fund for student founders.

German deeptech firm QuantumDiamonds unveiled plans for a €152 million investment to build a quantum chip facility in Munich.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Japanese banking giant Mizuho is closing in on a deal to acquire Indian investment firm Avendus Capital for an estimated $400-500 million. The move signals a deepening aggressive stance in India’s investment banking sector. ESG software provider Osapiens snapped up compliance firm Lucent AI to bolster automation capabilities.

Systems Limited initiated a strategic merger to acquire Pakistan-based software house Confiz. Meanwhile, SaaS platform Wingify acquired user research startup Blitzllama to integrate AI capabilities. In the US, emergency savings platform SecureSave was acquired by Sunny Day Fund.

New Launches and Partnerships

Audi partners with Revolut to launch the "Audi Revolut F1 Team" for the 2026 season.
Coinbase officially kicks off operations in the UAE, targeting Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
UK FCA launches "Firm Checker" tool to combat surging investment scam losses.
Citroën India teams up with IndusInd General Insurance to enhance motor coverage.
Salt Edge rolls out bulk payments for open banking.
Jindal Group enters the urban mobility fray with a new brand, Trevel.

Financial result

Cult.fit posts Rs 1,216 Cr revenue, narrows loss to Rs 481 Cr in FY25.
Vodafone Idea seeks moratorium on AGR dues; liability pile remains massive.

News flash

UK to regulate crypto under FCA by 2027 in major financial law overhaul.
US SEC seeks public feedback on Nasdaq's plan to launch tokenized stock trading.
Bitcoin hashrate falls 8% amid Xinjiang mining shutdowns.
Ripple, BitGo, and Paxos get Trust Bank charters.

Summary

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is spearheading a massive dual-track overhaul of the financial sector. On one front, the regulator is reviewing the mortgage market to dismantle barriers for "mortgage prisoners" while pushing brokers to adopt AI for streamlined lending.

Simultaneously, the UK Treasury and FCA have laid out a roadmap to bring cryptoassets fully under the regulatory perimeter by 2027. The move aims to treat digital assets similarly to traditional financial services, fostering a "safe" hub while cracking down on non-compliance, evidenced by the £44 million fine levied against Nationwide this week.

Audi has made a splash in the sporting world by partnering with fintech giant Revolut. The collaboration will see the debut of the "Audi Revolut F1 Team" in 2026, marking a significant convergence of automotive legacy and digital banking disruption.

In India, the EV supply chain heated up as GFCL EV Products secured Rs 1,000 crore ($120 million). The round values the entity at nearly $3 billion. The capital injection will drive capital expenditure for battery materials, positioning the firm to capitalize on the country's burgeoning electric vehicle mandate.