Overview
The October 2026 monthly funding report shows another strong month for investment, with approximately $58.6 billion raised across 577 deals, compared with $55.1 billion across 592 deals in September. The monthly total was heavily influenced by several very large financings, led by DeepSeek’s $15 billion investment.
| Round | Amount September (USD) | Number deals September | Amount October (USD) | Number deals October |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed funding | 295,835,400 | 68 | 148,107,600 | 59 |
| Seed Round | 1,429,928,300 | 170 | 2,499,415,200 | 192 |
| Series A | 4,210,133,900 | 116 | 5,349,913,000 | 133 |
| Series B | 5,511,830,000 | 68 | 3,923,040,000 | 49 |
| Series C | 7,711,222,500 | 35 | 3,497,990,000 | 20 |
| Series D | 8,769,000,000 | 13 | 3,947,520,000 | 19 |
| Series E | 4,821,500,000 | 12 | 7,887,000,000 | 9 |
| Other | 22,378,338,000 | 110 | 31,323,480,000 | 96 |
| Total | 55,127,788,100 | 592 | 58,576,465,800 | 577 |
Funding Activity by Number of Deals
October recorded 577 funding deals, slightly below September’s 592, but activity remained strong across the early funding stages.
Key observations
- Pre-seed activity declined from 68 to 59 deals, following a stronger September.
- Seed remained the largest category by deal count, increasing from 170 to 192 deals, up 13%.
- Series A also strengthened, increasing from 116 to 133 deals, or around 15%.
- Series B fell from 68 to 49 deals, while Series C declined from 35 to 20.
- Series D increased from 13 to 19 deals, even though the total amount invested at this stage was lower than in September.
- Series E declined from 12 to 9 transactions, although several large rounds pushed total Series E funding higher.
- Other funding rounds declined from 110 to 96 deals, while accounting for a considerably larger amount of capital.
Funding Distribution by Round
Total funding increased from $55.1 billion in September to approximately $58.6 billion in October, despite a slight decline in the number of transactions. Several multibillion-dollar financings had a major impact on the monthly total.
Key observations
- Pre-seed funding fell by 50%, from almost $296 million to $148 million.
- Seed funding rose sharply from $1.43 billion to almost $2.5 billion. The increase was partly driven by several large rounds, including SignSplit at $400 million, Mal at $230 million, Warhound at $200 million, Dream Labs at $90 million.
- Series A funding increased from $4.21 billion to $5.35 billion.
- Series B funding declined from $5.51 billion to $3.92 billion.
- Series C saw one of the largest declines, falling from $7.71 billion to $3.50 billion.
- Series D deal activity increased from 13 to 19 rounds, but total funding fell from $8.77 billion to $3.95 billion, pointing to smaller average transactions than in September.
- Series E funding increased from $4.82 billion to $7.89 billion.
- Other funding rounds reached $31.3 billion, up from $22.4 billion in September. The increase was driven by several large private, growth, strategic and equity financings, including DeepSeek’s $15 billion round.
Political & Economic Influence (Global)
October brought a more cautious global outlook. The IMF projected global growth of 3.1% in 2026 and inflation of 4.7%, with higher energy and food prices, geopolitical conflict and renewed trade tensions among the main risks.
As Deniz Igan, Division Chief at the IMF’s Research Department, explained:
The global economy continues to prove resilient, but this resilience is becoming increasingly uneven. Growth is projected at 3.1% this year and 3.4% next year. But beneath those aggregates, we see a growing divide. Countries benefiting from the AI-driven investment boom or favorable terms of trade are doing relatively well, while many energy importing and lower income economies are facing a much more challenging environment. We also expect inflation to be higher in the near term, reaching 4.7% this year, largely reflecting higher energy and food prices.
Deniz Igan, Division Chief at the IMF’s Research Department
In Europe, the ECB kept rates unchanged on October 29, while noting that higher energy prices and tighter financing conditions could weigh on growth.
Asia remained one of the stronger regions, with the IMF forecasting 4.8% growth in 2026. Demand linked to AI infrastructure and semiconductors supported markets such as Korea and parts of Southeast Asia.
Impact on funding
Higher energy costs and tighter financing conditions kept investors selective. October’s funding data reflects that caution, with capital concentrated in fewer large transactions. DeepSeek’s $15 billion financing was the clearest example, accounting for a significant share of the month’s total funding.
Political & Economic Influence (U.S.)
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.6% during September and 3.7% year over year, while gasoline prices increased by 9.1%.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at 3.75% to 4.0% on October 28. The Fed said economic activity was expanding at a strong pace, supported by resilient domestic spending, strong productivity growth and robust capital investment. It also noted that uncertainty remained elevated, partly because of geopolitical developments, while inflation was still above target.
Political uncertainty also increased as the country approached the November 3 midterm elections. Campaign spending reached record levels, while businesses and investors were watching closely for possible changes in regulation, taxation and economic policy after the vote.
Impact on funding
Higher inflation and unchanged interest rates kept financing conditions tight, while the approaching midterm elections added another layer of uncertainty. Even so, resilient spending, strong productivity and robust capital investment helped support continued fundraising activity, particularly among larger and more established companies.
Key Investment Sectors in October 2026
Artificial intelligence remained one of the strongest investment themes in October, with capital flowing across AI models, software, infrastructure, robotics and semiconductors.
Advanced manufacturing and industrial technology also attracted significant funding, alongside fintech and financial services. Healthcare and biotechnology remained active, while cybersecurity, energy, aerospace and defense continued to draw investor interest.
Domain Name Highlights
.com remained the most widely used domain extension, with 325 of the 577 funded companies using it. Its global recognition and familiarity make .com a preferred choice for businesses, as customers are more likely to remember and try a .com address when searching for a company online.
.ai ranked second, used by 104 companies, followed by .io with 23. Both extensions are popular among technology startups because of their association with innovation, but they also come with certain risks. As AI becomes increasingly common across industries, .ai may lose some of its distinctiveness and restrict how a brand is perceived. Both .ai and .io are country-code domain extensions (ccTLDs), which can introduce long-term risks and limitations related to their stability and global recognition.
The remaining 125 companies used other domain extensions. These included country-code domains as well as extensions such as .bio, .tech, .health, .energy, .xyz and .app.
231 companies operated on an Exact Brand Match (EBM) domain name. An EBM domain is the most intuitive choice for users searching for a company online, helping improve visibility and protect brand identity.
Only 17 companies used hyphenated domains. Most companies avoid them because they are harder to remember and type, and they increase the risk of user confusion.
Company Spotlights
Deepseek
Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Developer APIs, Foundational AI, Generative AI, Machine Learning
Funds Raised: $15 billion, Private Funding
DeepSeek is a Chinese artificial intelligence company developing large language models and AI systems designed to compete with leading global platforms. The company gained international attention for producing high-performing models at comparatively low development and operating costs.
In October 2026, DeepSeek reportedly raised around $15 billion, or 100 billion yuan, in one of the largest funding rounds in China. Potential investors included CATL and Tencent. The financing followed a round of more than $7 billion in June and came as the company increased spending on AI infrastructure.
The name DeepSeek reflects the company’s focus on deeper AI research, combining the idea of deep learning with exploration and discovery. Its whale logo extends that concept visually, using the deep sea as a metaphor for exploring uncharted areas of knowledge and artificial intelligence.
The company operates on DeepSeek.com, an EBM domain that gives users a direct and intuitive way to find the company online while keeping the brand consistent across markets.
Mogul
Industry: Real Estate, PropTech
Funds Raised: $15.5 million, Series A
Mogul is a real estate investing platform founded in 2022 by former Goldman Sachs Real Estate Investment Group investors Alex Blackwood and Joey Gumataotao.
In October 2026, Mogul raised an oversubscribed $15.5 million Series A, led by Draper Associates. The round exceeded the company’s original $10 million target and brought total funding to more than $23 million.
The platform started as a way for Joey and me to invest in high-quality real estate without the headache, and I am proud to say I am still a power user of the platform today. We are typically the first and second checks into each property; however, with a majority of assets over the last three months selling out in under two hours, I have missed out on some of them because I didn’t act fast enough. As a platform, we are already one of one, and the capital provides us with the capability to redefine the broader real estate industry. Looking ahead, our vision is to build a vertically integrated real estate ecosystem that supports the full lifecycle of an asset. By unifying these layers, Mogul can become the defining infrastructure for the industry. In 10 years’ time, Mogul will be the first word that comes to your mind when you think of real estate.
Alex Blackwood, Co-Founder and CEO of Mogul
Mogul spent its early years on Mogul.club, but the company had wanted Mogul.com from the beginning. In September 2026, it acquired the domain for $1.3 million. Co-founder and CEO Alex Blackwood described the purchase as buying “the best real estate on the web.”
According to Blackwood, the timing was closely linked to the company’s growth. Mogul grew 14.5x last year and expects to grow another 5 to 6x this year. As the business becomes larger and more visible, waiting could make the domain significantly more expensive.
He also viewed the purchase as an investment in a long-term asset rather than a simple marketing expense. The team considered the value the domain could add to revenue, what it could be worth in the future, and the fact that it could potentially be sold again if needed. As Blackwood put it: “Worst case, we own a domain. Best case, we own THE word in real estate.”
The acquisition also had an immediate effect on how the company was perceived. Blackwood said job applications increased, outreach to candidates received faster responses, and new hires told the team that Mogul.com made the company feel more established and serious about the brand it was building.
We always think about how we’re not going to just be a fractional investing platform. Ultimately, we want to basically go up and down the supply chain of real estate, and so you can’t do that with Mogul.club.
Alex Blackwood, Co-Founder and CEO of Mogul, in an interview for Inc.
Mogul.com gives users a more intuitive destination for the brand and gives the company a broader identity that can accommodate new products, services and markets as the business grows.
Daytona
Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Cloud Infrastructure, Developer Tools, IT Infrastructure, Software
Funds Raised: $60 million, Series B
Daytona is a Croatian-founded AI infrastructure company building secure cloud environments where AI agents can run code, use tools and complete tasks.
In October 2026, Daytona raised $60 million in Series B funding at a $1 billion valuation, bringing total funding to $91 million. The round was led by FirstMark Growth and included participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Next and Okta Ventures.
We believe the next infrastructure shift is from human-centric cloud primitives to agent-native ones. Daytona’s breakthrough is making ‘a computer for every agent’ practical: instant startup, persistent state, and the tooling agents need to write code, use Git, and execute safely at scale. That’s a foundational building block for the agentic economy.
Matt Turck, Partner, FirstMark
Daytona currently operates on Daytona.io, but the company has recently acquired its EBM domain, Daytona.com. In a post on X, Ivan Burazin, the company’s CEO and Co-founder, shared that they paid $500k for the domain.
The .io extension is widely used by technology startups because of its association with the computing term “input/output.” It is actually a country code top-level domain assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory and comes with some risks and limitations as businesses grow.
The upgrade to Daytona.com will make the company easier to find, reduce the risk of traffic leakage and security issues, and strengthen customer trust through the global recognition of .com. For a growing startup, securing its EBM is also an important step that reflects greater maturity, stability and long-term commitment to the brand.
ASI
Industry: Aerospace, Air Transportation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Enterprise Software, Logistics
Funds Raised: $325 million, Series C
ASI is an AI company developing systems that help manage complex physical operations across aviation, defense, energy and logistics. Its technology is used to model real-world environments, predict what is likely to happen next and support faster operational decisions across critical infrastructure.
In October 2026, ASI raised $325 million in Series C funding at a $3 billion valuation. The round was led by Spark Capital, with participation from affiliates of Citadel Securities, Meritech Capital, Craft Ventures, Energy Impact Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. The company is already working across major U.S. infrastructure and defense systems, including aviation, the power grid and military operations.
The future of our national prosperity hinges on giving the people who run our critical systems the power to out-calculate compounding complexity in an increasingly dynamic world. While the broader tech ecosystem spent hundreds of billions teaching AI to manipulate words and generate text, ASI is deeply focused on AI systems that can manage and control physical assets — no matter if that’s a plane, a vessel, or the energy grid. This capital ensures ASI scales as America’s engine: the automated nervous system keeping the country running.
Phillip Buckendorf, Founder and CEO of ASI
Previously known as Air Space Intelligence, the company shortened its name to ASI as its work expanded beyond airspace into energy, logistics, defense and other critical sectors. The longer name had become more restrictive, while the shorter identity gives the company more flexibility as its role broadens.
The company also appears to have acquired ASI.com, replacing AirSpace-Intelligence.com. Moving to the three-letter .com domain gives ASI a shorter and more memorable online identity that better matches the scale and breadth of the business.
Legora
Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Enterprise Software, Legal, Legal Tech, Productivity Tools
Funds Raised: $550 million, Series E
Legora is a Stockholm-founded legal AI company building an agentic operating system for legal work. Its platform supports lawyers with research, document review, drafting and other complex legal tasks, and is used by more than 140,000 legal professionals across over 80 markets.
In October 2026, Legora raised $550 million in Series E funding at an $8.8 billion post-money valuation. The round was led by Atreides Management, with participation from investors including Baron Capital, Capital Group, Fidelity, J.P. Morgan and several existing backers. The funding will support further expansion in North America and continued development of the Legora platform.
Legal is a sophisticated market with demanding buyers, and the bar for software is high. Legora has become the platform that law firms and in-house legal teams adopt and then expand across their organizations, and it has done so while growing at remarkable speed. Legora has also built a sustainable business along the way, with the discipline to scale fast and stay efficient. We are excited to support the team as Legora enters its next stage of growth in the US and globally
Gavin Baker, Managing Partner and CIO at Atreides
The company was founded in 2023 as Leya and rebranded to Legora in February 2025 as the business expanded. The new name comes from Latin, meaning “to bring things together”.
Before the rebrand, the company operated on a .law domain. The extension is closely associated with the legal industry, but it is less familiar to the wider public than .com and can create issues around traffic leakage, email confusion and user recall.
Moving to Legora.com gave the company a more intuitive and globally recognised online identity, better suited to a business expanding beyond a niche market and across international markets.
The right domain name is an important consideration when it comes to building and protecting your brand. If you’re ready to take the next step and invest in a perfect domain name for your business, contact us to learn more about our available options and how we can help you get started.
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