**Tech & Startup Funding News – January 22, 2026**

Here’s a quick look at today’s biggest startup and tech funding highlights. Investors are pouring money into next-gen AI, crypto, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and even space tech. The focus is clear: companies that turn smart ideas into real-world systems are winning big. Whether it’s AI chips, tokenized finance, or tools for car dealerships, the latest funding rounds show strong support for platforms ready to scale fast.

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### AI & Cloud Infrastructure Get Major Boost

**Inferact Raises $150M for Faster AI Inference**

Inferact, the company behind the open-source vLLM project, just raised $150 million to speed up how large language models (LLMs) run in real-world apps. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners, this funding values Inferact at $800 million. Their tech makes it cheaper and faster to use AI models in production, which is a huge need for cloud providers like AWS. The money will go toward building out its platform and scaling up with enterprise clients.

**Keywords:** AI inference, vLLM, LLM deployment, cloud AI, machine learning, Inferact funding

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**Neurophos Lands $110M to Build Light-Based AI Chips**

Neurophos, an Austin startup from Duke University, raised $110 million to build energy-efficient AI chips using light instead of electricity. Their optical processors promise ultra-fast machine learning with lower power use. Major backers include Bill Gates’s Gates Frontier, Microsoft’s M12, and Bosch Ventures. This funding helps Neurophos push forward with its cutting-edge chip design for the next wave of AI hardware.

**Keywords:** photonic chips, AI hardware, optical computing, low-power AI, Neurophos funding

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**Railway Secures $100M for Developer-Friendly AI Cloud Tools**

Railway, another Austin-based startup, raised $100 million to grow its cloud platform made for developers working on AI. The platform helps manage infrastructure like networking and billing for machine learning workloads. With AI model sizes exploding, Railway aims to fix the bottlenecks that slow them down. The money will be used to add new products and support hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud setups.

**Keywords:** AI cloud infrastructure, developer tools, machine learning scaling, Railway platform

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### Fintech & Crypto Infrastructure on the Rise

**Superstate Gets $82.5M to Tokenize Regulated Securities**

London-based Superstate raised $82.5 million to expand its platform that turns traditional stocks and bonds into blockchain-based assets. Big firms like Bain Capital Crypto and Haun Ventures joined the round. Superstate already manages over $1.1 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries and is now building tools for public companies to issue stocks on Ethereum and Solana. This shows growing interest in real-world asset tokenization.

**Keywords:** tokenized securities, blockchain finance, digital assets, crypto infrastructure

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**Zebedee Raises $40M to Power Bitcoin Payments in Games**

New Jersey’s Zebedee brought in $40 million to grow its Bitcoin payment system for video games. Players can earn and spend Bitcoin through in-game rewards and purchases. The round was led by Blockstream Capital and highlights how crypto is getting more embedded in virtual economies. Zebedee already processes billions in transactions and plans to expand into more gaming platforms.

**Keywords:** crypto gaming, Bitcoin payments, Web3 gaming, Zebedee funding

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**UangCermat Raises $26.4M for Digital Lending in Indonesia**

Indonesian fintech UangCermat raised $6.4 million in equity and secured a $20 million credit facility to offer payroll-linked loans to blue-collar workers. The company uses both digital tools and local agents to reach underserved communities. The funding will grow their loan portfolio and fintech platform for banks and microfinance institutions.

**Keywords:** phygital fintech, payroll loans, financial inclusion Indonesia, UangCermat lending

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### Vertical SaaS & Real Estate Tech See Growth

**Cambio Raises $18M to Modernize Commercial Real Estate Data**

Cambio, a San Francisco startup using AI for real estate investment analysis, secured $18 million. Their software reads messy data like PDFs and spreadsheets to generate instant insights for property investors. This replaces months of manual work and targets the $20 trillion U.S. commercial real estate market. Investors include Maverick Ventures and Y Combinator.

**Keywords:** real estate AI, CRE analytics, property investment tools, Cambio funding

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**Mia Labs Gets $20M to Automate Car Dealerships**

Austin-based Mia Labs raised $20 million to help car dealerships automate tasks like scheduling and lead tracking using conversational AI. Think of it as a digital assistant that handles repetitive sales and service tasks. With over 1 million customer interactions processed already, the company plans to expand features and grow its team.

**Keywords:** automotive SaaS, dealership automation, AI customer service, Mia Labs

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### Space & Biotech Innovation Attract Big Bets

**D-Orbit Secures $53M to Build Space Data Centers**

Italian space tech company D-Orbit raised $53 million to launch satellites that act like data centers in orbit. These satellites handle data processing and provide network services from space—a key need for governments and companies wanting edge computing from orbit. This funding supports D-Orbit’s plan to expand its satellite fleet by 2028.

**Keywords:** space infrastructure, satellite data centers, orbital computing, D-Orbit investment

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**Corxel Raises $287M for Oral Weight-Loss Drug**

Corxel Pharmaceuticals scored a massive $287 million Series D1 round to advance its oral GLP-1 drug for obesity treatment. Unlike current injectables like Ozempic or Wegovy, Corxel’s pill form could make weight-loss drugs easier to take. Backers include SR One (GSK’s venture arm), RA Capital, and RTW Investments. Clinical trials are underway globally.

**Keywords:** GLP-1 therapy, obesity treatment pill, biotech funding, Corxel drug development

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### Summary

January 22’s funding activity shows investors are focusing on scalable platforms in AI infrastructure, crypto rails, fintech innovation, and next-gen biotech. From light-based chips to Bitcoin gaming payouts and tokenized securities on blockchain—this cycle favors execution-ready teams building real systems with deep tech advantages.

**Top Themes:**
– Scalable AI inference platforms
– Energy-efficient hardware (photonic chips)
– Blockchain-backed finance
– Real-world use of crypto in games
– SaaS tools for vertical markets
– Space data networks
– Biotech solutions for global health

Stay tuned as we continue tracking the top startup funding news across cloud compute, artificial intelligence, decentralized finance, and beyond.