AI Business Weekly: Funding Updates for Friday, January 31, 2025

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Welcome

AI investment continues to accelerate, with massive funding rounds in IT automation, deepfake detection, gaming, and AI-driven data processing. Meanwhile, the M&A landscape remains active as cybersecurity firms strengthen their AI-driven fraud prevention capabilities.

Here’s a roundup of today’s biggest AI funding and acquisition moves:

Today’s Highlights

💰 ElevenLabs Secures $180M in Series C, Valued at $3.3 Billion

AI voice-generation startup ElevenLabs raised $180 million in a Series C round led by a16z and ICONIQ Growth, with participation from NEA, Sequoia Capital, Salesforce Ventures, and others. This latest investment values the company at $3.3 billion, solidifying its position as a leader in AI-powered voice synthesis.
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🖥️ OpenAI Reportedly Raising $40 Billion, Targeting $300B Valuation

OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise $40 billion in a new funding round led by SoftBank, which could contribute $15B-$25B. The funds would partially support Stargate AI, OpenAI’s joint infrastructure initiative. If successful, the round would push OpenAI’s valuation to $300 billion.
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📊 SuperOps Raises $25M in Series C for AI-Driven IT Automation

AI-powered IT management platform SuperOps secured $25 million in a Series C round led by March Capital, with participation from Addition and Z47. The company has tripled its customer base in the past year and now operates in 104 countries.
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🛡️ Observo AI Raises $15M for Real-Time AI-Powered Data Pipelines

Observo AI, a Newark-based AI-native data pipeline company, raised $15 million in Seed funding. The startup leverages ML and LLMs to filter terabytes of unstructured data, detecting critical signals for incident response and security monitoring.
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🎮 Little Umbrella Secures $2M for AI-Powered Gaming

Following the success of its AI-driven game Death by AI, social gaming startup Little Umbrella secured $2 million in new funding. The game has attracted 20 million players in just three months, positioning the company as a rising force in AI-powered interactive entertainment.
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🎓 Leap Raises $65M in Series E for AI-Powered Student Mobility

International student mobility platform Leap secured $65 million in Series E funding, a mix of primary and secondary equity. The round was led by Apis Partners Group, with backing from Owl Ventures, Jungle Ventures, and Peak XV Partners. Leap is expanding its AI-driven global education solutions.
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🕵️ Deepfake Detection Platform Deduce Acquired by Cheq

Cybersecurity company Cheq has acquired Deduce, a deepfake detection platform specializing in AI-generated identity fraud prevention. The move strengthens Cheq’s ability to combat fraudulent activity driven by generative AI. The deal’s value was not disclosed.
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🌎 AI Investments Are Accelerating Fast

From AI-powered IT automation and deepfake detection to gaming and education tech, today’s funding rounds highlight the growing investor confidence in AI’s transformative potential. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s reported $40 billion funding target suggests major AI infrastructure expansion ahead.

With the AI space evolving at breakneck speed, we’ll be back tomorrow with more funding and acquisition highlights—stay ahead of the curve with AI Business Weekly!