Top 10 U.S. startup funding rounds highlight AI dominance in 2026

This week’s top U.S. startup funding rounds, announced between Sept. 26 and Oct. 2, 2026, were dominated by artificial intelligence. Instinct led with a $1 billion Series C round, securing a $10 billion valuation. EliseAI raised $350 million for its home rental AI platform, while Armadin, an AI cybersecurity firm, raised $255.5 million. Other notable deals included Kahua’s $250 million for project management and GMI Cloud’s $223 million in Series B funding. General Intuition, a foundational AI developer, secured $220 million, setting a $6.2 billion valuation. SiMa.ai and Supabase tied for $150 million each, with SiMa.ai focusing on physical AI applications and Supabase acquiring Turso. CScale raised $145 million for optical interconnect technology, and Homeward closed $120 million in real estate financing. These deals reflect the continued surge in AI investment in 2026.