36 New Tech Unicorns Emerge in 2025: The Expanding Billion-Dollar Startup Club

In the first half of 2025, at least 36 tech startups have achieved coveted unicorn status—a valuation at or above $1 billion. This surge is powered largely by the ongoing boom in artificial intelligence, but several breakout companies are emerging from diverse sectors, including health tech, robotics, fintech, prediction markets, and satellite technology.

Rising Stars: 2025’s New Tech Unicorns by the Month

June

June welcomed several high-profile unicorns:

• Linear ($1.25B), a product management platform, secured $82 million in Series C, with over $130 million raised from backers like Accel and Sequoia.
• Gecko ($1.6B) builds advanced robotics for industrial data-gathering. Its $121 million Series D bumped its valuation, with Cox Enterprises among its investors.
• Meter ($1.38B) delivers managed internet infrastructure, raising $170 million in Series C from General Catalyst and Sequoia, totaling over $250 million to date.
• Teamworks ($1.25B), a sports software company, hit unicorn status after a $247 million Series F, with funding support from Seaport Capital and General Catalyst.
• Thinking Machines ($10B) is an AI research company led by ex-OpenAI exec Mira Murati, raising a striking $2 billion in its seed round from a16z and Nvidia.
• Kalshi ($2B), a prediction markets platform, accumulated $185 million in Series C for $2 billion valuation, supported by Sequoia and Global Founders Capital.
• Decagon ($1.5B) specializes in AI-powered customer service, with $131 million in Series C funding from a16z and Accel.

May

• Pathos ($1.6B) focuses on drug development, raising a $365 million Series D, with General Catalyst as a key investor.
• Statsig ($1.1B), a product development platform, secured $100 million in Series C led by Sequoia and ICONIQ.
• SpreeAI ($1.5B), a shopping technology firm, hit unicorn status in an undisclosed round, raising over $20 million from The Davidson Group.
• Function ($2.5B), a health tech company, raised $200 million in its latest round, with a16z in its investor pool.
• Owner ($1B), a restaurant marketing platform, achieved unicorn status with $120 million Series C including support from Headline and Redpoint Ventures.
• Awardco ($1B), an employee engagement platform, was valued at $1 billion after a $165 million Series B led by General Catalyst.

April

• Nourish ($1B), a tele-health startup for dietitians, raised $70 million in Series B backed by Index Ventures.
• Chapter ($1.38B), a Medicare guide company, raised $75 million in Series D, with investors like XYZ Venture Capital.
• Threatlocker ($1.2B) offers data protection, hitting unicorn status after a $60 million Series E.
• Cyberhaven ($1B), a data detection company, crossed the $1 billion mark after a $100 million Series D.

March

• Fleetio ($1.5B), provider of fleet operations software, landed $454 million Series D capital, with Goldman Sachs’s Growth Equity team among investors.
• The Bot Company ($2B), a robotics platform, raised $150 million in an early-stage round.
• Celestial AI ($2.5B), an artificial intelligence company, secured a $250 million Series C led by Fidelity.
• Underdog Fantasy ($1.3B), in sports gaming, completed a $70 million Series C round.
• Build Ops ($1B), a software company, raised over $122 million in its Series C.
• Insilico Medicine ($1B), in drug research, completed a $110 million Series E.
• Olipop ($2B), a probiotic soda brand, raised almost $138 million in a major round.
• Peregrine ($2.5B), a data analysis platform, raised $190 million in Series C.
• Assured ($1B), providing AI-driven claims processing, raised a $23 million Series B.

February

• Abridge ($2.8B), a medtech company, raised $250 million in Series D.
• OpenEvidence ($1B), also in medtech, is valued after a $75 million Series A.
• Hightouch ($1.2B), a data platform, raised $80 million in Series C.

January

• Kikoff ($1B), a personal finance platform, reached unicorn status following an undisclosed raise.
• Netradyne ($1.35B), a computer vision startup, raised $90 million in Series D.
• Hippocratic AI ($1.6B), in AI-driven healthcare, closed a $141 million Series B.
• Truveta ($1B), a genetic research company, reached $1 billion status after a $320 million raise.
• Clay ($1.25B), an AI sales platform, achieved unicorn status after a $40 million Series B.
• Mercor ($2B), an AI recruiting startup, raised $100 million in Series B.
• Loft Orbital ($1B), a satellite tech company, raised $170 million Series C to reach unicorn status.

What’s Driving the Surge?

Artificial intelligence remains the centerpiece of this year’s unicorn bloom, with startups leveraging AI to disrupt industries from software to customer service and healthcare. Yet, the list is notable for its depth and industry spread—demonstrating that while AI attracts most capital, sectors like robotics, biotech, fintech, and space also yield billion-dollar players.

Deep Founder Analysis

Why it matters

This accelerated unicorn wave is a strong indicator that venture and growth capital remains abundant for companies with compelling technology and traction. Founders and early-stage teams should recognize that investor appetite is robust—especially for AI-driven and category-defining solutions. The broad industry spread also signals that businesses solving high-impact problems outside of AI can still command nine-digit rounds.

Risks & opportunities

While a record number of unicorns reflects confidence, it also increases competitive pressure across verticals. A sudden market correction or a drop in AI performance could sour sentiment fast. For founders, the main opportunity is to act quickly as capital flows remain high; the risk is being outpaced by better funded or more agile rivals. The current window is reminiscent of 2021’s funding boom: companies with strong unit economics and product-market fit will fare best if conditions tighten.

Startup idea or application

Inspired by these trends, an original startup idea could be a "founder intelligence platform" that aggregates funding signals, emerging unicorn models, and investment flows in real-time. Such a SaaS tool would help founders and VCs identify rising sectors and optimize their fundraising or market-entry strategies before trends mainstream. Related reading: Drive Capital’s Second Act: Columbus Venture Firm Rises After Co-Founder Split.

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