Lightspeed secures an unprecedented $9 billion in new funding
Major Venture Capital Shifts: Spotlight on Lightspeed Venture Partners
Following the disappointing returns from the venture capital boom of 2021, institutional investors—including endowments, pension funds, and sovereign wealth entities—have increasingly concentrated their investments with a handful of established VC firms that have demonstrated consistent success.
Lightspeed Venture Partners, a firm with a 25-year legacy, has recently made headlines by securing $9 billion in new funding—marking the largest fundraising round in its history.
Despite the current scarcity of IPOs, Lightspeed has distinguished itself as an early backer of companies like Rubrik, Netskope, and Navan, all of which have recently entered the public markets.
Lightspeed has also carved out a reputation as a leading investor in artificial intelligence. The firm reports investments in 165 AI-centric startups, with notable names such as Anthropic, xAI, Databricks, Mistral, Glean, Abridge, and Skild AI among its portfolio.
With this substantial influx of capital, Lightspeed is well-positioned to continue supporting high-growth, capital-intensive AI ventures. For example, the firm is said to have invested $1 billion in Anthropic during a $13 billion funding round it co-led last September.
The newly raised funds are distributed across six separate vehicles, including a $3.3 billion opportunity fund designed to provide additional backing to its most rapidly expanding portfolio companies.
Industry Trends: Large Firms Thrive, Smaller Firms Face Challenges
Other major venture capital players have also recently closed significant fundraising rounds. Founders Fund collected $4.6 billion for a growth fund earlier this year, while General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz secured $8 billion and $7.2 billion, respectively, in 2024.
In contrast, emerging and smaller VC firms are finding it increasingly difficult to attract new capital. Data from PitchBook indicates that 2025 is on track to see the lowest number of VC fund closings in a decade.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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