Silicon Valley venture capital firms are doubling down on artificial intelligence as the sector reshapes both technology and investment landscapes. In the past year, Nvidia has emerged as the standout force, participating in a record fifty startup investments so far this year, according to TechCrunch. The chipmaker’s massive funding rounds backed game-changing companies like OpenAI, Elon Musk’s xAI, France’s Mistral AI, and Reflection AI, with individual deals often shooting into the billions. Nvidia’s investment strategy is not just about financial returns—it’s about growing its GPU-centric AI ecosystem and securing future demand for its hardware, a move analysts say is helping it build an “AI empire” that touches everything from data centers to robotics and autonomous vehicles.

OpenAI remains central, announcing a $500 billion infrastructure partnership with Oracle and SoftBank, powered by Nvidia and AMD technology. These megadeals show how the largest VC-backed AI companies are shaping infrastructure and creating new waves of demand. Industry giants like Lambda Labs are scaling up massive AI “factories,” also betting on Nvidia’s superchips. Many insiders expect Lambda to pursue a public offering in early 2026, indicating how VC-backed AI is evolving from stealth startups to market leaders.

Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, continues steering record investments into AI. Just this week, they injected $25 million into FurtherAI, an insurtech platform that uses advanced models to automate insurance workflows. The firm’s co-founder Ben Horowitz told Fortune that AI offers the broadest opportunity set since a16z launched, with investing focus squarely on building companies for today’s “reasoning abundance.” He emphasized that investment philosophies are changing as AI technologies promise rapid productivity gains, not just in insurance but across defense, mineral mining, and manufacturing sectors.

A16z is also adapting to regulatory shifts and broader political trends. With rare earth mining and manufacturing high on the agenda—driven by both environmental policies and strategic defense needs—climate tech is seeing renewed VC interest. The Trump administration’s recent AI executive order is welcomed by partners like Horowitz, who argue it may create clearer regulations and support innovation. Simultaneously, immigration policy, especially concerns over H-1B visas, remains a hot-button issue as firms compete globally for AI talent.

Investment strategies are changing. Entrepreneurs like Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas say they’re using AI—not traditional pitch decks—to raise money, marking a fundamental shift in how startups communicate value to VCs. This reflects broader trends toward automation, transparency, and efficiency in VC workflows, paralleling the sectors they fund.

Climate tech and sustainability solutions are receiving serious attention as VCs seek longer-term returns beyond the immediate highs of AI and enterprise software. Companies like Firmus Technologies are pioneering energy-efficient AI data centers, drawing substantial VC interest to address growing concerns over power demand and environmental impact.

Diversity in funding is a louder refrain as firms expand mandates to invest in founders from underrepresented backgrounds and target startups solving critical global challenges. The drive for inclusion is now part of the value equation, shaping the types of teams and ideas that secure backing.

Economic volatility remains, but the scaling of AI firms and investments into infrastructure, energy, and deep tech suggest VCs are betting long-term on sectors with transformative growth potential. As these investments cascade into climate, enterprise, and public infrastructure, they may redefine Silicon Valley’s global influence, shifting it away from the solely software-driven unicorn era to a new cycle marked by hard tech, high-impact science,...