5 trends we’re watching in 2024, from M&A to IPOs

Plus, the largest funding deals of the year December 29, 2023 Hi, {NAME}. Will the AI buzz wear off in 2024? Are IPOs finally back? And what will happen with M&A? Today we look at five big startup world trends [Crunchbase News]( editors and reporters are watching in the new year. Plus, we list [the largest startup raises of 2023, leading with some very big deals indeed](. 👀 [5 trends we’re watching in 2024, from M&A to IPOs]( Between the rapid ascendance of AI and the often dramatic downfall of startups large and small, [2023 was action-packed](. We expect 2024 to be the year when things settle down a bit — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some big trends to watch in the new year. [Here are our top five](. 🤑 [The largest startup raises of 2023 all had nine zeroes]( While funding [continued to trend down]( in 2023, big raises were there to be had. More than a dozen startups in the U.S. — many of them AI startups — raised $500 million or more in funding rounds and some got a lot more than that. We look at the biggest rounds of the year, starting with a $10 billion round to [you-know-who](. 🦄 [The unicorn hunters: Where are they now?]( Funding to [the unicorn class of companies]( — those private startups valued at $1 billion or more — has fallen dramatically in 2023, to around 22% of what it was in the 2021 market peak. So perhaps it’s no surprise that investments in unicorn companies by leading investors from [Andreessen Horowitz]( to [Coatue]( have dropped precipitously in 2023. See also: [The Crunchbase Unicorn Board]( 📈 [These startups saw valuations hiked — and spiked — in 2023]( Down rounds in 2023 became increasingly common. They weren’t isolated to troubled companies, either. In fact, valuation resets were visited upon some companies widely considered to be the most likely to have IPO plans for the next few years. 🔮 [IPOs? Layoffs? More AI? Share your 2024 outlook in our survey]( Do you feel more upbeat or gloomier now compared to a year ago? What are the big tech trends and stories you’ll be watching in 2024? And do you expect the market for new tech IPOs — which briefly opened a smidge this fall — to swing wide open next year? Tell us in [our latest brief, anonymous Crunchbase News reader survey](. Get more with Crunchbase Enterprise Find out more about Crunchbase’s prospecting software that enables your entire team to find the right companies, identify the right people, and connect with the decision-makers who can move deals forward – all in one solution. [BOOK A MEETING NOW]( Recent Investments [GreyOrange]( [$135M]( / [Series D]( GreyOrange is a technology startup that creates artificial intelligence-driven software and mobile robots for the warehousing industry. Categories: Artificial Intelligence (AI) • Robotics • Warehouse Automation • Warehousing Founders: [Akash Gupta]( [Samay Kohli]( [Wolfgang Hoeltgen]( Investors: [Anthelion Capital]( (Lead), [3STATE Ventures]( [Blume Ventures]( [+ 1 more]( [Swift Solar]( [$25M]( / [Venture Round]( Swift Solar designs and manufactures photovoltaic cells that are lightweight and more flexible than conventional panels. Categories: Energy • Manufacturing • Renewable Energy • Solar Founders: [Giles Eperon]( [Joel Jean]( [Kevin Bush]( [Maximilian Hoerantner]( [Samuel Stranks]( [Tomas Leijtens]( [knownwell]( [$20M]( / [Series A]( Knownwell is a weight-inclusive healthcare clinic operator that aims to serve patients. Categories: Health Care • Medical • Primary and Urgent Care Founders: [Angela Fitch]( [Brooke Boyarsky Pratt]( Investors: [Andreessen Horowitz]( (Lead), [Flare Capital Partners]( [Flybridge]( [+ 2 more]( More Fundings Company Amount / Round Lead Investor [Hakbah]( $5.2M / [Series A]( [VentureSouq]( [Claim]( $4.0M / [Seed Round]( [Sequoia Capital]( [ElastiFlow]( $3.0M / [Seed Round]( [Venture Guides]( [All Recent Funding Activity]( Recent Acquisitions [TriMed]( Pending acquisition by [Henry Schein]( for Unknown More Acquisitions Company Acquired By Amount [High Bar Brands]( [Sentinel Capital Partners]( Unknown [All Recent Acquisition Activity]( Upcoming Tech Events [Sales Enablement Summit | Las Vegas]( May 22 - 23, 2024 in Austin Sales Enablement Collective is a global community where revenue leaders to sales enablement professionals can network, learn and grow. Accelerator Deadlines Date Accelerator Location Jan 8, 2024 [GrowthX]( San Francisco Jan 31, 2024 [MedTech Color - Diversifying Medtech]( Encino [More Upcoming Deadlines]( Don’t see your event? Reach out to us at events@crunchbase.com. #{Rails.configuration.daily.cb_url} Discover innovative companies and the people behind them. [Follow Us on Crunchbase]( [View Jobs on LinkedIn]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Like Us on Facebook]( 564 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94104 © 2023 Crunchbase Inc. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Unsubscribe]( from Crunchbase Daily.