Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: July 8, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Venture Capital & Growth Equity

Cryptocurrency-focused venture capital firm Paradigm raised $1.2 billion for a new fund that will extend its investment thesis beyond digital assets to include artificial intelligence and robotics. This significant capital raise signals a broadening ambition within the VC sector to tap into emerging technologies. In a similar vein, solo general partner Ashley Smith’s Vermilion Cliffs Ventures closed a $25 million second fund, targeting startups in AI and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, Nvidia is backing voice AI startup Gradium, contributing to a seed round that now exceeds $100 million, unders