New unicorns of 2026: which startups reached a valuation of $1 billion

AfterQuery — $3.2 billion

US startup AfterQuery develops data and tools for training artificial intelligence models. The company recruits specialists from various professional fields, including medicine and law, to train AI to perform real-world tasks at an expert level.

In September 2026, the startup reached a valuation of $3.2 billion following a new investment round. In April, the company raised $30 million at a valuation of $300 million. Thus, in less than six months, AfterQuery's value increased more than tenfold.

The startup is based in San Francisco and participated in the winter 2025 cohort of the Y Combinator accelerator. Companies that collaborate with AfterQuery include Nvidia, Legora, and South Korean Motif Technologies.

Thatch — $1 billion

US company Thatch creates a health insurance platform for employers. The service allows companies to allocate a budget for employee healthcare, while employees can independently choose suitable insurance plans.

In September 2026, Thatch raised $108 million at a valuation of $1 billion. The round included existing investors, including The General Partnership, Index Ventures, General Catalyst, and Andreessen Horowitz.

The startup was founded in 2021 by Chris Ellis and Adam Stevenson. The new investment round took place 17 months after the previous major funding round, when Thatch was valued at $410 million.

Profound — $1.8 billion

US startup Profound develops marketing tools that help brands increase visibility in AI-based search engine responses. The platform allows companies to analyze how AI services mention their products and adapt marketing strategies to new ways of finding information.

In September 2026, the company raised $180 million in a Series D round at a valuation of $1.8 billion. The round was led by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins. Other investors included Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, and South Park Commons.

Profound launched in 2024. Initially, the company focused on analytics, but later expanded the platform with tools for market research and marketing strategy development.

RobCo — $1 billion

German company RobCo develops industrial robots for automating production processes. The startup was founded in Munich in 2020 and plans to expand its presence in the US market.

In October 2026, RobCo reached a valuation of $1 billion after selling $40 million in shares. Earlier, in January, the company raised $100 million. The total amount of capital raised approached $200 million.

RobCo's investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia, and Lingotto. Cherry Ventures and European Tech Collective also participated in the latest deal.

The company is developing the Alfie robot, a two-armed robot capable of learning and performing complex industrial tasks. Its launch is scheduled for March 2027.

Instinct — $10 billion

US startup Instinct develops a personal AI assistant capable of independently performing everyday tasks. Users can entrust it with planning trips, buying groceries, booking tickets, and managing subscriptions.

The company is led by founder Noah Shinn. The startup emerged in 2025 and gained user attention due to its AI agent, which interacts with applications and devices and performs actions on behalf of the user.

In August 2026, Instinct raised $250 million at a valuation of $2.5 billion. By September, the company received an additional $1 billion in a Series C round, after which its valuation rose to $10 billion. Investors include Sequoia Capital, Benchmark, and Coatue.

Nous Research — $1.5 billion

US company Nous Research develops open-source artificial intelligence models. One of its products is Hermes Agent, an AI assistant that can work with files, search for information on the internet, and perform multi-step tasks.

The startup was founded in 2023 by a team of developers working on open AI models. The company focuses on tools that users and organizations can adapt to their own tasks.

In October 2026, Nous Research raised $90 million in a Series B round at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The round was led by Robot Ventures. Other investors included Nvidia, Union Square Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and Samsung.

The company plans to develop its corporate Hermes for Businesses division, which will allow organizations to use customizable AI agents to perform workflows and maintain control over their data.

Exein — $1.7 billion

Italian startup Exein develops cybersecurity solutions for connected devices. Its technologies help protect software inside industrial equipment, vehicles, medical devices, and robots.

The company was founded in Rome in 2018. Initially, Exein specialized in IoT device security, and later expanded its focus to physical AI—devices and machines that use AI to interact with the real world.

In September 2026, the startup raised $270 million at a valuation of $1.7 billion. The round was led by investment firm Headline. It also included Sofina, Goldman Sachs, EIB Group, KfW Capital, and existing investors.

The company's technologies are used to protect more than two billion connected devices. New investments will be directed toward product development and expanding presence in the US and Asia-Pacific regions.