Top 5 Venture Deals of January.

2023 began with a number of large investment rounds in various sectors. The bulk of the funds went into healthcare, cybersecurity and renewable energy.

1. Microsoft confirms deal with OpenAI.

OpenAI is a developer of ChatGPT and DALL-E AI tools. 
Microsoft is in talks to invest up to $10 billion. This would help position Microsoft in an all-out battle for AI dominance with other tech giants such as Alphabet and Amazon. Earlier this month, The WSJ reported that the startup could be valued at $29B thanks to a new purchase offer.

2. Netskope received $401 million in convertible notes. 

The investors were Morgan Stanley Tactical Value. Netskope, a company that has been rumored as an IPO candidate for the past few years, so this kind of financing makes sense when the path to the public market is closed. Convertible bonds work like a short-term loan, but are paid back to the investor at a later point in the equity — that is, after the IPO — usually at a discount and can also include an interest rate. Cumulatively, Netskope has raised $1.4 billion.

3. Monogram Health closed a $375 million funding round. 

CVS Health, Cigna Ventures and others were the main investors. 
The startup is a specialized provider of in-home care for patients living with polychronic conditions, including chronic kidney disease. According to the company, more than 37 million American adults live with chronic kidney disease. Cumulatively, the company has raised $555 million.

4. Silicon Ranch Corp. announced it has raised $600 million.

Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch provides customized renewable energy, carbon and battery solutions to various partners across North America. Last year, the company installed 11 new solar installations that produce nearly 700 megawatts of new generating capacity. Silicon Ranch is no stranger to major fundraising, having raised $775 million in early 2022. Cumulatively, the company has raised about $1.6 billion.

5. Startup Paradigm, raised a Series A of $203 million. 

New York-based Paradigm emerged last month hoping to tackle one of the most challenging aspects of the health care industry. Paradigm is trying to change the way clinical trials are conducted, making them fairer for patients and easier for healthcare providers to participate and collaborate. This technology-enabled platform is designed to open up access to trials to more people and reduce barriers such as location and finances, as well as speed up the clinical trial process. Time will tell if it will be successful-the startup already has high-profile sponsors.

Which sectors do you think will be the leaders this month?