VC Funding Top Ten — August 5, 2026: Biotech's Big Bet, LatAm's Record Seed, AI Talent War

Overview

Wednesday afternoon, August fifth. Today's biggest check goes to Expedition Therapeutics, which just locked in a $115 million Series B round. It’s a big day for biotech and a record-breaker in Latin American fintech. We have a lot to cover. Here with me are our VC-deal analyst and our tech narrator to break down the to

In this show

• Wednesday afternoon, August fifth. Today's biggest check goes to Expedition Therapeutics, which just locked in a $115 million Series B round. It’s a big day for biotech and a record-breaker in Latin American fintech. We have a lot to cover. Here with me are our VC-deal analyst and our tech narrator to break down the top ten deals of the day. Let's get started.
• The latest filings show a total of $316.3 million in disclosed funding across 10 rounds today. AI continues its dominance as the hottest category, appearing in four of the top ten deals. While there's no notable IPO or M&A news, the story of the day is undoubtedly Decade. The AI-native wealth advisor raised a stunning $85 million seed round—a new record for a Latin American startup. We’ll have more on that shortly.
• At number one, Expedition Therapeutics brings in that $115 million Series B led by General Atlantic. This is a clinical-stage biotech firm developing novel oral small molecule therapies. The capital is earmarked to advance their lead DPP1 inhibitor, EXPD-101, through Phase 2 trials for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. This funding significantly de-risks their path to treating a major respiratory illness.
• The story everyone is watching is number two: Decade, an AI-native wealth advisory platform, securing an $85 million seed round. This is the largest seed funding round ever for a Latin American startup, co-led by Greenoaks, Benchmark, and Diffusion. It's a massive signal of investor confidence in the region's emerging millionaire class and the power of AI to reshape wealth management services on a global scale.
• Coming in at number three is another biotech play, Mironid, with a $46 million Series B. The round was led by the Scottish National Investment Bank. Mironid is developing therapeutics for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a hereditary disorder affecting over 12 million people worldwide. This capital injection will push their lead candidate through crucial clinical development stages, offering hope for a widespread condition.
• At number four, InRisk Labs, a risk and reinsurance platform, has closed a $27 million Series A from Bessemer and Northpoint. What's compelling here is their integration of climate and geospatial data to improve underwriting. The timing is key, as their subsidiary just received the first reinsurer license at GIFT City in India. This move positions them perfectly to tackle the massive insurance and climate-risk market in the region.
• The AI trend continues at number five with Wordsmith AI raising a $14 million Series B extension. The company provides AI agents to manage legal work for corporate departments, and their growth is explosive, with revenue up 14x year-over-year according to reports. This new capital will fuel a deeper push into North America, targeting the financial services and insurance industries, where legal workflow automation is in high demand.
• In healthtech at number six, Wellinks has secured $10 million for its Series B, led by UMass Memorial Health. They operate a virtual cardiopulmonary care platform, combining chronic disease management with remote patient monitoring. The funding is aimed at expanding their commercial footprint and, crucially, advancing their predictive capabilities to foresee clinical deterioration before it happens.
• At number seven, we see more agentic AI with Proxy Foods AI raising a $6 million seed round. Their platform is designed to accelerate product development for the food and beverage industry. Think of it as an AI co-pilot for food science, regulatory compliance, and commercialization. The goal is to use this funding to enhance the platform and rapidly expand their global enterprise customer base.
• Number eight is SkinBit, a healthtech startup tackling a huge problem with a $6 million pre-seed round. They are building a full-body scanner and data platform for skin cancer screening. With millions of diagnoses annually and long waits to see specialists, their aim is to make early detection more accessible and data-driven for clinics and wellness centers. This could be a game-changer for preventative care.
• And at number nine, Shelfmark picks up a $3.5 million seed round to apply AI to the factory floor. The Pittsburgh-based company uses AI to detect anomalies in real-time on fast-moving manufacturing lines—specifically for materials on reels and rolls. This funding is about scaling the team and pushing their technology further to enhance autonomy in complex industrial environments, reducing waste and improving quality control.
• Looking ahead, the story we're tracking is the escalating AI talent war. Reports indicate top researchers are now commanding seven-figure salaries plus massive equity, making it nearly impossible for smaller startups to compete for talent. One CEO reportedly expressed concern that new hires are motivated more by money than mission. This trend could drive further consolidation in the industry. That's our show. We'll be back tomorrow afternoon at three PM Pacific with the next deal flow.