【新智元导读】 Anthropic最新报告揭示，AI智能体近半数使用量集中在软件工程，其余16个垂直行业各占不到9%。AI已具备连续工作5小时的能力，但用户目 前最多只让它跑42分钟，信任远未跟上技术。Y Combinator CEO陈嘉兴断言：这片几乎空白的行业版图里，藏着下一代300个独角兽。 你所在的行业，可能还没见过哪怕一分钟的AI智能体。 这个事实本身蕴含着巨大的机会。 2026年2月18日，Anthropic发布了一份关于AI智能体实际使用情况的大规模研究报告（报告：https://anthropic.com/research/measuring-agent-autonomy）， 分析对象是其公共API上数百万次真实的人机交互。 报告的核心发现可以浓缩成一张柱状图。 软件工程独占了49.7%的智能体工具调用量，像一根拔地而起的烟囱。 剩下的16个垂直行业——医疗、法律、金融、教育、客服、物流，每一个的份额都是个位数：医疗1%。法律0.9%。教育1.8%，没有任何一个超过9%。 Y Combinator的CEO陈嘉兴（Garry Tan）盯着这张图，得出了一个让很多创业者坐不住的结论：那片几乎空白的 ...

An artificial-intelligence defense startup seeking to deploy its voice-controlled AI agent across drones and other military technology has raised $6 million in a seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. https://t.co/B3AyGnIARN ...

Inertia Enterprises has raised $450 million to build one of the world’s most powerful lasers, which it hopes will serve as the foundation of a grid-scale power plant the fusion startup intends to start construction on in 2030. Inertia Enterprises is building on technology developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility. The NIF is the site of the world’s only controlled fusion reactions that have reached scientific breakeven, in which the reaction releases more energy ...

TRM Labs achieved unicorn status today after securing $70 million in Series C funding, pushing the blockchain intelligence firm’s worth to $1 billion. Blockchain Capital led the round, joined by returning backers Goldman Sachs, Bessemer Venture Partners, Y Combinator, and Thoma Bravo, with Galaxy Ventures participating for the first time. The San Francisco-based company provides software that tracks cryptocurrency transactions to help financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and governments detec ...

Analytics firm TRM Labs reached a $1 billion valuation following the close of a $70 million Series C funding round led by Blockchain Capital. The round was backed by a mix of returning and new strategic investors, including Goldman Sachs, Bessemer Venture Partners, Brevan Howard Digital, Thoma Bravo, Citi Ventures, Galaxy Ventures, and DRW Venture Capital. Blockchain Capital, which also led TRM’s pre-seed round in 2018, returned as the lead investor. The San Francisco-based firm provides blockchain inte ...

Like many of his fellow accountants, Jin Chang tried to quit the industry several times because of the tedium of grunt work. That was until 2020, when he had the idea to build software that could automate the more banal aspects of the job at a time when the accounting profession was hemorrhaging talent. The result, Fieldguide, predated the rise of ChatGPT, though its artificial-intelligence-native approach was buoyed by the success of generative AI. On Monday, Fieldguide announced a $75 million funding ...

Core Insights - Upwind Security, a cloud security startup founded four years ago, has reached a valuation of $1.5 billion and counts major companies like Siemens and Peloton among its clients [2] - The company's co-founder and CEO, Amiram Shachar, expressed that the journey has been filled with uncertainties, particularly in validating market needs and integration challenges [2][3] - Upwind's approach, termed "runtime" security, focuses on internal signals to prioritize alerts and remediation, contrasting with traditional external scanning methods [2][3] Company Development - The founders of Upwind Security previously sold their cloud computing brokerage, Spot.io, to NetApp for approximately $450 million in 2020, which provided them insights into the complexities of cloud security [3] - Shachar noted that traditional security teams often lack the context needed to identify real risks, leading to many false positives [3] - The company faced slow sales initially due to market uncertainties and customer hesitance, but they recognized that an internal-focused security solution is essential for addressing next-generation security challenges [4] Market Position and Growth - Upwind has experienced rapid growth since completing a $100 million Series A funding round in 2024, with a year-over-year revenue increase of 900% and a doubling of its customer base [5] - The company has expanded its market presence from core regions like the US, UK, and Israel to emerging markets including Australia, India, Singapore, and Japan [5] - The recent $250 million Series B funding round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners, will be used for product development, marketing, and enhancing AI capabilities within their cloud security platform [5]

Core Insights - Torq, an Israeli company specializing in AI-driven security operations, has raised $140 million in Series D funding, increasing its valuation to $1.2 billion [1] - The funding round was led by Merlin Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Evolution Equity Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners [1] - Total funding for Torq has now reached $332 million [1] Funding History - In September 2024, Torq closed a $70 million Series C round, also led by Evolution Equity Partners, bringing total funding in 2024 to $112 million [2] - The company has raised a total of $192 million since its inception [2] Use of Proceeds - Proceeds from the Series D funding will be utilized to expand the capabilities of Torq's AI Security Operations Centre (SOC) Platform, focusing on hyperautomation and operational autonomy [3] Clientele and Technology - Torq's technology is employed by major companies such as PepsiCo, Marriott, and Uber for autonomous security operations management [4] - The platform represents a shift from traditional security tools that require extensive tuning and professional services [4] Strategic Vision - Torq's CEO emphasized the goal to dominate the AI SOC market, moving beyond legacy security orchestration and automation [5] - The company has experienced significant revenue growth, with Fortune 100 clients adopting its AI agents for various security operations [6] Partnership and Market Focus - The partnership with Merlin Ventures aims to support Torq's growth in the US federal and public sector markets, assisting with compliance requirements [6] - Merlin Ventures highlighted Torq's innovative approach to security operations, focusing on speed and market expansion [7]

Core Insights - The article discusses the best software infrastructure stocks to buy according to hedge funds, highlighting the potential growth in the software application layer driven by AI infrastructure spending [1][4]. Industry Overview - An estimated $45 trillion opportunity may arise in the software application layer as AI infrastructure spending increases, similar to the early days of cloud computing [2]. - Data center investments are accelerating, with billions already invested, leading to a 9x multiplier for the implied enterprise value of software companies, which benefit from this spending [3]. Company Analysis - F5 Inc. (NASDAQ:FFIV) has a market cap of $15.6 billion and is held by 40 hedge funds. RBC Capital Markets upgraded its rating to Outperform with a price target increase to $325, indicating a 27% upside potential [8]. - F5's stock has declined by approximately 25% since mid-October 2025 due to a significant security breach, but RBC views this as a favorable entry point [11]. - Medium-term growth drivers for F5 include cloud repatriation, AI-driven workload monetization, and a focus on security solutions [12][13]. - Nutanix Inc. (NASDAQ:NTNX) has a market cap of $14.4 billion and is held by 47 hedge funds. RBC Capital lowered its price target to $65 but maintained an Outperform rating, indicating confidence in long-term growth despite near-term momentum concerns [14]. - RBC noted an increase in M&A activity in the software sector, with Nutanix identified as a leading candidate for acquisition in the infrastructure, security, and analytics space [16].

Core Insights - The company fal has announced a $140 million Series D financing round [1] - The financing round is led by Sequoia, with significant participation from Kleiner Perkins and new investments from NVentures, NVIDIA's venture capital arm, and Alkeon Capital [1] - Existing investors such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Kindred Ventures, Meritech, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Notable C. continue to support the company [1] Investment Details - The Series D financing round totals $140 million [1] - Sequoia is the lead investor in this round [1] - New investors include NVentures and Alkeon Capital, indicating growing interest in the generative-media sector [1] Investor Participation - Significant participation from Kleiner Perkins highlights the confidence in the company's potential [1] - Continued support from existing investors suggests a strong belief in the company's growth trajectory [1] - The involvement of NVIDIA's venture capital arm emphasizes the strategic importance of AI-driven content [1]