Startup news, 9 October 2026

2 briefs

• Growth-stage funding overtakes late-stage in India for first time in two years

  India’s startup funding saw a notable change in the third quarter of 2026: growth-stage deals pulled ahead of late-stage investments for the first time in two years. Inc42 reported the shift, citing…

  Reported by msn.com

• AI leaderboard Arena hits $3.1B valuation in 10-month sprint

  Arena, the startup behind the popular LMArena AI leaderboard, has raised $200 million in a round led by Lightspeed and Khosla, valuing the company at $3.1 billion—nearly double its valuation from…

  Reported by techcrunch.com