AI Startup Funding

Holland & Knight LLP warned on April 14, 2026, that patent filings in AI, blockchain, autonomous vehicles, drones, and biotechnology are creating predictable litigation traps. Startups in these sectors file aggressively to signal IP strength to investors, but high failure rates leave valuable foundational patents orphaned. These assets migrate to institutional investors and patent assertion entities, which then sue the companies that successfully commercialized the underlying technology—often wielding standard-essential or broadly applicable patents that generate substantial damages.

Patlytics, an AI platform for patent lifecycle management, closed a $40 million Series B funding round led by SignalFire. The round included N47, Myriad Venture Partners, Relativity, Alumni Ventures, Antiportfolio Ventures, and BAM Corner Point, bringing total funding to approximately $65 million since the company's founding less than two and a half years ago. The New York-based firm, led by CEO Paul Lee, counts over 40% of the Am Law 100 among its customers, along with corporate IP teams at Rivian, Xerox, and Canon.