In a week marked by contrasting signals, startups demonstrated both confidence and insecurity, with some founders pushing forward with IPO filings and funding rounds, while others struggled to secure capital. Amidst the uncertainty, venture capitalists are finding ways to create liquidity, hinting at better days ahead.

One of the most notable developments was design software company Figma's confidential IPO filing, which came despite the fears that led Klarna and StubHub to pause their IPO plans earlier this month. Figma's move is seen as a sign of confidence, but the company is not without its worries, having sent a cease-and-desist letter to rival Lovable over the term "Dev Mode."

Meanwhile, UK founders expressed frustration over the widening gap between funding raised by British startups and their Silicon Valley peers. According to Dealroom, British startups raised just £16.2 billion (approximately $21.5 billion) last year, compared to the approximate $73.8 billion (£65 billion) raised in the US. This disparity has led to concerns about the lack of capital available to UK startups.

In other news, AI-powered reading curation app Smashing shut down due to disappointing growth, while Indian Uber rival BluSmart suspended service following an investigation into Gensol Engineering, which shares its co-founders. On a more positive note, Bolt's CEO Ryan Breslow unveiled a new "super app" that reflects his vision for the fintech company he founded in 2014.

In the venture capital space, there were signs of optimism, with increased valuations and bigger funds being raised. Marshmallow, a British insurance startup, raised $90 million in equity and debt at a valuation slightly above $2 billion, while Hammerspace, a company that helps clients like Meta use their unstructured data, raised $100 million in funding to expand its business. Other notable funding rounds included Chapter, a Medicare advisory startup, which raised a $75 million funding round at a $1.5 billion valuation, and Phantom Neuro, which secured $19 million to fund the next stage of development of its subdermal wristband-like device.

Industry Ventures CEO Hans Swildens shared insights on how VCs are navigating the current liquidity crunch, highlighting the ways in which firms are finding creative solutions to create liquidity even in the absence of IPOs. This includes the completion of Peter Thiel's Founders Fund's third growth fund, which closed at $4.6 billion, a significant step up from its previous $3.4 billion growth fund.

As the startup ecosystem continues to navigate uncertain times, these developments suggest that there are still opportunities for growth and innovation. While the outlook for exits may be bleak, startups and VCs are finding ways to push forward, hinting at better days ahead.