As I used to be gathering Crystal Ball predictions for 2026 from readers, I discovered myself pondering rather a lot about the way forward for work.
The nervousness could have been yours, readers, nevertheless it was maybe principally mine: I feel it’s potential we’re transferring in direction of a future the place essentially the most mundane duties we people need to do proper now are taken over by agentic armies in a means that’s essentially good. A lot because the Web created new methods of working which have improved folks’s lives, I’m hopeful that AI can too. However then, there’s a part of me that claims: No, we’re about to maneuver right into a world of relentless job contraction and depersonalized skilled interactions, made extra miserable by the actual fact they spring from craven laziness above all else.
All of this to say, I’m conflicted. And my ambivalence isn’t helped by the truth that Time period Sheet readers—a lot of whom are investing within the applied sciences and startups that can form tomorrow’s office—have divergent views. Right here’s a sampling of how readers are eager about a problem that can solely change into extra consequential going ahead:
We’ll begin hiring digital workers. We’ll begin treating AI brokers like junior employees with job titles, budgets, and spending limits. As soon as an agent can difficulty a refund or purchase stock, it stops being a software and turns into a employee. —Cathy Gao, companion, Sapphire Ventures
Now you can construct digital autonomous staff that deal with massive parts of front-office work. We’re heading towards fashions and brokers that may full a full day’s value of labor with minimal or no human intervention, and we could already be there in some domains. —George Mathew, managing director, Perception Companions
In 2026, corporations who rushed to make layoffs hoping AI would fill a major hole will understand they should re-hire to fill a few of these roles. We noticed this beginning this 12 months with corporations like Klarna, re-hiring to fill customer support roles that chatbots failed at. Subsequent 12 months, we’ll see extra of this. —Mahe Bayireddi, CEO and cofounder, Phenom
2025 made it clear that AI would shrink groups by carrying extra of the workload. In 2026, the larger shift shall be who will get employed. Corporations are more and more pairing a small variety of senior technical leaders with AI-fluent operators, usually with out conventional CS backgrounds. For VCs, this shift will redefine what a ‘strong early team’ seems to be like and the way capital effectivity is priced. —Jiaona Zhang, CPO at Laurel
New grad hiring will proceed to gradual and area of interest expertise, both for AI or particular backend infra, shall be paid high greenback. As AI makes boilerplate programming desk stakes, solely nice expertise shall be rewarded. Fewer folks will need to main in Laptop Science. —Deedy Das, companion, Menlo Ventures
The tensions round returning to the workplace in any type of mandated sample are going to proceed. Whereas employers may argue it’s a hirer’s job market, if we’ve an exodus of expertise it’s actually laborious to exchange these skillsets. —Livia Bernardini, CEO, Future Platforms
The primary actual shockwave from AI gained’t hit junior analysts; it’ll hit outsourcing. Something that was being subcontracted to offshore hubs is up first, as AI takes over the repetitive, process-heavy work that used to justify these fashions. —Raj Bakhru, normal supervisor and cofounder, Blueflame AI
Human judgment will keep on the coronary heart of HR. Whereas AI will streamline recruiting, compensation evaluation, and improve worker expertise, people will stay important for deciphering nuance, intent and values. HR capabilities will evolve towards augmented intelligence. —Niki Armstrong, chief administrative and authorized officer, Pure Storage
In 2026, agentic AI strikes from copilots to autonomous operators. Agentic techniques will deal with complete workflows, turning automation right into a aggressive weapon. —Diane Yu, cofounder, Tidalwave
We’ll see corporations and shoppers ‘hire’ AI brokers to behave on their behalf. 2026 would be the 12 months society adjusts to the brand new realities of AI brokers and focuses on what guardrails we count on from the businesses behind them. —Don Butler, managing director, Thomvest Ventures
The Time period Sheet Podcast is again!… Our first episode of 2026 simply dropped. My visitor: Jenny Xiao, founding father of Leonis Capital and former OpenAI researcher. She talks about why AI corporations ought to be valued nearer to (and even beneath) SaaS, the position academia performs in AI progress, the potential for one other “DeepSeek” second, and extra. Hear and watch right here.
See you tomorrow,
VENTURE CAPITAL
– Onebrief, a Honolulu, Hawaii-based working system for the army, raised $200 million in Sequence D funding. Battery Ventures and Sapphire Ventures led the spherical and have been joined by Salesforce Ventures and others.
– JetZero, the Lengthy Seaside, Calif.-based designer of the world’s first all-wing airplane, raised $175 million in Sequence B funding. B Capital led the spherical and was joined by United Airways Ventures, Northrop Grumman, and others.
– Proxima, a New York Metropolis-based AI-powered drug discovery platform for proximity therapeutics, raised $80 million in seed funding. DCVC led the spherical and was joined by NVentures, Braidwell, Roivant, AIX Ventures, and others.
– Wasabi Applied sciences, a Boston, Mass.-based cloud storage firm, raised $70 million in funding. L2 Level Administration led the spherical and was joined by Pure Storage and current traders.
– WitnessAI, a Mountain View, Calif.-based AI safety platform, raised $58 million in funding. Sound Ventures led the spherical and was joined by Fin Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung Ventures, and Forgepoint Capital Companions.
– WithCoverage, a New York Metropolis-based AI-powered threat administration platform designed to exchange insurance coverage brokers for companies, raised $42 million in Sequence B funding. Sequoia Capital and Khosla Ventures led the spherical and have been joined by 8VC and Crystal Enterprise Companions.
– Flip, a New York Metropolis-based developer of an AI program that automates customer support calls, raised $20 million in Sequence A funding. Subsequent Coast Ventures and Ridge Ventures led the spherical and have been joined by Information Level Capital and others.
– Tive, a Boston, Mass.-based developer of provide chain and logistics visibility expertise, raised $20 million in funding. Lightsmith Group led the spherical and was joined by Sageview Capital, World Innovation Lab, AVP, and Provide Chain Ventures.
– Klearly, an Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based fee acceptance platform for small and medium-sized companies, raised €12 million ($14 million) in Sequence A funding. PayPal Ventures led the spherical and was joined by Italian Founders Fund and current traders.
– RISA Labs, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based developer of an AI working system designed for oncology, raised $11.1 million in Sequence A funding. Cencora Ventures and Optum Ventures led the spherical and have been joined by others.
– OurPetPolicy, a Boise, Idaho-based pet and emotional assist animal platform for rental properties, raised $8 million in Sequence A funding. RET Ventures led the spherical and was joined by StageDotO and Capital Eleven.
– GrowthPal, a New York Metropolis-based developer of an AI copilot designed for M&A, raised $2.6 million in funding. Ideaspring Capital led the spherical and was joined by angel traders.
PRIVATE EQUITY
– Arlington Capital Companions acquired Pond & Firm, an Atlanta, Ga.-based consulting agency for engineering, structure, planning, and building administration. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– Platinum Fairness acquired a majority stake in Norton Packaging, a Hayward, Calif.-based plastic pails and packaging firm. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– WindRose Well being Buyers acquired a majority stake in Avalon Healthcare Options, a Tampa, Fla.-based well being diagnostics platform. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
EXITS
– Aurex, backed by Godspeed Capital, acquired Alpha 2, a Chantilly, Va.-based supplier of cryptographic engineering, cybersecurity, and engineering providers. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– Investindustrial acquired Proveris, a Hudson, Mass.-based designer and producer of spray and aerosol testing instrumentation, software program and laboratory options for the pharmaceutical trade. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– MPearlRock acquired The Good Crisp Firm, a Boulder, Colo.-based wholesome snack firm. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– O’Hara’s Son Roofing, a portfolio firm of Angeles Fairness Companions, acquired CP Rankin, a Chalfont, Pa.-based roofing firm. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– PrimeSource Manufacturers, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, acquired Benefit Industries, a Deerfield Seaside, Fla.-based gate {hardware} and pool security options producer. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– TruArc Companions acquired Schill Grounds Administration, a Westlake, Ohio-based business landscaping firm, from Argonne Capital Group. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– Flip/River Capital acquired StarLIMS, a Hollywood, Fla.-based informatics platform for laboratories, from Francisco Companions. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
– Valor Exterior Companions, a portfolio firm of Osceola Capital, acquired Landmark Exteriors, a Norwalk, Conn.-based roofing firm. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
PEOPLE
– Bregal Investments, a London, U.Ok.-based personal fairness agency, promoted Jens Brenninkmeyer to CEO.
– Garnett Station Companions, a New York Metropolis-based personal fairness agency, promoted Rafi Haramati to managing director, Bradley Ezratty to principal, Max Hoberman to principal, and Teddy Sokoloff to vp.
– M13, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based enterprise capital agency, promoted Morgan Blumberg to companion.
– Periscope Fairness, a Chicago, In poor health.-based personal fairness agency, promoted Luke Elder to principal and Harry Waddoups to vp.
