📊 The AI boom is fueling a historic surge in startup investment:
Global startup investment surged +153% in Q1 2026, to a record $300 billion. This is already 70% of all venture capital spending seen in the entire year of 2025. This was driven by late-stage deals that spiked +281% QoQ, to a record $243 billion.
AI represented $242 billion, or 80% of total global venture funding last quarter, up from 55% in Q1 2025. By comparison, AI firms raised $215 billion in the full year of 2025. This comes as just 4 US companies secured $188 billion, or 65% of the global total. OpenAI led at $122 billion
Global startup investment surged +153% in Q1 2026, to a record $300 billion. This is already 70% of all venture capital spending seen in the entire year of 2025. This was driven by late-stage deals that spiked +281% QoQ, to a record $243 billion.
AI represented $242 billion, or 80% of total global venture funding last quarter, up from 55% in Q1 2025. By comparison, AI firms raised $215 billion in the full year of 2025. This comes as just 4 US companies secured $188 billion, or 65% of the global total. OpenAI led at $122 billion
