Crunchbase Data: Global Startup Investment Hit Record $510B In H1 2026 As AI Boom Accelerates Funding And Exits

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• Q2 2026 was the second-largest quarter on record for global venture investment, following the largest quarter on record in Q1 2026.

  60% confidence

• OpenAI and Anthropic together attracted more than 40% of all venture funding during H1 2026, highlighting how centered the current market is on the biggest frontier AI players.

  60% confidence

• Global venture funding reached a record $510 billion in the first half of 2026, surpassing the $440 billion invested in all of 2025 and setting a new high for startup investment in any half-year period on record.

  60% confidence

• Q2 2026 exit amounts were the highest on record for venture-backed companies for both acquisitions and IPOs.

  60% confidence

• More than 70% of global startup capital in Q2 2026 was invested in AI-focused companies, up from just under 50% a year earlier.

  60% confidence

Data points we hold from this source