H1 2026 Venture Report: A Record $510B Globally, Dominated by AI

Per Crunchbase data, global venture funding reached a record $510 billion in the first half of 2026, already surpassing the $440 billion invested in all of 2025 — and AI is the absolute protagonist of the boom.

February alone saw startups raise a record $189 billion, with AI-related companies taking $171 billion — a staggering 90% share — driven by mega-rounds at OpenAI and Anthropic; Q1 saw $300 billion flow into some 6,000 startups, up over 150% year over year.

The extreme concentration of capital in top-tier mega-rounds has also stoked bubble concerns. Analysts note AI infrastructure and foundation-model companies absorbed most of the money; whether the application layer can convert technical advantage into durable revenue will determine how this boom is judged.