Global venture funding surged in the first half of 2026 as investors poured record amounts of capital into artificial intelligence companies, but the boom masked a growing divide across the startup ecosystem.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, global venture capital and private equity funding reached $463.17 billion in H1 2026, a 117% increase from the $213.64 billion recorded during the same period last year. However, the number of deals fell 6% year over year to 7,874 transactions, down from 8,378, signaling that investors are concentrating capital into fewer, larger financings.
