Crunchbase Data: Global Startup Investment Hit Record $510B in H1 2026 as AI Boom Accelerates

What happened

Crunchbase published global VC investment data for H1 2026. The result is a record: $510B exceeds all of 2025 ($440B) and sets a new half-year record in venture capital history.

Context and impact

Capital concentration is unprecedented: just two firms absorbed 43% of all startup investment in H1. OpenAI raised $122B in Q1 — the largest VC round in history. This concentration raises questions about the health of the broader startup ecosystem and the long-term sustainability of valuations.

Details

• H1 2026: $510B (half-year record)
• Full year 2025: $440B (exceeded in half the time)
• OpenAI + Anthropic: $217B = 43% of total
• Q1 2026: $305B — largest single quarter in history
• Q2 2026: $205B across more than 5,000 rounds
• OpenAI Q1 round: $122B — largest VC round ever
• Anthropic: most valuable private company on Crunchbase Unicorn Board