US Venture Funding Smashes Records at $267B

U.S. venture capital hit an unprecedented $267.2 billion in Q1 2026, more than doubling the previous quarterly record, driven by massive AI deals. OpenAI led with $122 billion raised, followed by Anthropic ($30B), xAI ($20B), Waymo ($16B), and Databricks ($7B) — together representing 73% of total deal value. AI accounted for 89% of total U.S. venture deal value, while exit activity also set records at $347.3 billion, largely fueled by SpaceX's $250 billion acquisition of xAI. Excluding mega-deals, broader market activity remained stable, with underlying investment consistent with recent quarters.