Your Daily Venture Capital Briefing

Global Funding Surges to Record High in First Half of 2026 Amid Steep Decline in Deal Volume

• Global venture capital funding reached an unprecedented $498.4 billion in the first half of 2026, more than doubling the $208.4 billion from 1H25 and surpassing the entire 2025 total of $470.2 billion. Despite this robust capital inflow, the number of deals plummeted by 22.3% year-over-year to 13,684 in 1H26, indicating a highly selective investment environment. This divergence highlights a "winner-take-most" dynamic, with mega-rounds exceeding $100 million capturing 81% of invested resources in Q2 2026.

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• European venture capital mirrored global trends, with investments hitting €44 billion (approximately $50 billion) in 1H26, putting the continent on track to exceed last year's total by 27%. AI startups were a primary beneficiary, securing €26.5 billion, representing 60.3% of all European deal value in 1H26, a significant increase from 37.9% in 2025. Notably, two European startups, AMI Labs and Ineffable Intelligence, closed seed rounds exceeding $1 billion each this year, a surprising concentration of early-stage capital.

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• In other significant developments, VC veteran Greylock launched Greylock 18, a new $1.5 billion early-stage fund dedicated to AI startups. European investment firm Lakestar also closed its $300 million Resilience I Fund, targeting defense and dual-use technologies to enhance Europe's capabilities. Meanwhile, the FinTech sector globally secured $28.6 billion in venture funding during H1 2026, reflecting ongoing interest in digital finance solutions despite the broader market's focus on AI.

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