Global VC investment hit a record $297B in Q1 2026, up 150% YoY, with AI startups capturing 81%; OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and Waymo raised 64% of the total (Gené Teare/Crunchbase News)
Why it matters: The shift in investor sentiment on secondary markets impacts **OpenAI's** valuation and **Anthropic's** perceived growth trajectory.
- Global VC investment hit a record $297 billion in Q1 2026, marking a 150% YoY increase (Crunchbase News).
- AI startups captured a dominant 81% of all venture capital investment during Q1 2026 (Crunchbase News).
- OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and Waymo collectively raised 64% of the total Q1 2026 VC funding (Crunchbase News).
- OpenAI demand is reportedly sinking on secondary markets, with shares becoming difficult to unload (Hacker News, Bloomberg/TechMeme).
- Investors are quickly pivoting to Anthropic, which is now running hot on secondary share marketplaces (Hacker News, Bloomberg/TechMeme).
Global VC investment shattered records in Q1 2026, reaching an unprecedented $297 billion, a 150% year-over-year surge, with AI startups dominating 81% of the funding. However, while OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and Waymo collectively secured 64% of this capital, secondary markets indicate a cooling demand for OpenAI shares as investors pivot towards Anthropic.
