February Global VC Hits Record: AI Startups Raise $171 Billion

February 2026 saw global venture capital reach an all-time high. According to a Crunchbase report, global startups received $189 billion in investment that month, with AI-related startups raising $171 billion—accounting for a staggering 90%.

Historic Data

This is the highest amount for any month on record for global venture capital. The report shows AI startups dominated absolutely, with the top three funding deals all coming from the AI sector.

Specifically, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo dominated the investment market in February. These three companies collectively raised over $100 billion, accounting for more than half of the month's total funding.

"AI has completely transformed the venture capital landscape," said a Crunchbase analyst. "Now investors focus almost exclusively on AI—other sectors are finding it very difficult to get attention."

US Market Dominance

Notably, US startups received $174 billion in funding in February, representing 92% of global total—this is significantly higher than 59% a year ago.

In contrast, China's share declined noticeably. Chinese startups received only about $100 billion, less than 6% of total funding.

Industry analysis suggests this trend reflects intensifying global AI competition. The US maintains leadership in foundational models and AI applications, attracting the most AI investment globally.

"AI company valuation premiums in the US are becoming increasingly obvious," noted one Silicon Valley investor. "Investors believe US companies are most likely to achieve breakthroughs in artificial general intelligence."

Sector Distribution

Beyond AI, other standout sectors included: autonomous vehicle-related hardware companies, semiconductors, robotics, and networking technology.

Waymo's autonomous driving sector received significant attention. Waymo completed a new funding round in February, with valuation exceeding $100 billion, becoming the third-largest AI funding recipient after OpenAI and Anthropic.

Bubble or Opportunity?

Against the backdrop of AI investment fervor, market voices have diverged. Some investors warn that AI may have a bubble.

"90% of capital flowing to AI is concerning in itself," said one veteran venture capitalist. "But on the other hand, AI technology's transformative nature is real—these investments may prove worthwhile in the long run."

Supporters argue AI is different from the dot-com bubble. AI technology has already demonstrated real commercial value, not just concepts.

"Most 1999 internet companies had no revenue, no business model," analyzed one tech investor. "But today's AI companies have clear revenue sources and commercial paths—this is the fundamental difference."

Future Outlook

Analysts predict AI investment fervor will continue through 2026. As more AI application scenarios materialize, venture capital enthusiasm for AI won't cool in the short term.

"The question is how many AI unicorns the market can support," noted another analyst. "Consolidation may occur in the coming quarters—some companies will be eliminated—but overall investment scale will remain high."

Some believe the current investment boom will birth a new wave of innovation. "Substantial capital will drive technological progress," said one AI researcher. "Even if some companies fail, the remaining successful enterprises will create massive value."

Reference Sources: Crunchbase, TechCrunch, Fortune