Venture capital is not what it was

U.S. venture capital investment easily hit an all-time record in Q1 2026, according to data released today by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. In fact, domestic startups raised more last quarter than in any entire year, save for 2021 and 2025.

Yes, but: U.S. venture capital investment decreased quarter-over-quarter, if you remove just five Q1 2026 transactions.

Why it matters: Traditional VC metrics no longer make much sense, at least if used to gauge the health of America's startup ecosystem. READ MORE

In a Banner Year for VC, Women Still Struggle to Get Funding

Venture capitalists have broken records every quarter this year, pushing more money into the startup ecosystem with bigger and bigger deals. Amid this funding frenzy, some female-founded companies are raising “mega rounds,” including Tia Health ($100 million), Maven Clinic ($110 million), and Insitro ($400 million). Overall, startups with a woman founder raised $25 billion in the first half of 2021—more than the total amount raised by women any full year prior. READ MORE