Venture capital funding for AI startups in Q1 2026 increasingly concentrated among a few well-funded U.S. companies despite overall deal activity declining globally

In Q1 2026, a small number of large, well-funded AI companies—predominantly U.S.-based—captured the majority of venture capital investment

Global startup deal count declined while funding became more concentrated at the top tier of companies

The trend indicates a widening gap between leading AI firms and smaller startups in accessing venture funding