The Money TrailMarch 20, 2026via TechCrunch Venture
AI startups are eating the venture industry and the returns, so far, are good
Why it matters
AI startups now dominate venture funding with 41% market share, signaling a fundamental shift in where smart money is betting and what returns early investors are seeing.
Key signals
- AI startups captured 41% of venture funding
- $128 billion total venture dollars raised on Carta
- Record-high annual share for AI startups
- Returns are tracking positive so far
The hook
$52B. That's how much AI startups raised out of $128B total VC dollars last year.
AI startups accounted for 41% of the $128 billion in venture dollars raised by companies on Carta last year — a record-high annual share.
Relevance score:85/100