From PitchBook, July 24:
Nineteen startups crossed the $10 billion valuation mark as AI mega-deals concentrate capital at the top.
Newly minted US decacorns are on track to surpass 2021’s record of 22 by the end of this year. Already, 19startups have crossed the $10 billion valuation mark in 2026, eclipsing 2025’s full-year tally of 18, according to PitchBook data.
The trend reflects a broader resurgence in the venture market driven by mega-deals, especially as investors pile into AI startups insatiably.
Mega-deals, or rounds of at least $100 million, accounted for 87.5% of the $412.7 billion VCs invested in startups in the first half of 2026. That total has already surpassed last year’s cumulative deal value of $319.2 billion.
There are now 63 active decacorns in the US, up from 53 last year and 26 in 2021.
The latest crop of decacorns is dominated by AI startups. SambaNova Systems, a chip manufacturer specializing in AI inference tech, crossed the threshold earlier this month when it raised $1 billion in a Series F round led by General Atlantic at an $11 billion valuation.
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