Seventeen U.S. AI startups have collectively secured over $100 million in funding since the beginning of 2026, with substantial investments happening within just a few weeks. This surge in financial backing highlights the growing confidence in artificial intelligence technologies, marking an exciting trend for the industry.
In February alone, several notable funding rounds contributed significantly to this total:
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Simile raised $100 million in a Series A funding round led by Index Ventures, with participation from Hanabi Capital and Bain Capital Ventures, announced on February 12.
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Anthropic, an AI research lab, disclosed a massive $30 billion Series G round, resulting in a valuation of $380 billion. This round attracted over 30 investors, including Founders Fund and Nvidia, as announced also on February 12.
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Runway, a media generation platform, secured $315 million in a Series E round led by General Atlantic, valuing the company at $5.3 billion on February 10.
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Goodfire announced a $150 million Series B round on February 5, with B Capital leading the investment, and a valuation of $1.25 billion.
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Fundamental, specializing in AI research, raised $255 million in a Series A round, garnering a valuation of $1.4 billion on February 5.
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ElevenLabs, known for its voice AI solutions, raised $500 million in a Series D round led by Sequoia, valuing the company at $11 billion on February 4.
In January, several other startups also reported impressive funding rounds:
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PaleBlueDot AI raised $150 million in a Series B round, achieving a valuation of $1 billion.
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Decagon, a conversational AI platform, announced a $250 million Series D round, co-led by Coatue and Index Ventures, valuing the company at $4.5 billion.
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Flapping Airplanes, an AI research lab, raised $180 million in a seed round with backing from Google Ventures and others.
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Other notable mentions include Baseten, Inferact, OpenEvidence, and humans&, all securing significant funding to bolster their growth and operational capabilities.
As 2026 progresses, the spotlight remains on these startups and their ability to innovate within the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Only time will tell if they can maintain this momentum and continue to attract substantial investments.
