The AI funding boom isn't slowing down. Just six weeks into 2026, 17 US-based AI companies have already closed rounds of $100 million or more, with three startups crossing the billion-dollar threshold. The pace signals continued investor confidence in artificial intelligence despite broader market uncertainty, with mega-rounds concentrating capital among a select group of well-positioned players. According to TechCrunch, the funding surge includes familiar names like Anthropic and xAI, alongside emerging enterprise AI startups.
The AI investment landscape just delivered its first major data point of 2026, and it's a stunner. Seventeen US-based AI companies have closed funding rounds of $100 million or more in just the first six weeks of the year, with three breaking the billion-dollar mark. The velocity is remarkable - if this pace holds, 2026 could see over 100 nine-figure AI deals before year-end.
The standouts tell the story. Anthropic, the AI safety-focused startup behind Claude, reportedly secured one of the billion-dollar rounds, continuing its streak of massive capital raises that began with its $450 million Series C in 2023. xAI, Elon Musk's AI venture, likely claimed another mega-round as the company races to compete with OpenAI and other foundation model leaders. The third billion-dollar recipient remains under wraps, but industry chatter points to an enterprise AI infrastructure play.
What's striking isn't just the size - it's the concentration. Fourteen additional companies raised between $100 million and $1 billion, suggesting a clear bifurcation in the market. Top-tier AI startups with proven technology and enterprise traction are commanding outsized rounds, while earlier-stage companies face tougher scrutiny. This mirrors the broader venture capital pullback, where investors are consolidating bets on winners rather than spreading capital across the field.
shadow looms large over these deals. The chip giant has evolved into a kingmaker through its venture arm, NVentures, which frequently co-invests in AI infrastructure and application companies. Several of the 17 companies likely received strategic investment from Nvidia, gaining not just capital but preferential access to GPU capacity - a critical advantage as compute remains the bottleneck for AI development.
