263+ Funded AI & Machine Learning Startups — $22.6B Raised

AI is the dominant funding category in the 2025-2026 dataset, with 155 companies raising a combined $22.6B at a median round of $38M. That $38M median is more than double the overall $18M median, reflecting both the capital intensity of AI development and the massive market opportunity investors see. The US accounts for 120 of those 155 AI companies, with China (6) and the UK (3) trailing. The sector has bifurcated into foundation model companies raising $100M-$2B rounds and AI-application companies building vertical solutions on top of existing models. At the stage level, the spread is dramatic: Seed AI companies (66) cluster at a $6M median, Series A AI (25) jumps to a $75M median, and Series B AI (37) reaches $90M. Enterprise adoption of AI tooling has crossed the chasm, creating massive demand for AI infrastructure, AI security, and AI-powered vertical applications across healthcare, legal, and finance. For GTM teams targeting AI startups, the competitive landscape is intense — these companies are bombarded with vendor pitches. Personalization is critical: reference their specific AI use case, integrate with their model stack, and lead with time-to-value messaging. With $22.6B in fresh capital across 155 companies, the aggregate purchasing power is enormous, but AI companies make vendor decisions fast — typical procurement cycles run under 30 days.