AI Giants Dominate Record $189B in Global Startup Funding

OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo account for 83% of February's venture capital surge.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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In a record-breaking month for global startup funding, AI giants OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo raised a combined $156 billion, or 83% of the total $189 billion in venture capital invested worldwide in February 2026. This massive influx of funding came amid a broader sell-off in public software and data stocks, underscoring the continued dominance of AI in the private markets.

Why it matters

The outsized funding for AI companies highlights the technology's growing influence and the intense competition among industry leaders to develop the most advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. However, the stark contrast between the booming private markets and the struggling public markets raises concerns about the sustainability of the current venture capital frenzy.

The details

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, raised a staggering $110 billion, while rival Anthropic secured $30 billion and Alphabet's self-driving division Waymo pulled in $16 billion. Together, these three AI giants accounted for 83% of the record $189 billion in global venture capital invested in February. Other major funding rounds went to semiconductor maker Rapidus, self-driving platform Wayve, AI-for-robotics company World Labs, and Cerebras Systems, an AI chip company.

  • In February 2026, global startup funding reached a record $189 billion.
  • This represents a nearly 780% year-over-year increase from the $21.5 billion invested in February 2025.

The players

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence company that developed the popular ChatGPT language model.

Anthropic

An AI research company and a rival to OpenAI in the development of advanced language models.

Waymo

A subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. and a leader in the development of self-driving vehicle technology.

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What’s next

As the private markets continue to boom, investors will be closely watching for any signs of a slowdown or correction, particularly as public markets remain volatile. The ability of these AI giants to maintain their momentum and deliver on their ambitious plans will be a key focus in the months ahead.

The takeaway

The record-breaking surge in venture capital funding for AI companies underscores the technology's growing importance and the intense competition among industry leaders. However, the stark contrast between the booming private markets and the struggling public markets raises concerns about the sustainability of the current venture capital frenzy and the long-term implications for the broader tech ecosystem.