In early 2026, US AI startups raised over 100M each with valuations over 1B across various AI sectors.
February: Companies raised big money this month in 2026. Simile, Anthropic, Runway, Goodfire, Fundamental, and ElevenLabs all raised over 100 million dollars.
Anthropic got 30 billion dollars and became worth 380 billion dollars. Runway got 315 million and now is worth 5.3 billion. ElevenLabs raised the most at 500 million dollars and is worth 11 billion dollars now.
January: Many AI companies raised money in January too. OpenEvidence got 250 million and is worth 12 billion. Elon Musk’s xAI got 20 billion dollars. SkildAI got 1.4 billion dollars.
Some companies are worth over 1 billion after raising these big amounts. These companies make different AI things like voice tools, robots, and research. The money comes from big investors who believe in these AI companies.