Jumbo Series A Rounds Are Rising as AI Pulls in Early-Stage Megadeals

Crunchbase News reports that global startups have secured at least 114 Series A rounds of $100 million or more so far this year. That is described as the highest annual total in years and on track to top the all-time peak.

Those rounds are not just barely clearing the $100 million mark: collectively, this group has raised around $33 billion this year, with at least 12 rounds valued at $500 million or more. The dataset includes rounds announced as Series A as well as financings with Series A characteristics that were not explicitly labeled that way.

The surge is largely tied to artificial intelligence. Per Crunchbase data cited in the article, more than 70% of $100 million-plus Series A rounds went to AI-focused startups.

Examples include a $1.2 billion round for Silicon Valley-based River AI, described as a platform for developers to train and serve custom models, and a $900 million financing for China-based Xpeng Robotics, a developer of AI-enabled humanoid robots. The pattern mirrors broader venture activity, where AI has taken a dominant share of investment capital across stages.

Roughly half of this year’s $100 million-plus Series A rounds and funding went to U.S.-based startups, according to Crunchbase data. That represents about 62 deals with a collective value of around $15 billion so far in 2026.

Even with the U.S. lead, jumbo Series A funding appears more globally dispersed than overall venture investment this year. Crunchbase News notes that in the first half of 2026, more than three-quarters of global seed- through growth-stage financing went to American companies, largely due to megarounds for Silicon Valley-based Anthropic and OpenAI.

The article points to several possible forces behind the rise in Series A megarounds beyond AI demand alone. Large capital reserves among leading startup investors are one factor, while exit multiples have rewarded companies with expansive ambitions.

At Series A, the concentration may also reflect unusual investor agreement on the sectors, business models and founding teams worth backing. The practical takeaway: when investors believe an early-stage company can become a category leader, they may accept a higher price rather than risk missing the winner.