Mega-rounds and new funds reshape the AI startup landscape

Across regions, AI is dominating venture flows, with February alone seeing a record $189 billion in global startup funding heavily driven by a handful of massive AI deals, including OpenAI’s $110 billion corporate-backed round, World Labs’ $1 billion raise, and Nscale’s $2 billion financing. Alongside these top-heavy mega-rounds, fresh capital is pouring into AI infrastructure and applications worldwide—from LLMOps, agentic AI, and cybersecurity to sales, relationship management, and patent platforms—with new vehicles like Ho Chi Minh City’s 5 trillion VND public VC fund and Axiom Partners’ $52 million debut AI fund. The boom is accelerating the speed at which AI startups hit unicorn status and distorting broader VC statistics, such as record funding to female founders that is heavily skewed by a few large AI-led rounds.