Large AI deals and other major sector transactions helped push the dollar value of corporate-backed startup funding disclosed in August to $21bn, more than triple the $7bn recorded in the same month a year earlier.
The surge in value was driven by several large rounds, including the $2bn raised by Thrive Holdings from investors including SoftBank, and a $1.37bn Series D for defence technology and automated manufacturing startup Hadrian, which was backed by Capital G, Alphabet’s growth investment arm.
AI deals coincide with fewer but larger rounds
Despite the jump in dollar value, the number of funding rounds recorded in August — 391 — was the lowest since August 2025, implying the market is seeing fewer but larger deals rather than an increase in deal count.
