Anthropic leads the week's biggest funding rounds with a Series H financing, followed by a billion-dollar raise for an AI software developer. The roundup describes a slower week for megadeals and frames venture funding as increasingly concentrated among companies receiving large sums, contrasting them with companies that have less access to capital.
May 2026 · Crunchbase NewsNews article
The IPO Comeback Has A Catchnews.crunchbase.com/public/ipo-comeback-catch-exits-liquidity-declines-bercuson-earlyasset/
Shawn Bercuson, founder of Earlyasset, argues that the rising threshold for going public leaves many mid-sized companies and their shareholders without viable exit opportunities. He says this creates growing pressure for a more mature private secondary market.
Startups are raising larger seed rounds, with some deals reaching sizes once associated with later stages. At the same time, their odds of reaching Series A are falling dramatically.
Crunchbase News solicits predictions from four investors about the 2026 startup funding outlook. Their forecast points to more venture dollars, larger rounds, and fewer winners.
