VC fund formation rebounds in 2026 with the biggest fundraising quarter since 2021 and large AI-focused funds
Q1 2026 brought the biggest venture and private equity fundraising quarter since 2021, with over $80 billion in new US capital confirmed.1 That followed 2025, the weakest fundraising year since 2017. Menlo Ventures announced a new $3 billion fund centred on AI and tied to its Anthropic stake, while Greylock raised $1.5 billion for Greylock 18, built around AI-native company formation. Fund formation stayed robust through the year, with monthly trackers logging 39 new funds and roughly $12 billion in disclosed capital in July 2026 alone.2
Why it matters: New funds are the upstream signal of the next few years of startup investment, and the money is pooling decisively around AI.