According to a July 5 report from foreign media outlet TechCrunch, as of the end of June this year, 83 venture-backed startups in the United States have successfully joined the unicorn ranks, among which 51 are AI-related enterprises, with a total financing amount exceeding $520 billion in the first half of the year.
In terms of valuation scale, AI enterprises hold an absolute advantage. Among them, Prometheus, an AI engineering automation company co-founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has reached a valuation of $41 billion. Founded in 2025, it has become the highest-valued new unicorn this year after just over a year of operation.
The AI model R&D company Recursive, founded in 2025, has the shortest establishment time and the fastest growth. Only six months after its founding, the company secured $650 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $4.65 billion. At the same time, many AI startups that have been established for only about a year have quickly gained capital recognition.
These new unicorns cover multiple fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, robotics, aerospace technology, cybersecurity, and fintech. AI-related enterprises have become the most concerned direction in the capital market this year, with a large amount of funds pouring into AI Agents, AI infrastructure, and enterprise-level AI applications.
Industrial capital has also significantly accelerated its entry into the market. NVIDIA has become one of the most active industrial investors. In this statistics, NVIDIA has participated in the investment of at least 7 new AI unicorns, including Hark, Recursive, EXA, Factory, etc., with its investment layout covering multiple tracks such as AI hardware, foundational models, search, and software.
▲Ranked by valuation, 51 new AI-related unicorns in the U.S. in the first half of 2026 (Illustration by Zhidong)
01.
AI Sweeps the Capital Market
Over 25 AI Companies Valued at Over $1.5 Billion
Among the new unicorn enterprises this year, AI-related companies are the most numerous, covering multiple directions such as AI models, AI Agents, AI search, enterprise software, and AI chips. As generative AI enters the commercialization stage, capital’s focus is gradually shifting from foundational model R&D to AI application implementation and industrial efficiency improvement.
Among them, 26 companies have a valuation of over $1.5 billion, becoming the leading players in this round of AI investment boom.
▲Ranked by valuation, new U.S. AI-related unicorns valued at over $1.5 billion in the first half of 2026 (Illustration by Zhidong)
1. Prometheus: Valued at $41 billion
This AI engineering automation company, founded in 2025, mainly develops AI tools that can autonomously perform complex engineering tasks. The company was co-founded by Jeff Bezos. This year, it completed $12 billion in Series B financing with a valuation of $41 billion, and the total financing amount reached $18.2 billion. Its investors include JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, etc.
2. Hark: Valued at $6 billion
This consumer-grade personal intelligent AI hardware company, founded in 2025, mainly develops personal AI devices with voice interaction, environmental perception, and long-term memory capabilities. This year, it completed $700 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $6 billion, and the total financing amount is about $759 million. Its investors include Parkway Venture Capital, NVIDIA, Salesforce Ventures, etc.
3. Apptronik: Valued at $5.3 billion
This AI-driven humanoid robot company, founded in 2016, mainly develops humanoid robot systems with general task execution capabilities. The company was founded by Jared Glover and his team, originating from the robotics lab at the University of Texas at Austin. This year, it completed $935 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $5.3 billion, and the total financing amount is $935 million. Its investors include B Capital Group, Capital Factory, etc.
4. Recursive: Valued at $4.65 billion
This AI large model R&D laboratory, founded in 2025, mainly conducts research on general AI systems and intelligent models for complex tasks. This year, it completed $650 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $4.65 billion. Its investors include GV, Greycroft, and NVIDIA.
5. humans&: Valued at $4.5 billion
This human-machine collaborative AI research laboratory, founded in 2025, mainly explores new types of AI systems that can work together with humans. This year, it completed $480 million in seed round financing with a valuation of $4.5 billion. Its investors include SV Angel, Georges Harik, etc.
6. Nextop AI: Valued at $4.2 billion
This AI infrastructure enterprise, founded in 2024, mainly develops dedicated Ethernet network hardware for AI data centers. This year, it completed $500 million in Series B financing with a valuation of $4.2 billion, and the total financing amount reached $610 million. Its investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, etc.
7. Recursive Intelligence: Valued at $4 billion
This AI chip design company, founded in 2025, mainly develops new chip architectures for AI computing needs. This year, it completed $300 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $4 billion, and the total financing amount is about $335 million. Its investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, etc.
8. Genspark: Valued at $2.6 billion
This AI workspace application company, founded in 2023, mainly develops office collaboration tools based on large models. The core founders of the company include Ling Yang and others. This year, it completed $485 million in Series B financing with a valuation of $2.6 billion, and the total financing amount reached $645 million. Its investors include LG Technology Ventures, SBI Investment, Emergence Capital Partners, AWS.
9. webAI: Valued at $2.5 billion
This enterprise private large model platform company, founded in 2019, mainly helps enterprises deploy exclusive AI models locally. This year, it completed Series A financing (amount not disclosed) with a valuation of $2.5 billion.
10. Stipple Bio: Valued at $2.25 billion
This AI+ healthcare company, founded in 2022, mainly uses AI to conduct targeted anti-cancer drug R&D. This year, it completed $100 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $2.25 billion, and the total financing amount is about $121 million. Its investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Nextech Invest, RA Capital Management, Emerson Collective, etc.
11. Parallel: Valued at $2 billion
This AI agent search engine company, founded in 2023, mainly develops information retrieval systems for AI Agents. This year, it completed $100 million in Series B financing with a valuation of $2 billion, and the total financing amount is about $230 million. Its investors include Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, etc.
12. Rogo: Valued at $2 billion
This AI analysis workflow management platform for financial institutions, founded in 2021, mainly uses AI to help investment banks, asset management institutions, and financial analysts process data analysis, generate research reports, and make investment decisions. The company was founded by Marc-Alexander Christ. This year, it completed $160 million in Series D financing with a valuation of $2 billion, and the total financing amount slightly exceeded $310 million. Its investors include Kleiner Perkins, Tiger Global Management, Khosla Ventures.
13. EXA: Valued at $1.95 billion
This AI agent web search engine company, founded in 2021, mainly provides web crawling and research capabilities for AI Agents. The company was founded by William Bryk, Srinivas Rao, and others. This year, it completed $250 million in Series C financing with a valuation of $1.95 billion, and the total financing amount reached $360 million. Its investors include Andreessen Horowitz, NVIDIA, Y Combinator, etc.
14. Gecko: Valued at $1.8 billion
This AI robotics company, founded in 2013, mainly develops AI-driven robot perception and control systems. This year, it completed $125 million in Series D financing with a valuation of $1.8 billion, and the total financing amount exceeded $300 million. Its investors include Founders Fund, Cox Enterprises, etc.
15. Bedrock Robotics: Valued at $1.8 billion
This autonomous driving system company for AI engineering equipment, founded in 2024, mainly enables construction machinery to operate autonomously. The company was founded by a former Waymo engineer team, and its core founder is Josh Schuster. This year, it completed $270 million in Series B financing with a valuation of $1.8 billion, and the total financing amount reached $350 million. Its investors include 8VC, Valor Equity Partners, etc.
16. Rhoda AI: Valued at $1.7 billion
This foundational large model company for robot systems, founded in 2024, mainly develops foundational AI models that help robots understand their environment. This year, it completed $450 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $1.7 billion. Its investors include Premji Invest, Mayfield Fund, Capricorn Investment Group, Temasek Holdings, etc.
17. Arena: Valued at $1.7 billion
This AI decision support platform company for enterprise managers, founded in 2022, mainly helps enterprise managers conduct data analysis and make strategic decisions. This year, it completed $150 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $1.7 billion, and the total financing amount is about $250 million. Its investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Felicis Ventures, etc.
18. Vi Labs: Valued at $1.64 billion
This AI medical operation service platform, founded in 2021, mainly helps medical institutions manage patients and optimize operations. This year, it completed $145 million in financing with a valuation of $1.64 billion, and the total financing amount is about $275 million. Its investors include General Atlantic, Square Peg Capital, Revelstoke Capital Partners, etc.
19. Frore Systems: Valued at $1.64 billion
This AI chip cooling system company, founded in 2018, mainly develops advanced solid-state active cooling technologies. The company was founded by Saurabh Sharan. This year, it completed $143 million in Series D financing with a valuation of $1.64 billion, and the total financing amount is about $373 million. Its investors include MVP Ventures, Addition, Qualcomm Ventures, etc.
20. Axiom: Valued at $1.6 billion
This AI platform company for mathematical scientific research, founded in 2025, mainly uses AI to assist mathematical research and scientific computing. This year, it completed $200 million in Series A financing with a valuation of $1.6 billion, and the total financing amount is about $264 million. Its investors include Menlo Ventures, Toyota Ventures, B Capital Group, etc.
21. Science: Valued at $1.5 billion
This brain-computer interface medical device company, founded in 2021, mainly combines AI to realize neural signal analysis and medical assistance. This year, it completed $230 million in Series C financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion, and the total financing amount is about $519 million. Its investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, etc.
22. Factory: Valued at $1.5 billion
This AI software system company, founded in 2023, mainly develops software systems that can iteratively optimize themselves. This year, it completed $150 million in Series C financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion, and the total financing amount is about $219 million. Its investors include Khosla Ventures, Blackstone, NVIDIA, etc.
23. Granola: Valued at $1.5 billion
This AI intelligent note-taking application company, founded in 2024, mainly uses AI to help users record meetings and organize information. The company was founded by Sam Rosenberg. This year, it completed $125 million in Series C financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion, and the total financing amount is about $192 million. Its investors include Index Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, etc.
24. Flapping Airplanes: Valued at $1.5 billion
This AI large model research laboratory, founded in 2025, mainly explores the next generation of general intelligent systems. This year, it completed $180 million in seed round financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion. Its investors include Index Ventures, GV, etc.
25. Render: Valued at $1.5 billion
This AI application cloud hosting platform, founded in 2018, mainly supports the deployment of AI applications and agent systems. The company was founded by Anurag Goel. This year, it completed $100 million in Series C1 financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion, and the total financing amount exceeded $250 million. Its investors include General Catalyst, Bessemer Venture Partners, etc.
26. Eight Sleep: Valued at $1.5 billion
This smart sleep technology company, founded in 2014, mainly develops AI-driven smart temperature-controlled mattresses that improve users’ sleep experience by dynamically adjusting temperature. The company was co-founded by Matteo Franceschetti and others. This year, it completed $150 million in Series D financing with a valuation of $1.5 billion, and the total financing amount is about $309 million. Its investors include Tether Investments, Y Combinator, Founders Fund, SoftBank.
02.
AI Applications Thrive Across the Board
Infrastructure and Vertical Industries Advance in Tandem
Among the 51 AI-related unicorns, another 25 companies have a valuation between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. These enterprises cover multiple segmented tracks such as AI infrastructure, enterprise software, healthcare, cybersecurity, and robotics.
▲Ranked by valuation, new U.S. AI-related unicorns valued at $1-1.5 billion in the first half of 2026 (Illustration by Zhidong)
27. Fundamental: Valued at $1.4 billion
This AI foundational large model company, founded in 2024, mainly