If You’re Not An AI Startup, Good Luck Raising Money From VCs
If you’re not an AI startup, good luck raising money from VCs in 2025. The latest data from PitchBook reveals a stunning shift in venture capital priorities — artificial intelligence now commands the majority of global startup funding. AI has officially become the investor favorite, leaving non-AI founders scrambling for attention and cash.
Image Credits:Getty Images
AI Is Now The Heart Of VC Investing
According to PitchBook and Bloomberg data, VCs have poured $192.7 billion into AI startups so far this year, out of a total $366.8 billion in global venture capital. That means AI startups now attract over 50% of all VC investment worldwide — a historic first.
In the most recent quarter alone, AI accounted for 62.7% of U.S. venture funding and 53.2% globally. These numbers highlight an unmistakable trend: investors are chasing AI opportunities faster than ever, while other industries are seeing funds dry up.
The Winners: Anthropic, OpenAI, And The AI Elite
Most of the massive funding rounds are going to big names like Anthropic, which recently announced a $13 billion Series F in September. Giants such as OpenAI, Cohere, and Mistral AI are also attracting billions as they race to dominate the next wave of AI infrastructure and applications.
For smaller startups outside the AI boom, it’s a different story. The number of new startups and funds successfully raising money has plummeted to its lowest point in years. Only 823 venture funds have been raised globally so far in 2025 — a dramatic drop from 4,430 in 2022.
VCs Are Picking Sides: AI Or Bust
PitchBook’s director of research, Kyle Sanford, described the market as “bifurcated.” In his words:
“You’re in AI, or you’re not. You’re a big firm, or you’re not.”
That divide perfectly captures today’s venture capital landscape. Firms are consolidating their bets, focusing almost entirely on AI, deep tech, and infrastructure — sectors seen as the foundation of the next decade of innovation.
The Funding Gap Is Growing
For non-AI founders, the environment is tougher than ever. Consumer apps, fintech, healthtech, and even climate tech startups are finding it increasingly difficult to close funding rounds. Many investors simply don’t want to miss out on the AI wave, and limited partners are pushing funds to prioritize returns from generative AI, agentic systems, and foundation model startups.
This shift doesn’t just change who gets funded — it changes what innovation looks like. Startups are rebranding to include “AI” in their pitches, and traditional tech firms are pivoting to embed AI capabilities in their products to stay relevant.
Adapt Or Be Left Behind
The message from 2025’s venture capital world is clear: adapt to AI or risk being ignored. If you’re not an AI startup, good luck raising money from VCs — because the future of innovation, at least for now, seems powered entirely by artificial intelligence.
إرسال تعليق