Venture Capital Q1 2026: Preqin Quarterly Update

Venture capital markets entered 2026 with aggregate deal value surging higher than ever on the back of renewed AI enthusiasm

• Aggregate deal value reached a new peak, at $284bn in Q1 2026, although more than half of capital was deployed in just three transactions

• VC funds raised $32bn globally in Q1 2026, up from $26bn in Q1 2025, with 368 VC funds closing during the quarter

• At the end of Q1 2026, 8,554 VC funds were raising globally according to Preqin, targeting $473bn in aggregate capital