California Draws Record $366 Billion in Venture Capital

Industry
โดย The Wall Street Journal·US·Read original
Summary · why it matters

California companies have drawn a record $366 billion in venture capital since the start of the year, more than triple the amount invested in the other 49 states combined and nearly double the state's previous record set in 2025, according to PitchBook. OpenAI and Anthropic alone account for more than half of the total, with OpenAI raising $122 billion in March and Anthropic drawing $95 billion across two rounds. The AI-fueled boom has pushed personal-income tax revenues to about $147 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, well above the $126 billion projected, easing the state's chronic budget deficit. More than 4,000 California startups have raised capital in 2026, including a $1.37 billion round by defense manufacturer Hadrian Automation and a $545 million raise by live commerce platform Whatnot. The surge continues despite a proposed billionaire tax that Governor Gavin Newsom and others warn could scare off investors.

Impact on stocks 0

Theme Impact 2

Off-coverage companies 4

AnthropicPrivate▲ Positive
Capitalrelevance

Anthropic drew $95 billion across two rounds, contributing to the record VC total.

OpenAIPrivate▲ Positive
Capitalrelevance

OpenAI raised $122 billion in March, a record venture capital round.

HadrianPrivate▲ Positive
Capitalrelevance

Hadrian raised $1.37 billion, a significant funding round.

WhatnotPrivate▲ Positive
Capitalrelevance

Whatnot raised $545 million, a notable funding round.

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