The world of app startups is constantly evolving, and AI-powered innovations are leading the charge. In 2026, the US saw a significant surge in AI startup funding, with numerous companies raising massive rounds to further their cutting-edge research.

The Rise of AI App Startups

Last year was an exciting time for AI startups, with four companies raising multiple mega-rounds compared to 2024. While fewer companies achieved the $1 billion mark, the overall momentum remained strong. With Elon Musk's xAI announcing a $20 billion Series E round and Sam Altman's Merge Labs raising a $250 million seed round in the first few weeks of 2026, it seems that this year will be just as thrilling.

Top US AI Companies That Raised $100M or More in 2026

December

  • Mythic, a power-efficient compute startup from Austin, Texas, raised a $125 million venture round led by DCVC.
  • Chai Discovery, which builds AI models for biotech and drug discovery, announced a $130 million Series B round, valuing the company at $1.2 billion.
  • Fal, a generative media platform, secured its third funding round of 2026 with a $140 million Series D round led by Sequoia.
  • Unconventional AI, a one-year-old startup rethinking computers in the age of AI, raised a monster $475 million seed round, valuing the company at nearly $4.5 billion.
  • Boston-based 7AI, which builds cybersecurity AI agents, raised a $130 million Series A round led by Index Ventures.

November

  • Genspark, an all-in-one AI workspace platform, announced a $275 million Series B round, valuing the company at $1.25 billion.
  • Luma AI, a startup building models for photo and video creation, raised $900 million in a Series C round, valuing the company at $4 billion.
  • Viral vibe-coding platform Cursor raised $2.3 billion in a funding round, valuing the company at $29.3 billion.
  • Parallel, which builds web infrastructure for AI agents, secured a $100 million Series A round co-led by Index Ventures and Kleiner Perkins.
  • Hippocratic AI, a healthcare AI agent startup, raised a $126 million Series C round, valuing the company at $3.5 billion.

October

  • Fireworks AI, a platform allowing users to build AI applications using open source models, raised a $250 million Series C round, valuing the company at $4 billion.
  • Enterprise AI startup Uniphore is valued at $2.5 billion after a $260 million Series F round.
  • Sesame, a voice AI company, raised a $250 million Series B round co-led by Sequoia and Spark Capital.
  • OpenEvidence, an AI chatbot for the medical field, raised its second funding round of 2026 with a $200 million Series C round, valuing the company at $6 billion.
  • Lila Sciences, which is building a science superintelligence platform, announced its second funding round of 2026 with a $350 million Series A round.

September

  • Periodic Labs, which is building an AI scientist, raised a $300 million seed round co-led by Felicis and Andreessen Horowitz.
  • Cerebras Systems, an AI infrastructure company, raised a sizable $1.1 billion Series G round, valuing the company at $8.1 billion.
  • Modular announced a $250 million funding round led by US Innovative Technology Fund.
  • Distyl AI, which builds AI enterprise software, raised a $175 million Series B round, valuing the startup at $1.8 billion.

As we look ahead to 2026, it's clear that AI-powered innovations will continue to shape the app startup landscape. With these top US AI companies having raised massive rounds in 2026, the future of AI-driven entrepreneurship looks brighter than ever.