Crunchbase reported that global new unicorn counts in the first half of 2026 had already surpassed 2025's totals, with AI, robotics and chips leading. By the end of September, 311 companies had joined its Unicorn Board in 2026, putting the year on track to be the second-highest for new unicorns after 2021.
The pace has continued despite the October sell-off in AI stocks, but unicorn valuations are set in private rounds and can lag public-market moves.
Source: Crunchbase News