GITNUXREPORT 2026

Startup Statistics

Global startup funding fell sharply in 2023 despite AI remaining a key bright spot.

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

58% of startup founders are under 40 years old in 2023 surveys.

Statistic 2

72% of US startup founders hold at least a bachelor's degree.

Statistic 3

Male founders comprise 92% of VC-backed startup founders.

Statistic 4

15% of startup founders have prior exit experience.

Statistic 5

Average founder age for successful startups is 45 years.

Statistic 6

40% of founders come from tech backgrounds like engineering.

Statistic 7

Immigrant founders started 55% of US billion-dollar startups.

Statistic 8

28% of startup founders are first-generation college graduates.

Statistic 9

Female founders lead 18% of all startups but only 2% VC-funded.

Statistic 10

65% of founders have 3+ years industry experience.

Statistic 11

Black founders represent 1% of VC-funded startups in US.

Statistic 12

50% of startup teams have 2 founders on average.

Statistic 13

Latino founders start 8% of US startups per demographics.

Statistic 14

22% of founders are women in non-VC funded startups.

Statistic 15

Serial entrepreneurs found 30% of high-growth startups.

Statistic 16

75% of founders work 50+ hours per week initially.

Statistic 17

STEM-educated founders lead 80% of tech startups.

Statistic 18

12% of founders are over 55 years old.

Statistic 19

Co-founder teams with complementary skills succeed 3x more.

Statistic 20

35% of founders bootstrap initially before seeking VC.

Statistic 21

Asian founders comprise 20% of US startup founders.

Statistic 22

60% of founders relocate for startup hubs like SF/NY.

Statistic 23

AI/ML startups increasingly founded by PhDs (25%).

Statistic 24

45% of founders have MBA or advanced business degrees.

Statistic 25

In 2023, global venture capital funding for startups totaled $344 billion, a 38% decrease from the $558 billion raised in 2022.

Statistic 26

US startups captured 49% of global VC funding in 2023, amounting to $170 billion across 14,000 deals.

Statistic 27

Seed stage startups received $20.5 billion in VC funding worldwide in 2023, down 39% from 2022.

Statistic 28

Late-stage startups (Series D+) accounted for 52% of total VC deal value in 2023 globally.

Statistic 29

AI startups raised $50.1 billion in VC funding in 2023, representing 15% of all global startup funding.

Statistic 30

European startups saw VC funding drop to $48 billion in 2023, a 44% YoY decline.

Statistic 31

Fintech startups globally raised $27.5 billion in 2023, down 48% from 2022 peaks.

Statistic 32

The median VC deal size for startups grew to $15 million in 2023 from $10 million in 2022.

Statistic 33

Corporate VC investments in startups fell 27% to $65 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 34

India startups raised $8.4 billion in VC in 2023, a 33% drop amid economic slowdown.

Statistic 35

Climate tech startups secured $22.4 billion in global VC funding in 2023.

Statistic 36

Angel investments in US startups totaled $25 billion in 2023, supporting over 50,000 deals.

Statistic 37

Mega-rounds over $100 million numbered 418 globally in 2023, down from 569 in 2022.

Statistic 38

Healthtech startups raised $15.3 billion in VC worldwide in 2023, a 40% decline.

Statistic 39

Latin American startups funding plummeted 56% to $3.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 40

Southeast Asia VC funding for startups hit $8.9 billion in 2023, down 30% YoY.

Statistic 41

B2B SaaS startups saw median valuations of $45 million at Series A in 2023.

Statistic 42

Crypto startups funding dropped 94% to $4.9 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 43

Female-founded startups received just 2% of total VC funding in the US in 2023.

Statistic 44

UK startups raised £18.7 billion in 2023, the highest ever despite global downturn.

Statistic 45

Series A funding rounds averaged $12.6 million globally in 2023.

Statistic 46

Edtech startups funding fell 62% to $3.9 billion worldwide in 2023.

Statistic 47

Middle East & Africa startups raised $2.1 billion in VC in 2023, up 10% YoY.

Statistic 48

Gaming startups secured $5.2 billion in funding globally in 2023.

Statistic 49

Crowdfunding platforms facilitated $1.7 billion for startups in 2023 via equity models.

Statistic 50

Deep tech startups raised $18.7 billion in VC in 2023, focusing on hardware and biotech.

Statistic 51

Canada startups VC funding reached CAD 7.8 billion in 2023.

Statistic 52

Proptech funding globally declined 55% to $4.5 billion in 2023.

Statistic 53

Mobility startups raised $12.1 billion worldwide in 2023.

Statistic 54

In 2023, average startup revenue growth was 188% for high performers.

Statistic 55

SaaS startups achieving $10M ARR grow at 130% YoY median.

Statistic 56

Top 10% of startups hit 500% YoY growth in early stages.

Statistic 57

Average time to $1M ARR for B2B SaaS is 22 months in 2023.

Statistic 58

Startup employee headcount grows 150% in first 3 years on average.

Statistic 59

Global startup valuations increased 15% YoY for surviving firms in 2023.

Statistic 60

Fintech startups average 250% customer acquisition growth in year 1.

Statistic 61

AI startups saw 320% revenue growth in 2023 for top quartile.

Statistic 62

Median ARR for Series B startups reached $15M in 2023.

Statistic 63

User growth for consumer apps averages 45% MoM in viral startups.

Statistic 64

B2B startups CAC payback period shortened to 12 months in 2023.

Statistic 65

E-commerce startups gross margins average 38% at scale.

Statistic 66

Healthtech startups patient growth hit 200% YoY in 2023 pilots.

Statistic 67

Proptech revenue growth averaged 110% for funded startups.

Statistic 68

Edtech user retention drives 75% of growth in mature startups.

Statistic 69

Climate tech startups deployment growth at 180% annually.

Statistic 70

Gaming startups DAU growth peaks at 300% post-launch.

Statistic 71

Logistics startups efficiency gains lead to 140% YoY revenue.

Statistic 72

Median LTV:CAC ratio for top startups is 3:1 in 2023.

Statistic 73

Mobility startups fleet size grows 250% in first 2 years.

Statistic 74

Crypto startups TVL growth averaged 400% for survivors.

Statistic 75

Average MoM growth rate for hypergrowth startups is 20%.

Statistic 76

Deep tech startups IP portfolio grows 50% YoY pre-revenue.

Statistic 77

Global number of startups reached 150 million in 2023.

Statistic 78

Tech sector dominates with 40% of all startups worldwide.

Statistic 79

Number of unicorns grew to 1,200+ globally by end-2023.

Statistic 80

Remote-first startups rose to 58% of new incorporations in 2023.

Statistic 81

Sustainability-focused startups increased 25% YoY to 15% market share.

Statistic 82

Gig economy platforms represent 12% of startup activity.

Statistic 83

No-code/low-code startups grew 300% in adoption since 2020.

Statistic 84

Web3 startups peaked at 30% of funding before 2023 decline.

Statistic 85

Vertical SaaS startups now 22% of SaaS market.

Statistic 86

Creator economy startups valued at $250B market by 2023.

Statistic 87

Healthtech startups comprise 18% of VC deals in 2023.

Statistic 88

E-commerce penetration in startups hit 25% globally.

Statistic 89

Fintech regulatory sandboxes approved 1,500+ startups in 2023.

Statistic 90

Agritech startups grew 20% to serve $5T food market.

Statistic 91

Space tech startups funding up 15% to $7B in 2023.

Statistic 92

Neobanks captured 8% of global banking startups.

Statistic 93

AR/VR startups rebounded 40% post-metaverse hype.

Statistic 94

Supply chain tech startups surged 35% amid disruptions.

Statistic 95

Insurtech market share in startups at 10%, $15B valuation.

Statistic 96

Quantum computing startups tripled to 100+ active firms.

Statistic 97

65% of startups now integrate AI into core product.

Statistic 98

B2B marketplaces grew to 15% of startup landscape.

Statistic 99

Food delivery startups hold 5% market but 20% growth.

Statistic 100

Cybersecurity startups represent 12% of enterprise tech.

Statistic 101

90% of startups fail within the first 10 years of operation, according to a 2023 analysis.

Statistic 102

Only 10% of startups successfully exit via IPO or acquisition after 5 years.

Statistic 103

42% of startups fail due to lack of market need, per 2023 CB Insights study.

Statistic 104

29% of failed startups cite running out of cash as the primary reason in 2023 data.

Statistic 105

First-time founders have a 18% success rate for raising Series A, vs 28% for repeat founders.

Statistic 106

75% of venture-backed startups fail to return capital to investors by year 10.

Statistic 107

US startup failure rate in year 1 is 21.5%, rising to 30% by year 2.

Statistic 108

65% of startups fail within first 3 years due to poor team dynamics.

Statistic 109

Only 0.4% of startups achieve unicorn status (valuation over $1B).

Statistic 110

23% of startups fail because they don't meet customer needs, per 2023 surveys.

Statistic 111

Repeat founders succeed 30% more often than first-timers in scaling to $1M ARR.

Statistic 112

82% of failed B2C startups blame competition, vs 19% of B2B.

Statistic 113

Survival rate for startups past 5 years is 50%, dropping to 35% at 10 years.

Statistic 114

47% of startups fail due to pricing/cost issues in 2023 analysis.

Statistic 115

Female-led startups have 2x higher failure rates in VC-backed scenarios.

Statistic 116

70% of tech startups fail within 2 years due to product-market misfit.

Statistic 117

Unicorn success rate among VC-funded startups is less than 1%.

Statistic 118

34% of startups fail from not being the right team in the right market.

Statistic 119

Bootstrapped startups have 65% survival rate past 4 years vs 45% VC-funded.

Statistic 120

25% of startups ignore customers, leading to failure per 2023 stats.

Statistic 121

SaaS startups failure rate is 63% within 5 years.

Statistic 122

E-commerce startups have 80% failure rate in first year.

Statistic 123

91% of B2B startups backed by VCs eventually fail.

Statistic 124

Global average startup longevity is 5.3 years before failure.

Statistic 125

40% of startups fail due to marketing issues in competitive markets.

1/125

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

While venture capital plummeted by 38% to $344 billion last year, the story of startups in 2023 is not one of universal decline but of seismic shifts in where money flowed and who ultimately survived.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, global venture capital funding for startups totaled $344 billion, a 38% decrease from the $558 billion raised in 2022.
US startups captured 49% of global VC funding in 2023, amounting to $170 billion across 14,000 deals.
Seed stage startups received $20.5 billion in VC funding worldwide in 2023, down 39% from 2022.
90% of startups fail within the first 10 years of operation, according to a 2023 analysis.
Only 10% of startups successfully exit via IPO or acquisition after 5 years.
42% of startups fail due to lack of market need, per 2023 CB Insights study.
In 2023, average startup revenue growth was 188% for high performers.
SaaS startups achieving $10M ARR grow at 130% YoY median.
Top 10% of startups hit 500% YoY growth in early stages.
58% of startup founders are under 40 years old in 2023 surveys.
72% of US startup founders hold at least a bachelor's degree.
Male founders comprise 92% of VC-backed startup founders.
Global number of startups reached 150 million in 2023.
Tech sector dominates with 40% of all startups worldwide.
Number of unicorns grew to 1,200+ globally by end-2023.

Global startup funding fell sharply in 2023 despite AI remaining a key bright spot.

Founder Demographics

58% of startup founders are under 40 years old in 2023 surveys.
72% of US startup founders hold at least a bachelor's degree.
Male founders comprise 92% of VC-backed startup founders.
15% of startup founders have prior exit experience.
Average founder age for successful startups is 45 years.
40% of founders come from tech backgrounds like engineering.
Immigrant founders started 55% of US billion-dollar startups.
28% of startup founders are first-generation college graduates.
Female founders lead 18% of all startups but only 2% VC-funded.
65% of founders have 3+ years industry experience.
Black founders represent 1% of VC-funded startups in US.
50% of startup teams have 2 founders on average.
Latino founders start 8% of US startups per demographics.
22% of founders are women in non-VC funded startups.
Serial entrepreneurs found 30% of high-growth startups.
75% of founders work 50+ hours per week initially.
STEM-educated founders lead 80% of tech startups.
12% of founders are over 55 years old.
Co-founder teams with complementary skills succeed 3x more.
35% of founders bootstrap initially before seeking VC.
Asian founders comprise 20% of US startup founders.
60% of founders relocate for startup hubs like SF/NY.
AI/ML startups increasingly founded by PhDs (25%).
45% of founders have MBA or advanced business degrees.

Founder Demographics Interpretation

While youth and tech degrees dominate the headlines, the real startup success recipe is a seasoned, diverse, and relentlessly hardworking team—a formula the current venture capital model seems stubbornly bad at mixing.

Funding Statistics

In 2023, global venture capital funding for startups totaled $344 billion, a 38% decrease from the $558 billion raised in 2022.
US startups captured 49% of global VC funding in 2023, amounting to $170 billion across 14,000 deals.
Seed stage startups received $20.5 billion in VC funding worldwide in 2023, down 39% from 2022.
Late-stage startups (Series D+) accounted for 52% of total VC deal value in 2023 globally.
AI startups raised $50.1 billion in VC funding in 2023, representing 15% of all global startup funding.
European startups saw VC funding drop to $48 billion in 2023, a 44% YoY decline.
Fintech startups globally raised $27.5 billion in 2023, down 48% from 2022 peaks.
The median VC deal size for startups grew to $15 million in 2023 from $10 million in 2022.
Corporate VC investments in startups fell 27% to $65 billion globally in 2023.
India startups raised $8.4 billion in VC in 2023, a 33% drop amid economic slowdown.
Climate tech startups secured $22.4 billion in global VC funding in 2023.
Angel investments in US startups totaled $25 billion in 2023, supporting over 50,000 deals.
Mega-rounds over $100 million numbered 418 globally in 2023, down from 569 in 2022.
Healthtech startups raised $15.3 billion in VC worldwide in 2023, a 40% decline.
Latin American startups funding plummeted 56% to $3.2 billion in 2023.
Southeast Asia VC funding for startups hit $8.9 billion in 2023, down 30% YoY.
B2B SaaS startups saw median valuations of $45 million at Series A in 2023.
Crypto startups funding dropped 94% to $4.9 billion globally in 2023.
Female-founded startups received just 2% of total VC funding in the US in 2023.
UK startups raised £18.7 billion in 2023, the highest ever despite global downturn.
Series A funding rounds averaged $12.6 million globally in 2023.
Edtech startups funding fell 62% to $3.9 billion worldwide in 2023.
Middle East & Africa startups raised $2.1 billion in VC in 2023, up 10% YoY.
Gaming startups secured $5.2 billion in funding globally in 2023.
Crowdfunding platforms facilitated $1.7 billion for startups in 2023 via equity models.
Deep tech startups raised $18.7 billion in VC in 2023, focusing on hardware and biotech.
Canada startups VC funding reached CAD 7.8 billion in 2023.
Proptech funding globally declined 55% to $4.5 billion in 2023.
Mobility startups raised $12.1 billion worldwide in 2023.

Funding Statistics Interpretation

Despite a global venture capital hangover where overall funding shriveled by 38%, the party raged on in specific VIP sections, with AI sipping 15% of the total punch and late-stage giants hoarding over half the bottle, while almost everyone else—from fintech to female founders—was left nursing an empty glass and a 40% headache.

Growth Metrics

In 2023, average startup revenue growth was 188% for high performers.
SaaS startups achieving $10M ARR grow at 130% YoY median.
Top 10% of startups hit 500% YoY growth in early stages.
Average time to $1M ARR for B2B SaaS is 22 months in 2023.
Startup employee headcount grows 150% in first 3 years on average.
Global startup valuations increased 15% YoY for surviving firms in 2023.
Fintech startups average 250% customer acquisition growth in year 1.
AI startups saw 320% revenue growth in 2023 for top quartile.
Median ARR for Series B startups reached $15M in 2023.
User growth for consumer apps averages 45% MoM in viral startups.
B2B startups CAC payback period shortened to 12 months in 2023.
E-commerce startups gross margins average 38% at scale.
Healthtech startups patient growth hit 200% YoY in 2023 pilots.
Proptech revenue growth averaged 110% for funded startups.
Edtech user retention drives 75% of growth in mature startups.
Climate tech startups deployment growth at 180% annually.
Gaming startups DAU growth peaks at 300% post-launch.
Logistics startups efficiency gains lead to 140% YoY revenue.
Median LTV:CAC ratio for top startups is 3:1 in 2023.
Mobility startups fleet size grows 250% in first 2 years.
Crypto startups TVL growth averaged 400% for survivors.
Average MoM growth rate for hypergrowth startups is 20%.
Deep tech startups IP portfolio grows 50% YoY pre-revenue.

Growth Metrics Interpretation

To be elite in this landscape is to move with the velocity of AI, the efficiency of SaaS, and the margins of e-commerce, all while somehow keeping your headcount from multiplying like a viral app and your CAC from devouring your Series B spoils.

Market Trends

Global number of startups reached 150 million in 2023.
Tech sector dominates with 40% of all startups worldwide.
Number of unicorns grew to 1,200+ globally by end-2023.
Remote-first startups rose to 58% of new incorporations in 2023.
Sustainability-focused startups increased 25% YoY to 15% market share.
Gig economy platforms represent 12% of startup activity.
No-code/low-code startups grew 300% in adoption since 2020.
Web3 startups peaked at 30% of funding before 2023 decline.
Vertical SaaS startups now 22% of SaaS market.
Creator economy startups valued at $250B market by 2023.
Healthtech startups comprise 18% of VC deals in 2023.
E-commerce penetration in startups hit 25% globally.
Fintech regulatory sandboxes approved 1,500+ startups in 2023.
Agritech startups grew 20% to serve $5T food market.
Space tech startups funding up 15% to $7B in 2023.
Neobanks captured 8% of global banking startups.
AR/VR startups rebounded 40% post-metaverse hype.
Supply chain tech startups surged 35% amid disruptions.
Insurtech market share in startups at 10%, $15B valuation.
Quantum computing startups tripled to 100+ active firms.
65% of startups now integrate AI into core product.
B2B marketplaces grew to 15% of startup landscape.
Food delivery startups hold 5% market but 20% growth.
Cybersecurity startups represent 12% of enterprise tech.

Market Trends Interpretation

The startup ecosystem is now a frenetic global carnival where nearly everyone is trying to code the future, from tech's dominant 40% slice and a growing herd of 1,200+ unicorns to the 58% remote-first incorporations, a 25% rise in sustainability ventures, and a pervasive 65% AI integration, all while racing to disrupt everything from banking and health to food, space, and even reality itself before the funding music stops.

Success and Failure Rates

90% of startups fail within the first 10 years of operation, according to a 2023 analysis.
Only 10% of startups successfully exit via IPO or acquisition after 5 years.
42% of startups fail due to lack of market need, per 2023 CB Insights study.
29% of failed startups cite running out of cash as the primary reason in 2023 data.
First-time founders have a 18% success rate for raising Series A, vs 28% for repeat founders.
75% of venture-backed startups fail to return capital to investors by year 10.
US startup failure rate in year 1 is 21.5%, rising to 30% by year 2.
65% of startups fail within first 3 years due to poor team dynamics.
Only 0.4% of startups achieve unicorn status (valuation over $1B).
23% of startups fail because they don't meet customer needs, per 2023 surveys.
Repeat founders succeed 30% more often than first-timers in scaling to $1M ARR.
82% of failed B2C startups blame competition, vs 19% of B2B.
Survival rate for startups past 5 years is 50%, dropping to 35% at 10 years.
47% of startups fail due to pricing/cost issues in 2023 analysis.
Female-led startups have 2x higher failure rates in VC-backed scenarios.
70% of tech startups fail within 2 years due to product-market misfit.
Unicorn success rate among VC-funded startups is less than 1%.
34% of startups fail from not being the right team in the right market.
Bootstrapped startups have 65% survival rate past 4 years vs 45% VC-funded.
25% of startups ignore customers, leading to failure per 2023 stats.
SaaS startups failure rate is 63% within 5 years.
E-commerce startups have 80% failure rate in first year.
91% of B2B startups backed by VCs eventually fail.
Global average startup longevity is 5.3 years before failure.
40% of startups fail due to marketing issues in competitive markets.

Success and Failure Rates Interpretation

The startup landscape is a brutal Darwinian arena where, statistically speaking, your idea is probably unwanted, your cash will likely run out, and your team might implode—so unless you're a repeat founder who actually listens to customers in a viable market, you're mostly just contributing colorful data to the next depressing listicle.