US VENTURE FUNDING SURGES 30% IN H1 2026
■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE
U.S. venture capital deal value reached $412.7 billion in the first half of 2026, according to PitchBook data, nearly matching the entire $318 billion invested throughout 2025. AI startups dominated funding activity, capturing 86% of capital at $355.9 billion.
■ MORE FROM THE STARTUPS DESK
Minneapolis-based workforce monitoring startup Yardstik closed a $30M Series B funding round led by Harbert Growth Partners. The round brings the company's total funding to $65M.
Retro, a friend-focused photo-sharing app founded by former Instagram employees, has secured $21 million in Series A funding. The capital injection signals investor confidence in the social app's differentiated approach to photo sharing.
Sweden has built one of Europe's most vibrant startup ecosystems, drawing attention from investors and entrepreneurs across the continent. Cherry Ventures general partner Sophia Bendz breaks down the factors driving the Nordic nation's tech boom.
Metriport secured $26M in Series A and seed funding led by Matrix GP, bringing its total funding to $28.4M. The startup provides tools that enable doctors to retrieve and manage patient data.