AI Megadeals Drive Record Capital for Female Founders in US, While Europe Sees Selective Slowdown
Event summary
- US female-founded startups raised a record $73.6B in 2025, with AI deals accounting for $30B from Scale AI and Anthropic alone.
- Female founders captured 27.7% of total US VC deal value, an all-time high, while deal counts declined.
- European female-founded companies saw declining deal value and count, but median pre-money valuations rose.
- Aggregate unicorn valuations for female founders hit record highs in both regions, signaling exit potential.
The big picture
The 2025 venture market for female founders was defined by capital concentration, with investors favoring mature, scaled companies—particularly in AI. While the US saw record funding driven by megadeals and IPO activity, Europe experienced a more measured slowdown with fewer but larger exits. The strategic tension lies in whether this trend signals a sustainable reset or further consolidation among top performers.
What we're watching
- Capital Concentration
- Whether the 2025 momentum reflects a durable reset or continued megadeal dominance among female founders.
- Regional Disparities
- How the US's growth-at-scale focus will compare to Europe's structural progress in 2026.
- AI Dependency
- The pace at which AI's outsized influence on VC dollars will stabilize or shift.
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