European AI startups capture record VC share

European AI startups raised $23 billion in the first half of 2026, a 130% year-over-year surge that represented 55% of all venture capital in the region, according to HumanX and Crunchbase. Funding rose from $10 billion in H1 2025, underscoring Europe’s growing role in AI sectors tied to its industrial and scientific strengths, including robotics, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and defense.

Investment was highly concentrated. 73% of all European AI funding went to just 38 companies that raised rounds of $100 million or more, and six European startups joined the billion-dollar-plus club in H1 2026. Notable companies included Wayve, Isomorphic Labs, Neura Robotics and Advanced Machine Intelligence.

The United Kingdom remained the region’s leading AI hub, attracting $12 billion, or 53% of total regional investment. Germany followed with $3.5 billion (15%), while France drew $2.9 billion (12%). The Netherlands gained momentum through large early-stage rounds, including CuspAI’s $450 million Series B and General Intuition’s $320 million Series A.

Funding disparities persisted across leadership teams. Since 2023, European AI startups with at least one female founder accounted for 18% of completed deals but received 10% of total capital. Crunchbase forecasts continued activity, with 59% of more than 1,000 European AI startups funded since 2022 and raising $10 million or more expected to secure additional funding in the next 12 months.