Some Unicorns Are In A Funding Drought, And Black-Founded Startups Lose Ground

[Crunchbase News]( March 2, 2024 [1]( [A Growing List Of Unicorns Haven’t Raised Funding For 3-Plus Years]( Using Crunchbase data, we identified a sample set of 28 private companies that have a peak valuation of $1 billion or more but haven’t raised a round for years. Most closed their last round between three and four years ago. [Unicorn Funding Drought →]( [2]( [Drop In Venture Funding To Black-Founded Startups Greatly Outpaces Market Decline]( Venture funding to Black-founded U.S. startups last year totaled only $705 million — marking the first time since 2016 that the figure failed to even reach $1 billion, Crunchbase data shows. [Forgotten Founders →]( [3]( [Why VCs Are Betting Robots Will Help Build Your Next Home]( Amid a period of widespread construction labor shortages and rising building costs, investors have poured hundreds of millions into startups at the intersection of construction and robotics, Crunchbase data shows. [Robot Homebuilders →]( [4]( [Tech Layoffs Stay High As Extended Runways Reach Their Limit]( After tailing off a bit in December, job cuts picked up again in January, per the Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker. February also brought a high number of mass layoffs, with both large-cap tech companies and startups reducing staff. [Continuing Layoffs →]( [5]( [Celebrity Crypto Backers Hit Pause On Startup Deals]( We used Crunchbase data to compare the investments of several of the most famous names associated with crypto, looking at funds provided by the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Curry, Naomi Osaka and Tom Brady. [Celebrities Step Back →]( [6]( [Report: Analysis of the Media, Entertainment, and Gaming Industry]( Between The Eras Tour and Barbenheimer, 2023 was a big year for consumers. Still, venture funding for the media, entertainment, and gaming industry declined. Discover the highs — and lows — of the sector as we break down the data. [MEG Report →]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( | [View in Browser]( | [Unsubscribe]( Crunchbase, Inc. 564 Market Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94104