United States

Silicon Valley

#1

Global Startup Ecosystem

#1

Global Ecosystem in Performance

#1

Global Ecosystem in Funding

#1

Global Ecosystem in Talent & Experience
Silicon Valley remains the global epicenter of innovation, where world-class talent, abundant capital, and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial culture continuously drive groundbreaking technologies and shape the future of global startups.

Highlights

Silicon Valley boasts a dynamic startup ecosystem, bustling with entrepreneurs, investors, and accelerators. In 2024, Bay Area startups attracted $90 billion in venture capital, accounting for 57% of the $178 billion invested in U.S. startups that year. The venture capital landscape in 2024 indicated a concentration of capital in later stages, mega-funds, and AI, primarily in Silicon Valley, suggesting a strategic focus on mature startups with significant growth potential. Q4 2024 saw Silicon Valley unicorns raise $26.66 billion across 31 funding rounds.

European entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to Silicon Valley for scaling opportunities backed by high capital, mentorship, and global networks. In October 2024, VC firm General Catalyst secured $8 billion to enhance its global presence, $1.5 billion of which was designated for launching new startups. London-launched startup 11x AI relocated its operations to Silicon Valley to access a larger pool of talent and capital, later raising a $24 million Series A.

In December, tech companies such as Palantir, Anduril, SpaceX, and OpenAI formed alliances to secure U.S. defense contracts, aiming to modernize the defense industry with advanced technologies. This collaboration seeks to challenge traditional defense contractors by leveraging Silicon Valley's innovative capabilities. Silicon Valley-based Skydio develops autonomous drones for military and civilian use, backed by $740 million in VC funding.

Pacific Fusion is a Silicon Valley startup aiming to develop commercial fusion power plants by the 2030s. The company has secured $900 million in funding, reflecting significant interest in clean energy solutions.

Ecosystem by the Numbers

ECOSYSTEM VALUE

A measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations from H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$1.8 TN
GLOBAL AVG. $20.4 bn

NUMBER OF UNICORNS 

The number of startups that meet our definition and have been valued at more than $1 billion and have not exited.
(ACTIVE UNICORNS)
337
GLOBAL AVG. 4

SOFT. ENGINEER SALARY

Average software engineer salary informed by data from Glassdoor, Salary.com, and PayScale, as well as local sources when available.
(2024)
$156 K
GLOBAL AVG. $52 K

TIME TO EXIT

The average age at the time of exit in the ecosystem in 2020–2024.
(2020 - 2024)
8.5 YEARS
GLOBAL AVG. 11.2 years

TOTAL EARLY–STAGE FUNDING

The total seed and Series A funding in tech startups in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$31 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $514.8 m

MEDIAN SEED ROUND

The median of seed rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 - 2024)
$2.1 M
GLOBAL AVG. $889 k

EARLY-STAGE FUNDING
GROWTH

Early-stage funding growth is based on number of seed and Series A rounds raised between 2021-20222 vs. 2023-2024 and calculated on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
(2021 - 22 VS. 2023 - 24)
6
Scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest)

EXIT AMOUNT

The total value of exits from the ecosystem.
(2020 - 2024)
$701 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $8 bn

ECOSYSTEM VALUE GROWTH

Ecosystem Value growth (CAGR) is calculated based on companies founded in the ecosystem in H2 2020–H2 2022 vs. H2 2022–H2 2024.
(H2 2020 - H2 2022 VS H2 2022 - H2 2024)
-15%
GLOBAL AVG. -14%

MEDIAN SERIES A ROUND 

The median of Series A rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2022–2024.
(H2 2022 – 2024)
$12 M
GLOBAL AVG. $6.8 m

TOTAL VC FUNDING

The total VC funding (seed, Series A, Series B+) in tech startups in H2 2022–2024.
(2020 - 2024)
$359 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $5.2 bn

EXIT COUNT (#)

The number of exits from the ecosystem.
(2020 - 2024)
1937
419
2020
549
2021
385
2022
301
2023
283
2024
GLOBAL AVG. 86

Sub-Sector Strengths

Life Sciences
Life Sciences

In November 2024, Axos Bank launched its Technology & Life Sciences Banking Division in Silicon Valley, which aims to provide specialized financial services to Life Sciences companies. In October 2024, Silicon Valley-based functional genomics startup MEDiC Life Sciences secured $5 million from LG and Hanmi Pharmaceutical to advance its cancer biomarker discovery technology. In December 2024, venture firm Dimension raised $500 million for its second Life Sciences fund which aims to support startups in drug discovery and related fields.

Fintech
Fintech

In 2024, AI-native Fintechs delivered 4.0x value per dollar invested, outperforming legacy firms integrating AI, which saw 2.7x returns. Silicon Valley remains a magnet for global Fintechs, with Canada’s interVal joining the FinTech Canadian Technology Accelerator in 2024 to support its U.S. expansion. New York-based Ramp, backed by Peter Thiel, doubled its valuation to $13 billion. Its AI-driven growth pushed annual revenue to $700 million. Fintech startup Corpay received over $46 million in investments, facilitating its global expansion through the launch of multicurrency accounts.

AI, Big Data & Analytics
AI, Big Data & Analytics

Silicon Valley has witnessed significant AI investments, such as AI-powered search engine Perplexity’s $500 million December 2024 Series D round. OpenAI and Databricks raised $6.6 billion and $10 billion, respectively, in late 2024.  In February 2025, Striim, Inc., specializing in real-time data integration and analytics, moved its corporate headquarters to downtown Palo Alto. This relocation aims to foster AI-driven innovation and growth within the heart of Silicon Valley.

Reasons to Move Your Startup to Silicon Valley

Skilled Talent

The Bay Area remains home to the highest concentration of skilled tech professionals in the country, hosting approximately 49% of all U.S. Big Tech engineers and 27% of all startup engineers. Silicon Valley is prioritizing skills over degrees, with IBM, Google, GM, and Apple dropping degree requirements for tech roles. Programs like Peter Thiel’s $100,000 grant further support non-traditional career paths by offering mentorship to dropouts.

Networking Opportunities

Silicon Valley's dynamic hub of visionary entrepreneurs and innovators fosters unparalleled networking, collaboration, and bold idea exchange, creating an inspiring ecosystem that fuels groundbreaking ventures. Silicon Valley hosts a myriad of events throughout the year to gather key ecosystem players, startups and investors, including the FusionXInvest:Global event that gathers the fusion energy sector and a broad spectrum of the global investment community, facilitating connections between innovators and investors. 

Legal & Financial Support

As the leading global startup hub, Silicon Valley provides businesses with streamlined laws, policies, and regulations to protect their interests and intellectual property. This substantial funding landscape offers entrepreneurs exceptional opportunities to secure capital for growth and innovation. The California Competes Tax Credit offers income tax credits to businesses expanding or relocating in California, aiming to attract and retain high-value employers in tech and innovation.

Work with us

If you are interested in working with us to drive global attention to your ecosystem, please get in touch with Marina Krizman, Director of Business Development.

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