"February's headline number was lifted considerably by four rounds of $200M or more - Vestwell ($385M), Runway ($315M), Talkiatry ($210M), and Whop ($200M) - that collectively contributed $1.11B to the monthly total. The 50.6% capital increase over January despite a 32.7% drop in deal count tells a clear story: fewer, larger rounds defined February."
"January's 113-deal month spread $1.68B relatively broadly, with an average deal size of $14.9M; February's 76 deals averaged $33.3M - more than double January's figure and a reflection of how decisively late-stage activity shifted the mix. Beyond these marquee rounds, deal flow remained healthy across Series A and Series B stages, with 33 rounds between those tiers raising $870M combined."
"The fintech sector had an outstanding month, paced by Vestwell's $385M late-stage round, the largest NYC deal of the month, as the workplace savings platform continued scaling its retirement infrastructure business. The creative AI segment also stood out: Runway's $315M raise reinforced New York's position as a global center of gravity for generative video AI."
New York City's startup ecosystem achieved exceptional fundraising in February 2026, raising $2.53 billion across 76 deals. This represented a dramatic 180.9% surge compared to February 2025's $901 million and a 50.6% month-over-month increase from January 2026. The growth was driven primarily by four mega-rounds exceeding $200 million each: Vestwell ($385M), Runway ($315M), Talkiatry ($210M), and Whop ($200M), collectively contributing $1.11 billion. Despite a 32.7% drop in deal count from January, average deal size doubled to $33.3 million, reflecting a shift toward late-stage activity. Fintech and creative AI sectors led performance, with Vestwell dominating as the month's largest deal and Runway reinforcing New York's position in generative video AI. Series A and B rounds remained healthy, raising $870 million combined across 33 deals.
Read at Alleywatch
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