Key Takeaways
- • Crunchbase counted 38 new unicorns in September 2026, bringing the 2026 year-to-date total to 311, on track for the second-most new unicorns created in a single year after 2021, when the count exceeded 600.
- • Hedge funds or their venture capital arms participated in seven of September's 38 new unicorn financings, with 21 of the new unicorns U.S.-based.
- • Tiger Cub Maverick Capital entities were the most active hedge fund participants, involved in four of the seven financings.
- • Notable rounds included a $500 million Series A for semiconductor manufacturer Fab2 at a $3.7 billion valuation, with Stan Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office participating.
- • Pershing Square co-led a $250 million Series D for Precision Neuroscience, which Crunchbase values at about $1 billion, though the company did not disclose a valuation.
Summary
According to Institutional Investor, citing Crunchbase data, September 2026 produced 38 new unicorns, pushing the year-to-date total to 311. Crunchbase data indicates 2026 is on track for the second-most new unicorns created in a year, trailing 2021, when more than 600 companies reached the threshold. Of September's new unicorns, 21 are U.S.-based, and hedge funds or their venture capital arms took part in seven of the financings, several of which were follow-on investments in earlier rounds.
Various entities of Tiger Cub Maverick Capital were the most active participants, appearing in four of the seven financings. Maverick Silicon, one of two Maverick venture arms focused on private companies, participated in the $500 million Series A of semiconductor manufacturer Fab2, formerly Atomic Semi, at a $3.7 billion valuation. Duquesne Family Office, the family office of Stan Druckenmiller, joined the same round. Maverick Silicon also took part in a $275 million Series C for Celero Communications, which develops coherent DSP technology for AI infrastructure and was valued at more than $3 billion, its third round in the company. In September, Maverick Silicon led a $165 million Series C for Lyte AI at a $1.6 billion valuation; Lyte designs custom silicon, multimodal sensors and spatial software for robotics.
Maverick Capital and Point72 Asset Management both participated in a $150 million Series C for SiMa.ai, a physical AI company, at a $1.45 billion valuation. Maverick's participation marked its third SiMa.ai round and Point72's second. Adage Capital Management and Jericho Capital Asset Management had invested in earlier financings.
Pershing Square, the Ackman Oxman Institute and an undisclosed life sciences investment fund co-led an oversubscribed $250 million Series D for Precision Neuroscience, a brain-computer interface company. Duquesne Family Office participated for a second time. Per Crunchbase, the round valued the company at about $1 billion, though Precision Neuroscience did not disclose a valuation in its press release.
Other deals included Tiger Global Management's participation in a $300 million Series B for Gimlet Labs, an AI cloud infrastructure company, at a $3 billion valuation, and a $114 million Series D for CADDi, an AI data platform for manufacturers, at a $1.2 billion valuation. Louis Bacon's Moore Strategic Ventures was among the CADDi participants.
Various entities of Tiger Cub Maverick Capital were the most active participants, appearing in four of the seven financings. Maverick Silicon, one of two Maverick venture arms focused on private companies, participated in the $500 million Series A of semiconductor manufacturer Fab2, formerly Atomic Semi, at a $3.7 billion valuation. Duquesne Family Office, the family office of Stan Druckenmiller, joined the same round. Maverick Silicon also took part in a $275 million Series C for Celero Communications, which develops coherent DSP technology for AI infrastructure and was valued at more than $3 billion, its third round in the company. In September, Maverick Silicon led a $165 million Series C for Lyte AI at a $1.6 billion valuation; Lyte designs custom silicon, multimodal sensors and spatial software for robotics.
Maverick Capital and Point72 Asset Management both participated in a $150 million Series C for SiMa.ai, a physical AI company, at a $1.45 billion valuation. Maverick's participation marked its third SiMa.ai round and Point72's second. Adage Capital Management and Jericho Capital Asset Management had invested in earlier financings.
Pershing Square, the Ackman Oxman Institute and an undisclosed life sciences investment fund co-led an oversubscribed $250 million Series D for Precision Neuroscience, a brain-computer interface company. Duquesne Family Office participated for a second time. Per Crunchbase, the round valued the company at about $1 billion, though Precision Neuroscience did not disclose a valuation in its press release.
Other deals included Tiger Global Management's participation in a $300 million Series B for Gimlet Labs, an AI cloud infrastructure company, at a $3 billion valuation, and a $114 million Series D for CADDi, an AI data platform for manufacturers, at a $1.2 billion valuation. Louis Bacon's Moore Strategic Ventures was among the CADDi participants.
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