AI crushes startup valuations for pre-ChatGPT companies

This article was published on June 1, 2026 More than 220 former unicorns have lost their billion-dollar status as venture capital concentrates in a handful of AI giants, leaving pre-2023 startups stranded between inflated valuations and a market that has moved on TL;DRMore than 220 former unicorns have lost their billion-dollar valuations as the AI boom redirects venture capital toward a handful of companies. PitchBook data shows startups that last raised in 2021 are worth 68% less on average, with SaaS firms the largest casualty class. More than 220 former unicorns have lost their billion-dollar valuations as the AI boom redirects venture capital toward a handful of companies. PitchBook data shows startups that last raised in 2021 are worth 68% less on average, with SaaS firms the largest casualty class. The AI boom has created a two-speed startup economy. Companies building on generative AI are raising at historically unprecedented valuations, while startups that last raised capital before ChatGPT launched in November 2022 are watching their worth collapse. According to PitchBook valuation estimates, more than 220 companies that once held billion-dollar valuations have now fallen