Startup funding by sector (bar chart)

The bar chart compares the amount of venture capital funding, in billions of US dollars, raised by startups in five sectors in 2016 and 2021.

All five sectors received more funding in 2021 than in 2016. The most dramatic change was in AI, which jumped from only $8 billion in 2016 to $60 billion in 2021, making it the top sector by the end. Fintech also grew strongly, from $15 billion to $55 billion.

E-commerce was the largest sector in 2016 with $25 billion, and it increased to $40 billion in 2021. Healthtech rose from $10 billion to $30 billion, while edtech received the least funding in both years, growing only slightly from $4 billion to $12 billion.

Overall, funding increased across every sector, but AI and fintech saw by far the biggest rises, overtaking e-commerce, which had led the field in 2016.

The bar chart compares the amount of venture capital funding, in billions of US dollars, raised by startups in five sectors - fintech, healthtech, e-commerce, AI and edtech - in 2016 and 2021.

Overall, funding grew across all five sectors over the period. E-commerce attracted the most investment in 2016, but by 2021 it had been overtaken, with AI showing by far the steepest increase to become the best-funded sector.

In 2016, e-commerce led with 25 billion dollars, followed by fintech at 15 billion and healthtech at 10 billion. AI and edtech were the smallest sectors, receiving just 8 billion and 4 billion respectively. Five years later, the picture had changed markedly: AI funding had soared to 60 billion, a more than sevenfold rise, taking it to the top of the ranking.

Fintech also expanded strongly to 55 billion, moving into second place, while e-commerce grew more modestly from 25 to 40 billion. Healthtech reached 30 billion, and edtech, though it tripled to 12 billion, remained the smallest sector in both years.