Startup Unicorn History and Growth
The term “unicorn” was first coined by venture capitalist Aileen Lee in 2013 to describe privately held startups with a valuation of $1 billion or more. Since then, the number of unicorns has skyrocketed, with new ones being created at a rapid pace. In this blog post, we will explore the rise of unicorns, how many are created per year, how much they have raised, and how they are distributed across different industries.
The Rise of Unicorns
According to CB Insights, there are currently over 600 unicorns worldwide, with a total valuation of over $2 trillion. The number of unicorns has grown significantly in recent years, with more than 100 new unicorns created in 2021 alone. This represents a significant increase from just a few years ago when there were only a handful of unicorns in existence.
Number of Unicorns per Year
The number of unicorns created each year has been steadily increasing since the term was first coined in 2013. In 2021 alone, there were more than 100 new unicorns created, compared to just 7 in 2013. The chart below shows the number of unicorns created per year since 2013.
Unicorns have also been raising larger amounts of funding in recent years. In 2020, unicorns raised a total of $147.3 billion in funding, compared to $87.3 billion in 2019. The chart below shows the total amount of funding raised by unicorns each year since 2015.
Unicorns are not evenly distributed across different industries. According to CB Insights, the top industries for unicorns are e-commerce, followed by fintech and transportation. The chart below shows the distribution of unicorns by industry as of 2021.
The rise of unicorns has been one of the most significant trends in the startup world in recent years. With over 600 unicorns worldwide and more being created every year, it is clear that these companies are here to stay. While unicorns are not evenly distributed across different industries, they have the potential to disrupt and transform a wide range of sectors. As such, investors and entrepreneurs alike will continue to keep a close eye on the unicorn landscape for years to come.
(Data only goes to Sept 2021)
