As the global AI race heats up, a growing share of AI funding is being funneled into a few dominant tech ecosystems.
This map, via Visual Capitalist's Kayla Zhu, visualizes the top 10 regions with the highest share of venture funding in the ecosystem that went to AI-native companies.
The data comes from Startup Genome, with data covering 2023 and 2024 funding.
AI-native companies are defined by Startup Genome as companies that build cutting-edge generative AI models and deploy AI agents that automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation.
Top Cities by AI Funding
Below, we show the top 10 regions with the highest AI funding concentration.
Beijing’s startup investors are placing their biggest bets on AI, dedicating more funding to the growing sector than anywhere else.
The Chinese capital now leads the world in AI deal concentration, with 66% of its ecosystem’s startup funding directed toward AI-native companies—just edging out Silicon Valley at 62%.
Yet in absolute terms, Silicon Valley remains the dominant global hub.
It attracts over 65% of all AI-native funding worldwide—double its share of overall tech funding, which stands at 32.2%.
Together, the “AI Big Three”—Silicon Valley, Beijing (10% of global AI-native funding), and Paris (4.3%)—account for a staggering 79.4% of all AI-native investment across the top 40 global startup ecosystems. The remaining 20.6% is split among all other ecosystems.
Beijing has quickly emerged as a magnet for AI investment, with major local startups like Baichuan AI, Zhipu AI, Moonshot AI, and Shengshu Technology collectively raising billions from tech giants and government-backed funds to advance AI models and tools.
In terms of top hubs by AI deal concentration, both Asia and North America boast four cities each in the global top 10 for AI funding, underscoring the regions’ aggressive push in the sector.
Meanwhile, some traditional tech powerhouses like New York and Seattle are falling behind in the AI race.
Only 14% and 15% of their venture funding, respectively, is going toward AI-native startups.
To learn about the global AI race from a different perspective, check out this graphic that compares who’s winning the AI patent race.
