Seed funding hits a 4-year low
Financial Express Kochi|December 24, 2024
DESPITE A MODEST recovery in startup funding this year, seed-stage investments remain in a slump, hitting their lowest since 2020.
AYANTI BERA

The number of seed funding rounds plummeted 40% to 925 in 2024, down from 1,545 last year, according to Tracxn data. The total raised also shrank 22%, barely crossing $971 million. The lowest before this was in 2019, when funding stood at $814 million. The dip reflects a growing investor hesitancy to back untested business models. First-time funding rounds fell 40% to 393 startups this year, compared to 665 in 2023.

While funding rounds have declined across the board, the drop has been steeper at the seed stage. Early-stage and late-stage rounds saw smaller declines of about 8%. However, late-stage funding bucked the trend, climbing 22% to $7.13 billion. Early-stage funding also edged up 2% to $3.16 billion. Overall, startup funding in 2024 rose 6% year-on-year to $11.3 billion.

This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of Financial Express Kochi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of Financial Express Kochi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FINANCIAL EXPRESS KOCHIView All
Financial Express Kochi

Chinese Dam on Table for Sullivan's India Visit

AI, civilian nuclear cooperation, space may also be taken up

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Microsoft to spend $80 billion on AI data centers this year

MICROSOFT CORP PLANS to spend $80 billion this fiscal year building out data centers, underscoring the intense capital requirements of artificial intelligence.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Mike Johnson Re-elected US House Speaker

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN Mike Johnson on Friday was re-elected as Speaker of the US House of Representatives with a narrow victory margin of three votes.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

S Korea investigators ask acting prez to clear way for Yoon's arrest

SOUTH KOREAN INVESTIGATORS again asked the country's acting president on Saturday to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

No jail time for Trump, suggests judge in US hush money case

Will keep fighting, says communications director Cheung

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Rohit clears the air: Not going anywhere

Says those on outside can't influence when he stops playing

time-read
2 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: As Bumrah leaves, 'captain' Kohli calls the shots

Kohli took charge after Bumrah left bowling due to spasm

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Worrying signs from the Arctic

Scientists say fires in the region could have major consequences

time-read
2 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Introspection needed in the media

attention is paid to these two things that we seem never to get to the issues that really affect ordinary people like healthcare, education, pollution and the horrendous conditions in which most Indians are forced to live.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Kochi

Dr Manmohan Singh, RIP

Few people realise that without Dr Manmohan Singh's unequivocal support the major signature programmes of the UPA could not have been launched or implemented

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025