Startup Database Funding Trends: Where Will We See Tomorrow's Best Startup Companies?

In 2017, we analyzed startup data from 17,459 funding rounds across the U.S. and what we found might surprise you. Learn which cities, states, and industries were on track for growth.

When startups raise money from investors for a stake in their company, filings must be made with the United States Securities & Exchange Commission.

At Fundz, we created a powerful database of recently funded startups that collects all Series A Funding and other funding rounds & combines it with other relevant information, with the goal of creating one of the best startup databases for B2B sales leads, identifying sales trigger events and keeping up with vc news. If you're interested in compiling a list of startup companies, our web app makes it easy for anyone to quickly customize, search and export startup data from our b2b sales leads database, plus save favorites and notes.

One of the benefits of having all of the information in one place is the ability to create insightful, private placement reports on industries, locations, as well as the status of the overall startup funding environment in the U.S.  (Here are some startup funding database resources.)

The following is a comprehensive, interactive set of reports obtained from all non-investment fund related SEC Form D filings, between June 16, 2015 and May 5, 2017.

Quick Facts:

• California has more startup fundings than the next 3 states combined.
• The 3 cities with the greatest amount of tech funding in order are: New York, San Francisco, and Boston.
• Smaller cities Austin, Plano and San Mateo are getting a large amount startup funding despite being smaller cities.
• Tech startup funding is being led by health-related industries: healthcare, biotech, and pharmaceuticals.

Tech Startup Funding Trends by Zip Code

Hover over the map to see exact funding amounts according to each zip code.

Tech Startup Fundings by Zip Codes in the U.S.

The Top 10 Cities for Startup Funding

With startup funding numbers running into the billions, New York, San Francisco, and Boston lead the pack.  After these 3 cities we see a significant drop in fundings across all other cities.

Top 10 States for Startup Funding

Since California is home to Silicon Valley, it should come as no surprise that it takes the number one spot, especially with a vast number of Angel investors and venture capital firms. However, you may be surprised at what other states round out the list.

For startups looking to secure funds where investors are, head to the startup juggernaut otherwise known as California.

Startup Funding Per Person In Each State

In order to normalize for the inherent bias towards states with larger populations and big cities, we broke down the numbers and calculated startup funding per person in each state by dividing total money raised by the state’s population.

A logical hypothesis would be that states with more residents and densely populated cities would also have the most dollars raised per person. In general, the numbers prove this theory correct. The same states continue to dominate, but there are also some surprises, such as Colorado, Connecticut and Oklahoma.

Tech vs Non-Tech Startup Fundings by City

Compare the popularity of technology startup funding (in blue) vs. non-tech startup fundings (in red) The size of the circle corresponds to the amount of funding raised. Hover over the circles for additional comparison details.

With just a quick glance, you can see that while tech startups dominate in some major cities, a large portion of the rest of the country is pursuing startup projects outside of the technology sector.

Tech vs Non-Tech Startup Fundings in US Cities

Tech vs Non-Tech: Who's Getting More Funding Dollars?

This graph highlights the fact that non-tech related startups are receiving billions of dollars more in investments.

Keep in mind that the comparison highlighted above is between tech companies and all other industries. Considering that fact, it is actually quite impressive that tech startups are commanding such a large portion of investment funds.

Tech vs Non-Tech: Who's Getting More Funding Deals Done?

While non-tech companies may be receiving more funding dollars overall, the number of tech companies who are closing deals is higher.

As you can see, roughly 1,500 more deals have been sealed with tech related startups.

Tech Industry Funding Breakdown

Take a look at which industries within technology are getting the most funding.

All Industry Funding Breakdown

Compare the proportions of which industries are getting the most funding.

Startup Funding By Industry

See a detailed graph that shows who is receiving the most funding and other important trends.

Click on an industry below!

Startup Funding: Industries by Quarter

Compare quarterly numbers from the last two years to find industry related trends.

Quarterly Fundings by Industry

Could Pennsylvania Be The Next Silicon Valley?

When we first launched the the Fundz app and started collecting data, we assumed that we would see an impressive amount of funding going to tech related startups. While our assumption turned out to be correct, we were still amazed to see just how much money is being fed into recently funded startups in the technology category. We were also pleasantly surprised to learn just how much innovation is happening outside of what are considered traditional startup incubators.

The findings show that for entrepreneurs looking for the right place to put down roots and build their empire, location can be key. Certain cities are clearly more friendly to startups and provide access to support and resources, including funding. As you might imagine, Mountain View California, Boston and NYC rank among the biggest hubs for startups and provide the most funding, but that doesn’t mean they are the best choice for every company.

Based on two year’s worth of data, there are plenty of cities, both big and small, that offer opportunities for tech startup funding that may have been overlooked in the past. As significant funding continues to pour into tech startups, we are bound to see states like Virginia , Pennsylvania and New Jersey become bigger players on the tech landscape.

Why It Matters

Taking a closer look as the numbers reveal several patterns that include:

• California has more startup fundings than the next 3 states combined.
• The San Francisco area, Boston and NYC will continue to be important locations for startup funding.
• Smaller cities such as Austin, Plano and San Mateo are gaining traction in the area of startup funding.
• Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Colorado account for the top three states for startup funding dollar amount raised per person.
• The fact that non-tech startups have raised more money is misleading because this comparison pits tech companies against the combined funds of all other industries.
• Despite rapid technology growth, traditional industries such as manufacturing and oil & gas are also demonstrating great potential for startups.

For news organizations and publications looking to attract thought leaders and be at the forefront of reporting, this is exactly the kind of cutting-edge information and analysis that it takes to beat out the competition.

Data Source and Study Details

Special Thanks

A special thanks to the team for making this data visualization possible:

• John Dukes
• Jared Kendall
• Beatrice Jin
• Sure Oak

Fair Use

Our interactive visuals are designed to provide an easy way to interpret the data we have gathered. All of the information, including the graphics, are free to use. We grant permission to repost any images. In return, we ask that you provide fundz.net with the proper linking attribution so that readers can learn more about our project.