Fundraising for pre-seed companies stayed robust in Q1 2024, dominated by SAFEs and convertible notes; valuation caps remained flat.

The median venture round size increased at every stage from seed to Series C during Q1 2024, a welcome development for cash-hungry startups.

An increasing number of seed-stage rounds are extension financings, or bridge rounds.

Valuations and round sizes rose at most stages in Q1 2024.

Headcount contracted across the startup ecosystem as companies continue to adjust compensation strategies in response to economic headwinds.

Median seed valuations trended up in Q4 in the healthtech, consumer, and fintech sectors. In other key metrics, the numbers weren’t so rosy.