Amid this long-lasting startup era, 2021 may go down as the peak venture capital year.

When The Exchange looked at global data for venture capital activity in 2021, we used words like “bonkers” and “record-setting.” Those might have been a little modest when we compare just how much the venture asset class has grown from comparatively humble beginnings. To put it into perspective, per CB Insights 2021 data, venture capital activity around the world was up around 4x since 2016, and 2021 more than doubled 2020’s record-setting result of just under $300 billion in total activity. Last year saw more than $620 billion invested in venture rounds, the data provider reports. READ MORE