Forbes has released its 2026 Next Billion-Dollar Startups list, compiled with TrueBridge Capital Partners, spotlighting venture-backed US companies valued under $1 billion that are seen as strong candidates to become unicorns. The franchise has a strong track record: roughly 60 percent of its 275 alumni have gone on to reach unicorn status, among them DoorDash and Duolingo, while only about 2 percent have failed.
Artificial intelligence is the defining theme of this year’s cohort, with nearly all 20 featured companies weaving AI into their products across sectors from creative design to national security. Almost half of last year’s picks have already crossed the $1 billion mark, underscoring the list’s predictive strength.
The featured companies span a striking range of ideas. Abby Care, valued at about $225 million, helps families become paid caregivers for disabled or elderly relatives using Medicaid funds, while Ossium Health, at roughly $300 million, runs what it describes as the world’s first bone marrow bank and has supported 28 successful transplants.
Others lean directly into AI’s frontier. Juicebox, valued near $850 million, offers an AI recruiting tool used by more than 5,000 customers, and Valthos, backed by OpenAI and the US Department of Defense, works to identify biological threats amplified by AI.
Source: Forbes.
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