Vertical #AI Is Where the White Space Lives. #entrepreneur #technology #tech #startup #data #founder

AI captured $355.9 billion in US venture deal value in the first half of 2026, accounting for 86% of all venture dollars. Much of that capital is concentrating among a relatively small number of companies, while further up the stack, we're seeing more activity move toward vertical AI. There’s a structural reason for that. Building horizontally means managing more contexts, stakeholders, and use cases. A vertically oriented company can narrow that surface area and build much more specifically around the workflows and context of a particular domain. That’s creating activity across a wide range of markets, from legal and accounting to healthcare, life sciences, financial services, real estate, manufacturing, logistics, and energy. The question is how that domain specificity translates into durable market share as these categories mature. @pitchbook EVP of Research & Market Intelligence Nizar Tarhuni joined Madrona Partner Sabrina Albert during Seattle Tech Week to discuss where capital is concentrating across the AI stack, what’s happening with valuations and financing structures, and how much the data can tell us about whether we’re in an AI bubble. The full conversation is now available on Founded & Funded.