The 30 early-stage startups in 2026 most likely to become tech's next unicorns

San Francisco-based venture capital firm TRAC has utilized a proprietary AI model to identify 30 early-stage startups most likely to achieve unicorn status – a valuation exceeding $1 billion. This list, updated for 2026, builds upon TRAC’s previous success in identifying Harvey and Kalshi, which have since become $11 billion companies. The model, dubbed “Moneyball for venture capital,” focuses on identifying companies *unlikely* to fail and prioritizes those backed by 286 top investors, as these investors demonstrate a strong track record of success.

TRAC’s approach differs from traditional venture capital, which often relies on instinct and insider access. The firm’s AI analyzes over 30 sources of public and private data, finding that founder backgrounds are less predictive of success than the quality of investors. While the algorithm’s accuracy is still being evaluated over the long term, TRAC estimates a one-in-five probability of these startups becoming unicorns.

The report also notes a growing challenge for investors: identifying promising startups is becoming easier with AI, but securing investment allocation in these high-growth companies is increasingly competitive, with investor demand often exceeding available funding by a factor of 10x. The list includes companies like Allara (women's health), Anara (AI-powered research), Blueprint (AI for mental health), and many others spanning diverse sectors like AI, healthcare, and space tech.

(Source：Insider)