Exits for corporate-backed startups reached their highest monthly count since January 2024, even as total value halved from April, pointing to weaker average returns.
May has been a mixed month in terms of exits for corporate-backed startups. With 96 exits recorded, it was the highest number by far for 2026 and the highest since January 2024, according to GCV data.
But the value of these exits stands at $8bn – down by 50% since April’s $16bn from 61 exits. There may have been a higher number of exits, but their average value was comparatively low.
Interestingly, a look at the year-on-year growth for May shows an increase of about 50% in both the number and value of exits between 2025 and 2026 – a positive sign. But this changes when a comparison is made between May 2024 and 2026.
Oishani Mitra
Oishani Mitra is the content manager for Global Corporate Venturing.
