A spate of billion-dollar acquisitions pushed up the dollar value of exits in August to the third-highest figure recorded in 2026 thus far.
Exits for corporate-backed startups saw a sharp spike in August thanks to three large billion-dollar acquisitions that bumped up the total disclosed dollar value for the month to $84bn. This was a 1,100% increase from the same month last year, and a sharp contrast with the dip in exits typically seen in August.
It also makes August’s total exit value the third-highest figure recorded in 2026 thus far.
The number of exits, however, was low with only 51 liquidity events. This was the lowest number of exits since August 2025, and a 45.7% decrease from July.
The decrease is likely a result of the general slowdown observed during summer as opposed to an indication of the exits market narrowing down for corporate investors seeking financial returns.
Oishani Mitra
Oishani Mitra is the content manager for Global Corporate Venturing.
