[STARTUPS]

ACCEL RAISES $5B FOR LATE-STAGE STARTUPS

AI DESKWED, APR 15, 2026

Venture capital firm Accel closed a $5B fundraising round, bringing its assets under management to $36B. The new capital includes a $4B Leaders fund for large checks to late-stage startups globally and a $650M sidecar fund.

Accel's latest raise reflects growing investor appetite for backing mature private companies. The $4B Leaders fund targets late-stage startups worldwide, enabling larger check sizes as companies extend their private fundraising timelines. The $650M sidecar fund allows Accel's existing investors additional opportunities to participate in select investments, a common structure among mega-fund managers. Accel has backed AI companies including Anthropic, Cursor, and Perplexity, positioning itself at the center of the generative AI investment boom. The firm's expanded capital base signals confidence in its ability to deploy across multiple growth stages and geographies. The fundraising adds Accel to a growing list of venture firms raising massive funds for late-stage investments, as traditional IPO and M&A exit windows narrow for private companies.

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