Mike Blake/Reuters In Silicon Valley, "unicorn" is the buzzword of 2015. Above, a man wearing a unicorn mask takes a selfie.
Businesses aspiring to reach unicorn status, a private market valuation of at least $1 billion, are finding it harder to raise the capital needed for such a lofty aspiration.
In October, Business Insider reported that 1.3 "unicorn" companies have been created every week in 2015.
Unicorns have been helped along by mega-rounds of funding, valued at $100 million or more. In the past four month's 37 companies have raised $100 million mega-rounds.
Four
Their companies, Kabbage, Actifio, SimpliVity, and Thumbtack, have all reached $1+ billion valuations while focusing on distinctly different areas of technology.