Fueling the trend: the rise of unicorns and ever-larger deals for companies that are staying private longer. : Venture investment continues at the best pace since the dot-com boom, aided by the rise of unicorns and ever-larger deals for companies that are staying private longer.As a result, the amount of money invested at every stage is growing larger. Pre-seed—an even earlier stage of funding added on the front end—also is fueling the broader trend of companies raising larger rounds, according to Seattle-based researcher PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association.