SHANGHAI -- China's startups raised 46% less in January-September from a year earlier amid a soft economy, a worrisome trend that's driving young companies to find faster paths to profitability in order to stay afloat.
The sharp drop-off brought total startup fundraising to about $36 billion, according to research firm Shanghai DZH. It followed a 30% year-on-year decline from January to mid-June reported by Beijing-based technology news portal 36Kr.
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