Funding & Business
Anthropic nears $2 billion funding round, valuing AI startup at $60 billion: Report
AI startup Anthropic is reportedly close to securing $2 billion in additional funding, bringing its valuation to a staggering $60 billion, sources familiar with the matter have revealed. This comes just months after the company raised $4 billion in funding from Amazon, cementing its role as a formidable competitor to OpenAI in the foundation model sector.
The latest funding round is being led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, according to sources who requested anonymity. If completed, the round would bring Anthropic’s total funding to $6 billion, marking a dramatic leap from its $18 billion valuation during a previous round led by Menlo Ventures.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the funding news on Tuesday.
Amazon significantly increased its stake in Anthropic last year, committing $8 billion to the startup as part of its broader strategy to compete with Big Tech rivals in generative AI. The latest $4 billion from Amazon, issued in convertible notes, will transition into equity in the ongoing funding round.
Alphabet also invested heavily in the startup, providing $2 billion in 2023. These investments highlight the growing interest from tech giants in foundation models, which power generative AI technologies.
Co-founded by siblings and former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei, Anthropic develops large language models that require vast computational resources and top-tier talent. The company reported annualised revenue of approximately $875 million, driven by direct sales of its models and partnerships with third-party cloud services, including Amazon Web Services.
Anthropic’s meteoric rise mirrors the broader surge in the AI industry. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, ignited an AI boom with the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. The company’s rapid growth and innovative offerings have pushed its valuation to an estimated $157 billion following a $6.6 billion funding round in October 2024.
Venture capital investment in AI startups has soared, with companies like Anthropic and xAI accounting for nearly half of all venture capital raised in the U.S. last year, according to PitchBook data.
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