Perplexity AI emblem is seen on this illustration taken January 4, 2024.
Dado Ruvic | Reuters
Perplexity AI, the developer of a preferred synthetic intelligence search engine, is near elevating a $50 million enterprise fund targeted on early-stage AI startups, CNBC has discovered.
The corporate will likely be an anchor investor within the fund, however a lot of the capital is coming from exterior restricted companions, in keeping with an individual accustomed to the matter who requested to not be named as a result of the knowledge is confidential.
The 2 normal companions of the fund are additionally coming from elsewhere. They’re Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko, who’ve been working early-stage fund f7 Ventures, the particular person mentioned. In keeping with a submitting with the SEC from October, Perplexity F7 Fund I had filed to boost $50 million. Graziadei and Shevelenko are named as the 2 normal companions.
Perplexity has been in the midst of the generative AI increase that started in late 2022 with the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. CNBC reported in November that the corporate was within the remaining levels of elevating $500 million in funding at a $9 billion valuation. Perplexity is considered as a possible competitor to Google as extra customers flip to AI to seek for info on-line.
Final month, Perplexity additionally made a bid to merge with TikTok U.S. because the social media platform faces a possible U.S. shutdown.
The corporate sees a possible investing benefit relating to startups as a result of roughly 80,000 builders are plugged into its community, so Perplexity will get visibility into who’s utilizing its software programming interface (API) and who’s most lively of their consumption, the particular person mentioned.
Perplexity’s founders and buyers are placing cash into the fund, and a few of the firm’s dedication is within the type of inventory, the supply mentioned.
— CNBC’s Samantha Subin contributed to this report.
