AI Startups Secure Major Funding to Drive Innovation Across Sectors
Perplexity AI, Sophont, Clockwork, and Koi secure major funding to drive innovation across search, healthcare, compute infrastructure, and cybersecurity. With a combined investment of nearly $300 million, these companies are set to scale rapidly, enhance their AI solutions, and shape the future of technology across industries.
TL;DR
AI start ups have secured major funding to accelerate growth and innovation. Perplexity AI raised $200 million in its latest round, boosting its valuation to $20 billion. Sophont closed a $9.22 million pre-seed and seed round to advance its healthcare-focused multimodal AI solutions. Clockwork secured $20.6 million from investors including NEA, AMD, and Broadcom to enhance its AI compute infrastructure. Koi raised $48 million in a Series A round led by Battery Ventures and Team8, aiming to expand its AI-driven cybersecurity offerings. The combined funding across these four startups totals $277.8 million, highlighting strong investor confidence in AI innovation.
The artificial intelligence sector continues to attract significant investor attention, with startups raising substantial funds to accelerate growth and expand product offerings. Recent developments highlight four companies Perplexity AI, Sophont, Clockwork, and Koi that are securing capital to fuel innovation across search, healthcare, compute infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
Perplexity AI
Founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Perplexity AI is a San Francisco-based startup that has quickly positioned itself as a challenger to traditional search engines. Its platform delivers conversational, citation-backed answers, blending advanced natural language processing with verifiable responses.
On September 10, 2025, Perplexity AI closed a $200 million funding round, raising its valuation to $20 billion. The company plans to expand its AI browser, Comet, and pursue strategic acquisitions to broaden its product ecosystem. Despite its growth, Perplexity AI faces legal challenges from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, which allege unauthorized use of copyrighted content in AI-generated answers.
The start up’s funding comes at a time when conversational AI is reshaping how people access information, positioning Perplexity AI to redefine search behaviours while scaling its technology to handle growing demand.
Sophont
Sophont, based in Sacramento, California, was founded by 22-year-old Tanishq Abraham. The start up develops multimodal AI systems that integrate diverse medical data images, lab results, and patient histories to provide actionable insights for healthcare professionals. Its goal is to improve diagnostic accuracy and optimize patient outcomes.
On September 11, 2025, Sophont announced a $9.22 million pre-seed and seed funding round led by , with participation from and AI experts from The funds will accelerate product development, expand the team, and scale its technology for hospitals and clinics.
