Perplexity AI is Launching a $50 Million Venture Fund to Fuel Early-Stage AI Startups

Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, and Perplexity AI, a rising player in the AI-powered search engine space, is making big moves. The company is gearing up to launch a $50 million venture fund focused on supporting early-stage AI startups, as first reported by CNBC.

What’s the Deal with Perplexity’s AI Fund?

Perplexity AI is not just another AI startup; it's on a mission to reshape how we search for information. Now, it’s taking things up a notch by investing in the next generation of AI innovators. While Perplexity will be an anchor investor in the fund, the majority of the capital is coming from external limited partners.

Two experienced investors—Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko—are set to lead the fund. They previously ran F7 Ventures, an early-stage investment firm. According to an October filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, this fund, named Perplexity F7 Fund I, is officially aiming to raise $50 million.

Why is Perplexity AI Doing This?

Perplexity AI is right in the middle of the generative AI boom, competing with tech giants like Google. Last November, CNBC reported that the company was finalizing a massive $500 million funding round at a valuation of $9 billion, backed by big names like SoftBank, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos.

The company also recently made headlines with its bid to merge with TikTok U.S. as the social media platform faces possible regulatory hurdles in the U.S.

A Smart Investing Strategy

One of Perplexity’s unique advantages is its visibility into the AI developer ecosystem. With over 80,000 developers actively using its API, the company has insight into which startups are leveraging AI in innovative ways. This means Perplexity isn’t just betting on AI startups—it’s investing in teams and technologies it has already seen in action.

The company’s leadership and investors are also personally backing the fund, with some commitments coming in the form of stock, showing their strong belief in the AI startup ecosystem.

The AI Investment Boom

AI is attracting more venture capital than ever before. In 2024, 42% of all U.S. venture capital investments went into AI startups, up from 36% in 2023 and just 22% in 2022, according to HSBC Innovation Banking.

HSBC’s U.S. Innovation Banking Head, Dave Sabow, described this shift as the dawn of “The Agentic Age,” where autonomous AI fundamentally changes how we work, communicate, and interact with technology.

The momentum is undeniable—AI startups are raising billions. Just recently:

• Figure, a robotics company building humanoid robots for home and business, was in talks to raise $1.5 billion.
• Lambda, a cloud AI startup, raised $480 million to develop AI infrastructure for developers.
• Together.ai, which focuses on open-source AI models and training, secured $305 million in Series B funding.

Final Thoughts

Perplexity AI’s new venture fund signals confidence in AI’s future and a commitment to nurturing early-stage innovators. As more investors back AI startups, the industry is set to grow at an unprecedented pace. If you're an AI entrepreneur looking for funding, this might be an opportunity worth exploring.

Stay tuned—AI is just getting started!