Anthropic, a startup known for its GenAI chatbot Claude, was valued at around $18 billion after a fundraise led by Menlo Ventures in 2024. The company, co-founded by Dario and Daniela Amodei, had previously received investments from Amazon.com, which doubled its stake to $8 billion, and Alphabet, which invested $500 million with plans for an additional $1.5 billion. This investment comes as the tech industry is racing to capitalize on generative artificial intelligence technology, following the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2022.
https://channelnewsasia.com/business/anthropic-raise-2-billion-deal-valuing-ai-startup-60-billion-wsj-says-4843691US venture capital funding has recovered from market lows, with AI startups driving a significant portion of the growth. According to PitchBook data, total capital raised by AI companies in 2024 was nearly 30% higher year-on-year, capturing 46.4% of the $209 billion raised last year. Notably, OpenAI and xAI, backed by Elon Musk, secured funding rounds of $6.6 billion and $12 billion respectively. However, analysts are uncertain whether this enthusiasm will be sustained, citing the need for AI companies to achieve significant business milestones to continue receiving unlimited access to capital.
https://channelnewsasia.com/business/ai-startups-drive-vc-funding-resurgence-capturing-record-us-investment-2024-4843276Panasonic has partnered with Anthropic, a US-based artificial intelligence company, aiming to generate 30% of its sales from AI products and services by 2025. This move comes as Anthropic is in talks to raise funding at a valuation of $60 billion. Meanwhile, other tech companies are also making significant investments in the space, such as Toyota's investment in a Japanese rocket startup and Nvidia's acquisition of Run:ai for $700 million. Additionally, OpenAI is considering a more conventional for-profit business model, while Uber has faced a setback with its deal to acquire Delivery Hero's unit being rejected by Taiwan.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/startups-tech/startups/anthropic-talks-raise-funding-us60-billion-valueThe company is launching a fund called the DNA AI Compute Fund to support developers, startups, and established entities in the Web 3 and crypto space by providing them with computing power and infrastructure to innovate with AI technology. This will enable the creation of AI models that enhance blockchain security, speed up transactions, and improve user interaction, making Web 3 technologies more accessible and efficient.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/01/07/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/dna-holdings-venture-inc-launches-ai-compute-fund-to-drive-innovation-in-web-3-and-crypto/2032222Fazeshift, a company founded by Caitlin Leksana, has received funding to accelerate its product development and customer acquisition efforts in the artificial intelligence (AI) space. The company's AI agents can automate complex business processes such as billing workflows, customer emails, and accounting updates, using software tools previously used by human teams. Fazeshift has successfully integrated AI into sensitive business processes and is partnering with Gradient to streamline finance operations for companies of all sizes. With its technology already being used by several large enterprise customers, Fazeshift aims to become the leading solution for automating accounts receivable (AR) processes in complex business environments.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250107180091/en/Fazeshift-Secures-4MM-Seed-Round-Led-by-Gradient-to-Automate-Accounts-Receivable-with-AIThe Indian IT industry is expected to post better results in the fiscal year 2024-25 due to a favorable macroeconomic environment and accelerated adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) globally. Indian service providers are likely to outperform, particularly in large-sized transformation deals. The consulting business is expected to grow at a normal rate, while more jobs will be created, with Indian talent in high demand. As a result, venture capitalists are optimistic about investing in Indian startups, especially those focused on application-layer artificial intelligence. In 2024, Indian AI startups raised $747 million, and analysts believe the infrastructure layer space presents an opportunity.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/indian-real-estate-remains-a-profitable-investmentMicrosoft has announced a $3 billion investment to strengthen its commitment to making India "AI-first". The company aims to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure across data centre campuses in the country, develop a scalable AI computing ecosystem, and train 10 million Indians in AI skills by 2030. Microsoft has already surpassed its goal of training 2 million people in AI skills by 2025, with 65% of participants being women and 74% from tier 2 and 3 cities. The company's initiatives are led by Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, and supported by the Indian government through collaborations such as the "AI for India" mission led by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
https://www.forbesindia.com/article/news/explained-satya-nadellas-3-billion-investment-plan-for-microsoft-cloud-and-ai-infrastructure-in-india/95015/1Microsoft is investing $3 billion to expand its artificial intelligence and Azure cloud-computing services in India, with the goal of training 10 million people in AI by 2030. This investment is part of a larger expansion plan announced last week, which includes an $80 billion investment globally, with over half allocated for data centers in the United States. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made the announcement at a conference in Bengaluru, where he also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the company's plans and the potential of India as a growth market due to its large population and low-cost internet access.
https://channelnewsasia.com/business/microsoft-invest-3-billion-india-expand-ai-and-cloud-capacity-4842456Artificial intelligence startups have driven a significant recovery in US venture capital funding, with total capital raised in 2024 increasing nearly 30% year-on-year to $209 billion. AI companies captured a record 46.4% of the total funding, up from less than 10% a decade earlier. Notable examples include OpenAI's $6.6 billion and xAI's $12 billion funding rounds, which have sparked investor optimism about the sector's potential. However, analysts are uncertain whether this enthusiasm will be sustained, particularly for foundation model firms that require substantial capital investments.
https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2025/01/07/ai-startups-drive-vc-funding-resurgence-capturing-record-us-investment-in-2024