OpenAI and Anthropic Lead 29 New Unicorns in May

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Key Takeaways

1In May, 29 new companies joined the Crunchbase Unicorn Board, with a strong presence of AI and robotics services.

2OpenAI and Anthropic raised billions for AI projects, highlighting investor interest in practical applications of AI.

3SpaceX is preparing for a record IPO, while Cerebras has already entered the public market with a valuation of $56.4 billion.

💡Why it matters — These movements illustrate a growing interest in cutting-edge technologies, with major implications for innovation and the global economy.

A May Marked by the Rise of Tech Unicorns

In May, a total of 29 companies joined the prestigious Crunchbase Unicorn Board, illustrating a notable momentum in the tech sector. Among these new unicorns, artificial intelligence services and robotics dominated, not through new AI models, but thanks to companies facilitating the practical application of AI.

OpenAI and Anthropic have been at the forefront of this trend, each launching multi-billion dollar projects. These initiatives, supported by engineers on the ground, aim to transform advancements in artificial intelligence into concrete applications. This shift towards practical solutions reflects an increasing value creation perceived by investors.

Sector Diversification of New Unicorns

In addition to AI, new unicorns have emerged across various sectors, ranging from healthcare to quantum computing, aerospace, financial services, manufacturing, e-commerce, and energy. China has taken the lead in robotics, while Canada has distinguished itself in the quantum sector. Brazil has seen the emergence of its first unicorn in the legal sector. Notably, OnlyFans joined the board last month, marking its first external funding.

Among these new unicorns, 17 are based in the United States, while China and the United Kingdom each have four. Canada welcomed two new companies to the board, with one unicorn coming from India and another from Brazil.

Unicorn IPOs

The Unicorn Board reached a total valuation of $9.9 trillion in May, thanks to new high valuations and exits to public markets. Anthropic surpassed OpenAI to become the second most valued private company after SpaceX. Following these funding rounds, both Anthropic and OpenAI have filed for IPOs.

SpaceX is set to go public this Friday, in what could be the largest IPO ever, wiping out more than one-tenth of the board's total value. Meanwhile, chip company Cerebras made a notable entry into the public market with a valuation of $56.4 billion, well above its last private valuation of $23 billion just three months earlier in February.

Overview of May's New Unicorns

AI Deployment

OpenAI Deployment Company (San Francisco): raised $4 billion, valued at $14 billion. The company acquired Tomoro, integrating its 150 deployed engineers to support businesses.
Anthropic Applied AI JV: raised $1.5 billion.
Exa: raised $250 million, valued at $2.2 billion.
Blitzy (Boston): raised $200 million, valued at $1.4 billion.
OpenRouter: raised $113 million, valued at $1.3 billion.

Robotics

Hark: raised $700 million, valued at $6 billion.
Tianji (Guangdong, China): raised $147 million, valued at $1.5 billion.
Agilink (Shanghai): valued at $1 billion.
Botshare: raised Series A funding, valued at $1 billion.

Healthcare

MiRus: raised $1.5 billion, valued at $4.4 billion.
Retro Biosciences: valued at $1.8 billion.
Vi Labs: raised $146 million, valued at $1.6 billion.

Quantum Computing

Photonic (Vancouver): raised $70 million, valued at $2 billion.
Nord Quantique (Quebec): raised $30 million, valued at $1.4 billion.

Aerospace

Cowboy Space: raised $305 million, valued at $2 billion.
Skyroot Aerospace (Hyderabad, India): raised $60 million, valued at $1.2 billion.

Financial Services

Corgi Insurance: raised $160 million, valued at $1.3 billion.
Farther: raised $150 million, valued at $1 billion.

Manufacturing

Amca: raised $300 million, valued at $1 billion.
SendCutSend: raised $110 million, valued at $1 billion.

E-commerce

RADAR: raised $170 million, valued at $1 billion.
Fresha (London): raised $80 million, valued at $1 billion.

Energy

Startorus Fusion: raised $74 million, valued at $1 billion.
Nyobolt: raised $60 million, valued at $1 billion.