US Week: AI Dominates Funding, Instinct at $250M

Key Takeaways

1Instinct raises the largest funding round of the week with $250M

2Two rounds of $200M for Generalist AI and Gatik, high valuations for Socure and Emerald AI

3The amounts are more modest than in previous weeks, period tracked from August 22 to 28

Why it matters : AI remains the main driver of the largest American funding rounds, despite a slight decline in amounts.

In the United States, most of the largest funding rounds of the week were related to AI, in a context of more modest ticket sizes than previously. Despite this relative pullback, Socure and Emerald AI boast valuations exceeding one billion, and two rounds reached 200 million dollars. Instinct secured the largest deal with 250 million dollars in Series B funding.

Valuations of $5.2 billion and $1.05 billion for Socure and Emerald AI

Socure reached a valuation of $5.2 billion after raising $156 million in growth funding. The company, specializing in identity, risk, and compliance tools, also acquired Fravity, an agentic platform dedicated to fraud and compliance. The round was led by Summit Partners. Emerald AI, based in Washington, D.C., raised $150 million in Series A led by Energize Capital and DCVC, bringing its valuation to $1.05 billion. Its software platform manages the balance between AI workloads and available energy resources.

Two rounds at $200 million: versatile robots and autonomous trucks

Generalist AI secured an additional $200 million, extending its Series B of $400 million completed in June, to develop a foundational AI model capable of interacting with various robots. This new round is expected to be led by 8VC. In the autonomous transport sector, Gatik finalized a Series D of $200 million, led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies. Based in Santa Clara and nine years old, the company continues to develop its driverless trucks.

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Instinct signs the largest check with $250 million in Series B

Instinct raised $250 million in Series B for its AI assistant currently under development and testing. The valuation reaches $2.5 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal citing founder Noah Shinn. Key investors include Index Ventures and Benchmark.

AI tools for local SMEs and creation: Owner and Stability AI

Owner raised $240 million in a funding round led by Goldman Sachs Growth Equity, bringing the valuation of this San Francisco-based company, founded eight years ago, to $2.3 billion. Its software platform provides local businesses with solutions to automate website creation, manage online and phone orders, develop mobile applications, and assist customers. In the creative field, Stability AI, based in Los Angeles, announced a Series B funding round of $76 million aimed at its AI tools designed for professionals in music, video games, and entertainment.

Outside AI: marine gliders, biopharma, and coffee chain; US scope

Regent Craft, a developer of winged marine vessels, raised $120 million in Series B equity, complemented by $120 million in debt from Erebor Bank. In healthcare, AusperBio raised $120 million in Series C to support clinical trials for its lead therapy against chronic hepatitis B. In retail, Blank Street, a coffee and matcha beverage chain based in Brooklyn, secured $75 million from investors, including General Atlantic, and raised $30 million in the secondary market, while planning an expansion to the West Coast. Overall, the week was dominated by AI, with amounts more modest than in previous weeks and deals also touching other sectors. The follow-up focuses on rounds announced between August 22 and 28 for companies based in the United States, with a possible slight delay in the publication of some operations.