Venice AI Raises $65M Series A at $1B Valuation

Venice AI, a startup that offers a privacy-first platform for accessing various AI models, has raised $65 million in a Series A round. The funding marks the company's first external capital raise and values the business at $1 billion, effectively granting it unicorn status.

Investors

The round was led by Dragonfly, a crypto-focused venture firm. Additional investors included Coinbase Ventures and North Island Ventures.

Venice AI Use of Funds

The company plans to use the capital to purchase GPUs and build its own data centers to transition away from leasing infrastructure and to improve its gross margins.

About Venice AI

Founded in 2024 by Erik Voorhees, Venice AI provides users with access to over 200 AI models while ensuring user privacy through client-side encryption and proxy routing. The platform serves as a neutral tool that allows users to engage with AI models without censorship or data tracking.

Funding Details

Company Website: https://venice.ai

Company: Venice AI
Raised: $65M
Round: Series A
Funding Date: July 1, 2026
Lead Investor: Dragonfly
Additional Investors: Coinbase Ventures, North Island Ventures
Company Website: https://venice.ai
Software Category: Artificial Intelligence
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/01/venice-ai-becomes-a-unicorn-with-65m-series-a-as-its-privacy-first-ai-platform-takes-off/