AI Companies Dominate Largest Seed Rounds in Recent Months
In the past six months, at least 12 companies globally have raised seed rounds of $100 million or more, with a majority operating at the intersection of AI and the physical world, according to Crunchbase News. This trend highlights big commitments from investors to seed-stage companies with ambitious AI-focused missions, using data from Crunchbase to identify the largest rounds.
Physical AI Leads Seed Funding
Advanced Machine Intelligence, based in Paris, raised $1.03 billion in a March seed round backed by venture firms and strategic investors, developing AI models that learn from real-world sensor data. Unconventional AI, a San Francisco company, secured a $475 million seed round in December to create energy-efficient silicon circuits mimicking biological neurons. Periodic Labs, also in San Francisco, raised $300 million six months ago to apply AI to science, including automating materials design for semiconductor manufacturing and power grid engineering. In China, Lingchu Intelligence raised funds for an AI platform simulating physical environments for robotic devices, while Humanoid Robot Innovation Center developed AI robotic technology, according to Crunchbase News.
AI Applications Involving Humans
Merge Labs, co-founded by Sam Altman and based in San Francisco, raised $252 million in a seed round led by OpenAI earlier this year, focusing on AI for brain-computer interfaces. Humans&, a Silicon Valley startup, raised $480 million in January for foundational AI models centered on people and their relationships, representing another significant seed recipient in the AI sector.
Evolving Trends in Seed Funding
Seed funding dynamics have shifted, with larger average round sizes and fewer deals overall, as larger seed rounds of $10 million and above increased from 2% of deals in 2018 to 9% recently, per Crunchbase data. Seed rounds exceeding $100 million have become more common, with 27 such deals announced globally since the beginning of 2025. This pattern reflects investors’ growing enthusiasm for AI at the earliest stages, though it includes companies founded in 2023 or later, according to Crunchbase News.
