AI/ML startup Profound reached a $1.8 billion valuation in its Series D funding round, raising $180 million just seven months after closing a $96 million Series C.
The rapid funding cycle underscores strong investor demand for Profound's autonomous engineering optimization (AEO) platform. The startup's technology targets industrial and manufacturing processes, automating complex engineering tasks.
The quick succession of large funding rounds—$96 million in Series C followed by $180 million in Series D—reflects accelerating valuations in the AI infrastructure space. Profound joins the growing list of AI startups achieving unicorn status in 2024.
The Series D funding will support product development and market expansion. Profound competes in a crowded field of AI optimization platforms aimed at enterprise clients seeking to streamline engineering workflows and reduce operational costs.
The startup's trajectory demonstrates venture capital's continued appetite for AI-focused companies with claims of enterprise efficiency gains, though the short timeframe between rounds may signal heightened competition for promising founders and inflated valuations in the sector.
CADDi, an AI software maker for manufacturers, secured $114 million in Series D funding at a $1.2 billion valuation. The round represents a 155% increase from the startup's $470 million valuation in 2025.
DoorDash is investing $425 million in Wonder, Marc Lore's food tech company, through a combination of a $300 million acquisition and $125 million Series D contribution. The deal expands Wonder's restaurant and delivery portfolio.
Grab Holdings has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Singapore-based buy-now-pay-later platform Atome Financial for $1.49 billion, marking a significant expansion into financial services.
Model ML, an AI software provider for financial institutions, is raising over $100 million in a funding round that values the startup above $1 billion.