Perplexity AI has raised a total of $1.22 billion across nine funding rounds, with its most recent $200 million Series D in September 2025 led by IVP and Wayra, valuing the company at $20 billion. The San Francisco-based platform leverages AI to provide real-time, conversational responses to user queries, bridging the gap between traditional search engines and interactive AI assistance.
Keep reading to explore Perplexity’s funding journey, key investors, and what’s next for this innovative AI company.
What Is Perplexity AI and What Does It Do?
Founded in 2022 by Andy Konwinski, Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho, Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search and answer platform headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company integrates large language models and search engines to deliver conversational, real-time responses to queries.
With a team of 51–100 employees, Perplexity has rapidly grown its user base, processing over 780 million queries per month and achieving roughly $150 million in annual recurring revenue. The platform’s mission is to enhance search experiences with generative AI capabilities, providing accurate, timely, and interactive information.
How Much Funding Has Perplexity AI Raised?
- Seed Round
- Amount Raised: $3.1M
- Date: September 2022
- Lead Investor: Elad Gil
- Motivation: Kickstart development of an AI-powered search platform
- Series A
- Amount Raised: $25.6M
- Date: March 2023
- Lead Investor: New Enterprise Associates
- Motivation: Expand the team and accelerate product development
- Series B
- Amount Raised: $73.6M
- Date: January 2024
- Lead Investor: IVP
- Motivation: Enhance AI capabilities and scale operations
- Series C
- Amount Raised: $62.7M
- Date: April 2024
- Lead Investor: Daniel Gross
- Valuation at Round: $1 billion
- Motivation: Support growth amidst increasing competition
- Series D
- Amount Raised: $200M
- Date: September 2025
- Lead Investors: IVP, Wayra
- Valuation at Round: $20 billion
- Motivation: Enhance AI capabilities and integrate new technologies
Total Funding Raised: $1.22B
Latest Funding Date: September 2025
Key Investors
- IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)
- Details: Later-stage venture capital firm investing in rapidly growing tech companies.
- Focus Areas: Technology, Internet, Digital Media, Enterprise IT
- Notable Investments: Twitter, Slack, Snap
- Wayra
- Details: Startup accelerator under Telefónica Open Future connecting startups with global networks.
- Focus Areas: Telecommunications, Digital Services, IoT, AI
- Notable Investments: WeFarm, SafeToNet, Qustodio
- SoftBank Vision Fund 2
- Details: Venture fund focusing on AI, robotics, and advanced technologies.
- Focus Areas: AI, Robotics, IoT
- Notable Investments: Uber, WeWork, Nvidia
- Jeff Bezos
- Details: Founder of Amazon and venture investor through Bezos Expeditions.
- Focus Areas: Technology, Space Exploration, Media
- Notable Investments: Blue Origin, The Washington Post, Airbnb
- Nvidia
- Details: Global leader in GPUs, AI hardware, and software solutions.
- Focus Areas: AI, Gaming, Data Centers
- Notable Investments: AI startups, Gaming companies, Data center technologies
Where Is Perplexity AI’s Headquarters?
Perplexity AI is headquartered in San Francisco, California, providing access to top AI talent, research institutions, and strategic technology partners. Its location supports innovation in natural language processing, generative AI, and search technologies.
What’s Next for Perplexity AI?
Perplexity AI is poised for global expansion and AI-driven innovation, with over 15 million active users and strategic acquisitions, such as Carbon. Revenue-sharing partnerships with publishers like Time and Fortune strengthen its market presence.
Challenges include competition from other AI search providers, managing acquisitions, and ensuring data privacy and security. With strong investor backing and a valuation of $20 billion, the company is likely to attract further investments, enabling the enhancement of AI capabilities, market expansion, and continued leadership in AI-powered search.
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