Perplexity AI, the AI-powered search and browser startup, raised $100 million in a new funding round, bringing its valuation to $18 billion, up from $14 billion just two months ago. This marks a dramatic rise from its $500 million valuation at the start of 2024
Why the Valuation Jump?
- Rapid Growth Trajectory: Annualized revenue soared from $35 million in August 2024 to $150 million recently
- User Adoption: Serves approximately 30 million monthly users, reinforcing investor confidence
- Product Expansion: Recently launched Comet, an AI-powered browser enabling seamless task automation like shopping and email management
Investors & Strategy
Backed by high-profile investors including Nvidia, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, NEA, IVP, Jeff Bezos, and Yann LeCun, Perplexity’s valuation leap underscores the growing investor enthusiasm for AI search innovation
CEO Aravind Srinivas emphasized Perplexity’s ambition to remain independent and eventually go public — ruling out acquisition by tech giants like Google, Apple, or Meta The Verge
Competitive Landscape
Perplexity aims to challenge incumbent platforms like Google Search and Google Chrome, while standing out from competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic by focusing on accuracy, transparency, and actionable web integration
What This Means
- Investor Confidence: The rapid revaluation highlights aggressive investment in high-performing AI startups.
- AI Search Revolution: Perplexity positions itself as a next-gen search tool combining conversational AI and agentic web automation.
- Path to IPO: With strong growth and product diversification, Perplexity is setting itself up for a potential IPO in the near future.
✅ Conclusion
Perplexity AI’s leap to an $18 billion valuation—just months after reaching $14 billion—signals the intense market demand for intelligent AI search and automation solutions. Fueled by soaring revenue, expanding user base, and innovative products like Comet, Perplexity is emerging as a leading rival in the fast-evolving AI search arena.
