Perplexity AI Launches $50 Million Fund for Early-Stage AI Startups

Perplexity AI, known for its AI-powered search engine, is launching a $50 million venture fund aimed at supporting early-stage AI startups in the U.S. according to TechCrunch. The fund will focus on pre-seed and seed investments, with Perplexity acting as an anchor investor.

The majority of the capital for this fund is sourced from outside limited partners, while Perplexity contributes some of its own capital raised for company growth. The fund will be managed by general partners Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko, who previously co-founded F7 Ventures, an early-stage venture firm.

Perplexity's strategic move into venture funding comes after the company raised $500 million at a $9 billion valuation in December. This initiative positions Perplexity to leverage its network of approximately 80,000 developers, providing visibility into potential startup investments through its API usage.