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Menlo Ventures and Anthropic create 100 million fund for AI startups
Isabella V17 July 2024

 


 Menlo Ventures and Anthropic launch $100 million Anthology Fund for investment in AI startups

 Key Points:
- Strategic collaboration: Menlo Ventures and Anthropic join forces to create the Anthology Fund, a $100 million initiative.
- Targeted investments: The fund will focus on artificial intelligence companies in the pre-seed, seed and Series A stages.
- Additional support: In addition to funding, startups will receive credit for using Anthropic’s AI models.
- Innovative selection process: Applications will be evaluated using a machine learning tool, streamlining due diligence.

Menlo Ventures, a prestigious Silicon Valley venture capital firm, announced Wednesday a new initiative in partnership with AI startup Anthropic. The two companies will launch a $100 million fund called the "Anthology Fund," designed to support emerging companies in the field of artificial intelligence at pre-seed, seed and Series A stages.

According to an inside source, Menlo Ventures recently became a major backer of Anthropic, having closed a funding round of more than $750 million, yet to be officially announced. This investment strengthened Menlo Ventures’ position as Anthropic’s strategic partner, solidifying an already strong relationship.

Tim Tully, partner at Menlo Ventures, explained that the capital for the Anthology Fund comes from a larger $1.35 billion fund raised by the company last November. Tully expressed great enthusiasm for the partnership with Anthropic, noting the unique opportunity to identify and support innovative AI startups.

"Menlo Ventures is one of the largest investors in Anthropic and enthusiastic supporters of their work," Tully said. "We saw this partnership as an opportunity to do something meaningful together, exploring the ecosystem and identifying promising startups working with Anthropic’s models or in AI in general."

The Anthology Fund will offer funding starting at $100,000 and provide startups with $25,000 worth of credits for using AI models developed by Anthropic. Interested startups can apply via an online form, and proposals will be evaluated using a proprietary machine learning tool from Menlo Ventures. This approach aims to make the due diligence process faster and more streamlined than traditional standards.

Finally, Menlo Ventures is committed to further supporting the Anthology Fund’s most promising companies in subsequent funding rounds, ensuring continuity and growth for AI innovators.