Unconventional AI confirms its massive $475M seed round

Unconventional AI, a startup founded by Naveen Rao, former head of AI at Databricks, has secured $475 million in seed funding at a $4.5 billion valuation. The funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Ventures, with additional investments from Lux Capital and DCVC. This initial raise is part of a larger planned round that could reach up to $1 billion. Although the final valuation is slightly below the $5 billion Rao initially aimed for, the company’s value may increase if the full funding target is met. The startup aims to develop a new, energy-efficient computer specifically designed for AI applications, with Rao emphasizing a goal to achieve efficiency comparable to biological systems. Rao has a strong track record in AI and machine learning startups, having previously founded MosaicML, acquired by Databricks for $1.3 billion, and another machine learning platform acquired by Intel for over $400 million. Unconventional AI’s ambitious funding and vision position it as