FUNDING · STARTUPS · #1702
Nous Research raises $90M Series B at $1.5B valuation and launches Hermes for Businesses
The Wall Street Journal reported that Nous Research raised a $90 million Series B led by Robot Ventures at a $1.5 billion valuation, bringing the three‑year‑old startup’s total funding to $158 million with participation from investors including Nvidia, Union Square Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Samsung and 1789 Capital. The company said it will commercialize its open‑source Hermes agent with a new offering, "Hermes for Businesses," to let companies deploy customized multi‑step AI agents while keeping data private; Nous estimates Hermes has been cloned over 24 million times and the WSJ reported roughly $36 million in annualized revenue by mid‑September 2026 with a projected >$100 million by year‑end 2026.
KEY POINTS
- The Wall Street Journal reported that Nous Research raised a $90 million Series B led by Robot Ventures at a $1.5 billion valuation, bringing the three‑year‑old startup’s total funding to $158 million with participation from investors including Nvidia, Union Square Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Samsung and 1789 Capital.
- The company said it will commercialize its open‑source Hermes agent with a new offering, "Hermes for Businesses," to let companies deploy customized multi‑step AI agents while keeping data private; Nous estimates Hermes has been cloned over 24 million times and the WSJ reported roughly $36 million in annualized revenue by mid‑September 2026 with a projected >$100 million by year‑end 2026.
- The deal and product launch mark Nous’s move from a popular open‑source developer project to a revenue‑generating enterprise player, potentially accelerating deployment of customizable AI agents and shifting token consumption patterns.
WHY IT MATTERS
The deal and product launch mark Nous’s move from a popular open‑source developer project to a revenue‑generating enterprise player, potentially accelerating deployment of customizable AI agents and shifting token consumption patterns.