Nvidia, Samsung back $90M round for AI agent startup Nous Research
Nous Research, developer of AI agent Hermes, raised $90M in Series B funding led by Robot Ventures, with Nvidia and Samsung participating. The company is valued at $1.5B. Hermes, open-sourced in February, has been downloaded 24M times. Nous reported $36M annualized revenue as of mid-September, expecting $100M by year-end. The funding will support business edition adoption.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
The raise provides Nous Research capital to expand its Hermes AI agent offerings and could accelerate adoption in enterprise settings.
Market read
The $90M capital raise underscores strong investor confidence in AI agent technology and may subtly boost sentiment for major AI hardware players.
What to watch
Nous Research's reliance on third‑party LLMs and open‑source licensing may limit long‑term revenue upside.
Background
Series B funding round led by Robot Ventures with participation from Nvidia, Samsung, Y Combinator, and others, valuing Nous Research at $1.5B.
Ticker impact
Nvidia participated in a $90M Series B round for AI startup Nous Research, indicating continued strategic investment in generative AI agents.
likely slight upward pressure as investors view the investment as a vote of confidence in AI agent market.
The investment signals confidence in AI agent technology, but the amount is small relative to Nvidia's market cap, so price move is expected to be limited.
Market effects
Highlights growing investor interest in AI agent platforms, potentially benefiting broader AI software and hardware sectors.
Reinforces US and South Korean tech market narratives around AI leadership.
Signals continued capital flow into AI startups, supporting the global AI ecosystem.
Counterpoint
The investment may be a small strategic token rather than a catalyst; investors could view it as a distraction from core hardware focus.
Key entities
- companyNous Research Inc.
AI agent startup developing the Hermes platform.
- companyNvidia Corp.
Leading AI hardware provider and investor in the round.
- companySamsung Electronics Co.
Global electronics leader and participant in the funding round.
