Institutional Access to High-Potential AI Startups in the Pre-IPO Space: How Tokenfolio's Partnership with Carta is Reshaping the Landscape

The venture capital landscape in 2025 is defined by a seismic shift toward artificial intelligence (AI) and deep tech startups. According to Crunchbase, AI startups secured 64% of U.S. venture capital funding by value in the first half of 2025 alone, with global AI investment reaching $89.4 billion-34% of all VC capital despite comprising only 18% of funded companies. This surge reflects a broader trend: institutional investors are increasingly prioritizing access to high-potential AI ventures, particularly those at the growth-stage and pre-IPO phases.

Tokenfolio, a Singapore-based fintech platform specializing in pre-IPO tech investments, has emerged as a pivotal player in this space. By partnering with Carta-a global fund administrator managing over $180 billion in assets-Tokenfolio is addressing a critical gap in institutional access to Silicon Valley's most promising AI startups. This collaboration, announced in late 2025, provides institutional-grade fund administration services to Tokenfolio's investors, ensuring transparency, auditability, and compliance with the rigorous standards typically reserved for public market participants.

The Strategic Alignment of Tokenfolio and Carta

Tokenfolio's focus on AI infrastructure, AI robotics, and deep tech aligns with the sector's most transformative innovations. The firm typically invests in Series B through pre-IPO companies, often co-investing alongside top-tier funds like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and Bezos Expeditions in highly oversubscribed rounds. For example, OpenAI-valued at $500 billion in 2025-secured $40 billion in funding, while Anthropic raised $37.7 billion, reflecting the scale of capital flowing into AI's most dominant players. According to Carta's 2025 AI startup report, AI startups now command average valuations 3.2x higher than traditional tech companies, with late-stage rounds (Series C+) receiving $28.9 billion in 2024 alone. By leveraging Carta's infrastructure, Tokenfolio mitigates the administrative complexities of investing in pre-IPO AI ventures, which often involve intricate cap tables, regulatory compliance, and liquidity challenges.

Institutional Demand and Market Validation

The partnership has been met with enthusiasm from industry experts. Abhishek Malik, CEO of Tokenfolio, emphasized that the collaboration "reinforces our commitment to delivering a trusted and transparent investment experience." This sentiment is echoed by venture capital analysts, who note that institutional demand for AI startups has outpaced supply. For instance, the top 10 AI companies in 2025 captured 78% of total AI funding, with mega-rounds exceeding $1 billion becoming increasingly common. According to data from Carta, AI infrastructure and hardware firms, such as Scale AI and Cerebras, have attracted significant capital due to their role in enabling next-generation AI models. Meanwhile, AI robotics startups like Figure AI-valued at $45 billion after raising $2.5 billion-demonstrate the sector's potential to disrupt industries ranging from manufacturing to healthcare. According to a 2025 report by Iconiq Capital, AI-first companies are adopting usage-based pricing models and outcome-driven metrics to demonstrate value. Tokenfolio's focus on scalable automation and operational efficiency aligns with these trends, positioning its portfolio companies to meet the demands of both institutional investors and end-users.

The Broader Implications for the AI Ecosystem

The partnership also addresses a critical bottleneck in the AI startup lifecycle: liquidity. According to Insight Partners, pre-IPO AI companies often face prolonged growth trajectories, with many achieving $30 million in annualized revenue in just 20 months-compared to 60+ months for traditional SaaS firms. Tokenfolio's model allows institutional investors to lock in early-stage gains while mitigating the risks associated with illiquid private assets. This is particularly relevant as the sector prepares for a wave of IPOs in 2026, with OpenAI and Anthropic expected to go public in the latter half of the year.

Moreover, the collaboration highlights a shift in investor priorities. As noted in a 2025 report by Iconiq Capital, AI-first companies are adopting usage-based pricing models and outcome-driven metrics to demonstrate value. Tokenfolio's focus on scalable automation and operational efficiency aligns with these trends, positioning its portfolio companies to meet the demands of both institutional investors and end-users.

Conclusion

Tokenfolio's partnership with Carta represents a paradigm shift in institutional access to high-potential AI startups. By combining Tokenfolio's expertise in pre-IPO tech investing with Carta's institutional-grade administration, the collaboration addresses the operational, regulatory, and liquidity challenges that have historically limited broader participation in the AI sector. As AI continues to redefine industries and drive global economic growth, this partnership offers a blueprint for how institutional capital can be effectively allocated to the most transformative innovations of the decade.