Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev's AI Startup Harmonic Raises $100M, Hits $875M Valuation with Kleiner Perkins Backing

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev has co-founded Harmonic AI, a startup aiming to create "mathematical superintelligence." The company has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its valuation to $875 million. Harmonic AI focuses on formal logic and mathematical reasoning to eliminate the risk of hallucinations in chatbots. The long-term vision includes solving unsolved mathematical problems and expanding the approach to fields like physics and computer science.

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev has expanded his entrepreneurial horizons with the launch of Harmonic AI, a startup focused on developing "mathematical superintelligence." The company recently closed a $100 million Series B funding round, bringing its valuation to $875 million [1].

Harmonic AI, co-founded by Tenev and Tudor Achim in 2023, aims to create AI models that excel in formal logic and mathematical reasoning. This approach is designed to eliminate the risk of hallucinations often seen in chatbots, making the technology more reliable for mission-critical applications [1].

The startup's near-term goal is to build AI that can solve complex math problems better than humans. In the long term, Harmonic AI envisions solving unsolved mathematical problems and expanding its technology to fields like physics and computer science [1].

The funding round was led by Kleiner Perkins, with significant backing from Paradigm, Ribbit Capital, Sequoia Capital, Index Ventures, and Charlie Cheever. This investment underscores investor confidence in Harmonic AI's innovative approach to AI development [1].

Tenev, who is serving as executive chairman, has stated that he intentionally stopped at a $875 million valuation, choosing not to take the highest offer. This decision aligns with his long-term vision for the company and its scientific ambitions [1].

Harmonic AI's flagship system, Aristotle, has already demonstrated measurable improvement in solving complex mathematical problems. The company continues to recruit engineers, researchers, and builders to push the boundaries of verified reasoning [1].

The funding comes at a time when the AI industry is experiencing intense competition and investment. Former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati recently secured a record-breaking $2 billion seed round for her startup, Thinking Machines Lab, signaling continued investor appetite for AI ventures [2].

References:
[1] https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46493672/you-never-want-to-take-the-highest-offer-robinhood-ceos-ai-startup-raises-100m-hits-875m-valuation-with-backing-from-kleiner-perkins
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46462080/ex-openai-exec-mira-murati-lands-2-billion-seed-round-for-ai-startup-backed-by-andreessen-horowitz-nvidia-amd-other-tech-giants