Emergent, an Indian Vibe-Coding Startup, Achieves $300M Valuation with $70M Fundraise

Emergent Secures $70 Million in Funding to Elevate AI “Vibe-Coding” Platform

In a clear indication of the soaring demand for AI startups, Emergent, an Indian company pioneering an AI “vibe-coding” platform, has successfully raised $70 million just four months after securing $23 million in a Series A round.

Major Investors Join Series B Round

This Series B funding round was co-led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 and Khosla Ventures, resulting in a post-money valuation of $300 million for the startup, according to sources familiar with the transaction. Previously, Emergent was valued at $100 million.

Growing Support from Prominent Venture Firms

Other notable investors included Prosus, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Together, and Y Combinator, bringing Emergent’s total funding to $100 million within just seven months since its inception.

Rapid Growth and Ambitious Goals

The funding comes as Emergent claims an impressive $50 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and boasts over 5 million users across more than 190 countries. The startup aims to double its ARR to over $100 million by April 2026.

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

Like other players in the vibe-coding space, Emergent employs AI agents to assist users in designing, building, testing, and deploying full-stack web and mobile applications. This platform is especially geared towards entrepreneurs and small businesses, enabling them to launch products without the hefty costs of large engineering teams.

Strong Market Demand and Product Adoption

“We continue to witness immense demand in our primary markets—the U.S., Europe, and India—and we are committed to further expanding our footprint in these regions,” stated founder Mukund Jha. He noted the encouraging reception of the company’s new mobile app-building service.

Emergent co-founders Mukund Jha and Madhav Jha
Emergent co-founders Mukund Jha and Madhav JhaImage Credits:Emergent

International Presence and Expansion Plans

Although Emergent is headquartered in San Francisco, 70 of its 75 employees work from an office in Bengaluru. Jha mentioned that the startup is aggressively hiring across various roles in both countries.

Competitive Landscape in the AI Startup Realm

Emergent faces competition from established firms like Lovable, Cursor, and Replit, each leveraging AI-assisted coding to enable users to create their own applications with limited programming knowledge.

Investor Confidence Restored in Indian Startups

Emergent has effectively captured investor interest in the vibe-coding sector, raising substantial funds. Accel has also backed similar ventures like Rocket, another India-based startup, in a $15 million seed round last year.

Future Initiatives and Market Expansion

This deal marks SoftBank’s renewed interest in Indian startups—its last significant investment was in ElasticRun nearly four years ago. Emergent plans to utilize the fresh funding to expand its team, accelerate product development, and deepen its market presence.

Certainly! Here are five FAQs regarding Emergent, the Indian vibe-coding startup that has achieved a valuation of $300 million with a $70 million fundraising round.

FAQ 1: What is Emergent, and what does it specialize in?

Answer: Emergent is an Indian startup focused on vibe-coding, which combines coding practices with a community-driven, creative approach. The platform aims to make coding more accessible and enjoyable by incorporating elements of social interaction, thereby fostering a collaborative learning environment for developers and coders of all levels.

FAQ 2: How much funding has Emergent recently raised, and what will it be used for?

Answer: Emergent has successfully raised $70 million in its latest funding round. The funds will be utilized for scaling the platform, enhancing technology, expanding the team, and promoting product development to improve user experience and attract a larger community of coders.

FAQ 3: What does the recent valuation of $300 million signify for Emergent?

Answer: The $300 million valuation reflects strong investor confidence in Emergent’s unique approach to coding and its potential for growth in the tech education space. This valuation positions the startup as a significant player in the Indian tech ecosystem, indicating its viability and promising future prospects.

FAQ 4: Who were the primary investors in this funding round?

Answer: The funding round saw participation from notable venture capital firms, including prominent investors specializing in technology and education sectors. Their involvement underscores confidence in Emergent’s innovative approach and long-term growth strategy.

FAQ 5: How does Emergent differentiate itself from other coding platforms?

Answer: Emergent differentiates itself through its emphasis on a vibrant, community-centric learning experience. Unlike traditional coding platforms, Emergent highlights collaboration, creativity, and social engagement, making coding not just a technical skill but also an enjoyable and interactive community experience.

Feel free to ask if you need more information or additional FAQs!

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Intel Spinout Articul8 Secures Over $35M in $70M Funding Round at $500M Valuation

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    <h2>Articul8 Secures $70 Million Funding to Enhance AI Solutions in Regulated Industries</h2>

    <p id="speakable-summary" class="wp-block-paragraph">
        <a target="_blank" href="https://www.articul8.ai/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Articul8</a>, an enterprise AI company <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/03/intel-spins-out-a-new-enterprise-focused-gen-ai-software-company/" rel="noreferrer noopener">spun out of Intel in early 2024</a>, has successfully raised over half of its targeted $70 million funding round, boasting a pre-money valuation of $500 million. This funding comes as demand for AI systems grows within heavily regulated industries.
    </p>

    <h3>Funding Round Details: First Installment Led by Adara Ventures</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        The Series B funding round is being conducted in two phases, with the first installment spearheaded by Spain’s Adara Ventures. Articul8’s founder and CEO, Arun K. Subramaniyan, shared in an interview that while he couldn’t disclose the exact size of the initial investment, the company aims to complete the funding round within the first quarter of this year.
    </p>

    <h3>Impressive Valuation Growth and Contract Achievements</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Articul8's current funding round valuation represents an impressive fivefold increase from its $100 million post-money Series A valuation in January 2024. The Santa Clara-based company claims to have exceeded $90 million in total contract value from 29 paying customers, including industry giants like Hitachi Energy, AWS, Franklin Templeton, and Intel.
    </p>

    <h3>Profitability and Revenue Prospects</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Subramaniyan informed TechCrunch that Articul8 is not feeling pressure to raise additional capital, emphasizing that the company is revenue-positive, thanks to a series of substantial enterprise contracts. 
        <br><br>
        “We are not cash-strapped,” he asserted.
    </p>

    <h3>Forecasting Future Revenue Growth</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        The company anticipates finishing the year with annual recurring revenue exceeding $57 million, with approximately 45% to 50% of that figure already recognized.
    </p>

    <h3>Innovative AI Solutions Tailored for Specific Industries</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Articul8 crafts specialized AI systems that seamlessly integrate within customers’ IT environments rather than depending on general-purpose models. Instead of offering standalone models, the company delivers its technology as software applications and AI agents tailored to specific business functions. Its primary focus is on regulated sectors such as energy, manufacturing, aerospace, financial services, and semiconductors, where accuracy, auditability, and data control are imperative.
    </p>

    <h3>Unique Competitive Edge in the AI Market</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        “Our competition is pretty much everybody,” Subramaniyan noted, but highlighted that leading competitors today are cloud service providers, which are transitioning to commoditized, general-purpose offerings. 
        <br><br>
        He asserted that Articul8’s dedication to specialized systems resonates with clients seeking consistent results and transparent audit trails, advantages that are more challenging to achieve with general models on shared cloud platforms.
    </p>

    <h3>Utilization of Series B Capital for Expansion</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        The proceeds from the Series B funding will primarily be allocated to enhancing research and product development, alongside scaling operations internationally, particularly focusing on Europe and select Asian markets. 
    </p>

    <h3>Strategic Partnerships and Global Expansion Plans</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Adara Ventures' involvement will accelerate Articul8’s European growth strategy, bolstered by support from the European Investment Fund, which backs the Madrid-based VC firm's energy fund. Additionally, the company is eyeing markets in Japan and South Korea, where it has already started engaging with significant enterprise clients.
    </p>

    <h3>Collaboration with Major Tech Giants</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Articul8 is collaborating with prominent technology firms including Nvidia and Google Cloud, with Amazon Web Services acting as both a client and partner on specific deployments, according to Subramaniyan.
    </p>

    <h3>Growth in Workforce Focused on R&D</h3>
    <p class="wp-block-paragraph">
        Currently, Articul8 employs 75 individuals, with approximately 80% dedicated to research and development, spread across the U.S., Brazil, and India.
    </p>
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This rewrite incorporates SEO-friendly headings and provides a clear structure for better readability and engagement.

Here are five FAQs based on the recent Intel spinout Articul8 raising more than half of a $70 million funding round at a $500 million valuation:

FAQ 1: What is Articul8?

Answer: Articul8 is a technology company that specializes in AI-driven solutions designed to improve communication and understanding in various domains, including customer service and enterprise operations. It emerged as a spinout from Intel to focus on innovative approaches to communication technology.


FAQ 2: How much funding has Articul8 raised in its latest round?

Answer: Articul8 has successfully raised over half of its target $70 million in its latest funding round, indicating strong investor interest and confidence in the company’s growth prospects.


FAQ 3: What is the current valuation of Articul8?

Answer: Following this funding round, Articul8 has achieved a valuation of $500 million, reflecting its potential in the market and the demand for its offerings.


FAQ 4: Who are the primary investors in this funding round?

Answer: While specific investor names may not be disclosed, Articul8’s funding round likely includes a mix of venture capital firms, angel investors, and potentially strategic investors interested in communication technology and AI.


FAQ 5: What will Articul8 use the raised funds for?

Answer: The funds raised will primarily be used for product development, expanding the team, and scaling operations to enhance their AI-driven communication solutions and meet growing market demands.


Feel free to ask for more details or clarifications on any of these points!

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Paris-Based AI Voice Startup Gradium Secures $70M in Seed Funding

<div>
  <h2>Gradium Launches with $70 Million Seed Round to Revolutionize Audio Language AI</h2>

  <p id="speakable-summary" class="wp-block-paragraph">Gradium, a promising new startup emerging from the French AI research lab Kyutai, has officially launched, backed by a $70 million seed round led by a prestigious lineup of investors.</p>

  <h3>Investment Backing from Industry Leaders</h3>
  <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The funding round was spearheaded by FirstMark Capital and Eurazeo, with notable contributions from telecom billionaire Xavier Niel, DST Global Partners, Eric Schmidt, and several other prominent investors.</p>

  <h3>Innovative Audio Language AI Models</h3>
  <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://gradium.ai">Gradium</a> specializes in developing advanced audio language AI models that deliver swift, ultra-low latency voice responses. Founded in September 2025 by Neil Zeghidour, a key member of the Kyutai team and former researcher at Google DeepMind, Gradium aims to enhance the speed and accuracy of voice models for developers.</p>

  <h3>Multilingual Support from Day One</h3>
  <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a European startup, Gradium proudly provides multilingual support right from the start, covering English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, with plans to expand further into additional languages.</p>

  <h3>Competing in a Crowded Market</h3>
  <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The competition is fierce, with major players in the field such as <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/20/openai-upgrades-its-transcription-and-voice-generating-ai-models/">OpenAI</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/27/anthropic-launches-a-voice-mode-for-claude/">Anthropic</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-4-multimodal-intelligence/">Meta Llama</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://mistral.ai/news/voxtral">Mistral</a> already offering robust voice and speech recognition solutions. Well-funded startups like <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/29/elevenlabs-ceo-says-ai-audio-models-will-be-commoditized-over-time/">ElevenLabs</a> and numerous models on Hugging Face also saturate the market, making it clear that developers have many choices for AI voice capabilities.</p>

  <h3>The Growing Demand for Realistic AI Voices</h3>
  <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nevertheless, the demand for Gradium's aim — delivering ultra-realistic voice expression and accuracy — is poised to increase as AI transitions from text-based interactions to more dynamic AI agents, finding applications across entertainment, work, and beyond.</p>
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This structured rewrite employs engaging subheadings and SEO-friendly formats to enhance visibility and clarity while retaining the key information from the original article.

Here are five FAQs about Gradium, the Paris-based AI voice startup that recently secured $70 million in seed funding:

FAQ 1: What is Gradium?

Answer: Gradium is a Paris-based AI voice startup focused on developing advanced voice technologies to enhance communication and user interactions across various platforms and devices.

FAQ 2: What does the recent $70 million seed funding mean for Gradium?

Answer: The $70 million seed funding will enable Gradium to accelerate its research and development efforts, expand its team, and enhance its product offerings, positioning the company for rapid growth in the AI voice technology market.

FAQ 3: Who are the investors backing Gradium?

Answer: Gradium’s seed funding round included a mix of venture capital firms and angel investors, with interests in AI, technology, and innovative startups that demonstrate strong growth potential.

FAQ 4: What applications does Gradium’s technology support?

Answer: Gradium’s voice technology can be integrated into various applications, including customer service solutions, virtual assistants, gaming, content creation, and more, aiming to improve user experience through natural and interactive voice engagement.

FAQ 5: How does Gradium ensure ethical AI voice technology?

Answer: Gradium is committed to ethical AI development by implementing guidelines for responsible AI usage, ensuring user privacy, and focusing on transparency in how its technologies are used and applied in various contexts.

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