June 19, 2026
Baseten reportedly raising $1.5B months after its last mega-round
AI inference startup Baseten is reportedly finalizing a massive $1.5 billion funding round at a $13 billion valuation, underscoring the intense investor interest in AI infrastructure. This round comes just months after its previous mega-round, highlighting the rapid growth and demand in the AI inference space. As the 'inference gold rush' continues, Baseten's valuation and funding reflect the broader trend of significant capital flowing into AI startups that are critical to the deployment of AI models.
New Funding Rounds
New Product Launches
Industry Moves
OpenAI is strengthening its team ahead of its anticipated IPO by hiring notable figures such as Noam Shazeer and Dean Ball. Meanwhile, Snap is spinning off its AI video team into a new company, Dotmo, to focus on AI video development.
Policy & Regulation
The US government is pushing for faster grid connections for AI data centers, though electricity supply issues remain unaddressed. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders proposes a $7 trillion plan to give Americans more control over the AI industry, a move likely to face resistance from major AI firms.