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Capital Raising2026-06-11
AI companies quietly raising monster rounds
We're seeing a surge of substantial funding rounds across AI-adjacent companies, with Stepful closing $55M Series C and PointFive securing $60M. Word is these aren't isolated events — Mercury's CEO is openly saying AI is breaking traditional startup funding models.
The read
Smart money is moving early on AI infrastructure plays before the IPO wave hits. Meanwhile, KKR hitting $1B first close on real estate credit shows institutional capital flowing into tangible assets as a hedge.
Watch next
Whether these AI rounds start commanding premium valuations compared to traditional SaaS multiples.
Market context: the MitchelLake Talent Market Index reads 108.5 — Hot (+10.8 vs prior month).