OpenAI Raises $6.6B, Becomes World's Most Valuable Private Company
OpenAI, the AI research company, has raised $6.6 billion in its second major tender offer in under a year. This deal values the firm at $500 billion, making it the world's most valuable private company and surpassing SpaceX's estimated valuation.
The secondary deal allows current and former staff to sell shares to several companies. Participating in this round are Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, MGX from Abu Dhabi, and T. Rowe Price. Notably, Nvidia, which invested $6.6 billion about a year earlier, is planning a larger investment. Despite scrutiny surrounding the recent GPT-5 rollout, investor confidence in OpenAI remains high.
This sale provides employees with much-needed liquidity, potentially helping them resist high offers from rivals like Meta. OpenAI's valuation has seen a significant increase, having been valued at $300 billion earlier this year. The company plans to deploy at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia systems in a strategic partnership. SoftBank, involved in both the current and previous tender offers, continues to show confidence in OpenAI's future.
With this latest investment, OpenAI's valuation now exceeds that of SpaceX, cementing its status as the world's most valuable private company. The company's strategic partnerships and employee liquidity provisions indicate a strong focus on growth and retention amidst intense competition in the AI sector.
