The October 2024 round in which OpenAI raised $6.6bn at a reported valuation of $157bn, then the largest venture round on record, led by Thrive Capital with Microsoft, Nvidia and SoftBank among the names. Reported alongside a request that investors not back rival labs, which the internet filed under 'exclusive', and retired within six months by a round six times the size.
Reports that investors were asked not to fund Anthropic, xAI, SSI or Perplexity. The record notes that the request was described as unusual, and that several of the named companies raised money that quarter regardless.
Retired in March 2025 when the $40bn round was announced. The record notes that 'largest venture round in history' was a title held for five months, which is now a long reign.
The record notes that the round was announced a week after the chief technology officer and two other senior executives had left, and that the money made the departures a footnote.
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