In this week’s artificial intelligence (AI) startup funding news, new capital has flowed into companies focused on computing, operational efficiencies and domain-specific AI tools.
As reported by Bloomberg, the biggest transaction came from Unconventional AIwhich raised $475 million in a funding round at a $4.5 billion valuation as it builds a new computer optimized for AI workloads. The company was founded two months ago by the former head of AI at Databricks. Naveen Rao and aims to rethink the architecture of computer AI drawing inspiration from biology and analog physics.
According to the report, unconventional AI designs systems that prioritize energy efficiency by exploring semiconductor-level physics, analog computing approaches, and new ways to scale computing without hitting power constraints. The $475 million represents the first part of a fundraising effort that could reach $1 billion as the company prototypes multiple architectures in search of a paradigm that can scale more efficiently than today’s GPU-based systems.
Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Lux Capital, DCVC, Jeff BezosDatabricks and Rao himself, who invested $10 million on the same terms as external donors.
Training and support tools spark interest
Yoodli announcement a $13.7 million fundraising round and the launch of its AI Roleplays product, an extension of its communications skills platform. The company said the new category is designed to help users rehearse difficult workplace conversations through structured AI simulations.
The model generates realistic conversational scenarios in sales, coaching, interview and feedback settings, allowing users to practice and refine delivery. Yoodli noted that organizations are increasingly turning to AI-based experiential training to improve manager preparation and customer communication. The funding brings Yoodli’s total capital raised to over $20 million and will support expansion into corporate learning and global distribution.
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In Europe, Parloaan AI-based customer service automation platform, is preparing a new fundraising that could value the company at more than $2 billion. Parloa aims to secure approximately $200 million to scale its conversational AI stack, which helps businesses automate workflows, routing, self-service and call center agent support.
This potential cycle reflects the growing demand for AI systems capable of handling a high volume of multilingual customer interactions. Parloa has leaned heavily on reliability and enterprise-grade integrations, citing strong traction with retailers and logistics providers who are turning to automation to reduce support costs and improve service levels. If completed, the round would place Parloa among the most valuable customer experience AI companies in Europe.
AI Vertical Companies Extend Momentum
Another major transaction came from Harveywhich announcement that Andreessen Horowitz led a $160 million investment as the legal technology firm continues to expand its AI platform for law firms and corporate counsel. Harvey builds AI systems that support document review, contract analysis, research and drafting at scale.
The company said the funding would accelerate its work on structured reasoning and enterprise controls, important areas for legal workflows that require auditability, data security and consistent results. Harvey’s increase builds investor confidence in vertical AI systems designed for expert tasks rather than consumer use.
ChemLexa startup applying AI to research and discovery in chemistry, announcement new financing and the release of its ChemLex 1.0 platform. The company’s technology automates the generation, prediction and analysis of chemical structures, with the aim of shortening discovery cycles for industrial chemistry, materials science and pharmaceuticals.
ChemLex said the new capital will be used to scale scientific-grade models capable of interpreting molecular data, running simulations and generating synthetic pathways. The company highlighted growing demand for AI tools that can empower R&D teams facing increasing complexity and global competition. The release of ChemLex 1.0 positions the company among a rising class of science and AI startups that are building basic models tailored to chemistry and biology rather than text or images.
Flexan American FinTech serving mid-sized businesses, raised $60 million in a Series B funding round reported by PYMNTS. Portage Ventures led the financing, bringing Flex’s valuation to approximately $500 million. The company offers an AI-native financial platform that combines business banking, payments, private credit, treasury and personal finance tools for mid-sized business owners.