Startups & Funding

Venice AI hits $1B valuation with $65M Series A for privacy-first uncensored AI

3M users, $70M ARR, and a crypto twist—Venice AI's uncensored platform is booming.

Deep Dive

Venice AI, a privacy-focused platform offering uncensored access to over 200 AI models, raised $65 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation. The company has more than 3 million active users and averages 1.7 million API calls per day, with annualized run-rate revenues over $70 million, making it profitable. CEO Erik Voorhees, a crypto advocate, encrypts all user input client-side and routes queries through an external proxy with no data stored on Venice's systems. It provides end-to-end encryption on some models for paid subscribers. Venice

Key Points
  • Raised $65M Series A at $1B valuation led by Dragonfly, with Coinbase Ventures and North Island Ventures.
  • 3M+ active users, 1.7M API calls/day, and $70M annualized revenue; profitable before the round.
  • Offers 200+ uncensored models with client-side encryption and no data storage; optional end-to-end encryption for subscribers.

Why It Matters

Venice proves privacy-first, uncensored AI can be both popular and profitable, challenging Big Tech's moderation model.

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