Startup Founded by Renowned Stanford University AI Professor Fei-Fei Li Secures Significant Investment
In a remarkable feat of innovation, World Labs, a stealthy startup founded by the esteemed Fei-Fei Li, has raised two rounds of financing just two months apart. The latest funding round was led by NEA and valued the company at an impressive over $1 billion, according to multiple reports.
Rapid Growth and Valuation Increase
The latest funding round was a significant increase in valuation from World Labs’ initial financing, which took place in April, and valued the company at $200 million. This rapid growth suggests that investors continue to place large bets on AI startups founded by prominent AI scientists, even if their businesses are unproven.
Investors Pledge Support for Ambitious Project
The investors involved in World Labs’ funding rounds include Andreessen Horowitz, Radical Ventures, and NEA. Li is also a scientific partner at Radical Ventures, further highlighting the strong relationships between the startup’s founders and its investors.
World Labs’ Visionary Goal: Accurate 3D Modeling
What sets World Labs apart from other AI startups is its ambitious goal of creating AI models that can accurately estimate the three-dimensional physicality of real-world objects and environments. This capability would enable detailed digital replicas without the need for extensive data collection.
The Challenge of Collecting 3D Data
According to an investor familiar with World Labs’ approach, collecting 3D data is a significant challenge. "Very little three-dimensional data exists in the world," they explained. "Autonomous vehicle companies collect that data by driving thousands and thousands of miles to create three-dimensional data, which they then use to train their machines. In all other applications, like serving coffee, there’s no three-dimensional data. Collecting that data is expensive because the universe of places you have to collect data is enormous."
Potential Applications for World Labs’ Models
Once available, World Labs’ models can be used in gaming and robotics applications, Li said.
Fei-Fei Li: A Pioneering Figure in AI Research
Li is best known for her work on ImageNet, a dataset that revolutionized computer vision. She is currently on partial leave from her role as co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute until December 2025.
Conclusion
World Labs’ rapid growth and significant investment rounds demonstrate the ongoing enthusiasm among investors for AI startups founded by prominent scientists. The company’s ambitious goal of creating accurate 3D models has the potential to transform various industries, including gaming and robotics. With Li at the helm, World Labs is poised to make a lasting impact in the world of AI research.
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About the Author
Marina Temkin is a venture capital and startups reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she wrote about VC for PitchBook and Venture Capital Journal. Earlier in her career, Marina was a financial analyst and earned a CFA charterholder designation.
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