Menlo Ventures and Anthropic join forces to create a $100M AI fund, the Anthology Fund.,The fund aims to invest in pre-seed and Series A AI companies, fostering innovation in Asia.,Startups can apply online and receive funding and credits to use Anthropic's models.
Menlo Ventures and Anthropic: A Powerful AI Partnership
Silicon Valley venture capital firm Menlo Ventures and artificial intelligence startup Anthropic have teamed up to create a $100 million initiative called the Anthology Fund. This partnership aims to invest in and support pre-seed and Series A artificial intelligence companies, with a focus on fostering innovation in Asia. For more on how AI is impacting the region, read about APAC AI in 2026: 4 Trends You Need To Know.
The Anthology Fund: A Carve-Out from Menlo's Latest Vehicle
The capital for the Anthology Fund comes from a carve-out of Menlo's latest $1.35 billion vehicle, raised in November 2022. Matt Murphy, a partner at Menlo Ventures, shared that the firm is one of Anthropic's biggest investors and is eager to collaborate on identifying and supporting AI-first startups. This investment strategy reflects a broader trend of venture capital flowing into AI, as seen in the AI Boom Fuels Asian Market Surge.
Investing in AI Startups: The Anthology Fund's Approach
The Anthology Fund will provide funding starting at $100,000 to selected startups, along with $25,000 worth of credits to use Anthropic's models. To apply, startups can submit an online form, which will be evaluated using Menlo's proprietary machine learning tool. The diligence process for these companies is expected to be more streamlined than a typical investment by the firm. This approach highlights the increasing role of AI in streamlining business processes, a topic explored further in What Every Worker Needs to Answer: What Is Your Non-Machine Premium?.
Supporting Promising AI Startups
Menlo Ventures plans to back any subsequent rounds raised by promising Anthology Fund companies. This ongoing support will help these startups grow and contribute to the rapidly evolving AI landscape in Asia. The importance of early-stage funding and strategic partnerships in the AI ecosystem is well-documented, with various reports highlighting venture capital trends in AI development^[Venture Capital Trends in Artificial Intelligence].
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Latest Comments (2)
This is exciting news, even now a while after the initial announcement. I'm especially curious about how tailored Anthropic's models will be for Asian markets and specific regional languages. Will it be a one-size-fits-all approach, or will there be genuine, localised development? That could make a real difference for these budding start-ups, don't you think?
This is brilliant news, lah! I remember hearing about Anthropic expanding their presence, and this fund with Menlo Ventures really solidifies their commitment. It’s been a while since the initial chatter, but the need for dedicated AI investment, especially in Asia, hasn't changed one bit. Giving startups here access to cutting-edge models like Anthropic's could be a game-changer for so many innovative ideas. It's not just about the capital, though that's huge; the technical support and guidance will be invaluable. Hopefully, we'll see some truly groundbreaking developments emerge from this.
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