AI startups secure massive funding for world models and agents

Several artificial intelligence startups are securing significant funding rounds as investors prioritize specialized research and agentic capabilities.

Emulate, a UK-based startup founded by former Google DeepMind researchers, is in advanced talks to raise up to $700 million. This funding would value the company at approximately $3.7 billion. The firm focuses on ‘world models’ designed to simulate physical environments, a technology that could significantly impact robotics.

In China, Manus is reportedly seeking a $500 million investment at a $4 billion valuation. This follows the company’s separation from Meta after Chinese authorities blocked a previous acquisition deal. Manus specializes in AI agents capable of automating complex, multi-step digital tasks.

Other notable activity includes Iceland’s Treble, which raised $18 million in a Series A-2 round to develop audio simulation platforms for robotics and automotive sectors. Additionally, London-based Mantic secured $25 million in seed funding to develop AI systems for predicting political and economic events, while China’s Digiware (地瓜机器人) announced a $400 million Series C round to advance its embodied intelligence chipsets and software platforms.