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US AI Training Startup Mercor Nears $20 Billion Valuation Amid Strong Funding Talks

Saturday 11 July 2026 13:13
US AI Training Startup Mercor Nears $20 Billion Valuation Amid Strong Funding Talks

The American startup Mercor, which specializes in training artificial intelligence models, is close to doubling its market valuation to approximately $20 billion after entering talks to raise a new funding round. This milestone serves as a strong indicator of the sustained investment momentum currently sweeping the global AI sector.

This development comes less than a year after the company secured $350 million in a Series C funding round, which elevated its valuation to $10 billion. Meanwhile, the company revealed that its annualized revenue run rate has surpassed $2 billion, recording a 100% growth over just four months. This rapid surge is heavily driven by the escalating demand for AI model training and refinement services.

Furthermore, Mercor has fortified its expansion plans by acquiring Deeptune, a startup specialized in training AI agents. This strategic move aims to broaden its technical capabilities and consolidate its position within one of the fastest-growing technology sectors. This progress comes despite several challenges the company faced earlier this year, including a data breach and lawsuits filed by some of its contractors.