Sakana AI raises $135M Series B at a $2.65B valuation to continue building AI models for Japan

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    "url": "https://must-have-gadgets.com/sakana-ai-raises-135m-series-b-at-a-2-65b-valuation-to-continue-building-ai-models-for-japan",
    "title": "Sakana AI raises $135M Series B at a $2.65B valuation to continue building AI models for Japan",
    "excerpt": "Sakana AI raises $135M Series B at a $2.65B valuation to continue building AI models for Japan.\n\nAs U.S. giants like Google, OpenAI and Anthropic race to develop the large language models that underpin their AI products, startups such as Sakana AI, Mistral AI, DeepSeek and AI21 Labs are carving out their own niche with specialized models designed for specific regions, industries, or unique features.\n\nIn pursuit of that goal, Tokyo-based Sakana AI has closed a ¥20 billion (approximately $135 million) Series B funding round, which values the company at $2.65 billion post-money, up from a pre-money valuation of $2.5 billion, CEO David Ha told TechCrunch.\n\nFounded in 2023 by former Google researchers Llion Jones, Ren Ito and Ha, Sakana AI makes affordable generative AI models that work well with small datasets and are optimized for the Japanese language and culture.\n\nThe Series B round drew a mix of new and returning investors, combining Japan's financial heavyweights like Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) with global venture players such as Khosla Ventures, Macquarie Capital, NEA, Lux Capital and In-Q-Tel (IQT).\n\n\"We plan to deploy the new capital for not only R&D, including [AI] model development, but also to expand our workforce for engineering, sales, and distribution teams in Japan,\" Ha said. This year, Sakana has expanded its presence in Japan, teaming up with leading...",
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    "image_url": "https://must-have-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Sakana-AI-raises-135M-Series-B-at-a-265B-valuation.png",
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    "published_at": "2025-11-17T12:23:51Z",
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    "article_sentence": "This year, Sakana has expanded its presence in Japan, teaming up with leading local enterprises, including Daiwa and MUFG, and developing AI solutions."
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  -H "X-API-KEY: $AUTOBOUND_API_KEY" \
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