These are the 41 hottest AI startups worth at least $1 billion, across healthcare, finance, transportation and more

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automation industry.

  • CB Insights compiled a list of artificial intelligence companies that have reached a valuation of at least $1 billion.
  • These AI unicorns are using the technology across industries like cybersecurity, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, retail and finance.   
  • Healthcare is the top industry for AI deals, with companies raising $7.3 billion across 922 deals over the past six years, according to CB Insights 
  • Read the full list of all 41 companies which includes ZipRecruiter, Dataminr, SenseTime, and ByteDance. 
  • Click here for more BI Prime stories.

CB Insights has compiled a list of every artificial intelligence company that has reached the $1 billion valuation mark, or what is often called unicorn status. 

A total of nine startups reached a valuation of at least $1 billion in 2019 so far. Since 2013, 45 AI startups have joined the unicorn club. 

The chart from CB Insights shows all AI unicorns that are current and exited from 2013-2019.

CB Insights says it defines AI companies as, “those that use machine learning as a core differentiator, sell AI software, or built AI chips.” The list excludes hardware-focused robotics startups and VR companies.

In its report “AI In Numbers” on financing through the middle of 2019, CB Insights found that healthcare was the leading industry for AI deals, coming in at $7.3 billion across 922 deals over the past six years. AI startups in finance and insurance raised $5.2 billion across 621 deals, while retail-focused firms attracted $2.7 billion across 561 deals. 

Read more: One sector has emerged as the hottest area for AI investment. A top investor at Andreessen Horowitz told us why it’s the ‘natural next step’ for the industry.

Take a look at all 41 of the current AI unicorns across various industries like transportation, healthcare, cybersecurity, agriculture, finance, and retail. The list, based on information compiled by CB Insights, excludes companies that have gone public or been acquired. 

iCarbonX – $1 billion

What it does: An AI platform that facilitates research related to the treatment of diseases, preventive care and nutrition, and is used to develop personalized medicine. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: China Bridge Capital, Tencent Holdings, Vcanbio 

 

Intellifusion – $1 billion

What it does: The company offers facial recognition technology and is accelerating visual recognition in IP cameras, robots and cloud. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: BOC International, TopoScend Capital, Hongxiu VC

Globality – $1 billion

What it does: The company is a marketplace for business services, and can help link large companies with small and midsize service providers. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: SoftBank Group

Momenta – $1 billion

What it does: The company develops driving technology for self-driving cars. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Blue Lake Capital, CCB International, Cathay Innovation, China Merchants Capital, Daimler 

Meero – $1 billion

What it does: A platform for photography that uses AI to enhance images.

Where it’s based: France 

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Eurazeo, Avenir Growth Capital, Prime Ventures

OrCam Technologies – $1 billion

What it does: The company created an eyeglasses device that can read words to people who can’t see.

Where it’s based: Israel 

Year founded: 2010

Key investors: Aviv Venture Capital, BRM Group, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings, Intel Capital, Meitav Dash 

SoundHound – $1 billion

What it does: The company specializes in using AI technology to understand sounds. It offers an app that can identify music when a user hums or sings a melody into their phone. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2005

Key investors: Cota Capital, Daimler, Felicis Ventures, Global Catalyst Partners, Global Catalyst Partners Japan 

TuSimple – $1 billion

What it does: The company uses AI technology to make trucking safer and more efficient, by introducing self-driving trucks.  

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: CDH Investments, Sina, Composite Capital Partners 

Unisound – $1 billion

What it does: The company offers speech recognition technology for devices like wearables, navigation tools, and smart appliances. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2012

Key investors: CICC Jiacheng Investment, CLP Health Fund, China International Capital Corporation, China Internet Investment Fund, Grains Valley Venture Capital 

 

ZipRecruiter – $1 billion

What it does: The company runs an online jobs marketplace which uses some AI technology.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2010

Key investors: Basepoint Ventures, Industry Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, Undisclosed Investors, Wellington Management 

Outreach – $1.1 billion

What it does: The company offers a sales engagement platform that aims to improve customer interactions. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: Lone Pine Capital, Four Rivers Group, DFJ Growth, Spark Capital, Sapphire VenturesMeritech Capital Partners, Lemonade Capital, Mayfield Fund, Trinity Ventures 

4Paradigm – $1.2 billion

What it does: The company provides AI technology and services, helping financial firms detect fraud, reduce risk, and improve efficacy. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China CITIC Bank 

Butterfly Network – $1.25 billion

What it does: The company created a handheld ultrasound scanner called the Butterfly iQ.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2011

Key investors: Aeris Capital, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fidelity Investments, Fosun Pharmaceutical, Jamie Dinan 

C3.ai – $1.4 billion

What it does: The company provides AI software for functions like fraud detection, supply network optimization, and energy management. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2009

Key investors: Breyer Capital, InterWest Partners, Makena Capital Management, Pat House, Sutter Hill Ventures 

 

Dataminr – $1.6 billion

What it does: The company provides alerts about important or breaking news and events in real time.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2009 

Key investors: Andrea Wuerfel, BoxGroup, Brainchild Holdings, Credit Suisse NEXT Investors, Declaration Partners  

Darktrace – $1.65 billion

What it does: Darktrace helps defend companies against cyberattacks.

Where it’s based: UK

Year founded: 2013

Key investors: Hoxton Ventures, Insight Partners, Invoke Capital, KKR, Samsung Electronics 

Pony.ai – $1.7 billion

What it does: The company is building technology to create self-driving vehicles. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Adrian Cheng, China Merchants Capital, ClearVue Partners, Comcast Ventures, DCM Ventures 

 

Afiniti – $1.8 billion

What it does: The company has developed AI for customer call centers that can match customers with agents based on behavioral patterns.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2006

Key investors: Elisabeth Murdoch, Fred Ryan, GAM Holding, Ivan Seidenberg, John Browne

Graphcore – $1.7 billion

What it does: The company created a chip and software to help power AI technology.

Where it’s based: UK

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Ahren Innovation Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, Atomico, BMW i Ventures, C4 Ventures 

InsideSales.com – $1.7 billion

What it does: The company sells an AI-powered sales platform.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2004

Key investors: Acadia Woods Partners, Epic Ventures, Fraser Bullock, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund 

Avant – $2 billion

What it does: Using advanced algorithms and machine-learning, the company offers a customized approach to help online banking customers borrow money.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2012 

Key investors: August Capital, Balyasny Asset Management, Credit Suisse, CreditEase, DFJ Growth Fund 

Preferred Networks – $2 billion

What it does: The software development company applies real-time machine learning technologies to transportation, manufacturing, and biotech and healthcare. 

Where it’s based: Japan 

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: Chugai Pharmaceutical, FANUC, Hakuhodo DY Holdings, Hitachi, JXTG Holdings 

Lemonade – $2 billion

What it does: The company sells insurance for renters and homeowners. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: SoftBank Group, Allianz X, OurCrowd, Thrive Capital, General Catalyst

Cambricon – $2 billion

What it does: The company has developed a processor chip that simulates human nerve cells and brain processing to conduct deep learning. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Alibaba Innovation Investment, CAS Investment Management Co., CITIC Securities, CMB International Capital 

 

BenevolentAI – $2.1 billion

What it does: The company is an advanced AI technology platform that synthesizes and extracts important data from complex scientific data sets to help find potential new medical treatments.

Where it’s based: UK

Year founded: 2013

Key investors: H. Lundbeck, Lansdowne Partners, Undisclosed Investors, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Woodford Investment Management 

Uptake Technologies – $2.3 billion

What it does: The company provides predictive analytic software that collects and interprets sensor data for clients from industries like mining, rail, energy, aviation, retail, and construction.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: Baillie Gifford $ Co., Caterpillar, GreatPoint Ventures, Lightbank, New Enterprise Associates 

YITU Technology – $2.4 billion

What it does: The company works on areas including computer vision, voice and face recognition, reasoning, and robotics. 

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2012

Key investors: China Industrial Asset Management, China Merchants Bank, Etisalat, Gaocheng Capital, Gaorong Capital 

 

Aurora – $2.5

What it does: The company develops self-driving car technology. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2017

Key investors: Sequoia Capital, Amazon.com, Geodesic Capital, Shell Ventures, Reinvent Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Greylock Partners  

Automation Anywhere – $2.6 billion

What it does: The company helps businesses automate key tasks like data collection and entry.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2003 

Key investors: General Atlantic, Goldman Sachs, New Enterprise Associates, SoftBank Group, Workday Ventures

Nuro – $2.7 billion

What it does: The company is working on self-driving vehicles.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: SoftBank Investment Advisers

Horizon Robotics – $3 billion

What it does: The company offers AI technology that can analyze traffic patterns and road conditions and is also working on technology for cars.

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: SK Group, SK Hynix, CITIC Securities International Co, China Minsheng Investment Group, Oceanwide Capital 

CrowdStrike – $3 billion

What it does: The cybersecurity company helps protect against hacking and cyberattacks.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2011

Key investors: Accel, General Atlantic, Institutional Venture Partners, March Capital Partners, Rackspace 

Tempus – $3.1 billion

What it does: Started by Groupon founder Eric Lefkofsky, Tempus aims to help doctors use data to find better cancer treatments for patients.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2015

Key investors: Baillie Gifford & Co., Franklin Templeton Investments, Kinship Trust Company, Lightbank, New Enterprise Associates 

 

Zoox – $3.2 billion

What it does: The company is working on self-driving vehicles.

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: AID Partners, Blackbird Ventures, Breyer Capital, Composite Capital Partners, IDG Capital 

CloudWalk – $3.3 billion

What it does: The company provides a payment network that processes transactions from credit and debit cards and other payment products. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2013

Key investors: Plug and Play Accelerator, Plug and Play Ventures, Undisclosed Investors, Visa Acceleration Program 

Indigo Agriculture – $3.5 billion

What it does: The agricultural company uses microbiology and other technology to improve the growth of crops like cotton, wheat, corn, soybeans, and rice. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2016

Key investors: Activant Capital Group, Alaska Permanent Fund, Altitude Life Science Ventures, Baillie Gifford & Co., Flagship Pioneering

Face++ – $4 billion

What it does: The company offers facial recognition technology to clients in government, retail and other sectors.

Where it’s based: China 

Year founded: 2011

Key investors: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Alibaba Group, Ant Financial Services Group, Bank of China Group Investment, Boyu Capital 

SenseTime – $4.5 billion

What it does: The company offers AI technologies in areas ranging from image recognition to autonomous driving. It says its tech can be used in smart cities, mobile phones, online entertainment, and retail.

Where it’s based: China

Year founded: 2014

Key investors: Advantech Capital, Alibaba Group, All-Stars Investment, Bank of China Group Investment Zheshang Capital, CDH Investments

Tanium – $6.7 billion

What it does: The company providers cybersecurity and aids IT teams to handle cyberthreats. 

Where it’s based: US

Year founded: 2007

Key investors: Adage Capital Management, Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford & Co., Executive Press, Franklin Templeton Investments 

 

UiPath – $7.1 billion

What it does: The company provides a software platform to help organizations automate business processes. It is used in industries like healthcare, finance, and human resources.

Where it’s based: United States 

Year founded: 2005

Key investors: Accel, Coatue Management, Credo Ventures, Dragoneer Investment Group, Earlybird Venture Capital 

ByteDance – $75 billion

What it does: The company provides online creative content platforms. The company’s most well known platform is TikTok, an app allowing users to share short videos. 

Where it’s based: China

Year founded: 2012

Key investors: Bank of America, Bank of China, Barclays Bank, CCB International, CMB Wing Lung Bank 



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