MENLO PARK, Calif., July 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Menlo Ventures, a leading venture capital firm, today announced the Anthology Fund, a groundbreaking $100 million initiative created in partnership with Anthropic, the frontier artificial intelligence safety and research company. The Anthology Fund aims to partner with innovative founders to build unique AI-first applications and infrastructure solutions that leverage Anthropic’s technology and AI models.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Anthropic to launch the Anthology Fund,” said Matt Murphy, Partner at Menlo Ventures. “By combining Menlo’s company-building experience with Anthropic’s cutting-edge AI technology and talent, we are uniquely positioned to identify and partner with the most promising entrepreneurs shaping the future of AI.”
The Anthology Fund will invest in companies from seed to expansion stages, with investments starting at $100,000. The fund will back selected entrepreneurs innovating broadly with Anthropic technologies, primarily focused on five key areas:
- AI infrastructure–including DevX tools and middleware–that advances the use of Claude and other LLMs, accelerating their adoption and capabilities.
- Frontier/Novel applications of AI that will transform bio, healthcare, legal, financial services, supply chains, cloud infrastructure, and cyber security. While we highlight those areas, we are committed to backing exceptional ideas across all sectors.
- Consumer AI solutions that transform the user experience by seamlessly integrating LLMs as core components driving interactions.
- Trust and safety tooling (at or above the model layer) that enhances AI safety and offers scalable, profitable solutions for responsible AI deployment.
- AI apps and tech that maximize societal benefits, such as new forms of education/training, job creation solutions, and tools that expand accessibility.
Startups backed by the fund gain access to a suite of resources, including:
- A strong venture partner: Tap into Menlo's seasoned investors, dedicated services team, and vast network to help build a product into a business primed to hyperscale.
- Anthropic Advantage: Leverage pioneering AI research, products, and tools.
- Frontier model access: Harness Anthropic's most advanced AI models with $25,000 in free credits.
- Collaborative community: Join a vibrant network of like-minded founders, researchers, and business leaders, all driven by the desire to harness AI for positive change.
- Structured Program: Participate in quarterly deep dives with Menlo Partners and Anthropic's developer relations team, designed to optimize their use of Claude. Showcase progress at bi-annual demo day hosted by the Menlo team and Anthropic leaders like Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger and President Daniela Amodei.
- Additional Resources: Enjoy credits from Menlo's infrastructure partners and fractional workspace in Menlo’s San Francisco and Menlo Park offices.
“The Anthology Fund represents more than investing—we see this as an opportunity to drive AI forward,” said Tim Tully, partner at Menlo Ventures. “We’re not just looking for startups; we’re seeking pioneers who will harness Anthropic’s groundbreaking technology to shatter the limits of what is possible today through AI. Our mission is to empower ambitious founders to create solutions that don't just drive value but fundamentally reshape industries and improve lives.”
“Through our partnership with Menlo Ventures and the Anthology Fund, we hope to accelerate the development of groundbreaking AI applications. We're particularly interested in ventures that leverage AI to enhance human capabilities and productivity in fields such as healthcare, legal services, education, energy, infrastructure, and scientific research,” said Daniela Amodei, President of Anthropic. “We look forward to working closely with Menlo and the exceptional founders backed by this Fund to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.”
Interested startups can apply for consideration and find more information about the Anthology Fund through the Menlo Ventures website. The investment team, led by Menlo Partners Tim Tully, Matt Murphy, Joff Redfern, Amy Wu, Deedy Das, and Venky Ganesan, will work closely with the Anthropic team to support Anthology startups as they scale.
About Menlo Ventures:
Menlo Ventures is a venture capital firm that strives to have a positive impact on everything we do. That’s why we support businesses, including Abnormal Security, Anthropic, Benchling, Carta, Chime, Harness, Poshmark, Pillpack, Pinecone, Roku, Rover, Uber, and Warby Parker, that are reimagining life and work for the better. Over 47 years, we've grown a portfolio that includes more than 80 public companies, over 165 mergers and acquisitions, and $6.4 billion under management. We invest at every stage and in every sector, with expertise in Consumer, Enterprise, and Healthcare and provide real impact where entrepreneurs need it most. When we're in, we're ALL IN.
About Anthropic
Anthropic is an AI lab whose research and products put safety at the frontier. As a public benefit corporation, Anthropic is dedicated to ensuring the world safely makes the transition through transformative AI. Their multidisciplinary team creates reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Anthropic’s flagship product is Claude, a large language model that offers the best combination of speed and performance.
Contact:
menlo@nectarpr.com
