Observed Signal · Jul 15, 2026 · Funding · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Nous Research in Talks for $1.5B Funding Round for Hermes
Nous Research, the US startup behind the open-source AI agent Hermes, is negotiating a new funding round at a $1.5 billion valuation, according to TechCrunch. The round is expected to raise at least $75 million and is led by Robot Ventures, with substantial participation from Union Square Ventures and other investors. Founded in 2023, Nous Research has previously raised $70 million from investors including Paradigm, North Island Ventures, and OSS Capital. Hermes, a direct competitor to the viral agent OpenClaw, offers features such as task automation, persistent memory, subagents, and flexible deployment. The funds will be used to further develop the product and business model.
Significant funding round for an AI agent startup, indicating strong investor confidence in AI-driven automation tools relevant to business and marketing technology.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Nous Research is negotiating a funding round at a valuation of $1.5 billion.
- The round is expected to raise at least $75 million, with Robot Ventures as lead investor.
- Union Square Ventures is substantially participating in the round.
- Nous Research has previously raised $70 million in total funding.
- Hermes has around 214,000 GitHub stars and is a competitor to OpenClaw.
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