Observed Signal · Sep 16, 2026 · Funding · Source: CNBC Technology · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
OpenAI investors approach company about new funding round
OpenAI has postponed its IPO to at least 2027 and is raising at least $30 billion in a pre-IPO round at a $1.4 trillion valuation, according to Bloomberg. This follows a record $122 billion raise at an $852 billion valuation in March, led by SoftBank, Amazon, and Nvidia, and a $7 billion secondary sale in August. Run-rate revenue reached $40 billion in August, a 70% increase since July, driven by AI coding. The capital is needed to expand data centers, with projected cumulative negative free cash flow of $278 billion by 2030. SoftBank, the largest investor, is notably exposed, having committed up to $30 billion and issuing $11.15 billion in bonds. Competitor Anthropic is also delaying its IPO, targeting a valuation over $2 trillion, amid concerns about autonomous AI incidents. The IPO market is weakening, affecting companies like Oura and SB Energy.
News about OpenAI's potential new funding round at a $1.2 trillion valuation signals continued massive capital flows into AI infrastructure, which underpins the AdTech industry's AI adoption and innovation.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- OpenAI is raising at least $30 billion at a $1.4 trillion valuation, according to Bloomberg.
- The funding is a pre-IPO bridge round, with IPO postponed to no earlier than 2027.
- OpenAI's annualized revenue exceeds $40 billion, up ~70% since July, driven by AI coding.
- SoftBank committed up to $30 billion and issued $11.15 billion in bonds for a tranche.
- Projected cumulative negative free cash flow of $278 billion by 2030.
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16 Entities mapped“OpenAI investors have approached the company with proposals to kick-start a new funding round....”
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OpenAI Plans Retail Allocation for IPO
OpenAI closed a reportedly oversubscribed $122 billion financing round that valued the company at $852 billion and raised discussion of a possible IPO with retail allocation. However, some early investors told the Financial Times they believe OpenAI may be overvalued and have grown concerned about recent strategic shifts — including moves toward enterprise software and programming features — that could weaken its competitive position versus rivals such as Anthropic and Google. The report highlights Anthropic’s modular "Claude" add-ons (including tools for modernizing legacy COBOL code) as an example of focused product competition. OpenAI responded that the financing closed in record time, was supported by a broad group of global investors, and reflects confidence in its direction, business momentum and long-term value.
OpenAI confidentially files for IPO
OpenAI announced it has confidentially submitted a draft S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, posting the news on X and saying it has not yet decided on timing. The filing follows rival Anthropic’s confidential IPO filing a week earlier and signals the industry’s largest AI startups are preparing for public scrutiny. OpenAI — the maker of ChatGPT, which reports over 1 billion monthly active users — was last valued at more than $850 billion while Anthropic recently raised capital at an implied $965 billion post‑money valuation. The move has been reported to involve investment banks (including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) and may include a tender offer to let employees sell shares. The filing comes as OpenAI expands monetization efforts (including ads) and after the company prevailed in litigation involving Elon Musk.
OpenAI Nears $100B Deal, Valuation Soars Past $850B
OpenAI is reportedly close to securing more than $100 billion in new funding at a valuation that could exceed $850 billion, according to Bloomberg. The financing would come with a pre-money valuation of $730 billion and is said to include large tranches from Amazon (in talks for up to $50 billion), SoftBank (around $30 billion), Nvidia (near $20 billion) and Microsoft, with additional VC firms and sovereign wealth funds expected to close later. The round arrives as OpenAI continues to burn cash while approaching profitability; the company has begun testing ads in ChatGPT for free users as one path to revenue. TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI for comment.
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