Observed Signal · Mar 10, 2026 · Partnership · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Thinking Machines Lab Partners with Nvidia for AI Revolution
Thinking Machines Lab, the AI research startup co-founded by OpenAI alum Mira Murati, announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Nvidia. The agreement — terms not disclosed — includes deployment of at least one gigawatt of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin systems beginning in 2027 and a commitment to jointly develop training and serving systems for Nvidia architecture. Nvidia is also making a strategic investment in the lab. Thinking Machines Lab has raised more than $2 billion since its February 2025 founding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Accel and Nvidia (and interest from AMD’s venture arm), and is valued at over $12 billion. The company released its first product, the Tinker API, in October. The piece notes several co‑founder departures (including Andrew Tulloch to Meta and three returning to OpenAI) and places the deal in the context of surging demand for AI compute.
Large multi-year compute commitments and a strategic Nvidia investment signal continued strong demand for AI training capacity and tighter ties between chipmakers and AI labs; important for infrastructure and model development but not an industry‑shifting regulatory or platform policy event.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Thinking Machines Lab entered a multi-year strategic partnership with Nvidia; financial terms were not disclosed.
- The deal includes deploying at least one gigawatt of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin systems starting in 2027.
- Nvidia is making a strategic investment in Thinking Machines Lab.
- Thinking Machines Lab has raised more than $2 billion since its February 2025 founding and is valued at over $12 billion.
- Thinking Machines Lab released its first product, an API called Tinker, in October; several co‑founders have since departed for Meta and OpenAI.
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Nvidia Invests Big in Mira Murati's AI Venture
Nvidia has made a "significant investment" in Thinking Machines Lab and entered a multiyear strategic partnership with the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. As part of the deal, Thinking Machines Lab agreed to deploy at least one gigawatt of Nvidia's Vera Rubin systems — Nvidia's most advanced offering, which the company says is expected to ship in the second half of the year. The startup launched a developer-facing product called Tinker in October and previously raised $2 billion from investors in July. Nvidia has previously invested in and supplied compute to other prominent AI firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic.
Accel in Talks to Lead $1B Round for Thinking Machines
TechCrunch reports, citing The Information and its own source, that Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is in talks to raise $1 billion at a valuation of at least $40 billion. Existing backer Accel is reportedly in discussions to lead the round. If completed, the valuation would fall below the roughly $50 billion the company reportedly sought late last year. Thinking Machines' annual revenue run rate exceeds $100 million, implying a very high revenue multiple at a $40 billion valuation. The company previously raised a $2 billion seed round at a $12 billion valuation, led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Nvidia, GV, Lightspeed, and Conviction Partners. In July, Thinking Machines launched Inkling, an open-weight model that generates revenue through usage-based compute fees for adapting models on its Tinker platform. Neither Accel nor Thinking Machines responded to requests for comment.
Thinking Machines Gains Meta Researchers After Google Deal
Thinking Machines Lab (TML) has been recruiting multiple researchers from Meta while expanding its infrastructure partnerships. The startup signed a multibillion-dollar cloud agreement with Google that gives it access to Nvidia’s latest GB300 chips and places TML alongside Anthropic and Meta in infrastructure tiering. Several high-profile ex‑Meta employees have joined TML — including Soumith Chintala (appointed CTO), Piotr Dollár and recent hires Weiyao Wang and Kenneth Li — even as Meta reportedly recruited seven of TML’s founding members. TML reported a headcount of about 140 and a valuation previously reported at $12 billion. The article notes TML has prior ties with Nvidia and has released one public product (Tinker).
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