速递｜“新实验室”浪潮汹涌：前OpenAI团队创立的Applied Compute，13亿美元估值融资在即

Core Insights - Applied Compute, a startup founded by three former OpenAI researchers, is negotiating to raise new funding at a valuation of $1.3 billion, more than doubling its previous valuation of approximately $500 million from less than three months ago [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Applied Compute focuses on helping businesses customize AI models using their own data, specifically targeting sectors like finance and law [3]. - The company employs reinforcement learning techniques to optimize model performance by rewarding desired behaviors and penalizing others [3]. - Applied Compute collaborates with clients such as DoorDash, Cognition, and Mercor to develop AI agents that can perform tasks on behalf of employees [3]. Group 2: Funding and Valuation - The current funding round may raise up to $70 million, with venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins reportedly leading the investment [2]. - The company has previously raised $80 million from investors including Sequoia Capital, Benchmark, and Lux Capital [2]. - The investment interest in startups focused on research, often referred to as "new labs," is growing, as these companies aim to advance model and product development in ways that larger labs like OpenAI and Anthropic may overlook [2]. Group 3: Financial Performance - As of November last year, Applied Compute achieved an annualized revenue of $12.8 million [5]. - The company is still in the early stages of revenue generation, indicating potential for growth as it scales its operations [5]. Group 4: Industry Context - Applied Compute is not the only well-funded startup aiming for customization; other companies like Thinking Machines Lab are also pursuing similar goals but face challenges such as employee turnover [4]. - The trend of researchers establishing their own companies continues, driven by the desire to innovate beyond the constraints of larger organizations [2].