Databricks eyes over $100 billion valuation as investors back AI growth plans

Aug 19 (Reuters) - Analytics firm Databricks said on Tuesday its valuation was set to jump 61% to more than $100 billion in a funding round less than a year after its last, underscoring strong investor demand for artificial intelligence startups.

The San Francisco, California-based company — with 15,000 customers, including payments firm Block XYZ.N, energy giant Shell SHEL.L and electric-vehicle maker Rivian RIVN.O — said it has signed a term sheet for a Series K round, but did not disclose the amount it was raising.

Late last year, Databricks had raised $10 billion in one of the largest venture capital funding rounds in history, which valued it at $62 billion.

The company expects to use a portion of the latest funds in product development and for mergers and acquisitions in the AI segment, as corporations and governments worldwide rush to leverage efficiencies from the nascent but rapidly evolving technology.

"Databricks is benefiting from an unprecedented global demand for AI apps and agents, turning companies' data into goldmines. We're thrilled this round is already over-subscribed," said Ali Ghodsi, co-founder and CEO.

Startups are choosing to stay private for longer amid higher interest rates and unpredictable market appetite for initial public offerings over the past few years. Capital is also available for larger late-stage rounds as private market investors sit on record levels of dry powder.

OpenAI is also in talks to close an employee share sale, which would value the ChatGPT parent at around $500 billion, Reuters had reported earlier this month.