Japanese AI-Lab secures more than $100M in funding, partnership with NVIDIA

ISTANBUL

Sakana AI, a high-tech laboratory located in Tokyo, has successfully secured more than $100 million in a Series A funding round, the company reported Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to announce our Series A Funding Round, where we are proud to raise over $100M from key investors and partners who believe in our mission,” it said.

The lab is focused on tackling some of Japan's most urgent issues, including a shrinking population. In 2024, Japan experienced its most significant population decline ever, losing 861,000 residents, marking the 15th consecutive year of decrease.

While recognizing that AI cannot single-handedly resolve all of the issues, Sakana expressed a dedication to creating technologies that assist Japan in addressing the challenges.

In line with this objective, Sakana AI has revealed a new partnership with US tech giant NVIDIA, concentrating on research, infrastructure and community development in Japan.

“The team at Sakana AI is helping spur the democratization of AI in Japan by developing cutting-edge foundation models," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA.

The laboratory previously unveiled the world’s first “AI Scientist” — a ground-breaking artificial intelligence system capable of making new scientific discoveries.