OpenAI raises $8.3 billion at $300 billion valuation in oversubscribed round led by Dragoneer

OpenAI has raised $8.3 billion in a new funding round at a $300 billion valuation, according to The New York Times. The oversubscribed deal, which came months ahead of schedule, marks a major milestone in the company’s aggressive push to secure $40 billion in capital this year. The round was initially expected to raise $7.5 billion after OpenAI’s $2.5 billion fundraising in March, led by SoftBank. However, strong investor demand prompted the company to close the deal early, with participation from a broad mix of new and existing backers. Dragoneer Investment Group led the round with a $2.8 billion commitment, while other major investors included private equity firms Blackstone and TPG, mutual fund manager T. Rowe Price, and prominent venture capital firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Coatue Management, Tiger Global, Founders Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Altimeter Capital, and Thrive Capital. The influx of capital underscores growing confidence in OpenAI’s commercial momentum. According to The Information, the company reported $12 billion in annualized revenue and over 700 million weekly active users for ChatGPT. The Times now estimates revenue at $13 billion, with projections reaching $20 billion by year-end. These figures reflect rapid user growth and expanding monetization through subscriptions, enterprise licensing, and API usage. The funding round also comes amid favorable external developments, including the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which could open new government contracts and regulatory pathways for AI companies. Meanwhile, ongoing talks with Microsoft—OpenAI’s longtime partner—could further solidify the company’s path toward becoming a fully independent, for-profit entity. Some early investors expressed disappointment over smaller allocations in the round, as OpenAI prioritized bringing on new strategic partners with deep pockets and industry influence. The move signals a shift toward a more institutionalized capital structure, aligning with the company’s ambitions to scale globally and maintain leadership in the fast-evolving AI landscape. TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for comment.