Key Takeaways

  • Nous Research is in discussions for a new funding round.
  • The startup is valued at $1.5 billion.
  • It aims to raise a minimum of $75 million.
  • Robot Ventures is leading the funding, with participation from USV.

Funding Discussions

Nous Research, the company behind the open-source Hermes agent, is in the final stages of securing a new funding round. This round is reportedly led by Robot Ventures, with significant backing from USV and other notable investors, aiming for a valuation of $1.5 billion. The startup is looking to raise at least $75 million, having attracted considerable interest from potential investors.

Company Background

Founded in 2023 by Jeffrey Quesnelle, Karan Malhotra, Ryan Teknium, and Shivani Mitra, Nous Research has previously raised a total of $70 million. This funding came from various investors, including Paradigm and North Island Ventures, as noted in Crunchbase records.

Product Overview

Following the viral success of OpenClaw, Nous Research introduced its competitor, Hermes. While OpenClaw operates locally on PCs, Hermes comes equipped with built-in skills for tasks like web searching, coding, and image recognition. One of Hermes’ standout features is its ability to learn from user interactions, enhancing its capabilities without requiring manual updates. The startup has also developed language models tailored for coding and mathematics.

User Experience

Similar to OpenClaw, Hermes allows users to automate tasks and communicate with agents through platforms like Telegram and Discord. This functionality has gained traction as users appreciate the convenience of running AI agents remotely.

Open-Source Popularity

As an open-source tool, Hermes has garnered a significant following on GitHub, with approximately 214,000 stars and nearly 40,000 forks. Developers can deploy Hermes on their desktops or on virtual private servers. For those seeking a more user-friendly option, Nous Research also offers a cloud-hosted version, available in various pricing tiers from $20 to $200 per month.

Future Plans

Sources indicate that the upcoming funding will be directed towards expanding Hermes’ product offerings and refining its business model.