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AI Startups in NYC: 17 Companies to Know (2026)
By Solomon Wiesen, editor. Updated October 2026. Editorial standards | How this site is funded
Seventeen artificial intelligence startups based in New York City, from model labs and GPU clouds to AI agents for banks, law firms and plumbers, with each company’s latest round and valuation, checked October 2026.
- Scale: AI took 51% of NYC startup funding in Q2 2026 ($4.56B across 81 companies).
- Most valuable: Reflection AI ($25B pre-money, 2026) and Modal Labs ($15.75B, October 2026).
- Biggest 2026 round on this list: Modal Labs, $750M Series D.
- NYC specialty: applied AI for finance, law, accounting, real estate and marketing.
New York is now an AI city
AI took 51% of all venture money raised by New York City startups in the second quarter of 2026: $4.56 billion across 81 companies, according to AlleyWatch. NYC startups raised $8.88 billion that quarter, the most since 2021. NYCEDC counts more than 2,000 AI companies in the city. The New York version of AI leans toward applied work for the industries already here: banking, law, real estate, advertising and media. It also now has its own model labs and AI infrastructure companies.
Valuations of NYC AI startups at their latest round
In billions of dollars. Twelve of these fifteen were priced in 2026, and seven of those in the last six months, a sign of how fast New York AI valuations are moving.
17 AI startups in New York City
Models and research labs
Reflection AI
Chelsea, Manhattan; founded 2024
Builds open-weight frontier models. It raised $2 billion in October 2025 at an $8 billion valuation, with Nvidia putting in $800 million. Its CEO said in April 2026 that a new round had closed at a $25 billion pre-money valuation; the size was not disclosed.
Runway
Tribeca, Manhattan
Makes generative video tools and “world models” used by filmmakers and advertisers. Its $315 million Series E in February 2026, led by General Atlantic, valued it at $5.3 billion.
Flourish
West SoHo, Manhattan
A small, secretive lab building brain-inspired AI models designed to run on far less power. It raised about $500 million in a June 2026 Series A backed by Jeff Bezos, Lux and GV, at a reported $2.5 billion valuation (Hoodline, citing WIRED).
Hugging Face
New York City
Runs the largest open-source hub for AI models and datasets, used by millions of developers. Its $235 million Series D in August 2023, led by Salesforce Ventures, valued it at $4.5 billion.
AI infrastructure
Modal Labs
SoHo, Manhattan
A serverless GPU cloud for running AI inference, training and agent sandboxes. In October 2026 it raised a $750 million Series D led by Accel at a $15.75 billion valuation, five months after a $355 million Series C.
OpenRouter
NoMad, Manhattan; founded 2023
A single API that routes requests across hundreds of language models. Its $113 million Series B in May 2026, led by CapitalG, valued it at about $1.3 billion.
VAST Data
New York City
Data storage and processing software for large AI computing clusters. It raised a $500 million Series F in April 2026, per AlleyWatch.
Cyera
New York City
AI-native data security that finds and protects sensitive data across a company’s systems. It raised $600 million in June 2026 led by Evolution Equity Partners at a $12 billion valuation, bringing total funding to $2.3 billion.
AI for finance, law and accounting
Rogo
Manhattan; founded 2021
An AI analyst for investment banks and investment firms. It raised a $160 million Series D in April 2026 led by Kleiner Perkins, three months after a $75 million Series C.
Hebbia
SoHo, Manhattan; founded 2020
AI agents that read and analyze thousands of financial and legal documents at once. Its $130 million Series B in 2024, led by a16z, valued it at about $700 million.
Norm Ai
New York City; founded 2023
AI agents that check business activity against regulations and compliance rules. Its $120 million Series C in July 2026, led by Khosla, valued it at $1.2 billion.
Basis
New York City; founded 2023
AI agents that do accounting, tax and audit work for accounting firms. It raised $100 million in February 2026, led by Accel, at a $1.15 billion valuation.
AI for sales, marketing and operations
Clay
Flatiron, Manhattan
Combines data from many sources with AI to help sales teams find and research prospects. Its $115 million Series D in September 2026, led by Wellington, valued it at $7.1 billion.
Profound
New York City; founded 2024
Tracks how brands appear in answers from ChatGPT and other AI search tools and helps improve that visibility. It raised a $180 million Series D in September 2026, led by Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins, at $1.8 billion.
EliseAI
New York City
AI agents that handle leasing, maintenance requests and patient communication for property managers and health systems. It raised $350 million in September 2026, led by a16z and Bessemer, at a $4 billion valuation.
Avoca
New York City
AI voice agents that answer calls and book jobs for plumbers, HVAC companies and other home-service businesses. Its Series B in April 2026, led by Meritech and General Catalyst, valued it at $1 billion.
Trunk Tools
New York City; founded 2021
AI agents that read construction documents and answer field crews’ questions. Its $40 million Series B in July 2025 was led by Insight Partners.
Financing an AI startup in New York
The companies above raised venture capital, but most AI businesses never will. If you are building AI services, an agency or a vertical product with early revenue, see AI startup financing in NYC for loans, revenue-based financing and state programs, and how to invest in NYC startups for the investor side.
Where to go next
Frequently asked questions
How many AI companies are in New York City?
NYCEDC counts more than 2,000 AI companies in New York City.
What is the most valuable AI startup in NYC?
Reflection AI, which its CEO said raised at a $25 billion pre-money valuation in 2026. Modal Labs was valued at $15.75 billion in October 2026.
How much AI funding did NYC startups raise in 2026?
In Q2 2026 alone, NYC AI startups raised $4.56 billion, 51% of all city startup funding, according to AlleyWatch. Total NYC startup funding in the first half of 2026 was $17.7 billion.
Are there AI startups in Brooklyn?
Yes. Hugging Face has used a DUMBO address in filings, and several AI and robotics startups work out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Most of the larger AI companies are in Manhattan, especially SoHo, Flatiron and NoMad.
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General information, not investment advice. Valuations and rounds are as announced or reported in the press.
