Runway Secures $300M Series D to Expand AI Film Studio
Deal News | Apr 03, 2025 | General Atlantic
Runway, an applied AI research company, has announced a significant milestone in its mission to revolutionize the media ecosystem through AI-driven world simulators. On April 3, 2025, they revealed an expansion of Runway Studios, an AI film and animation studio dedicated to the production of original content. This initiative is backed by a robust $300M Series D funding round, predominantly led by General Atlantic, with contributions from key investors such as Fidelity Management & Research Company, Baillie Gifford, NVIDIA, and SoftBank. Runway's Gen-4 AI models are at the forefront of this expansion, setting new standards in media generation by offering precise and consistent AI-generated characters, locations, and objects across scenes. This substantial funding will further enhance their research capabilities and fuel the growth of their team of top engineers and researchers.
Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence
- Media and Entertainment
- Venture Capital
Geography
- United States – Both Runway and General Atlantic are based in the United States, as is NVIDIA, signifying a focus on American technological and financial landscapes.
- Global – The participation of international investors like SoftBank and Baillie Gifford indicates a global interest in the project.
Industry
- Artificial Intelligence – Runway is an applied AI research company focusing on advancing AI models for media ecosystem development, indicating its pivotal role in the Artificial Intelligence industry.
- Media and Entertainment – Runway Studios is expanding its AI film and animation studio to produce original content, placing it firmly in the Media and Entertainment sector.
- Venture Capital – General Atlantic led a $300M Series D funding round, highlighting the involvement in venture capital investment in cutting-edge market opportunities.
Financials
- $300M – The total amount raised in the Series D funding round led by General Atlantic to fuel Runway's expansion and research.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runway | Target | Company | An applied AI research company aimed at building media ecosystems with world simulators. |
| General Atlantic | Lead Investor | Company | A growth equity firm that led the Series D funding round for Runway. |
| Fidelity Management & Research Company | Investor | Company | A multinational financial services company participating in the Series D funding round. |
| Baillie Gifford | Investor | Company | An investment management firm participating in Runway's funding round. |
| NVIDIA | Investor | Company | A leading technology company and participant in the Series D funding round for advancing AI technologies. |
| SoftBank | Investor | Company | A multinational conglomerate holding company with a strategic interest in technology and innovation. |